Scandalous
Scandalous
BCfitasafiddle
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/25/20
#1Scandalous
Posted: 8/16/20 at 2:27pm
Without seeing theatre, I've been registering to a load of cast albums from shows. Whether I saw them and disliked them, didn't get to see them, or am a fan.
I was just listening to Scandalous today. I had tickets to see it, but it closed before I got to. I only saw the commercial video maybe once so I knew only the melody of "Follow Me." It's not a great score by any means, but my God, Carolee Carmello on this album. I can't fathom what it must've been like watching her actually do it. What a demanding role it seems. Does anyone have memories of seeing the show? What they liked or disliked? I would love to hear more as there is so little out there about this show.
#2Scandalous
Posted: 8/16/20 at 2:37pm
This was the first show I ever fell asleep during. The second act was so so dull. The only song I remember at all is "Follow Me."
A little swash, a bit of buckle - you'll love it more than bread.
Sutton Ross
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#5Scandalous
Posted: 8/16/20 at 2:55pm
On some level I wish I could have seen this just because it was a rare appearance of George Hearn. i still haven't ever gotten to see him live. Also I love Carolee, and she deserves more big leading roles. Luckily I've gotten to see her plenty of times though, so I don't feel as bad about missing her in this. And by all accounts, it sounds like I was better off having missed it.
Also, I recently learned that the show was produced by US Secretary of "Education," Betsy DeVos. Now that I know that, I'm glad I didn't put a single cent in her pocket.
#6Scandalous
Posted: 8/16/20 at 6:05pm
I saw this on the night before Hurricane Sandy made landfall in the area and...OOOOOOOOF. This is the only Broadway show in the roughly 170 I’ve seen where I have ever fell asleep for any duration.
The score was so scattered and non-sensical (There was an Irish drinking shanty in Act I that was so out of place). Honestly, this show was a total affront to the talent on stage like Carmello, Hearn, and Roz Ryan. I only tolerated it because my mother and I had some slammin’ margaritas down the street before the show.
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#7Scandalous
Posted: 8/16/20 at 9:00pmI still love the beginning when Carolee played a (what was it) 12 year old? 15 year old?
AEA AGMA SM
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
#8Scandalous
Posted: 8/16/20 at 9:02pm
Jordan Catalano said: "I still love the beginning when Carolee played a (what was it) 12 year old? 15 year old?"
It was as brilliant as what Kerry O'Malley did in Into the Woods 
#10Scandalous
Posted: 8/16/20 at 9:37pmThis show was so much fun. High camp, even without Kathy-Lee taking selfies in the aisles during intermission.
broadwayguy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
#11Scandalous
Posted: 8/16/20 at 9:37pm
Carolee was as wonderful and dynamic she as she could possibly be trying to swim through heavy surf and crashing waves with a 50lb weight tied to her throat.
I can not lie. I saw it twice. It was a beautiful trainwreck. I had a comp for a performance and sat there slack jawed the entire time and I promptly told EVERYONE I knew. Then my boyfriend at the time was given comps and I tagged along again just to watch HIM watch the show and someone I knew on the house staff saw me walk in and promptly said "do you really hate yourself THIS much?"
the designers may have had good instincts - on some things, but they had no money to do it. I remember set pieces wobbling as they moved and such ill-fitting garments on actors. It was too across the board to be the fault of a designer.
I remember poor Carolee playing the little girl version of Amy at the top of the show... and there is just no way that someone of such poise can even attempt to play down their age to that level without looking like they are playing on the living room floor with their 3 year old child.
I remember a scene sailing on a ship and there was an Irish jig and the audience was just giggling at the absurdity, but later in the show it escalated to when a character was missing and presumed drowned (I think), there was this big plaintive chorus number meant to evoke people longing for the safe return, but the audience was just SCREAMING laughing the entire time.
Theatre Gods as my witness, a man in the front orchestra got up and walked out of the show on a broken leg. I am not kidding. Crutches and everything, teetering up the aisle to the exit.
But BLESS Ed Watts in that leaf covered speedo playing Adam in a Garden of Eden sequence.
#12Scandalous
Posted: 8/16/20 at 11:02pm
One of the weirdest nights in the theatre. I was at a late preview and Kathie Lee came in to sit in the orchestra, shaking hands and taking pictures. Then the show started and for the first time in forever, numerous people were leaving during Act One, walking right past her as they left. I don't know about Act Two because like a good number of people behind me, a lot of people were leaving at intermission and not coming back.
"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008
#13Scandalous
Posted: 8/17/20 at 2:49amIt’s not the kind of show I’d give much attention to, but if anyone is curious I do think listening to George Hearn’s “You have a fire” with Carolee’s “I have a fire” is at least musically interesting. I despair that Carolee does not get better material for her amazing voice.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#14Scandalous
Posted: 8/18/20 at 3:50pm
I like the cast album. To this day I'm still puzzled why they didn't include the finale track.
#15Scandalous
Posted: 8/18/20 at 4:08pmI honestly can’t let go of the fact Betsy Devos produced this nonsense and now she’s the Secretary of Education.
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
if you have to
Swing Joined: 11/14/06
#16Scandalous
Posted: 8/23/20 at 2:41pm
Honestly, Carolee deserved the TONY for her performance and I will die on that hill.
The show was pretty terrible. I’ve only seen a bootleg. But she blew the roof off that theatre and it was incredible. Kathie Lee worked so hard on that show - and I give her an A+ for passion, but yeah. The show was bad.
There are more clips of her performance over on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/CarmelloLand/
She’s amazing.
PJPan
Featured Actor Joined: 5/6/13
#17Scandalous
Posted: 8/23/20 at 9:11pm
One of the first shows I saw after moving to the city. My cousin did some PR for them, we went to an event with Kathie Lee before and the story she told about the show made me interested!
And then I saw it. Good lord, the show could not have been more different than anything KL described. But what a glorious mess. I had always wanted to see George Hearn in a show, which was a draw. Plus the alcohol. People left at intermission and we yelled "don't go! it's going to get worse" and then Act II began with Andrew Samosky shirtless strapped to columns (?), who knows. At the end of the day, I can't say I was bored!
