THEATRE GOSSIP #394 - All Men Were At Lauren's Beck and Call Edition

How come we've not heard anything from William Finn in a long time? Has he retired?

From the last thread:

[quote]Can we cast Meryl and Dustin in something where SHE slaps HIM?

Why mess with perfection?

I am imagining Debbie Reynolds, Bonnie Franklin, and Nancy Dussault in a production of THE THREE SISTERS.

Was such a thing ever planned?

It would have been Karen Morrow, Bonnie Franklin and Nancy Dussault.

There was one. 'Moscow Dreams' it starred Inga Swenson, Florence Henderson and Constance Towers. It closed out of town after test runs in Detroit and on the Kenley circuit.

1960s property called "Moscow Dreams"? That seems a rather foolhardy title.

Constance Towers on ... [italic]The Joan Fontaine Show [/italic] (??)

Could Applause or Woman of the Year be revivable with a star of Bacall's wattage? Who'd be able to pull it off these days?

I know most people felt Platt was deserving of the Tony and I don't dispute that (I've never seen "DEH") but I still felt bad for Andy Karl when he lost. As I recall, he had been talked up as the frontrunner (after previous Tony losses) that season until "DEH" opened and changed the conversation.

R8 Patti as Margo.

CZJ as Margo or Tess.

R10, Patti Lupone is literally old enough to be Margo Channing's mother.

Patti as Birdy.

Patti as the Merritt Parkway.

Anyone see her in her last Broadway play?

The real question is, who could possibly do justice to the Bonnie Franklin role in "Applause"?

Someone wrote in the thread #393 about seeing Bacall in "Waiting In the Wings"

Lauren? Lauren Tewes? That’s because she had all that coke with her.

They tried a revival of Applause with Stephanie Powers and Ann Reinking choreographing. It was a huge flop and Reinking especially took it very hard. Many saying without Fosse, she was nothing.

R17 Thanks, I missed that.

Lens as Bonnie!

If "Waiting in the Wings" was any good, it would have run more than five months. But it wasn't and it didn't.

Alexander Cohen was the lead producer and he died during the run. That didn't help. Bacall was a beast. Alvin Colt was the costume designer. He designed an array of perfectly period costumes for this silly play set in post war England. Bacall refused everything he designed for her to wear. He did over 20 designs for her and she refused them all. On her own, she went to Armani, bought a few modern suits and announced she wear them in the show. Then she turned over the receipts and demanded reimbursement. She also refused period wigs. Everyone on stage was costumed as if it was 1960.... and Bacall was there in Armani with her shoulder length hair hanging.

The play would be a charming piece for a community theater to producer. But if it were very good, it would have gotten to Broadway in less than 40 years after its debut. The whole affair was leaden. It was, however, cast with NY theater royalty and all of their turns were delightful. Alexander Cohen got the best of New York's older character actors and actresses and put them ALL in this play. But the play is not very good and Bacall was waaaaay past her prime.

Len Cariou seems cool. Quite sharp in his old age, too.

[quote]I am imagining Debbie Reynolds, Bonnie Franklin, and Nancy Dussault in a production of THE THREE SISTERS.

How about "Three Tall Women?"

Aside from her antics with the costumes, Bacall was just awful in WAITING IN THE WINGS. She made no attempt to play the character whatsoever, and she was playing the wrong role to begin with. Apparently, they wanted her for a role that would have been far more appropriate for her, but she insisted on a role she as wrong for just because it was larger in terms of the number of lines. (Sorry, I don't know the play well at all, so I can't be more specific.)

Bacall does seem the kind of actor who bases their choices on the number of lines their character has a.k.a. a shit actor.

[quote]He did over 20 designs for her and she refused them all. On her own, she went to Armani, bought a few modern suits and announced she wear them in the show. Then she turned over the receipts and demanded reimbursement. She also refused period wigs.

I'll bet she wasn't so fussy when she was doing those High Point commercials.

Flowing fur coat over silver lamé ... that had to have been her idea.

At least when she was doing cat food ads, there was no wardrobe involved.

Bitch loved her meat.

R30 - OMG. What the actual fuck??? 😂

[quote]Beanie Feldstein as Emily and Ben Platt as George, perhaps?

Beanie Feldstein as Martha and Ben Platt as George, perhaps?

Beanie Feldstein as George and Ben Platt as Martha, perhaps?

I thought andy karl should have won, not the vanilla mr platt….

I agree, r34, but also thought Groundhog Day was far superior to DEH, a show that made my skin crawl. That was a strange season.

Andy Karl may never find his role.

[quote]The real question is, who could possibly do justice to the Bonnie Franklin role in "Applause"?

Jessie Mueller Broadway's chameleon?

Noah Galvin for Bonnie Franklin in "Applause"!

I want to be one of those fabulous chorus boys who gets to sing those memorable lyrics "Chicky chicky ow! Ow ow ow!"

"So go and brown an onion...."

How about Rachel Bloom in Bonnie's role?

Rachel Bloom and Santino Fontana

Pia Zadora did Bonnie's role in the Bus and Truck with Patrice Munsel.

She could play Margo this time around.

Or just let her reprise her role as Pia.

I just got the 'Beck and Call" pun. XD

Anne Baxter (with Penny Fuller) in "Applause."

Thank you r44. I’m happy someone still appreciates wit. 😚

Wit? No, dear. Just a pun.

Ben Platt as Birdie.

Birdie is not in Applause.

[quote]watch the fucking show

No. Oh no.

Or did you mean Ben Platt as Conrad Birdie?

I don't think that's going to work.

Wasn't "Applause" written with only the Mary Orr short story as source material but late in the game, they got rights from "All About Eve." If that's true, they could put Birdie into the show in place of the gay assistant.

The gay hair dresser is how they "updated" the story. It was quite novel to see an out gay character on Broadway in 1970.

A heeby deeby deeby deeby dee!

A heeby deeby deeby deeby doo!

Michelle Pfeifer as Margo

I love Pfeiffer but her vocals are too modest for a stage musical.

Somewhere in the souvenir program is a discussion with Comden and Green about creating the libretto. One of their tasks, given that this was a Broadway musical intended to be a star vehicle, was to redirect it from being 'all about Eve' to being 'all about Margo.'

Once that choice is made, then out goes Addison and Miss Caswell.

I have NO IDEA how Lloyd became Buzz.

"All About Eve" was still a star vehicle WITH Addison, Eve, Birdie etc. That program note was just spin on not being able to include all the well known characters.

[quote]I love Pfeiffer but her vocals are too modest for a stage musical.

You think her vocals are worse than Bacall's?

[Quote] You think her vocals are worse than Bacall's?

Pfeiffer can't project. And it's been said that her vocals on the Fabulous Baker Boys soundtrack had to be pieced together.

Bullshit, R57. Wrong.

In the film, Margo Channing's story wraps up much, much, earlier than does Eve's. Bette Davis barely appears in the last 15 minutes of "All About Eve" which are given over to Addison and Eve battling it out.

That switch would be difficult to do in the theater with a star above title that the audience had paid to see. APPLAUSE was written as a star vehicle for Bacall and sidelining her in her dressing room for the last 15 minutes while another actress finished off the show, if nothing else, would have been unlikely to win Bacall's approval.

I've never heard anyone refer to "All About Eve" as an Anne Baxter movie...

[quote]I've never heard anyone refer to "All About Eve" as an Anne Baxter movie...

And yet both Baxter and Davis were nominated for the best actress Oscar, which could be why David didn't win. But then, Gloria Swanson didn't win that year for "Sunset Boulevard," either.

R22, I took my mother to see Waiting in the Wings when it previewed at the Colonial in Boston. Great aisle seats, 3rd Row Orchestra, a Sunday matinee.

Bacall and Rosemary Harris were the two leads, but the cast was filled with Broadway veterans. Rosemary's character did not speak for roughly the first 30 minutes, just sat and knitted until Bacall's character arrived. Bacall definitely looked like she had just come from a Vogue photo shoot.

The play revolved around a long lasting feud between the Bacall and Harris characters. Bacall got to sing "I'm Old Fashioned" with just piano accompaniment.

At one point, Bacall came downstage to deliver a lengthy monologue. She went up twice and each time just froze, until a man sounding like Jackie Gleason prompted her loudly from the wings.

Each scene ended with a blackout and I was sitting close enough to see that a young man came on stage to walk Bacall off safely after each blackout.

After the play, we passed by the stage door and idling there were a large commuter van to transport the cast and one limousine for Miss Bacall.

[Quote] And yet both Baxter and Davis were nominated for the best actress Oscar

And that was a mistake on Baxter's part.

[quote]And that was a mistake on Baxter's part.

Which Baxter herself admitted in later years. But, at the time, she had already won a supporting Oscar and saw this as her chance for the big prize.

R56, The producers could not obtain the rights in order for Comden and Green to use the characters of Addison, Lloyd, Max, Miss Caswell, Birdie, etc.

Nor did they need to when the musical ends when Margo's story ends.

However, you may have hit on the explanation of how Lloyd became Buzz.

Pfeiffer probably has a few extra notes in her singing range than Bacall, but she does have a lighter quality to her voice that makes me think she wouldn't be able to project her voice well on stage. Bacall didn't have a pretty or very versatile voice, but the notes she did have had power and could be projected fairly loudly. In the theatre, it's usually more about "can we hear you in the last row?" than "do you sound pretty?" At least it was until they started over amplifying everything. I wonder if some of the newer Broadway singers can project without mics.

I saw a show recently where one of the smaller roles walked on stage and her mic wasn't working. You really couldn't hear anything she was saying, so they brought down the curtain. A lot of people have gotten too used to having mics all the time.

R65, However, it did not affect their friendship. Davis and Baxter remained close until Anne's death.

Bette came to see her when she replaced Bacall on Broadway and Anne replaced Bette in the series "Hotel".

[quote]The producers could not obtain the rights in order for Comden and Green to use the characters of Addison, Lloyd, Max, Miss Caswell, Birdie, etc.

As has been mentioned, they did obtain the rights to the screenplay late in the game, but too late for Comden and Green to want to rewrite the book. The screenplay rights did give them the opportunity to write a very annoying song called "Fasten Your Seat Belts," however.

[quote]However, it did not affect their friendship. Davis and Baxter remained close until Anne's death.

And when the Sarah Siddons Award, a prize invented by Joseph Mankiewicz for the movie, became an actual thing, and Bette Davis was chosen to receive it, Anne Baxter presented it to her.

R70, That and "Hurry Back" are the two worst songs in the Applause score.

All of you writing about "projecting on stage" baffle me. The days of singers like Merman and Barbara Cook, who both knew how to project their voices in Broadway theaters, are long gone. Now everything is mixed and amplified with singers wearing those godawful microphones plastered at the top of of their foreheads.

Mics only amplify what the singer is producing. Mics make a weak voice more audible, they don't make it strong.

I agree, R72, although I think "Backstage Babble" is equally bad. I should have clarified that Comden and Green wrote the book for the show but not the lyrics, but "Fasten Your Seat Belt" might have been their idea.

