BroadwayWorld.com Announces the Finishing Touches for Their Holiday Show

[Rob]

Posted: 12/7/06 at 10:54am

Producer Robert Diamond and Director Richard Jay-Alexander are thrilled to announce that accomplished actress Laila Robins and Promises, Promises' original Fran Kubelik, Jill O'Hara, have agreed to join in Sunday night's festivities.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/onice1207.cfm

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/7/06 at 6:03pm

Can't wait! I also remember Jill O'Hara from I Can't Keep Running in Place...

Posted: 12/9/06 at 8:25pm

i'll be there!

[StephenSondheimWHOO]

Posted: 12/9/06 at 9:57pm

still any tickets available?

[Rob]

Posted: 12/9/06 at 10:08pm

We do have a waiting list... To be added, email your name, requested number of tickets and phone # you can be reached at to me.

Rob

[StephenSondheimWHOO]

Posted: 12/9/06 at 10:31pm

ok thanks!

Posted: 12/10/06 at 10:07pm

WHAT A TREAT THAT WAS!!!!
i feel so fortunate to be a part of this community...& that so much talent can come together & work together, in such good & giving spirit makes me feel like there is hope for the world.

thank you, Rob
& thank you, BroadwayWorld!!!!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 9:49am

An amazing treat. An evening of "Promises, Promises," all come true!

To see the still-beautiful Jill O'Hara sing "What Do You Get When You Fall in Love?" again, after all these years, was a treat I'll never forget, like seeing D. Jamin Bartlett sing "The Miller's Son" again at the last Standing Ovations.

There was so much starry talent up there, it's hard to mention it all but to watch Michael Tucker and Jill Eikenberry do that drunk scene from Promises was to see two pros at work. How about a revival of "I Do, I Do" for them? (Richard Jay Alexander--I'm talking to you.)

And when the delightful and enthusiastic Richie Ridge mentioned that they met during a production of "The Night Thoreau Spent in Prison," a Mark-Manley laugh erupted from the denizens of the Off-Topic Board at our table that bewildered the rest of the audience. (At our table was EddieVarley, NYAdGal, BlueMoon, Etoile, KissMyCookie, PapaLovesMambo and me. At the table next to us was BroadwayBoobs, Undiscovered and BdwayGirl. It was nice to share an evening away from the Off Topic board with such a great group of people. And wasn't that broadway.com photographer Bruce Glikas lurking in the shadows--or was that FindingNamo?)

Laila Robbins's reading of a story from the Stories from the Quilt reminded us all that it was not just a holiday party but also a benefit for BC/EFA. But who knew girlfriend could SING! Add to her illustrious resume: "Can belt Country/Western."

Mary Cleere Haran became a new favorite of mine. I have her Rodgers and Hart CD but I've never seen her live. Her rendition of the old Alice Faye (and Judy Garland!) song "No Love, No Nothin'" showed us all that the spirit of vocalists like Rosemary Clooney lives on.

And Michael Arden...every time we hear him sing, we all say the same thing: "Wow. What a voice. What an instrument. What a talent." He's one of those singers I'd like to see in a sing-'em-all-and-stay-all-night concert called "Every Single Song Mikey Arden Knows."

And Jason Tam, could he be more sweet? He just stood there and opened his heart, like he does in ACL, and sang a Hawaiian Christmas song and gave out real, fresh-flower leis his family flew in from Hawaii. (Lucky Boobs got "lei'd" by Jason Tam. I got hit in the eye with a candy cane by Josh Walden--that was as lucky as I got.)

And how about that powerhouse house rendition of "I Don't Remember Christmas" Hugh Panaro exploded with? It would be fun to break up with him, just to hear those notes! ("Hugh--I've had ENOUGH! This relationship is OVER! Will you pack your bags and belt out a little 'I Don't Remember Christmas' again?")

Who am I leaving out? The hysterically funny Christine Pedi, bringing us a sexy Christmas, Chicago-style and the dazzing Nikki Renee Daniels sending us "Home" cheering from "The Wiz" and a powerful Craig Sculman rousing us with "Bring Him Home" from Phantom and a sizzling Ruben Flores and the hysterical Natalie Toro's Googie Gomez and the insanely talented Laura Bell Bundy and knockout Felicia Finley and Simply Barbra being simply perfect as always and the lovely Lauren Frost and four Plaids including our own sweet-voiced Bobby Randle.

Oh and Josh Walden and Kurt Domoney dancing, singing and showing a little skin. Mmm...wanted to see them do MORE "Turkey Lurkey"...and maybe a little "Hard Candy Christmas"!

It was a perfect evening. Perfect. Thank you, Richard-Jay, and thank you, Rob. Happy holidays, everyone!

Updated On: 12/11/06 at 09:49 AM

[MotorTink]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 10:05am

PalJoey - Thank you for that review. I really wish I could've been there! I def. won't miss it next season!

