Profile for neeGallagher

How do you do a Sondheim tribute without "Not A Day Goes By"?

Assuming Patti is doing The Ladies Who Lunch. I would've loved to hear her do By The Sea, but it's been done and since she's "currently" in Company, it's going to be TLWL? I associate Bernadette with ITW but that show has been done to death tonight. Also several of the songs she sang on a live album have been done already. What's left for Bernadette?

broadway86 said: "Robbie2 said: "ljay889 said: "You’re welcome! And yes I do see myself, lol!"

Cool :) - we are going March 20 front row mezz -center"

I will be there as well, front/center of the rear mezz. Can't wait!"

I'm going on the 20th also. Very excited!

My two cents, the reason that this revival worked so well is that it gave audiences an escape from the present day. DOLLY is just plain fun even if a bit camp, but the show and this revival knew that. It doesn't try to be excessively deep or thought-provoking, nor does it invite countless audience (or directors' interpretations - it's a standard, a classic, and it worked.

I saw this production four times - 3x with Bernadette and 1x during Bette's return. Bernadette owned the show, and the audience ate it up every time I was there. I'm not sure why her run wasn't more successful. While people undeservedly (in my opinion) criticized her voice, and granted it isn't as pristine as it was in SUNDAY or INTO THE WOODS 30 years ago, her acting, comedic timing, and command of the entire stage was amazing.

I adore Bette, but also agree with what SeanMartin2 said: "... she just wasnt, I dont know, right somehow. It was a Bette Midler concert with a little play attached, and she made sure we knew it ..."

Bette, on paper, was a great choice for the production, but seeing her live was a ... spectacle.

She made no effort to hide forgotten lines or choreography, broke character and spoke directly to the audience (most memorably during "...Sunday Clothes", and rushed through the rest of her lines to the point it was almost impossible to understand what she was actually saying (mind you, this was my fourth time seeing this production in 5 months - so I knew the dialogue, and so should've Bette). 

jvoom said: "... Apparently Jerry Herman gave his blessing to the revival on the agreement he had a say in who played Dolly and allegedly vetoed Reba, Dolly and Patti LaBelle. I think the closest they got to another name was Queen Latifah but for whatever reason it fell through..."

I heard largely the same through my Broadway grapevine. Reba and Queen Latifah both got far in contract negotiations. I'm not sure of the timeline of who was first, nor while they both fell through.