R70, the music and lyrics to Applause were written by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams. But, yes, "Fasten Your Seatbelts" is a crummy song. "Eh eh eh eh" indeed.

So many better scores and shows than "Applause". For instance, put Put Wanda Sykes in Shirley Booth's role in "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn". That could actually work with a multi-racial or non-white cast.

or Cyndi Lauper

Or maybe write a show for Wanda Sykes or a multi-racial/non-white cast.

and try getting it financed -- or having someone write good songs -- or having to deal with producers who all think since they've put in or raise money that they know all about staging, casting, writing, etc.

For his next trick, Rudin will produce an all-white "Raisin In The Sun" with Kevin Spacey.

how about Kevin Spacey as Mr. Spacely in a musical version of "The Jetsons"?

"Hamilton" film review:

How about Kevin Spacey in a musical about the life of John Wayne Gacy?

Is Jessica Lange's voice worse than Lauren Bacall's?

Damn. Youtube took down that excellent bootleg of Dear Evan Hansen someone posted in the last thread!

Lange seems to have that same airy quality to her voice that Pfeiffer has. She's not a terrible singer, just not a strong one. Then again, Michelle Williams had a similar quality to her voice and they cast her as Sally in Cabaret, so it doesn't seem like that's a deal breaker for Broadway producers these days. If the name is big enough, they'll sell tickets anyway.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around why they hired someone like Christine Ebersole to play the lead in Applause when they did it at Encores. Did they raise the keys for her at all? Seems like that's a role where star power should come first and singing chops second.

Presumably they hired Ebersole because the people above her on the list said no.

Applause might be a star vehicle, but the book and score aren't exactly Gypsy or Cabaret. Bacall probably took it, because it was one of the only roles that they'd tailor for her voice. She might have been able to pull of Desiree in A Little Night Music if she could tone down some of her brittleness.

Patrice Munsel was not a natural to follow Bacall. You should hear "Hurry, Back" sing up an octave.

Yowza!

[quote] APPLAUSE was written as a star vehicle for Bacall and sidelining her in her dressing room for the last 15 minutes while another actress finished off the show, if nothing else, would have been unlikely to win Bacall's approval.

But it would've given her time for a few more cups of High Point.

Applause was one of the few vehicles outside of Follies that Alexis Smith did well in.

Can Kim Cattrall sing? Maybe she'd be a good Margo?

I could see Ute Lemper in the gay bar scene.

Laura Linney?

She's done theater and her voice needs some work but she could pull it off.

Laura Linney is not remotely "Grand Dame." She might have been a fun Eve.

Tracey Bennett will probably do a UK tour of "Applause" at some point. I'm surprised it hasn't been rebranded as "All About Eve," similar to "Sugar"/"Some Like It Hot."

I don't know r93 what do you think?

I could see Glenn as Margo.

Didn't Kathleen Turner try out a cabaret act? Maybe Mink Stole could play Birdie...

Ruthie Henshall

In honor of BLM how about Vanessa Williams as Margo and Anna Kendrick as Eve?

You want Vanessa Williams, you'll get Deborah Cox.

An "Applause" movie with Ann-Margret might have been fun. And it would have royally pissed off Lauren Bacall.

Vanessa would say yes in a heartbeat.

I was surprised to see Vanessa Williams is/was in the cast for the West End "City of Angels." Is hers a good part?

Covid-19 has made it moot but this kind of bullshit should not be allowed for such a short run:

[Quote] Opening Night: 05 March 2020 / Final Performance: 05 September 2020

[Quote] Theo James, Rosalie Craig and Rob Houchen will be in the show until 30th May

[Quote] Nicola Roberts and Vanessa Williams will be in the show until 25th July

How was City Of Angels received? Is it any good?

Kim Catrall was supposed to play Phyllis in the Kennedy Center Follies, right?

The West End "City of Angels" was a remounting of a well received 2014 revival. I think Hadley Fraser and Rosalie Craig are the only returning cast members.

What was the last star vehicle musical? The Nathan Lane revisal of The Frogs?

War Paint?

Tootsie?

Bacall should have taken over as Madame Armfeldt with Kathleen Turner as Desiree after Bernadette and Stritchie left. Turner could adlib, "Mother, I'm the young you,"

[quote]Patrice Munsel was not a natural to follow Bacall. You should hear "Hurry, Back" sing up an octave. Yowza!

I don't have to imagine it. I saw that early70s bus and truck tour she did mentioned above. Yowza! is right. Still probably the worst single performance I've ever a seen in a professional production of anything in 60 years of theatergoing.

Try to imagine this: In the opening dressing room scene, when she asks Duane to take her out clubbing, and he says he can't because he has a date, she turned her back on everyone onstage, strode right down to the front of the stage planted herself, and said "Bring him ... [extended arms] ... ALONG!" Then she leaned over the footlights and gave the audience a big wink, presumably so we would know she made a funny. Her performance actually went downhill from that.

The former Met Opera coloratura had also lost her voice. I remember it sounding like the screech the subway makes when they put on the breaks.

^ Er, brakes, but her voice certainly broke enough times that evening.

I just watched the movie "Sounder" which featured veteran character actress Carmen Matthews ("Dear World", "Copperfield"). I love her on the "Dear World" cast album, responding to Jane Connell's "Where is Voltaire? What is he doing?" with a very droll "Playing with Dicky no doubt."

oh my, the CANCEL culture kids are really out after Mr. Rudin for his Dustin Hoffman "Our Town," which sounds as interesting as an easter seals envelope licking party.

[quote]Or maybe write a show for Wanda Sykes or a multi-racial/non-white cast.

I think the problem with that is there is not a lot of audience for that. (And after seeing Sykes pay Moms Mabley in Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, I'd love to see her do some type of Mabley autobio project). I'd also like to see a stage version (done better) of "Lady Sings The Blues" or some type of Billie Holiday project.

There have been excellent "non-white" shows: "Dreamgirls" "Hamilton" "Ain't Misbehavin" and many of the Broadway standards could be played with a black cast - "Gypsy" "Kiss Me Kate" "Pal Joey" "Damn Yankees" Guys & Dolls had a successful black Broadway production.

But to sell these shows you either need a bankable star (Do we really want Denzel Washington to appear in every season? Laurie Metcalf is already getting criticism for being in a show every season) or for the show to build a reputation (like Hamilton, start off in an off-Broadway production and gather publicity on the way to Broadway). Off-Broadway is also getting a lot of criticism because they are mounting crap in the name of diversity.

Vanessa Williams as Margo actually sounds pretty interesting.

Suzette Charles could be her alternate. Again.

Kim Catrall must be able to sing somewhat if she'd been attached to Follies for that long before dropping out. I still wonder what happened there. She did seem ideal for Phyllis on paper.

Jenna Elfman must be able to sing somewhat...

Allison Janney or Jane Lynch as Margo.

[quote]Allison Janney or Jane Lynch as Margo.

Audiences would get the wrong impression. Margo wasn't a lesbian.

You don't cast a second banana in a Great Lady role.

10 or 15 years ago, S. Epatha Merkerson (Lt. van Buren from the original Law& Order) starred in an all black revival of Come Back, Little Sheba in the Shirley Booth role. The show received excellent reviews and she got a Tony nom.

[quote]You don't cast a second banana in a Great Lady role.

You do when you want to mount the show and don't have a Great Lady to play the role.

^ Patrice Munsel in Applause.

Actually, Vanessa Williams would make a terrific Vera Simpson. Classy, sexy, just a little chilly.

Which Vanessa Williams?

Can Octavia Spencer sing? She could do the Pearl Bailey roles: St. Louis Woman, House of Flowers, Hello Dolly

Vanessa L Williams (looking at you 131) as Margo Channing

Christian Borle as Bill

Anna Kendrick as Eve

I'd cast the Richards as an interracial couple as well. Buzz as an African American and Karen as white.

The rest of the parts would be open to whoever was best, whatever their color.

Vanessa can come across as cold particularly with those blue eyes of hers, but up on stage that's less of a thing. Vanessa is often cast to be a bitch.

It's not like Lauren Bacall was known for her warmth and earthiness.

I'd buy a ticket to that, R133.

Anna Kendrick is a bigger star than Williams. She wouldn't play Eve to Williams' Margo. Maybe Dove Cameron would do it.

The problem with Vanessa Williams is that she doesn't have an identifiable style. She's not a star, in that sense. No one ever said "that was a very Vanessa Williams line reading or lyric reading."

DL fave Cynthia Erivo as Eve!

Ha. Cast Madonna as Margo.

Madonna might be memorably terrible as Margo. And Lourdes could play Eve. David Banda could play Bonnie Franklin.

Williams should be a way bigger star then she is.

She just always seems like she’s looking for a steady job

R139, only if Madonna plays it with her faux British accent. Does she still use that?

Williams was good in "Ugly Betty." She might have a better career if she came up in the '00s rather than the '80s.

R141 No, that was just a phase c. 1998-2008 while she was with Guy Ritchie and resided in the UK. Remember when she adopted a New York accent in the '80s?

Who give a shit r136?

Most people want to see a great performance, they aren't sitting in the theater thinking about the 50 other roles that person did and can they identify any of their other performances by watching THIS one.

Your attitude is why Broadway is stagnant and dying. There are too many theater fans that want to see the exact same people doing the exact same noteworthy parts for decades. You are like children who watch the same fucking Disney film over and over and over and over. Open your mind, be excited to see some new faces. Give some people a chance.

Anna Kendrick would take the part. She would also bring a hell of a lot of asses into those seats.

Now Madonna has a Martian accent.

[Quote] Who give a shit [R136]?

The people who paid to see Christine Ebersole as Margo.

[Quote] Most people want to see a great performance,

[quote]Anna Kendrick would take the part.

Yeah, Kendrick doesn't strike me as someone who thinks they're above playing second banana to someone else.

[Quote] Most people want to see a great performance, they aren't sitting in the theater thinking about the 50 other roles that person did and can they identify any of their other performances by watching THIS one.

There are star roles. That term doesn't just mean lead role. Vanessa Williams is not a star. The industry knows that, which is why she features in ensembles.

I don't think so r142 Vanessa would still have been Black in the '00's.

No matter how light skinned Vanessa is or how blue her eyes she still reads as a Black woman. And since she is not "black" Black she would always have a tough time being cast.

Kendrick also has her reps. She might like the idea but her reps would likely talk her out of it.

[Quote] I don't think so [R142] Vanessa would still have been Black in the '00's.

[Quote] No matter how light skinned Vanessa is or how blue her eyes she still reads as a Black woman. And since she is not "black" Black she would always have a tough time being cast.

If a no talent actress like Beyonce could get lead roles in the '00s, Vanessa Williams could have as well.

I don't think it can be said that Vanessa Williams is not a star.

She has never been given that opportunity to show what she's "made of" for obvious reasons.

Beyonce was only given opportunities in order to capitalize off of her immense popularity from her singing career.

