Air was scented with Wegovy and Ben-Gay at Carnegie Hall Tonight

Alexandra is fabulous!

In 50 years do you think there will be an all star concert of SUFFS?

R1 - Alexandra made a meal of the song! And in a backless number, too!

The whole evening was glorious. Simply smashing.

I’m still on cloud 9 and may never be able to fall asleep.

Every gay man in the city was there.

What were the highlights for you, R4?

What were the dance numbers, r4?

Was Patti LuPone there?

R6 - 'Who's That Woman' was performed with a recreation of the original Michael Bennett choreography (reproduced by an original cast member from the 1971 production's ensemble) -- that performance was led by DL icon Karen Ziemba!

Michael Berresse (sp?) also danced up a storm in 'The Right Girl' -- what a terrific performer -- never seen him before.

Other than that, very straightforward concert performances. But it's not like this is a dance-heavy show.

I highly doubt Billings was any good. If anyone has seen her onstage, she's a triple threat. Can't sing, can't act, can't dance.

I don't know quite how to explain this, R9, but Billings wasn't... great.. but she was VERY entertaining. One of the most energetic and exciting performances of the night. Would she work well in this role? Never. But, she had a nice, knowing turn of phrase with the lyrics and had a surprisingly strong, brassy money note to finish the song as she shimmied for her life in a backless, sequined number.

I can understand that, R10. You explained it well. Thanks.

[quote]But it's not like this is a dance-heavy show.

It has certain dance requirements, r8, and Bennett's Prologue and Who's That Woman? are considered classic. I also wondered if they did Bolero d'Amour.

Everyone on social media is plotzing over Jennifer Holliday’s “I’m Still Here”. It seems most likely to be a clip released soon since Cameron Mackintosh produced this and apparently it was filmed for streaming/dvd.

Did Jennifer sing the original lyrics? Did she get heebie jeebies for Beebe's Barhosphere?

Did she get through Brenda Frazier?

Or did she get through Shirley Temple?

No, she got through Danielle "Dee" Spencer.

Jennifer Holliday still sounds great. I wouldn't call it a particularly remarkable or distinguished performance of I'm Still Here, but it was still a hell of a lot of fun. While, by Holliday standards, it was a fairly restrained performance (still *some* grunts and vocal flourishes, of course), I wouldn't say she's a magnificent interpreter of lyrics. If you're looking for the typical boozy showbiz legends takes a knowing walk down memory lane and has bittersweet triumph over the odds performance, her's isn't quite that. But, it's Jennifer fucking Holliday, so, of course she brought the house down.

I didn't notice cameras capturing the performance R13, but, perhaps I missed them?

R12 - Like I said, Bennett's staging of Who's That Woman and The Right Girl was recreated. The Prologue was just performed by the orchestra. I didn't realize there was memorable Bennett staging that accompanied the Prologue. I'm too young to have seen the original, though I did see the 2011 revival. In that production I just recall the showgirl ghosts slowly walking through the space as our Bernie entered from upstage and looked around the empty theatre. How would you describe the original staging for the Prologue?

Not familiar with Bolero d'Amour. Is that a cut number or something?

The Follies concert was low-key epic. But best in show of the night was Jennifer Holliday’s “I’m Still Here.” Just WOW.

[QUOTE] Did Jennifer sing the original lyrics? Did she get heebie jeebies for Beebe's Barhosphere?

She sang it as originally written including Beebee

Did Billings knock over any chorus boys during Lucy and Jesse?

No, that was the problem. L&J is a dance number, with chorus boys, and Billings can't dance and there were no boys. I don't get her appeal.

[quote]But best in show of the night was Jennifer Holliday’s “I’m Still Here.” Just WOW.

The audience clearly agreed with you, but I thought she was pretty bad. Slow tempo, her usual gasping and grunting, and a few lyric mistakes (although at least she was in good company with Yvonne DeCarlo who also apparently never sang the lyrics right). All these years after Dreamgirls, she still can’t act. And yes, I know she won a Tony for Dreamgirls.

I, for one, will never forget Major Bowes.

I admit I was most disappointed that Kate Baldwin got Losing My Mind, but I was pleasantly surprised by the performance.

Queen Christine Ebersole was amazing on Buddy’s Eyes.

The one bit of Bennett "dancing" I vividly remember in the original FOLLIES Prologue was a moment where Young Phyllis (Virginia Sandifur) in a ghostly and spangly chorus girl costume with feathered headdress stood staring in awe at older Phyllis (Alexis, duh!) and is pulled away by a line of similarly dressed chorus girl ghosts as they slowly danced down towards her. It was chilling. And the show was just starting.

I remember Young Hattie dancing on the diagonal across the stage with a top hat and cane.

I love Billings and disagree she can't act. However, I will concede that her singing is.....limited.

And at her age, I'm not sure sleeveless is a realistic option......but that's just me.