[Glebb]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 10:11am

Thanks PalJoey!
Sounds like a perfect Christmas party!!

Now must switch from Nancy/Xmas to Judy.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 10:28am

Thank you for letting us live vicariously through you.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 10:33am

You're welcome. I live for people living vicariously through me.

I oughta have a blahhhg.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 10:46am

ya totally should, ya sob.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 11:07am

Wah! Wah! Wah! PapaLovesMambo just called me an SOB! Somebody alert a MODERATOR!

Posted: 12/11/06 at 11:14am

The show was wonderful Special bravos to Laila Robins who read from the Quilt Book and sang a Reba McIntyre song that blew everyone away. Jill O'Hara reprised her songs from the late 60s Hugh Panaro was the best as was Michael Arden Natalie Toro as Googie Gomes did a great production number and Christine Pedi was brilliant Jason Tam sang a Hawaiian song and gave out real fresh cut Hawaiian Leis that were flown in from Honolulu Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker did a great number from the musical of the Apartment The hsow ended with Craig Schulman doing Bring Him Home from Les MIs and was incredible Also performing were Simpley Barbra, Ruben Flores , Mary Cleere Haran Laura Bell Bundy Nikki Renee Daniels

Bravos to Broadway World and Richard Jay Alexander for bringing us the show and to Ritchie Ridge for his hosting the show as the Man in the Chair with all the vinyl records

Happy Holidays


PS Sueleen
You were missed I met you at Barbara Cook/Elaine Stitch Concert Your friend from Jersey was there too

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 12:01pm

Thanks for sharing, PJ. Sounds like a wonderful evening.

[Craig]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 1:44pm

The talent on stage was amazing and it was an evening not soon forgotten.

And adding the holiday magic - a "miracle" if you will, was seeing PalJoey and PapaLovesMambo sitting side by side at Joe's Pub.

G-d Bless Us, Everyone!

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 1:51pm

so that's who that was...

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 2:40pm

Craig--you told met it was FindingNamo! That's the only reason I--

Never mind...

[Broadwayboobs]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 2:50pm

For those of you all wondering what Reba song Laila Robins sang..this was it....

She Thinks His Name Was John
Reba Mcentire

She can account for all of the men in her past
Where they are now, who they married, how many kids they have
She knew their backgrounds, family and friends
A few she even talks to now and then

But there is one she can't put her fingers on
There is one who never leaves her thoughts
And she thinks his name was John

A chance meeting, a party a few years back
Broad shoulders and blue eyes, his hair was so black
He was a friend of friend you could say
She let his smile just sweep her away
And in her heart she knew that it was wrong
But too much wine and she left his bed at dawn
And she thinks his name was John

Now each day is one day that's left in her life
She won't know love, have a marriage or sing lullabies
She lays all alone and cries herself to sleep
'Cause she let a stranger kill her hopes and her dreams

And all her friends say what a pity what a loss
And in the end when she was barely hangin' on
All she could say is she thinks his name was John
She thinks his name was John

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 3:28pm

A wonderful evening - so much fun! Thanks to everyone who put this event together.

And thank you for letting me drive the zamboni. Sorry about hitting that Jingle Boy. Thank goodness there was another one to haul him off the ice and carry on.

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 4:46pm

Truly a fantastic night, full of holiday cheer and featuring so many honest and emotionally powerful performances.

Bravo to the entire team for their creative and inspired work, the talent onstage and off was quite splendid. So many highlights, but a special mention must be made for Laila Robbins's emotional and touching performance. It was a thrill to watch.

Kudos to Rob, RJA, Ben, Richie Ridge (THE greatest host you could ever wish for...) and the entire cast and crew, a very big BRAVO to you all!

[StephenSondheimWHOO]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 5:32pm

I wish I could have been there, it sounds amazing
*is sad

[Gingersnap2]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 6:02pm

It was a great evening. I already had plans to be in NYC to visit a close family friend when I found out Hugh was doing this. Went with two friends who also know and adore him.

The entire event was great. Highlights for me included Jason Tam - his song was so sweet and sincere (loved the leis...rather fun walking home at an indecently late hour wearing one...any thanks to the man next to me who gave it to me), Nikki Renee Daniels - I wanted her to sing for a while now, Natalie's Googie Gomez act (love those Jingle Boys), Craig's closing "Bring Him Home" (I have poignant personal associations with that song and he was my first Valjean). And this was the first time I didn't dislike "Felice Navidad."

And Hugh? Wow...he amazes me every time, though I had to force myself not to die laughing at that shirt. His "I Don't Remember Christmas" was so intense and electric. Loved it!

As others have said, major kudos to everyone involved in putting this together. I'll probably be back next year!

[harris007]

Posted: 12/11/06 at 6:56pm

said it before and will again



DAMN FLORIDA