By the 2000's no one needed talent, just the right audience size.

[Quote] I don't think it can be said that Vanessa Williams is not a star.

[Quote] She has never been given that opportunity to show what she's "made of" for obvious reasons.

Are you talking about her soft porn pics?

MoNique has an Oscar, doesn't she? As someone in an old musical said "If I coulda been, I woulda been. And that's showbusiness."

Okay r154 so here we are talking about Broadway and I'm supporting Vanessa Williams a Black actress and you felt the need to degrade her by bringing up the pictures that were in Hustler.

What's the problem?

You don't want Black actresses taking on roles you feel are too good for them? Too uppity for you?

Applause is a C-level show at best. Maybe a smidge better than The Rink, but not much. It will never get a Broadway revival.

[quote]Okay [R154] so here we are talking about Broadway and I'm supporting Vanessa Williams a Black actress and you felt the need to degrade her by bringing up the pictures that were in Hustler.

Penthouse, not Hustler.

[Quote] Okay so here we are talking about Broadway and I'm supporting Vanessa Williams a Black actress and you felt the need to degrade her by bringing up the pictures that were in Hustler.

[Quote] What's the problem?

[Quote] You don't want Black actresses taking on roles you feel are too good for them? Too uppity for you?

Troll better.

That doesn't change the fact that there are racists in this thread r157.

"Waiting the Wings" got a Broadway production after forty years, didn't it? How many C- musicals come to Broadway (cough, TOOTSIE, cough).

But why bring it up r159?

Mo'nique kind of disappeared because she got a reputation for being difficult to dealt with and wouldn't do publicity apparently for her movie.

Christian Borle, not in a romantic part, maybe as Duane.

[Quote] But why bring it up [R159]?

Someone wrote "for obvious reasons." I'm not a mind reader.

Halle Berry is a little younger than Williams and had more of a leading lady career. Williams' failure to break through as a leading lady, rather than featured, can't just be put down to her race. And yes, Berry is biracial and Williams isn't, but both have good looks that don't challenge Eurocentric standards of beauty.

Laura Benanti is probably not far off Margo. I'd rather see Benanti as Eve than Kendrick.

[quote]The producers could not obtain the rights in order for Comden and Green to use the characters of Addison, Lloyd, Max, Miss Caswell, Birdie, etc.

As someone correctly noted above, the producers of APPLAUSE did get the rights to the screenplay of ALL ABOUT EVE late in the game, but by that point, Comden and Green had made so many changes that they pretty much stuck with what they had. That said, they probably would have changed Birdie to Duane anyway, as a way of updating the story. As for changing the character of the theater critic Addison Dewitt to the theater producer Howard Benedict, that arguably makes more sense anyway. And the change from Lloyd to Buzz is mostly a change in name only, as he serves the same function. He's still the playwright.

[quote]10 or 15 years ago, S. Epatha Merkerson (Lt. van Buren from the original Law& Order) starred in an all black revival of Come Back, Little Sheba in the Shirley Booth role. The show received excellent reviews and she got a Tony nom.

It wasn't an all-black revival. Kevin Anderson played her husband, the rest of the cast was a mixture of races as I recall (but Turk and Marie were white), and S. Epatha played Lola as a black woman. The play worked beautifully with that casting, and she gave an excellent performance.

Yes, it makes more sense that a producer would seek to control Eve than a critic.

Every aging star lady did APPLAUSE. Bacall, Baxter, Arlene Dahl, Gretchen Wyler, Patrice Munsel, Eleanor Parker, Alexis Smith, and even Eva Gabor.

Each and every one of them is a better fit than anyone mentioned above. Good luck finding an actress who has fostered the sort of persona needed to play Margo Channing.

CZJ?

She's the only one that comes to mind. And she has musical experience. She could sing and dance and play Margo with outt breaking apart two months after opening.

R99, Well, she was Len Cariou's next squeeze after he ended it with Bacall.

R168, Dorothy Collins played it in Massachusetts one summer post-FOLLIES.

Joyce DeWitt could do it!

Countess Luann

[quote]I could see Glenn as Margo.

Margo is feeling insecure because she recently turned 40, not 70.

[quote]I don't think it can be said that Vanessa Williams is not a star. She has never been given that opportunity to show what she's "made of" for obvious reasons.

Vanessa got the opportunity. She replaced Chita in "Kiss of the SpiderWoman" and generated enough buzz for them to re-record the cast album. I think Vanessa didn't make it big because she wasn't hungry enough for it.

You mean she didn't suck on Harvey's cocktail weenie?

[quote]You mean she didn't suck on Harvey's cocktail weenie?

No, she refused to turn over her Spider Woman costumes to Jordan Roth.

Vanessa probably would have been better than Scherrie Renay Scot in Women on the Verge.

Vanessa could star in a revival of "Legends". Gina Torres could play the other "legend".

Whatever happened to the other actress with the name Vanessa Williams?

[quote]Vanessa probably would have been better than Scherrie Renay Scot in Women on the Verge.

Vanessa probably would have even been better than Sherie Rene Scott.

So, all joking aside, who will be the first Broadway chorus boy/performer to start an OnlyFans? And, how far will they go?

[quote]Whatever happened to the other actress with the name Vanessa Williams?

She shacked up with the Elizabeth Taylor who appeared in West Side Story.

Speaking of sad endings to careers, how come we don't hear from Mrs. Nick Cordero anymore? When he was in a coma, she was tweeting every other minute.

Wasn’t there a poorly-received All About in London recently Eve directed by Ivo?

Patti & Christine were great in War Paint, but there will be the inevitable revival with Idina & Kristin.

oops, a poorly-received All About Eve!

[quote]She shacked up with the Elizabeth Taylor who appeared in West Side Story.

And the Doris Day who appeared in "The Women" and "Susan and God."

[Quote] Whatever happened to the other actress with the name Vanessa Williams?

She actually played the mother of Vanessa Williams' real daughter in a TV movie with Marla Gibbs.

[quote]Speaking of sad endings to careers, how come we don't hear from Mrs. Nick Cordero anymore? When he was in a coma, she was tweeting every other minute.

She's still tweeting and there was another sad article about them today in the Daily Mail.

Karen Ziemba for Margo!

[quote] She's still tweeting and there was another sad article about them today in the Daily Mail.

Thanks. I googled but didn't see the DM article.

[quote]Karen Ziemba for Margo!

Once again, Margo is 40, not 75.

Margo does have uneven bosoms, though.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Christina and Patti were fine in War Paint but the show wasn't even C-, it was D+ .

[quote]Christina and Patti were fine in War Paint but the show wasn't even C-, it was D+ .

AND, it was Patti's last Broadway musical!

[quote]Christina and Patti were fine in War Paint but the show wasn't even C-, it was D+ .

AND, it was Patti's last Broadway musical!

Patti did a few previews of "Company" on Broadway.

[quote]Patti did a few previews of "Company" on Broadway.

Mary Tyler Moore did a few previews of "Breakfast At Tiffanys" on Broadway. Closed shows don't get you Tonys.

[Quote] Closed shows don't get you Tonys.

Is that so?

If a show doesn't even open no one involved is Tony eligible. That's why when NBC bought the rights to Martin's Peter Pan out of town, part of the deal was that the show could have have a limited run of three months so that everyone would be eligible for awards. NBC agreed so that they could advertise the show as a real Broadway musical and not simply another special (or a "Color Spectacular" as they were often billed).

Financially, Peter Pan didn't have to open to make its bank. It went well into the black when the TV rights were sold out of town.

[quote]R200 Mary Tyler Moore did a few previews of "Breakfast At Tiffanys" on Broadway. Closed shows don't get you Tonys.

(For some reason, I keep hearing that in Helen Lawson’s voice.) (To which I say...)

[italic]”Well, sometimes even OPEN shows like ‘Hit the Sky!’ don’t get you Tonys — such as TONY POLAR — Helen.”

Trying to avoid Google alerts for Sherie, R179? What has she been up to, anyway?

[Quote] What has she been up to, anyway?

Fleecing inmates, I imagine.

Speaking of the two Vanessa Williams. Remember when the more famous one starred in the Soul Food movie and then the Melrose Place reject did the TV series. Granted, they played different parts/sisters, but it was still weird.

Inmates, R205??

I remember when Neely starred in one of those live "Color Spectaculars" in a desperate attempt to revive her rapidly failing career. It was such a huge bomb she immediately announced her retirement! The first of many, I might add.

They should have gone with a real star like yours truly.

Contrary to what both IMDB and Wikipedia say, Satins and Spurs was neither a variety show nor a TV movie. It was a new and original musical broadcast live in color on NBC. And a huge, famous flop.

[quote]Inmates, [R205]??

She did this stupid assed show about working with prisoners and helping them express themselves through theater. Supposedly, it was based on her real life experience of going into a men's maximum security prison. It was called something stupid like Whore In the Loop.

[quote]Supposedly, it was based on her real life experience of going into a men's maximum security prison.

Attica?

Woodbourne Correctional Facility

The Von Hoe All About Eve.

[quote]I'm still trying to wrap my head around why they hired someone like Christine Ebersole to play the lead in Applause when they did it at Encores.

Me too. I saw it and was wondering after the opening number. Ebersole was not only wildly miscast she was REALLY, REALLY BAD.

Vanessa Williams seems like a nice lady, but she's a charisma vacuum onstage. She sings pleasantly on key, but is boring as fuck. No style, flair, or personality. There's simply no there there.

R214, She was also REALLY, REALLY SICK with the flu.

[quote] She was also REALLY, REALLY SICK with the flu.

You would think that might have helped her to hit some of Bacall’s bass notes.

The latest from Grissom. He’s getting more unhinged. And he’s hired an attorney! Watch out, world!

Don't care if one word of it is true r217. It was a fun read.

[quote]the notes she did have had power and could be projected fairly loudly

And frequently off-pitch.

Grissom is really having a nervous breakdown in print. Too bad it's in Medium, so he's not making anything off of it.

[quote] Vanessa Williams seems like a nice lady, but she's a charisma vacuum onstage. She sings pleasantly on key, but is boring as fuck. No style, flair, or personality. There's simply no there there.

r214 is right. Vanessa is really nice but doesn't have "it." Sex appeal, style, -- she can plays a personality trait but doesn't know how to [italic] have [/italic] one onstage.

Lloyd and Karen Roberts are both characters (with those names) in The Wisdom of Eve. Bill Sampson isn't, however. Margo is already married at the start, and her husband is "Clement Howell," a businessman. Margo, in fact, is not Margo but Margola Cranston.

My guess is that Lloyd was renamed "Buzz" because it seemed like a more contemporary, "hip" name for the new time period (1970). What's curious is how they were able to include Bill Sampson when he was from the film.

