Andrew Lloyd Weber tribute on NBC

[Babe_Williams]

Anyone watching? A large potion of the show is a promo for JCS, but they are playing some show clips, like an old clip of Brightman and Crawford rehearsing for Phantom and a few Elaine Page clips.

[ljay889]

Of course there was slight Sondheim shade, lol.

[Miles2Go2]

I must’ve missed the shade, but I’m loving it. It’s giving me even more respect for ALW.

[ljay889]

It was regarding Phantom and making sure Hal wanted to direct it. He told Hal “you’ve done all the Steve Sondheim shows, and they aren’t romances.”

[Miles2Go2]

Oh, okay. I couldn’t quite make out what he said there so that wasn’t clear to me. Thanks. I suppose many of Sondheim’s musicals could be considered to not be primarily romances. So I wouldn’t necessarily consider that a dis. Of course, I’m not sure I think of POTA as a romance either. If so, it’s a rather creepy one. Lol

[CurtainPullDowner]

Not a Pone in sight or mind.

[Miles2Go2]

CurtainPullDowner said: "Not a Pone in sight or mind."

I noticed that! No Buckley either, correct? 

[Mr. Nowack]

What an amusing mess. The Lin stuff was totally unnecessary, why did we need to waste time on an extended clip of Lin at the White House?!

I think it couldn't decide if it wanted to be the typical Live musical behind the scenes or a full retrospective on ALW so it kinda sucked at both.

[chernjam]

Probably why there was no LuPone/Buckley clips is that they used basically all Universal Video footage (of his 50th Birthday, Cats; Joseph; JCS etc) since Universal is NBC parent company.

It was nice.  For those of us mega fants, No new ground broken here and I'm a bit tired of Lin...  But this was probably the first time NBC did an ALW tribute (or any major network did, probably the most prior to this was done on PBS) so that's a feat.  Probably helped sell some tickets for SOR and Phantom and help promo JCS on Sunday

[antonijan]

Happy Bday ALW and Stephen Sondheim!!!

[singerunlimited]

I enjoyed it as well, but it definitely left much to be desired. My biggest frustration came from Lin constantly interjecting about “Hamilton” and the extended clips from his White House performance. He was featured more than Glenn Close, a legendary stage/screen actress who has actually been in one of Andrew’s shows! I also wish they had focused less on the upcoming JCS Live and spent time covering a few of his other shows. Again, they had Glenn and barely talked about “Sunset Blvd.”

[Babe_Williams]

Mr. Nowack said: "What an amusing mess. The Lin stuff was totally unnecessary, why did we need to waste time on an extended clip of Lin at the White House?!

I think it couldn't decide if it wanted to be the typical Live musical behind the scenes or a full retrospective on ALW so it kinda sucked at both."

I kind of laughed at that too. I enjoy that clip but it was so random and unnecessarily long. Basically the entire show was just filler. I enjoyed watching it but wish they had done a real introspective of his career and interview multiple actors who have performed his material and shown some deep cuts from early rehearsals of his most famous shows. I doubt anyone but us broadway fanatics would appreciate it but it would have been more interesting. 

[carnzee]

I didn't know that Don't Cry for Me Argentina came about because ALW wanted to emulate Judy singing Over the Rainbow. I found that interesting.

As far as Lin's inclusion is concerned, I found it appropriate because he is the only Broadway composer since ALW and Sondheim to become a "name" to the general public. They can relate to each other in ways most can't.

At the end of the day, this tribute only exists because NBC wanted to promote Superstar. I'm grateful that something like this even made it to air in 2018.

[adamgreer]

Why was Lin involved? He has no connection to ALW whatsoever. There was no need for him to be there and we certainly didn't need him constantly interjecting about Hamilton.  Just more of his massive ego.

[JBradshaw]

adamgreer said: "Why was Lin involved? He has no connection to ALW whatsoever. There was no need for him to be there and we certainly didn't need him constantly interjecting about Hamilton. Just more of his massive ego."

amen!

 

[Lot666]

Babe_Williams said: "Anyone watching? A large potion of the show is a promo for JCS, but they are playing some show clips, like an old clip of Brightman and Crawford rehearsing for Phantom and a few Elaine Page clips."

Haven't seen it yet (it's in the DVR), but yay for the vintage Phantom footage!

[Lot666]

Miles2Go2 said: "I’m not sure I think of POTA as a romance either."

You're the only other person I've encountered who doesn't look at Phantom as a "romance". To me, it's always been about intolerance and inhumanity, and the potential repercussions of treating people like they aren't people.

[JBradshaw]

Babe_Williams said: "Anyone watching? A large potion of the show is a promo for JCS, but they are playing some show clips, like an old clip of Brightman and Crawford rehearsing for Phantom and a few Elaine Page clips. "

For the record it’s Elaine PAIGE not Page. Sorry it always bugs me. 

[Babe_Williams]

adamgreer said: "Why was Lin involved? He has no connection to ALW whatsoever. There was no need for him to be there and we certainly didn't need him constantly interjecting about Hamilton. Just more of his massive ego."

Well, that's easy. Because he is a draw for viewers. He is the most relevant musical theater personality as it relates to pop culture and he was inspired by ALW. 

[LizzieCurry]

This was like the megamix of commercials. I've watched most of it and it was entertaining, and we're not exactly the intended audience.

P.S. What is it with people forgetting one "b" in his name?

[Miles2Go2]

Lot666 said: "Miles2Go2 said: "I’m not sure I think of POTA as a romance either."

You're the only other person I've encountered who doesn't look at Phantom as a "romance". To me, it's always been about intolerance and inhumanity, and the potential repercussions of treating people like they aren't people."

I’m fine being in the minority while not begrudging others their opinions. When people call it a romance I assume they are talking about the Phantom and Christine relationship. Based on the plot, I don’t see it as a romance:  

Deformed since birth, a bitter man known only as the Phantom lives in the sewers underneath the Paris Opera House. He falls in love with the obscure chorus singer Christine, and privately tutors her while terrorizing the rest of the opera house and demanding Christine be given lead roles. Things get worse when Christine meets back up with her childhood acquaintance Raoul and the two fall in love. The Phantom decides to kidnap her and imprison her with him in his lair. Raoul is now the only one who can stop him.

Now if it was the relationship between Christine and Raoul, I might consider that a romance. I will qualify my remarks by saying that I only saw a touring production of POTA once. My favorite part was the chandelier which based on last night's clip, pales in comparison to the Broadway chandelier. It’s quite possible my feelings about POTA night change if I saw it on Broadway, but right now it ranks towards the bottom of the 70 or so (Broadway, Regional, Off-Broadway, West End, touring) shows I have seen. 

[Sprinkles2]

A Little Night Music is as romantic as it gets. I'd love to know what ALW thinks of Sondheim's shows.

[JBradshaw]

May I suggest the recent BBC special “imagine...Andrew Lloyd Webber...memories”
It’s a much better special.

I uploaded it for a friend and I’d be happy to share with whomever wants.

[Lot666]

JBradshaw said: "May I suggest the recent BBC special “imagine...Andrew Lloyd Webber...memories”
It’s a much better special.

I uploaded it for a friend and I’d be happy to share with whomever wants."

Yes please! 

[davidbrian81]

I definitely recommend this bio from 1986. Less of a commercial, and more of a discussion of his works.  Too bad there's nothing like it about his later shows.  I treat is watching the footage from Cricket, which you'll hear melodies used in Aspects, Starlight, and Sunset. Love his response to plagerism.  Thinking he was talking about I Don't Know How to Love Him.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3476&v=JQs3xyHnwdo