The highlights for me were the recreation of Bennett's choreography for Who's That Woman and Kate Baldwin's Losing My Mind. The way she built to craziness at the end was stunning.

Ted Chapin also told a funny story about Ethel Shutta hating Fifi D'Orsay and calling her a bitch. I can't remember if he told that story in his book.

What is wegovy? It sounds like a website for tracking people's political contributions.

I remember Tallulah Bankhead cartwheeling across the stage. She wasn't wearing underwear. And Mason jar full of cocaine fell out of her hoo-hah.

Given that other concert versions b y Transport Group I've seen were rather low-scale in terms of small orchestra, intimate theaters, etc.,, this large undertaking was quite impressive. They announced that CH will be the site of future concerts, so wonder what other musicals will draw as well as FOLLIES did.

[quote] I love Billings and disagree she can't act.

You must have missed her in The Nap. She was community theatre level bad.

I enjoyed it immensely. It was quite spontaneous of me to buy a ticket. I was lucky enough to get one and decided to make my first trip to the city since 2016. I enjoyed Christine Ebersole and her in buddy’s eyes, Jennifer Holliday was OK exactly what you would expect from her. I actually enjoyed Santinos buddy’s blues. I still hate one more kiss but the trio didn’t suck this time.

Is list of people who sang posted somewhere?

Kurt Peterson (Young Ben original Broadway cast) jumping center stage from the side of the stage where he had been co-hosting the evening with Ted Chapin to perform “Live, Laugh, Love” with John McMartin’s original golden cane was a beautiful surprise moment. Young Ben becoming Old Ben. It was just lovely.

Ebersole is getting raves for her In Buddy's Eyes.

Were Denise Pence Boockvor and Steve Boockvor involved?

These homophobic cunts - the OP's reflex - who keep spewing the divisive hate speech about other gay people.

Enough.

Jennifer Holliday's "I'm Still Here" was a good idiomatic rendition of the song overall, and OF COURSE it was rapturously received by the overreacting queens in the audience, but the performance was severely marred by the fact that the tempo was SO SLOW. Ironically, although I'd bet good money that it was Holliday herself who insisted on the slow tempo (to give her more stage time), I could definitely sense that she was having trouble maintaining that ridiculously tempo rather than pushing ahead throughout the song. So whosever decision that tempo was, it actually was a big mistake and did her a great disservice.

R39 I'm sure she was giving a speech somewhere to a captivated audience about how she, and she alone, was THE star of THE Guiding Light before they did her dirty.

Barbara Walsh -- wife of the concert's producer/artistic director of the Transport Group, a company that hardly ever produces anything anymore, other than these benefits -- had about three or four very brief solo lines to sing in "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs," and believe it or not, she screwed up the lyrics on her first entrance. Incredible.

I've been waiting decades to see Holiday live. She took the night off when I saw the original DREAMGIRLS. Her I'm Still Here was totally outside the show's concept and era. And it was thrilling.

Hated Lenox's Broadway Baby. Should have been se old crone. Was Estelle Parsons not available?

I loved her outfit though, R45!

When the '94 Grease revival was running, Holliday took over the role of Teen Angel for a while. I was working at The Heiress at the time and I can remember every queen and gayling from other shows running over to be walked in on their breaks just to watch just her number and then leave.

I’m still fascinated by this Dresden production which was set in Germany following reunification. I can’t imagine how the lyrics to “I’m Still Here” were altered.

What was the line like to the men's room at Intermission? Or was there no intermission, an even more frightening thought with that age group?!

Details on the Ethel/Fifi story told by Ted Chapin? Did he elaborate on his relationship with Yvonne??

If I recall, r50, in his book, Ted wrote about a rivalry on their part. Actually more on Fifi's part. She never got over Broadway Baby being shifted to her Ah, Paris! placement (third).

R50 - Chapin said that Fifi always had trouble remembering the lyrics to Ah, Paris and Ethel found it so frustrating. Ethel apparently said something like (I'm paraphrasing/distantly recalling), "If that French bitch screws that song up again, I'm going to go out there and sing 'Broadway Baby' in French."

And you can bet Ethel would have done it, r52.

r50, he does discuss Yvonne in the book, pretty much saying that she made no secret of her attraction to him, and often asked him to be an attractive younger man on her arm at social events. But if it was ever consummated, he is discreet.

The second time I saw Follies, later in the run, Fifi was pushing so hard, it was almost embarrassing. I guess she figured, if she had to go before Ethel, she was going to make an impact anyway. And she did, but not in a good way. The other one who was overdoing it at that performance was the guy playing Roscoe. Don't know what his story was, but boy, was he overacting up a storm.

*Fifi*

r25=Ted Mack

Ethel vs. Fifi is one of my favorite through lines in Everything Was Possible.