There is an alternate to the "Elisabeth Bergner's secretary" version of the inspiration, which is that Eve is Lizabeth Scott, who went after Tallulah Bankhead's role when she was understudying Tallu in "The Skin of Our Teeth." Tallulah's contract stipulated that she have no understudy. It was her way of controlling the production. But with 20 year old Lizabeth Scott signed, Tallu had to be on her best behavior. She was, but she never forgave the producer (who was "seeing" Liz) for betraying her. Tallu's replacement was Miriam Hopkins, who closed the run, but missed a performance the closing weekend. Liz went on and got positive press attention. Miriam opened the tour, Liz was her disappointed understudy, but Miriam missed again, and Liz went on. She quite then, but came back to do a couple of performances for Miriam H. When Gladys George took over, she came back to do some performances for her, too, and wound up playing the closing weekend.

[quote]So, all joking aside, who will be the first Broadway chorus boy/performer to start an OnlyFans? And, how far will they go?

That's a conundrum. Jack-off only performers are no longer selling like they did. And with the quarantine, guys who'll do it all haven't been able to film anything. So it's hardly a "fall-back" safety net like it might have been last year. Look on Twitter, all those guys are discounting their OF and JFF accounts, often to $5 a month. And those are porn stars. Who's going to come running to see a Broadway chorus boy jack off.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised if Mark McKillop is filling out the application as we speak.

[quote] Who's going to come running to see a Broadway chorus boy jack off.

r223, every fanboy and fangirl on Broadway World and the romance-novel-reading fanfraus on All That Chat

[quote]Who's going to come running to see a Broadway chorus boy jack off.

Hand raised.

Do you think Broadway actors masturbate?

Wow. A Lizabeth Scott Queen. NEVER thought there would be one of those.

Tallulah Bankhead queens are a dime a dozen. And there are even some Miriam Hopkins queens still out there.

But Lizabeth Scott? I take my hat off to you, sir.

Not all of them, R226.

The same cannot be said about the playwrights. They are solidly at 100%.

[quote] Do you think Broadway actors masturbate?

Yes, and they keep saying "Did you see that thing I tried with my hand? Was it good? Should I keep it?"

R183 None of them need to do Onlyfans because they are all leaving the business to become full time social workers. Their instagrams are 24/7 SJW posts when people just want them to show their bodies.

Surely they're thinking of sugar daddies rather than Onlyfans? Is Hunter Headlicka still with that lawyer?

No, R231. He’s quarantined with some twink now, so I guess he’s the top (?)

If you ever wanted to see how All About Eve would play with all the humor drained out of it and absent of wit, check out the video at r213.

Van Hove would be an interesting distraction from modern theatre if he hadn't been promoted to the defining voice of the modern theatre by the idiot press and the idiot not-for-profits.

Hear hear, R233. One of the worst productions the NT ever did.

I really can't stand Gillian Anderson.

I can't believe we're discussing this shitty, threadbare musical... but who was the Eve that was fired out of town?

Fiona Apple's mother played Eve somewhere, right?

The von Hove All About Even is fascinating because it makes intelligent choices (like making Margo's fear less professional and more about mortality) that should elevate the material....but in the end those smart close readings make the whole thing sink.

ibdb lists a Patti Davis as one of the chorus replacements.

Is that Nancy and Ronnie's carwreck Patti?

Attention, Ben Platt fans: he's going to be live on "The View" this morning.

[quote]My guess is that Lloyd was renamed "Buzz" because it seemed like a more contemporary, "hip" name for the new time period (1970). What's curious is how they were able to include Bill Sampson when he was from the film.

As has been mentioned a few times, the producers got the rights to the screenplay late in the game. Perhaps Comden and Green changed the character's name at that point.

[quote]Fiona Apple's mother played Eve somewhere, right?

Diane McAfee was originally cast as Eve (Penny Fuller had auditioned for the role), but during out-of-town tryouts, it was decided she seemed too young and wasn't believable as someone who could pose a threat to Margo. Fuller was flown from Los Angeles to Baltimore to replace her. McAfee went on to marry Brandon Maggart, who played Buzz in the show. They're the parents of Fiona Apple. McAfee later returned to the role of Eve in a Kenley Players production starring Alexis Smith (with Pia Zadora in the Bonnie Franklin role).

Hey! What about us Gladys George queens???

This makes me wonder if the McAfee software company has any relationship to Apple.

So 200 posts on "Applause"? Broadway is dead.

[quote]So 200 posts on "Applause"? Broadway is dead.

Yes, since March.

[quote] Attention, Ben Platt fans

Hopefully the message got to all six of them.

Half of the cast members of this Mainland High School's production of Applause tested positive for the Heeby deeby deeby deeby dees...

Diane McAfee No. 1

On the View today, Ben Platt did a graceful job of plugging all of his concerts available on TV.

Diane McAfee No. 2

[quote]"I was in California playing the ditsy but adorable wife of a detective in a pilot called The Wylies," she says. "That show was so bad, it wasn't even shown during dead-pilot season. Then Hal Prince flew me in to audition for Company and, afterwards, as I came out the stage door, I met a friend who said, 'What are you doing here? I'm stage-managing Applause. They wanted to audition you but you were in California, and they wouldn't fly you in.' So I went in, met Ron [Field, the director], auditioned, and then went back to California. They decided on Diane McAfee. I'm told they all said to each other, 'We're either going to make her a big star or we're making a big mistake.' "

A wise choice to go with Miss Fuller...

[italic]And Daddy said, 'Go wash your face, you look like a whore!'[/italic]

Was he a DLer?

^^ Wouldn't he have said, "you look like a fat whore"?

[quote]But with 20 year old Lizabeth Scott signed, Tallu had to be on her best behavior. She was, but she never forgave the producer (who was "seeing" Liz) for betraying her.

Was the producer a woman?

[quote]Contrary to what both IMDB and Wikipedia say, Satins and Spurs was neither a variety show nor a TV movie. It was a new and original musical broadcast live in color on NBC. And a huge, famous flop.

I never miss a Kevin McCarthy musical.

Aren't Penny Fuller and Anita Gillette kind of interchangeable?

Well, David Pevsner has an OnlyFans site, though he posts elsewhere for free. Is he doing anything more special on that site? Also with people of all ages, body types, nationalities, etc. on places like chaturbate and cam4, it's possible to find plenty of people to get you going, and to find exactly the type you need for that particular time.

(like making Margo's fear less professional and more about mortality)

As if they're not implied in the film.

Anyone have any idea where I can get a bootleg DVD of the Bridge Theatre's Midsummer Night's Dream? (Not some rando's bootleg filmed from the balcony, but what was screened in movie theatres and streamed on YouTube last week.) Ta very much!

[Quote] Anyone have any idea where I can get a bootleg DVD of the Bridge Theatre's Midsummer Night's Dream? (Not some rando's bootleg filmed from the balcony, but what was screened in movie theatres and streamed on YouTube last week.) Ta very much!

Your best bet is to ask someone to upload it to the internet and download that and make your own DVD.

Diane McAfee also played Eve in that god-awful Munsel bus and truck tour described above. Pia Zadora was the best thing in that tour.

Diane McAfee looked a little like Kate McGarrigle.

[Quote] They decided on Diane McAfee. I'm told they all said to each other, 'We're either going to make her a big star or we're making a big mistake.' "

That was rather unkind of Fuller to share.

I know we've beat Follies to death (several times), but I really didn't think Applause, of all shows, would be the next dead horse. (I saw it on the Kenley Circuit with Pia Zadora, no lie.)

I always thought Pia was talented. How was she in Applause. She couldn't have been any worse than Franklin.

Had she stuck it out, I think Pia could have had a Bernadette type career.

Vanessa Williams also had a long guest starring story arc on The Good Wife. She played a rich, powerful political backer who has an affair with Alan Cumming. She was very good but their bedroom scenes were... strange.

R261 Have found it impossible to reup the NTLive streams on Youtube. But will have a go.

Really, r267?

R267: Pia must have been good, because I remember her and don't remember anything about Alexis Smith's Margo. (I was in high school. If memory serves, Pia popped out of a box, maybe that's why I remember her.) And, per the link, Pia had Her Very Own Show in 1986.

What is that elecric thing behind her supposed to be? Big eyeglasses?

Her head voice was about as good as Liza's...

The little munchkin belter says in this interview (at the 04:30 mark) that she met that rich husband during the tour of APPLAUSE. He was a stage door johnny

Pia is among Baayork Lee, Ilene Kristen, Priscilla Lopez and Chris Bocchino but she's the one who stands out in the chorus.

No, R276 she's actually trying to pull focus from someone else's number, she is being unprofessional. Fortunately, Alice Playten is so good that Pia's efforts don't work.

Pia was a good enough performer, though, she she did get hired before she met and married the billionaire.

[quote]Pia is among Baayork Lee, Ilene Kristen, Priscilla Lopez and Chris Bocchino but she's the one who stands out in the chorus.

Is Priscilla Lopez the one in yellow?

R277, that's what Bennett said about McKechnie. Remember the rehearsal from "One"? Bennett loved that shit, which is why he put her in front.

Why yes, r258....

Leland Palmer played Bonnie/Pia in the National Company.

And she was heavenly. My favorite thing about the show was her performance.

That Bridge Midsummer was magical. The best production I’ve seen. So glad it was filmed. I hope it gets uploaded here on Datalounge sometime so I can grab it permanently.

There was a Midsummer uploaded in the last few days, or at least it was linked to on Youtube.

[quote]r281 Leland Palmer played Bonnie/Pia in the National Company.

I bet Bonnie tried to undermine Pia when she took over the role ... but I also suspect Pia is a master at Jiu Jitsu.

So - -

The Eleanor Parker tour I saw featured Candy Brown as...Candy.

Here is the Bridge Midsummers Night Dream. Is still processing, but is downloadable now.

Why can't Broadway write for the great [italic]mature[/italic] actresses anymore?

Why can't we be given a worthy ensemble piece for Pia, Suzanne, Didi and Joyce?

Pia isn't that bad of a singer if we're being honest and, even as an actress, she's not the worst I've seen. She had some charm.

Yes, that's Priscilla in yellow in the clip.

The name in Applause was always changed to the first name of the actress playing the role. It was permanently changed to Bonnie. I always wondered if this character was supposed to be the character would bring the story full circle by betraying Eve.

She would have been good as Marty in the movie of Grease although Rik would never have let her do it thinking she should be Sandy.

Bette and she did Fiddler and she saw Pia in a restaurant surrounded by wealthy, older men. Bette asked her if she was now a hooker.

[quote]Pia isn't that bad of a singer if we're being honest and, even as an actress, she's not the worst I've seen. She had some charm.

She's awfully SHORT, is all I think every time I see her.

Maybe she'd have done better on a soap opera - where most of the performers are (reportedly) tiny.

Stef would have made an interesting Phyllis.

She's no Pia.

Pia was unforgettable in "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians."

Who the FUCK wants to see a revival of a piece of shit like APPLAUSE?

Clearly not you, R295.

[quote]The name in Applause was always changed to the first name of the actress playing the role. It was permanently changed to Bonnie. I always wondered if this character was supposed to be the character would bring the story full circle by betraying Eve.

That makes absolute zero sense.

[quote]I always wondered if this character was supposed to be the character would bring the story full circle by betraying Eve.

