In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
Lead actor in Fela- a star making performance that did not make him a star-Hugh Jackman in Oz- Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria, Kathleen Turner in Virginia Woolf, Audra McDonald in Porgy and Bess- and this, of course, is for starters.
I know it's hard to believe from my posts, but I was only 11 when Streisand left the stage show. I'd never seen a professional show of any kind at the time.
I first saw Streisand in HELLO, DOLLY! and found her unintentionally hilarious. Later I saw the FUNNY GIRL film and finally understood what the fuss was about.
***
Ah, I see why you asked and, no, of course I wasn't offended. In my list, the shows like CALL ME MADAM, MAME, and CLEAR DAY were all road shows after the Broadway runs.
I've come to love Streisand in DOLLY! (That voice! That score!), but I laughed my head off the first time I saw it.
Let's face it: she is incredibly mannered as an actress, which is why some of us never believe her as YENTL. Daisy Clover was actually a pretty good fit. And I loved THE WAY WE WERE; I thought Streisand was perfect in it.
I did see Barbra in Funny Girl- I was 14 years old and already a huge Streisand fan. However, I saw her in November, 1966- she left one month later to do FG in London- and she had said, later in interviews, that she was basically sleepwalking through the part until she could leave Bway. Although I loved seeing her- this was not a sensational performance- she was good- but it lacked a certain enthusiasm and energy that disappointed me- Streisand is beyond amazing when she is feeling it- but it was a bit of a let down- and even at 14, I could tell that the feeling was gone. But, saw her many times live- and the best performance I have ever seen her give was in Brooklyn- she was on fire and I was in row 3 to witness it all. And yes, Alice Ripley was a force of nature in Next To Normal- forgot to mention her- from a long time ago- Liza Minnelli in Flora The Red Menace blew me away as a kid- my first exposure to Liza- and I was super impressed with her talent and passion.
Jessie Mueller in Merrily We Roll Along - The 100 seat theatre was 1/2 full. The cast was amazing. 3 months after this she went to Broadway doing On A Clear Day. Literally said to the people I was with, how is this person not performing in a bigger venue?
Patti in Gypsy at Ravinia
E. Faye Butler in Caroline Or Change
Although this was not based on a single performance, the show A Twist Of Water at The Mercury Theatre was unbelievable and probably the single best show I have ever seen.
Also the original Chicago production of A Steady Rain was also unbelievable.
Hamlet (I don't know the actors name)- (It was performed in one of the courtyards of the walls of Dubrovnik)
Irene Worth and Christopher Walken - Sweet Bird of Youth (Brooklyn Academy of Music)
Cherry Jones and Philip Bosco - The Heiress
The entire company of Nicholas Nickleby - (Royal Shakespeare Company, London)
It's interesting to me that only one of my shows was on Broadway (Though a couple of the productions ended up there) and I think between 1978 and 1998 I saw 95% of the shows produced on Broadway.