Poor Fifi...a feather duster in bedroom slippers.

I adore Isabel Keating but I'm wondering if she was able to put across Ah, Paree! Anyone who was there have an opinion?

^^^Yes, she did a fine job with the number, including the accent.

Is there a Playbill for this event?

Yes, R62. What would you like to know about it?

[quote]What would you like to know about it?

Is it seeing anybody?

Who sang "Could I leave You?"

[quote]I adore Isabel Keating but I'm wondering if she was able to put across Ah, Paree! Anyone who was there have an opinion?

Isabel Keating was a total treat in what could be a throwaway number. She shimmied on stage in a very flattering, form fitting pink sequined short dress -- definitely the most glamorous look of the evening -- and delivered those clever Sondheim lyrics like "Constantinople has Turkish baths, And Athens that lovely debris, Carlsbad may have a spa, But for ooh-la-la, You come with me!" with aplomb.

[quote]Who sang "Could I leave You?"

Beth Leavel. Presumably, she was replacing Donna Murphy who was originally announced for the show. I think Leavel is very talented, but while she didn't start "at 11", she probably started at about 10.5 and didn't give herself enough runway, so I think the delivery was too bombastically angry, too soon.

We already know how Donna does it.

Donna not show? Who knew?

I’ve heard audio of Jennifer Holliday and Christine Ebersole. Any others out there? What about Billings’s Lucy and Jessie.

It was announced a few weeks ago that Donna wouldn’t be appearing due to scheduling conflicts, R68, despite having been originally announced. Norbert Leo Butz, Erika Henningsen, and Rachel Bay Jones also withdrew for the same reason.

R35, you HATE One More Kiss? The entire essence of the piece is embodied in that one, brave number you hate it?

You probably love margarine too.

I can appreciate this sort of thing as a celebration of Sondheim and musical theatre, and keeping the arts alive (which is imperative). But "Follies In Concert" is eyeroll inducing. How many times has this been staged? It DOES sound like they had a good cast, though. So there's that.

r72 = Someone who couldn't get a ticket.

The Gilded Age is well into pre-production now so, though they haven't begun filming, I imagine Donna Murphy was consumed with costume and wig fittings.

Sorry for the tangent but the most recent Theatre Gossip thread closed.....like The Heart of Rock and Roll, suddenly and without notice, and no one really cared.

But anyway, if you were searching for the new one, here it is.

Whoops, no. THIS is the new one.

Um, r13, Cameron Mackintosh had nothing to do with this.

Um, r77, The title page says “presented by special arrangement with Cameron McIntosh”

Um, don’t be such a smartass first thing in the morning.

Old Queen Mackintosh owns the licensing for the Sondheim catalog.

R77 is correct that Cameron Mackintosh had no involvement in the Carnegie FOLLIES whatsoever. His name was in the program only for the reason that R79 stated.

R13 was completely off base in posting that Mackintosh "produced" this concert, and I highly doubt that it was "filmed for streaming or DVD." If any or all of the concert was video captured, I'm guessing it was for archival purposes.

[quote]Old Queen Mackintosh owns the licensing for the Sondheim catalog.

Wait. Cameron owns the licensing for Sondheim's FULL catalog? Not Sondheim's estate?

r78

It’s a licensing credit. Mackintosh didn’t produce the concert.

Is debuting a play in early summer the equivalent of burying a news story on a Friday afternoon?

r84 What play are you talking about?

Why do you think he whipped up a tribute show as soon as the body was cold, r82?

R85 - sorry. Wrong thread. (though.. I was referring to N/A)

Sorry if I'm being dense, so is the story that EVERY Sondheim work has a Cameron M credit? How have I never noticed that?

I'm not 100 percent sure of the answer to your question, R88, but I do believe the requirement for the Mackintosh credit is fairly recent, so that may be why you've never noticed it.

I feel like sometimes you guys just make shit up

R90, why post something like that if you're not going to give us any idea what you're referring to?

What were we talking about?

Too slow. But is this going to be available on PBS or on DVD?

Agreed… I’m sure JH wanted it slow to be honest n stage longer

I think they did film it

I can almost guarantee that there will be no commercial video of this FOLLIES made available. But no doubt some audio or video bootlegs.

[quote]Alexandra is fabulous!

Hi, Alex.

Alex was in a Sondheim tribute at Ravinia last year and I was honestly embarrassed for her. She was OTT and acted like it was a tribute to her, completely out of character with the rest of the show and cast who put Sondheim first. I've known her for years (since she was Shanté) and am happy for her success, but her recent stridency and way-way-out-in-the-open-overt-ambition is turning me off.

R97, I don't doubt you, but I can honestly say her performance in the Carnegie FOLLIES was not remotely over the top and was really quite good.

Well.. it WAS a touch over the top, but it was VERY entertaining. Especially since it was just her and the orchestra. No other dancers.