In that case, wouldn't the name have been permanently changed to Phoebe?

Wasn't there some brief moment at the end (maybe even at the curtain call) where an Eve doppelganger approaches Eve. It was done for a humorous effect, like a brief homage to Phoebe. Maybe I'm just having an acid flashback.

WHET Pia Zadora?

I watched a TV show about how her haunted family home burned down or something like that

Doesn't Pia perform in some restaurant/club in Vegas?

Pia recently released a new album.

She performs at Piero's Restaurant. She's married to a former Metro cop.

She sounded great at the 1994 Oscars.

Maybe Pia could do a Zoom version of [italic]The Belle of Amherst[/italic] while theaters are dark?

I've been paywalled out so couldn't reply to the person who asked about how Zadora was in Applause.

She was fabulous. This tiny little unbelievably energetic girl in a minor part but when she opened her mouth to sing, this, big Brunnhilde voice. She was unmiked in a 2000 plus house and filled the rafters in She's No Longer a Gypsy in Act I and led Applause in Act II. I'm the guy who posted about how awful Munsel was in that bus and truck tour but Zadora brought down the house in both her numbers and at curtain, she got more applause than all the other leads combined.

I know it's a long long time to remember but that's how awful Munsel was and how great Zadora was. The memories are vivid and are still there. I thought Zadora was going to be a big star.

But look what happened. Life is weird I type as I live here in Manhattan, which is currently an episode of The Twilight Zone.

Other posters beat me to the Santa Clause and the Martians and the Henry, Sweet Henry posts. Regarding the latter, could any else other than Jerome Robbins or Gower Champion equal Michael Bennett at building a musical number into euphoria? Maybe Michael Kidd? Please post examples.

Her daughter sings.

When we're done with Applause, can we talk about They're Playing Our Song? I understand that was a show that was particularly good on tour.

There for a while we were having a fairly decent discussion about DEH which is actually a very good show that everyone here might have seen, but, instead, we're discussing a mediocre at best show that only elder gays could possibly have seen. Welcome to DL.

R307 No, the title song of "Applause" is in the first act, "She's No Longer a Gypsy" is in the second act.

DEH is no better than Applause. They both have major shortcomings but still have their charms. You have no long term appreciation, r310.

And I stand corrected, r311. Appreciated, It's been ages since I've seen a production.

[quote] As has been mentioned a few times, the producers got the rights to the screenplay late in the game. Perhaps Comden and Green changed the character's name at that point.

As was stated, the name change isn’t the issue. The character who is Margo’s husband in the original story (or actually, Margola’s husband) doesn’t just have a different name, he’s a completely different character. He’s a businessman, not a director, & he doesn’t really function in the story the same way. The character who is younger than Margo and an acclaimed director is strictly an invention of the movie. Bill in the play is exactly the same character as in the film. That would have been a huge change is Comden and Green were writing the book for some variation of the story character and switched, “late in the game,” to the character from the film.

They're Playing Our Song was sweet and fun with a lively, appealing score, r309, I really enjoyed it, What can you tell us about the differences between Broadway and the tour?

[quote] I've been paywalled out so couldn't reply to the person who asked about how Zadora was in Applause. She was fabulous

I saw that tour, & I thought Zadora was an embarrassment. The local review said so as well. Munsel was not too good, but she was at least professional. Zadora was barely competent. Maybe I saw the tour early on in the run & she grew in the part. Diane McAfee played Eve (just as on the Kenley circuit), and my biggest impression was that she’d been doing a lot of comfort eating since being fired on the road from the original.

Did Diane McAfee ever play Kim McAfee?

[quote]r315 I saw that tour, & I thought Zadora was an embarrassment.

How very dare you.

Onna White did some terrific choreography; I especially love the "Marian the Librarian" and "Shipoopi" numbers in the "Music Man". They build and are lots of fun to watch. She should be mentioned more.

DEH is the perfect musical for this era; all fuzzy, warm victimhood. The lead character never, not once, makes the right moral choice, even in the end. He pays no price for the damage he causes. And the audience weeps for him and excuses his wrongdoing because he’s so fragile and adorbs.

I loathed DEH, but the people I knew who especially loved it were people who really identified with Evan. Most of them nurse their inner drama and incessantly post on social media about the travails of being an introvert.

Rachel Bay Jones needs a project worthy of her talent. I thought the mother’s song at the end (placed there to manipulate) was extraordinary.

I thought Rachel Bay Jones was amazing in PIPPIN. She's the only person I've ever seen make something of that nothing role. I thought that production in general was wildly overpraised, but what Jones and Paulus did with Catherine was special.

I’m a big fan. Her voice isn’t her strongest suit, but she has a great CD called Show Folk, which does folk treatments of Broadway tunes. Crazy as that sounds, it is really good.

For you, R318. In case you haven't already.

"They're Playing Our Song" is a dog of a show. Please. Let it lie quietly. Wherever it is.

On a rainy Saturday afternoon when I need a dose of the 70s, there's no question where to reach. Warm up with APPLAUSE. Then move up to SEESAW. I know that much of the appeal of SEESAW is the Michael Bennett staging which was wonderful. But don't forget Dorothy Fields. Her lyrics are first rate.

[quote]Pia was unforgettable in "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians."

Pia should be cancelled for wearing blackface!

I've never seen DEH but was shocked to learn the character is straight.

Bravo, r319. An opportunity to take a generation to task for its narcissism, moral relativism and inverted empathy resolves into a let’s-have-a-group-hug-and-forgive-all cryfest. And though the score may have its clunkers, APPLAUSE also has some memorable, iconic songs. DEH? Meh.

Agree on Rachel Bay Jones in PIPPIN. Also SEESAW, especially for its brilliant orchestrations by the late, great Larry Fallon.

[quote] "They're Playing Our Song" is a dog of a show. Please. Let it lie quietly. Wherever it is.

They're Playing Our Song was of its time. The music is third-rate 1970s. It's like Hamlisch and Bayer-Sager thought, "We're not going to get an Oscar out of this, so we'll just turn in material we were going to throw in the trash." And Neil Simon's book? All one can say is "Oy vey!" But producers never get tired of sticking talent in shows with poor material as we saw years later with "The Goodbye Girl."

The show is like an off-Broadway show that got lucky. A show about two unlikable people who should have gone their separate ways. Poor Lucie did her best, but she wasn't Tony nominated. Maybe Gary should have talked her out of it. But to add to the humiliation, Tovah Feldshuh was nominated for Sarava. Neither would have won because it was always going to be Angela Lansbury's year for Sweeney Todd.

Perhaps if they had cast Liza Minnelli and given her a big production number it would have sailed. But who would have been equal star wattage to put in the male role?

how did bacall win a tony with that non singing froggy cig voice of hers???

painful to watch on u tube.....even when the old crow is jus talking.

R329 She won two! Both for musicals.

[Quote] how did bacall win a tony with that non singing froggy cig voice of hers???

Preach!

There is no Tony Award for Best Singer.

Bacall won for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Singing is not mentioned anywhere in that title.

Back off on the singing.

Is there any activity still going on with shows that were being workshopped? Maybe covid will give creators more time to fine tune their work. I'm thinking of Some Like It Hot, Devil Wears Prada etc.

Elton John and Jake Shears are working on a Tammy Faye Bakker musical to premiere in London. I don't think anyone in the UK knows who she was

I saw "They're Playing Our Song" at Reprise in LA with Jason Alexander and Stephanie J. Block. It was fun, but unmemorable.

by the way, Jake Shears' autobiography is great fun,,,,nyc in the fun yrs...

[quote] Elton John and Jake Shears are working on a Tammy Faye Bakker musical to premiere in London. I don't think anyone in the UK knows who she was

I don't understand the need to build a show around her. She's not that interesting of a personality. I had a friend who worked at PTL.

R332 She won for Best Performance by a Leading Actress IN A MUSICAL! The non-singing acting categories are for plays.

Didn't Tony Shalhoub win a Musical Tony without (much) singing?

There was a separate musical in the works for Kristen Chenoweth to play Tammy Faye. Perhaps people in UK not knowing who she is frees them up a bit in how she is portrayed.

Did anyone see Triumph of Love? I'm trying to listen to it today and the score is a shouty mess

The Jerry Springer musical did well enough to be televised in the UK, didn't it? Obviously Springer had a profile over there but the Brits love camp vulgarity so if a Tammy Faye musical is in a similar vein (they could have Bo from AbFab play Tammy!), it could do alright.

[quote]Did anyone see Triumph of Love? I'm trying to listen to it today and the score is a shouty mess

Yes. The show was a mess. A real bore.

Fun fact: Elayne Boosler (remember her?) was originally supposed to play the role that Nancy Opel ended up playing. She left due to "creative differences." I so desperately want to believe that her exit had something to do with Betty Buckley. But I never met anyone who knew the real story.

She probably had material taken away from her.

Jerry Springer the Opera started in the UK. The trashy 90s US talk shows were all on tv over here - Maury, Jenny Jones, Sally Jesse, Montell Williams, Ricki Lake.

[quote]The Jerry Springer musical did well enough to be televised in the UK, didn't it? Obviously Springer had a profile over there but the Brits love camp vulgarity so if a Tammy Faye musical is in a similar vein (they could have Bo from AbFab play Tammy!), it could do alright.

But Springer had something to build a musical around: a talk show with some freaky guests. I don't see enough story to build around Tammy Faye. There was a documentary about her, but even that was a bit on the dull side. There's only so much that can be said about the PTL years and she really doesn't have much before or after that. It just seems like a thin plot to build a musical around.

Well, look at the plot in FOLLIES...

FOLLIES!!!

anyone seen Steel Pier? looked awesome from the tonys show of that yr.....pity it closed early.

when will critics not be able to close a show???

R344 They could based it on her time on the second season of THE SURREAL LIFE. She had some interesting co-stars who would make great characters themselves (e.g., Vanilla Ice, Ron Jeremy, Gary Coleman) and she became a den mother to them all. Tammy and Ron Jeremy, in particular, forged a close bond. I also remember the gang worked at a retro diner and the heartwarming scene of Tammy Faye signing her book at an LGBT event. The entire season was pretty touching and funny. I had heard the name Tammy Faye Bakker prior to watching the show, but it really did a good job of revealing the woman. She was very open and honest about her past. I ended up liking her very much. I think a lead character like that would be embraced by the audience.

[quote]Pia should be cancelled for wearing blackface!

It was greenface! She was playing a Martian child!

[quote] anyone seen Steel Pier? looked awesome from the tonys show of that yr.....pity it closed early.

A huge disappointment and probably Kander & Ebb's worst score. It showed that Karen Ziemba was not a leading lady. The night I saw it, there was no energy in Act 1 until Debra Monk sang "Everybody's Girl". That was the only number that got sustained applause. Everyone raves about Kristin Chenoweth in the show, but it was Debra Monk who really saved the show. It was another boring night of theater.

STEEL PIER was not very good. Lots of good elements. It had a dumb, sappy, story not redeemed and made workable by the librettist. Very good cast, but not so good that they made one ignore the book.

STEEL PIER opened the night after TITANIC. And a Broadway musical about the sinking of the Titanic turned out to be a much better idea for a show.

I'd take Steel Pier over Titanic any day of the week.

Anyone watched the filmed Hamilton? LMM's voice sounds quite strained - very high pitched

loved tht song 'dance dance' they did on the tonys, Gregory Harrison was fab

anyone see that travesty STARLIGHT EXPRESS???? ye gads

R259 I joined Pevsner's OnlyFans out of curiosity for a month. He goes way farther than I would have thought, but he's always been a showoff whore. Some pretty hot stuff though and he looks pretty good for being a granddad.

R355 = David Pevsner

R319, what do you mean Evan pays no price for the damage he has caused? He loses Zoe and the Murphys. That's a pretty big loss when you're a lonely kid without a family. What price would you expect him to pay...public flogging? Cancellation via social media? And exactly what damage did he really cause, ultimately beyond giving false joy to a mourning family? No one else was affected at all. And he doesn't end up with a penny of it for himself; the donations go to building the orchard in honor of a different, even more troubled, boy, and people are enjoying the park...even the Murphys.

I saw Steel Pier. The score is reasonable. The book sucked and needed to be grittier and not a romantic ghost story. The two romantic leads were miscast. Neither Ziemba or whichever McDonald brother it was had any chemistry with each other or the audience. It was saved from total failure by the wonderful supporting turns of Gregory Harrison, Debra Monk, Kristin Chenoweth and Jim Newman

I thought Gregory Harrison received a Tony nomination for "Steel Pier" in the supporting category but checked the other day and he didn't. Too bad as he's really very talented.

R326-The character of Evan may be straight in the arc of the show itself, but if there was ever a musical theatre character who would eventually realize his homosexuality, it's Evan Hansen, dear.

Kristin Chenoweth was practically a chorus member. Her role was tiny, tiny, tiny, befitting a performer no one knew. And then she got a moment of her own in the 2nd act to show off her coloratura. When that moment finally came, it was a weird moment. I don't recall the details, but I do remember that she was lifted high by the male dancers. While ripping off the high notes. Many people thought she was lip syncing. Everyone is mic'd so heavily these days that their voices could be coming from anywhere, so it was a reasonable explanation. At the time, it seemed unlikely that that voice was coming out of that little dancer's body. I personally heard many people discussing this as they exited the theater. At least during previews, it was a topic of conversation.

"Well, look at the talent in FOLLIES..."

Fixed it for you.

Did anybody here see Chenoweth in Charlie Brown? I remember the buzz around her in it, and she of course won the Tony and it seemed to have been a huge turning point in her career, despite having only run for a few months. What was so special about Chenoweth's performance?

R363, it made her career. The entire thing pops up on YT now and then and Chenoweth is simply wonderful. Completely Sally Brown. I think she should have won for On The Twentieth Century as well

Thank you R286 for posting the Bridge Midsummer Night's Dream vid. It downloaded without any trouble.

[quote]Did anybody here see Chenoweth in Charlie Brown?

Yes, she and Roger Bart were the energy in a low energy show. But the show never should have played a huge Broadway house. It's a small musical intended for a small theater. But the rest of the cast was just pitiful in their performances.

[Quote] "Well, look at the talent in FOLLIES..."

---Blushes--

I got to go to the Tony Award presentation that year and she brought the house down. Chenoweth is not warm and she's not vulnerable. Well, maybe she is in her private life, but she's got none of it on stage. And her song, "That's My Philosophy!" was perfectly suited to her strong and unsubtle stage persona. She really was the best person to play that part.

There's a story about Ethel Merman attending the opening of Woman of the Year. When Bacall, in the opening number bellowed " I'm the WOMAN of the year" Merman very audibly was heard to say "Jesus Christ!"

....

R369, that is possibly the most frequently repeated story in this on-going thread.

However... Bacall's first bellow is "Sam Craig... wherever you ahhhhhrrrre.

So now that the theater season is not reopening until January 2021 at the earliest, what do we think will become of this year's Tony awards? Will they eventually decide to just skip a year altogether or do two ceremonies in one next year? Or, since next season will be cut in half anyway, just have this season's shows compete against next year's?

[quote]what do you mean Evan pays no price for the damage he has caused? He loses Zoe and the Murphys. That's a pretty big loss when you're a lonely kid without a family. What price would you expect him to pay...public flogging? Cancellation via social media? And exactly what damage did he really cause, ultimately beyond giving false joy to a mourning family? No one else was affected at all. And he doesn't end up with a penny of it for himself; the donations go to building the orchard in honor of a different, even more troubled, boy, and people are enjoying the park...even the Murphys.

Zoe forgives him. (Hell, depending on how gay the actor playing Evan is, you even get a hint that they might get back together in the future.) And she makes a point out of saying his lies actually helped her parents and that they recognize this. He is totally let off the hook for everything.

Hamilton seems very busy often. for little reason. The leads are all great, apart from LMM. Got so tired of his puppy dog eyes. He is the weak link.

I am watching "Hamilton" right now. I loved it at the Public and on Broadway. However, the filmed production feels a little flat. And whoever said that LMM sounded strained was right. I loved the spit on Groff's first song.

R375 Same. Boy, the women are STRONG.

Here it is.

[quote] Here it is.

You fat whores get off the internet. I'm getting a message that I can't watch or download it because too many people have already done it!

[Quote] I'm getting a message that I can't watch or download it because too many people have already done it!

Same. I presume if the uploader hadn't used "Hamilton (2020)" in the title, we'd be able to download it. But other, non-DLers have likely found the file and used all the bandwith.

*bandwidth

That is actually an important point: If you want to keep your uploads more "safe", don't title them such that they'd be easy to find and possibly have deleted for copyright infringement.

This will download, girls.

R380 Incorrect.

[Quote] Incorrect.

Elaborate.

The link at r381 requires a login.

All this fuss about HAMILTON, you'd think it was a lost videotape of BAJOUR that had just been released.

Or, you could just spend $5 and get Disney+ for a month. Seems a fair bargain.

Onna White is mentioned often here. MAME. 1776. I HAD A BALL. HALF A SIXPENCE. The movie BYE BYE BIRDIE. She was wonderful.

Love her work on the film of OLIVER!

Didn't Disney temporarily drop the subscription fee for Disney+ timed to its release of Hamilton?

Really? Twirling maids?

R383 Shouldn't.

Thanks, r390. It works now.

Yes indeed, thank you R390.

Well, Penny Fuller was in ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, so that gives her the edge.

This is a great DL thread. Really cracking me up, hearing about Patrice Munsel, who I had never heard of!

R337, the category is Best Performance by a Leading Actor/Actress in a Musical, not Best Singer. Thomas Mitchell won the award for HAZEL FLAGG and he didn't sing in the show at all.

Young Patrice was cute. It's a shame she got a terrible nosejob. She didn't need it and she remained a stage performer, so it did her little good.

It's fascinating to me how a top (or near top) singer in one genre can fail to cut the mustard in another, especially when the other genre is much less respected than the genre with which they made their name.

Very few opera singers can handle theater music, and almost none do pop songs well. I do like Dawn Upshaw’s recordings of theater music. Lots of people liked Eileen Farrell’s (might be spelling that wrong) albums of pop and theater songs, but I found her a bit stiff.

Farrell had quite the third act as Darienne Lake.

It's called staying in your lane. When Streisand did that classical album, one critic noted that he wouldn't want to see Elisabeth Schwarzkopf as Fanny Brice.

Old nose Patrice Munsel resembles DL fave Karen Ziemba in that Italian Street Song clip.

Pia Zadora was a complete joke to the performance world until she started doing big band numbers with an orchestra

Maybe This Time.

Wasn’t Joan Diener a bargain basement Patrice Munsel? Or was it the other way around?

[quote] Didn't Disney temporarily drop the subscription fee for Disney+ timed to its release of Hamilton?

No, the reverse. They dropped the one month free.

Either Joan Diener or Patrice Munsel is not who you think they are, r403. They were nothing alike.

I don't have a desire to see Hamilton even if it's free.

[quote] There's only so much that can be said about the PTL years and she really doesn't have much before or after that. It just seems like a thin plot to build a musical around.

Who would play Jim J. Bullock?

Patti in Cradle Will Rock

R405, they were both dark and sultry and performed around the same time. Different voice types though, I guess.

R409, Joan Diener was blonde. You probably think of her as dark because of her playing Aldonza in MAN OF LA MANCHA.

[quote]They're Playing Our Song was of its time. The music is third-rate 1970s. It's like Hamlisch and Bayer-Sager thought, "We're not going to get an Oscar out of this, so we'll just turn in material we were going to throw in the trash."

I think the score is supposed to sound like very good quality pop songs of the era,. That's what it sounds like to me. And that's appropriate for the characters and the story.

[quote]Yes, she and Roger Bart were the energy in a low energy show. But the show never should have played a huge Broadway house. It's a small musical intended for a small theater. But the rest of the cast was just pitiful in their performances.

Also, most of the rewrites of that CHARLIE BROWN, including most of the new songs by Lippa, were not good. Even the song he wrote for Chenoweth is not that good in the writing of the lyrics or the music, what made the performance great was her delivery.

Joan Diener went dark.

Diener must have developed an eating disorder.

Two opera singers and...Carol

OMG, r414, I can't believe I never ran across that before. Probably won't interest a lot of people here but I thought it was FABULOUS. Thank you SO MUCH!

I bet Farrell and Horne adored being dressed by Bob Mackie and asked to do their best Mae Wests!

I would have draped the boas over my front, if I were anyone other than Carol...

Very few singers crossed genres, but Aretha Franklin blew the roof off at the Grammys one year.

Oh, and Jennifer Hudson, let's see you do this in that biopic. IF this scene is recreated, you'll be lip synching hun.

May the saints bless you, nt (R286), for posting the Bridge Theatre's Midsummer. Since I'm sure there will never be a DVD (I can't imagine what the licensing rights would be for Beyonce's "Love On Top") this will more than suffice. Oliver Chris is my new crush-du-jour.

I don't understand how that Nessun Dorma wows people. It's as if she may shit herself at any moment.

Farrell and Dawn Upshaw were the two who could really do crossover between classical and popular. Runners up were Teresa Stratas and Julia Migenes. But you couldn't really count on the chronically ill Stratas to show up. Stratas' understudy in Rags, the wonderful Christine Andreas, went on as much as she did.

On the male side, John Reardon and Robert Rounesville were excellent but Jerry Hadley, despite his fame for it, was a bit stiff.

[quote]I don't understand how that Nessun Dorma wows people. It's as if she may shit herself at any moment.

Patti LaBelle, your blood sugar is low. Gurl, go eat a peach pie and get your strength back up.

R419 Didn't she fill in for Pavarotti at the last minute? That's probably why. But, yeah, I never thought it sounded outstanding, either.