So a trans person can play an cis person but the other way around will not be tolerated.

UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Can't you anti-trans loons give it a rest for ONE day?????!!!???

For real. It's enough.

Also, Cameron Mackintosh Productions is the clearing house for performance rights for the Sondheim estate. Expect to see it in more programs for sometimes shows, just like you would for the Rogers and Hammerstein organization or Music Theater International (MTI).

Sondheim's shows*

Alexandra was fine, tho i felt a little embarrassed for the violin player she was shoving her big tits at.

The queen of the show was Miss Ebersole who sand "In Buddy's Eyes" so perfectly, I couldn't believe it. She's 100000 years old and can still knock it out of the park.

Big tits? Must be new.

Lord, these raves for the Follies concert are ridiculous. I think Ebersole does a good job (miles beyond Holliday) but it's hardly defining.

Agree that Holiday is mildly entertaining, but the tempo ruined it.

I'm relieved that so many people agree with me that the glacially slow tempo at which Jennifer Holliday performed "I'm Still Here" almost ruined the song, regardless of whatever else she brought to it. The screaming and ovations she received after the number made it seem like no one in the audience but me realized the tempo was ridiculous.

Count me as another one who thought that Christine Ebersole did just an okay job with In Buddy’s Eyes. To my ears, she sounds off pitch on a few notes. For me, the best performance came from Kate Baldwin doing Losing My Mind.

[quote]Count me as another one who thought that Christine Ebersole did just an okay job with In Buddy’s Eyes. To my ears, she sounds off pitch on a few notes.

Your ears need tuning. It was an exceptionally wonderful performance.

I like Billings in general but R97 you're not wrong. She's gotten some well deserved plaudits for her work but I don't know if it was having to play to the upper echelons in WICKED or what, but she's been very OTT on stage in recent years. And quite frankly, she doesn't have the voice for it.

The brassiness works sometimes but not in every situation. A good musical director could harness that into something more palatable.

I think Billings' style of delivery for "The Story of Lucy and Jessie" was entirely appropriate for a a performance out of context in a concert in a large hall.

Okay, which one of you bitches posted this?

The overreaction to this FOLLIES has been similar to the overreaction to the '85 concert. Both were very good (not better than that) on the whole, and both had A FEW truly transcendent moments, but both also were marred by some miscasting, disappointing or sloppy performances, and several poor artistic/directorial decisions. Yet, in both cases, the mystique of the show drives some queens absolutely insane, so as good as both concerts were overall, people have overpraised them to a ridiculous degree

That queen in the YouTube video at 113 is incredibly embarrassing in becoming so emotional, plus he gets some of his facts wrong. (For example, there were two different sets of performers who appeared as Young Ben/Phyllis/Buddy/Sally in the two numbers that feature those characters.) Also, why does he say that he's lucky to be "allowed" to attend performances like this? Does he have to get permission from his mother? Maybe he's so emotional because he's a recovering alcoholic, but....sheesh!

He posted a similarly moist vlog on TITANIC at Encores! He's like a Paul Rudnick character. Seems he is a youtube regular.

I can see people cheering for dinner for Holiday's meh performance because they were excited to see her alive. I did this once with Whoopi Goldberg when she did a mediocre comedy set in Chicago 20 years ago and regretted my enthusiasm later.

R116, I guess that partly explains it. Or not so much that they saw her alive, but that they saw her performing again, and pretty much at the top of her game, when her career has been so extremely spotty and in-and-out ever since DREAMGIRLS, which was a really long time ago. And all the more so because the song she sang is all about being a survivor.

[quote]Kate Baldwin doing Losing My Mind.

Except she fucked up the lyrics

There were quite a few lyric flubs throughout the concert, some more major than others, by several different people, but none worse that Barbara Walsh's mangling of two of the very few solo lines she had to sing in "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs." Needless to say, Sondheim would NOT have been happy.

[quote]I can see people cheering for dinner for Holiday's meh performance because they were excited to see her alive.

Her version seemed more fitting for a cocktail lounge than Carnegie Hall.

Oh please. Carnegie Hall has hosted performers of every possible type.

Sounds like the Follies concert was a lot better than the A Little Night Music concert. Reports of dreadfully slow tempos (worse than Follies) and miscasting for all but Erivo and Miles.

R122, some of the other people were well cast, including Jin Ha, Jason Gotay, and Kerstin Anderson as Anne. Susan Graham's acting as Desiree was far better than I expected from an opera singer who's not used to spoken dialogue. But yes, some of the others were dreadfully miscast, including Hensley and Mason. And yes, sadly, some of the tempos were indeed VERY slow, none slower than "Liaisons," which was SO ridiculously slow in certain sections that it threatened to fall apart completely. I can't imagine what Tunick was thinking in setting that tempo.

Anyone hook up in the Carnegie Hall men's rooms?