People in the opera world or fans of it weren't exactly thrilled by Aretha's version of "Nessun Dorma" -- stylistically it's all wrong and so non-legit.

Dawn Upshaw's ok singing musical theater, but how she had a career playing more than the 2-line Countess Ceprano is all because James Levine took a liking to her. She did champion a decent amount of contemporary composers when she had some fame. However, when she was still singing at the Met, there was a list of greatest singers ever and wtf! Dawn Upshaw was on it surrounded by the likes of Jussi Bjoerling, Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti and Franco Corelli! No way. It was just she had a recording contract and Levine had been behind her career and she was a contemporary opera singer at the time.

[Quote] James Levine took a liking to her.

Did her dad run a candy shop or something?

Everything you say is true, r423, but I still love Dawn Upshaw. And she is -- or at least was -- great at crossover.

What's happened to her? Where is she now?

I think her dad ran a Playland somewhere, R424.

I hear you, r406, half of once was enough for me.

Leave those Broadway tunes to us pop singers!

[quote]On the male side, John Reardon and Robert Rounesville were excellent but Jerry Hadley, despite his fame for it, was a bit stiff.

Don't forget Tony winner Paulo Szot!

Aretha Franklin singing "Nessun dorma" isn't a good example of "crossover," because she sings the aria in 100 percent pop style. Eileen Farrell singing pop and jazz in a pop/jazz voice is a good example of crossover. By the way, Leontyne Price has one crossover album on which she sings songs like "Right as the Rain," "Melancholy Baby," and "Sunrise Sunset" very well, though some better than others. Andre Previn is the arranger/orchestrator/conductor, and I think the recording was made in 1967.

I feel like the only person not watching Hamilton. I hated the show in person. I generally don't like musicals to begin with, but Hamilton...ugh.

Sylvia McNair has to be included in the very short list of world class opera singers who successfully could cross over. She and Andre Previn did two jazz inflected albums. One is all Harold Arlen. They other is all Jerome Kern. They are both superb.

One more from Previn and McNair's Harold Arlen album.

And one from the Kern album.

Incidentally, does anyone know what that board on the side of the stage used to announce the acts in vaudeville is called? Does anyone know what I mean?

Why Can't We Stream Every Broadway Show?

I watched Hamilton tonight. It really is spectacular. It’s amazing that Miranda wrote the book, lyrics and music. All of it is genius . The original cast was spectacular

R437, was that your first time seeing it?

From R436's link

[quote]He also points out that video recording is prohibitively more expensive in America. “To capture a Broadway production costs 5 to 10 times what it would overseas,”

Why should that be the case? You'd think the writer would've asked.

Watching Hamilton tonight, I was again taken aback by its sheer level of detail - from the score, to the libretto, to the staging, to the direction and design. It’s immense. It just contains so much fucking content, and zips along at a speed and with a density of ideas that reveals most contemporary Broadway musicals to be the stolid, conceptually unambitious and artistically banal wastes of time that they are.

And not to take anything away from LMM’s achievements, I still believe that the reason Hamilton works theatrically is Andy Blankenbuehler‘s choreography.

That’s actually the problem with Hamilton. It goes and goes and goes, densely and relentlessly. It is the perfect zeitgeist musical for this terrible age. Miranda doesn’t trust himself, perhaps rightly, to let anything breath. Like musical chairs, once things stop or slow down, it’s easier to see and feel what is threadbare.

Oh, Cameltoe.

I watched "Hamilton", only having listened to the recording before, not thinking any musical is worth the hundreds of dollars they have been getting for tickets. Glad I saved my money. Oh, there's some really good stuff in it -- the staging and choreography (though a bit busy and overdone at times), some of the lyrics when Miranda slows it down enough for you to hear them, and most of the performers (with the exception of Lin-Manuel himself). I was very impressed by Daveed Diggs, especially his larger role in the second act at Jefferson; he has really excellent energy and stage presence. Christopher Jackson was really believable as George Washington. The others were quite good too, but Lin has a kind of whiney voice when he raps and speaks, isn't that good an actor, and not a very good singing voice when he gives himself something with pitches to sing. His Hamilton came off as kind of a wimpy J. Pierpont Finch from "How to Succeed" who, instead of climbing the business ladder, is ascending the political one. I found the show something of a slag to get through and had to take breaks from its relentless at times pace. I wanted to get through it to see what everyone has been talking about. I appreciate the work put into it, but I just don't like rap, though some of the other musical numbers were effective. I thought it extremely overpraised and rather gimmicky in its casting, but it gave some very talented people work. It's just not something I really am into, but it doesn't need my patronage. That reminds me to watch "How to Succeed" tomorrow, though, something I really enjoy.

R440 The choreography, (frenetic throwing themselves around idiocy) and LMM acting and singing are the weak links.

The rest, especially the women rock.

R438, no, this was my third time. I saw the original cast on Bway.

When I went to London, I saw it again (ticket prices in London are dirt cheap in comparison to Bway—orchestra level seats for $100, no extra fees!)

For my money, the choreography for Hamilton is the best on Broadway since the Michael Bennett/Tommy Tune era. (Not that there’s been much competition.) Which is not to say that Andy B. is in the same league as Bennett or Tune; I haven’t really been wowed by anything else he's done, outside of a few bits in Bandstand.

Though I felt the choreography in "Hamilton" was great, I actually thought the choreography Tony that year should have gone to "Shuffle Along," which was not a great show but had some of the fiercest dancing I'd seen on a Broadway stage in quite some time. (There was also the fact that I knew "Hamilton" was going to win everything else that night, so that was the one category I felt could justifiably go to somebody else.)

watching Hamilton, thank u ! tho am very disappointed, jus wanna see the g Washington part.

I saw pia Zadora once in bev hills with her driver and ho carrying skads of treasures she had bought, she looked whorey but good.

was a foot away from mae west at premiere of sextette:::::: fab!

tricked with wayne sleep when he was hot

How did LMM do Hamilton 8 times a week, its soooo long and all that singing.....tho he does have huge dark bags under his eyes in the Disney film....poor guy

He didn’t.

I saw miss bacall in shows twice, SHE DID NOT SING.....SHE TALKED HER WAY THRU SONGS....

[quote]Jerry Hadley, despite his fame for it, was a bit stiff.

Not nearly as stiff as he is now.

The Leontyne Price/Andre Previn disc is lovely, especially the songs written by Previn and his then-wife Dory.

From the NYT artlcle:

[quote]Musicals are a portion of the long-running PBS Great Performances series, while Netflix lists popular properties as different as “Shrek the Musical” and “Springsteen on Broadway.”

Yes, but as far as I know, the musicals that PBS has telecast in the past do not remain available for viewing online after the fact. Am I wrong about this?

Miss Faye does opera...

Did anyone look more like a muppet than Frances Faye?

It's quite remarkable.

[quote]I saw miss bacall in shows twice, SHE DID NOT SING.....SHE TALKED HER WAY THRU SONGS....

It happens sometimes.

[quote]I saw miss bacall in shows twice, SHE DID NOT SING.....SHE TALKED HER WAY THRU SONGS....

Is the use of all-caps meant to indicate that this is a shocking revelation? I think most of us were aware of that already.

Years ago, I went to pick up tickets for "Lena Horne - The Lady and Her Music" at the box-office. The woman in front of me was arguing with the person there about Lena Horne not wanting to have air-conditioning in the theater since it affected her singing. "But Lauren Bacall doesn't mind having it in her theater where she's in 'Woman of the Year' and she's singing!" To which the guy in the box-office said "You think Lauren Bacall sings?"

APPLAUSE revival: cut "Backstage Babble" and get a new better opening number; keep the title but cut "Fasten Your Seat Belts" and get a new better song in there; cut the character of Bonnie and have EVE sing the title song which would make her more accepted by the gypsies and gain ground with her plan; cut "She's No Longer A Gypsy" because Eve is NOT a musical star so she is Not a 'gypsy'; cut "Hurry Back" and give Margo a new better love song; keep "Good Friends" as a title but write a new better song.

I guess what I'm saying is write a whole new score for the show and Bring Back Birdie.

[Quote] have EVE sing the title song which would make her more accepted by the gypsies and gain ground with her plan; cut "She's No Longer A Gypsy" because Eve is NOT a musical star so she is Not a 'gypsy

Isn't there a contradiction there?

Don't overthink APPLAUSE, R461. That will take you no where.

[quote]Why can't Broadway write for the great mature actresses anymore?

Because r287 those with a stake in Broadway don't want to have to wait until the Boomers die to attract new audiences. They want to survive, while the gay Boomers want to cling forever to times past which only they are interested in. Sure it's great to throw one of the old broads a bone from time to time but they really need to start taking a chance on some younger talent.

I'm certain there is talent out there but no one has the balls to pull the trigger and give anyone a chance.

R460, Having Eve sing the title song in "Applause" wouldn't work because it would reveal her ambitions ("applause is what we're living for"). Eve's plot requires keeping her overwhelming desire to be a stage star a secret.

It can be placed later in the show.

[quote]When we're done with Applause, can we talk about They're Playing Our Song?

Good luck with that.

I can't decide is 80s fashion was Our Pia's undoing, or salvation.

^^ shorry, typo makesh me shound like Liesha!

At least "Follies" has a really good score. "Applause" only has a few good songs, mainly the title song (since we have to listen to Lauren Bacall croak the other ones).

FOLLIES!!!

What about a revisal with Debbie as Margo and her son as "Yves"?

Can we talk about A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC too?

[quote]Miranda doesn’t trust himself, perhaps rightly, to let anything breath.

Kelly Osbourne posts here!

R472 Whatever you Desiree!

Frances does Cole...

AMTSJ's Night Music...

Is Leslie Easterbrook related to Christine Estabrook?

[quote]I saw miss bacall in shows twice, SHE DID NOT SING.....SHE TALKED HER WAY THRU SONGS....

There's a difference between talking through songs (not matching pitches, not sustaining any notes) and singing songs (matching pitches, even if sometimes singing off-pitch, and sustaining notes, even with poor breath support and no vibrato in a voice of poor quality). Bacall did the latter.

I would describe the score of APPLAUSE as inconsistent in quality, to say the least. A few really good songs, including the title song, but several mediocre ones and a couple of pretty bad ones. I'm ashamed to admit it never actually occurred to me that "She's No Longer a Gypsy" makes no sense as a song about Eve, since she is not and has never been a gypsy. At any rate, I guess any revival of the show would have to cut that number anyway, because the SJWs have branded the word "gypsy" as offensive, with the result that the word has been removed from one of the theater community's biggest annual fundraising events.

ROSE does have a ring to it.

Yikes, that AMTSJ ALMN is... not good. I FF'd to the scene right before A Weekend in the Country, and as a director I worked with once said, You could drive a truck between their cues. And Weekend was waaay too slow. Clearly, they spent a lot of money on sets and costumes, but I had to wonder why Madame Armfeldt was playing solitaire out in a birch forest.

A five-six-seven-eight!

[quote] Having Eve sing the title song in "Applause" wouldn't work because it would reveal her ambitions ("applause is what we're living for"). Eve's plot requires keeping her overwhelming desire to be a stage star a secret.

In the movie, doesn’t Eve have a short speech at the party about how applause is the only thing that’s really important?

[quote]In the movie, doesn’t Eve have a short speech at the party about how applause is the only thing that’s really important?

Yes, but she doesn't turn it into a major production number.

Actually, at the end of her speech, she sort of catches herself, realizing she may be giving too much away. She sort of brushes it off and smiles at the party guests sitting near her.

[quote]Actually, at the end of her speech, she sort of catches herself, realizing she may be giving too much away. She sort of brushes it off and smiles at the party guests sitting near her.

Yes, I've always thought that's a great moment in the movie. One of the best moments in Baxter's performance.

r456, if you're pretty it doesn't matter how you wear your hair.

Of course she doesn’t make it a production number silly. The movie’s not a musical.

She does, however, “reveal her ambitions” quite clearly.

isn't Kristen chenoworth near 50? how long can she talk in that baby talk voice??

Love you, r486!

No Comment

Always a hair-DO....

After you...

[quote]Of course she doesn’t make it a production number silly. The movie’s not a musical.

Nothing gets past you, does it, R487?

Shut your mouth..

Apparently you had to be reminded of the fact, r493

Apparently you don't understand the concept of metaphor, R495.

Either do you, since that’s not applicable

You can just continue to make shit up, but you said “Having Eve sing the title song in "Applause" wouldn't work because it would reveal her ambitions”, and that’s a stupid statement because in the movie she clearly does reveal her ambitions.

All of your posts after that have been a valiant but hopeless attempt to fix your stupid.

But I have only so much patience for stupid. You clearly want to start a fight over your own stupidity, and I’m afraid I can’t be bothered.

I’ve never seen Applause; I’ve never heard any songs from Applause.

Now, I hope I never do

Your loss, R498, you'll never have a taste of the sound that says love

This dame is rippin' off Lypsinka...

They should make a musical of Homebodies. It could be a cross between 70, Girls, 70 and Sweeney Todd.

Thanks for the Frances clips. Her live performances always give me a boost.

As has been pointed out elsewhere, Eve can't lead the title song in APPLAUSE because that number is performed by a bunch of "gypsies" (Broadway chorus dancers/singers) at a popular hangout in the theater district, and Eve is NOT and never has been a gypsy -- despite the other song in the score that inexplicably refers to her as one.

In APPLAUSE as written, as in ALL ABOUT EVE, the character Eve pretty much comes out of nowhere, presenting herself as a mousy Margo Channing fan from Madison, Wisconsin who regularly haunts the stage door at the theater where Margo is currently appearing. She claims to have had some very minor stage experience back home, but nothing major and nothing professional. You COULD totally rewrite the story so that we first meet Eve as a Broadway gypsy with ruthless ambitions to become a star, but you would have to change so many plot points that it would end up as quite a different story from ALL ABOUT EVE.

Amusing, but beside the point.

R504, whose post are you referring to?

Am I allowed to say I am really, really tired of all the HAMILTON hype? It's so over the top, the TIMES did an article on how many articles they'd written on HAMILTON. Seriously, we're all done. It even feels like LMM is over it. Hey, that fucking show was 2014 off Broadway. Let's WRITE A NEW SHOW!

RIP

Sad.

Anyone else watch Lungs?

Decades is running a Twilight Zone marathon. "Room for one more, honey" just started. In honor of....

So fucking sad about Nick Cordero. Glad I’m in for the night because if I was out on the street I’d want to punch the first selfish motherfucker I see not wearing a mask.

Lauren Bacall - Kennedy Center Honors 1997

Musical Comedy Tonight - Episode One.

Musical Comedy Tonight - with Lynn Redgrave...

Musical Comedy Tonight - Episode Three.

Is it sad that no one had ever heard of Cordero before this illness?

Broadway fans knew who Nick Cordero was. He was a Tony Award nominee. Does it matter whether people in Flyoverstan knew who he was?

When in doubt, take a cheap shot at Broadway fans around the country, damned to all eternity because they don't live between 57th and 34th. Fuck you asshole.

[quote]r516 Is it sad that no one had ever heard of Cordero before this illness?

No sadder than Pia not being cast as Eve.

My goodness, quite the cast!

The glamorous Miss Jorgensen...

Nicole Wallace Just paid a beautiful tribute to Nick on her MSNBC show.

It made me cry, R522. Nicolle, in general, has been hitting it out of the ballpark for months now.

So....is everybody feeling groovy?

SARAVA!

You rang, R525?

So I’m guessing from the glacial pace that this thread is now paywalled.

[quote]So I’m guessing from the glacial pace that this thread is now paywalled.

Either that or the topic of "Applause" has finally been exhausted.

BAJOUR!

A little early for that, isn't it, R529?

Well, r528, maybe it can be brought back to life with a shift to Miss Morgan's Applause...

Some theatre queens on BroadwayWorld want the Longacre Theatre renamed after Nick Cordero.

Fortunately, the cooler heads are shooting down the idea.

R523, Who is the colleague she's now fucking after ditching her husband?

Wow, that is one chubby chorus line starting at 2:18, R531.

They're supposed to be third-rate, 534.

^

r534

Meryl's first Broadway appearance...

[quote] Some theatre queens on BroadwayWorld want the Longacre Theatre renamed after Nick Cordero.

There’s no Hammerstein, Berlin, Porter, Hart, Merman, and they want Nick Cordero honored that way?

r538

what??? what thread is that?

What was La Streep doing at R537? A revival of "Tobacco Road"?

Tennessee's 27 Wagons Full of Cotton, r540, for which she received a Tony nomination. The movie version was Baby Doll.

She got to be pretty in Happy End...

Meryl strikes me as a bit patrician for the Carroll Baker role in "27 Wagons Full of Cotton."

Meryl strikes me as a bit patrician for the Carroll Baker role in "27 Wagons Full of Cotton."

[quote]Tennessee's 27 Wagons Full of Cotton, [R540], for which she received a Tony nomination.

Of course she did.

Carroll Baker is divine in the movie. For whatever reason, it's honestly one of the best acting jobs I've ever seen. She shows a lot of variety -

[quote]Carroll Baker is divine in the movie. For whatever reason, it's honestly one of the best acting jobs I've ever seen. She shows a lot of variety -

Carroll Baker studied at the Actors Studio and began her career on Broadway. Her reputation as a serious dramatic actress hit the skids when she was promoted as a blond bombshell for glossy trash such as "The Carpetbaggers" and "Harlow."

Baker and Streep in "Ironweed".

Someone who worked on Ironweed told me that one day on set Jack Nicholson sat down at video village, watched Streep work in a scene and said a tad too loudly “I’m finally banging someone who’s actually TALENTED!”

[quote]r549 Someone who worked on Ironweed told me that one day on set Jack Nicholson sat down at video village, watched Streep work in a scene and said a tad too loudly “I’m finally banging someone who’s actually TALENTED!”

Like Anjelica Huston was some no talent? Some picked-up floozie? Or one of those starlets, out to give the big shots a nice night on the town?

[italic] Is that what he thought of her ? ?

I'll see you in court. Again.

He focused the camera on himself....so I guess that tells ME something.

Lungs - Matt Smith and Clare Foy - The first socially distanced, Live on stage, live streamed play, since lockdown.

Follies!

Endgame - With Alan Cummings and Daniel Radcliffe.

Maybe we'll get another 30 years of LOVE LETTERS?

Isn’t the virus horrible enough without the threat of THAT, r556?

If ROCKY had not been a POS, Karl may have had a chance.

Thank you as always for the vids, R553!

Miss Burke on Les Miz...

* 1955 *

Bystanders gather around to watch 15-year-old Valerie Harper, a ballet dancer from Jersey City (and future star of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Rhoda), execute a flying split. Two other dancers, stationed on either side of her, hold picket signs as part of the campaign to "save Carnegie Hall" from being sold to a hotel builder.

Still taking it to the streets, 20 years later...

Awwwwww.

R561 You camp whore!

I loved the Public "The Line"

What is that, R565?

It is a play based on interviews with the first responders during the Pandemic....

I feel like watching Virginia Woolf...

Man, Tonya Pinkins really got on the wrong side of the bed today.

Are her mixed race kids still talking to her? The ones she abandoned?

Is anyone watching Bernadette's concert?

[quote]Is anyone watching Bernadette's concert?

No.

What concert? Where?

r572

here

Merrily We Roll Along.

Fifth of July - with Richard Thomas.

Apologies for missing this but I LOVED the Bridge Theater's Midsummer when I saw it in London and I missed the link someone posted earlier in the thread to the video (it's no longer active.) If anyone else has a link, would you mind posting it? I would love to keep that video of the delicious Oliver Chris in my personal library. He was also delightful in ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS.

Tonya quotes better writers with more substantive complaints and rehashes her old pieces.

And then she trashes black artists who disagree with hers.

And she misrepresents a play about gynecological experiments on slaves and trashes the actors who appeared in it.

Someone is upset that she is not in the spotlight and is trotting out her questionable claims, so that she can sit at the table with those who have been truly victimized.

Maybe no one on ATC sees through her, but to the rest of the world she is just a female James Grissom.

Tonya Pinkins distilled: “Warning! Hire me at your own risk.”

The writing is incoherent, and doesn’t really show her in a good light. But, God. Seeing her as Caroline was one of the high points in a lifetime of theatergoung. I have seen seven others play the role, but Pinkins brought a depth and intelligence that was genius.

She's a wonderful actress and singer. And when you treat her with respect, she does the same. I worked with her happily and would do so again.

R576 Here is go, Is Downloadable now.

[quote]I have seen seven others play the role

The very definition of masochism.

Good Lord, I am sooooo sick of Lynn Trans-Smell Esmeralda. Smug, smarmy and self-satisfied. Go take your shot somewhere else, hunty.

[quote] Lynn Trans-Smell Esmeralda

This is not funny. It never was funny. It will never be funny.

Nothing to see here. Just our unhinged "I hate LMM" loon checking in.

Theater artists for diversity (a group that includes Lynn Nottage) are demanding that half of Broadway theaters be renamed for people of color. So Tonya Pinkins gets a theater named for her ahead of Ethel Merman? See you at the Pink!

[QUOTE] Ethel Merman? See you at the Pink!

This made me think of the wonderful performance of Ethel Waters in “Pinky” (1949).

BRING BACK BIRDIE!

LOVE NEVER DIES!

This thread will never die, apparently.

TALES FROM THE CITY!

BAJOUR!

If you want to create a new thread, why not just do it? Other threads which get paywalled don't do this filling up thing to get to 600

WHOOP-UP!

I never start a new one because I don't want all the vicious barbs thrown my way over my choice of thread title.

MERRILY!

Oh god....uh...uhh...Skyscraper!!!

New thread. Begone paywall!

And by the way, Bajour!

Bajour to you, too!

Bajour to one...