Really impressed with the singing from everyone overall on this soundtrack. Solid voices all around. Right for the characters and the material. Looking forward to the live broadcast!
I love the show and the music, and I think she's a good fit for this. It's a great role for a singer-dancer-actress.
My only concern is re-imagining a vehicle that is so closely associated with Bob Fosse. It's like taking the Bennett out of "A Chorus Line" or taking Robbins out of "West Side Story."
trpguyy---thank you for posting that original NY Times review of "Cats" in 1982. Frank Rich nailed it as to why this show has (in Rich's case it was a prediction) endured. He understood the appeal:
"No, the reason why people will hunger to see ''Cats'' is far more simple and primal than that: it's a musical that transports the audience into a complete fantasy world that could only exist in the theater and yet, these days, only rarely does. Wha
Forgot about this gem. Melba Moore stopping the show and winning a Tony Award in "Purlie!" Her notes toward the end are off the chart. This is her live performance from the Tonys that year.
How high is Betty Buckley's last note in "The Writing on the Wall" from Edwin Drood? It's pretty crazy-high and she holds it for a long time. Most others who played the part (including Donna Murphy) didn't go up the fourth interval for that last note and opted to hold the previous not instead. For the revival, they lowered they key for Stephanie J. Block.
As a belted note, I remember my jaw dropped in the theatre when she did it.
Great casting, and I'm excited to see what Doyle will do with the production. It was experimental to begin with. I hope they do a little re-imagining ... as long as Takei doesn't have to play the tuba.
I saw the full OBC about two months after the show opened, then saw it again about 14 years later. The OBC was fantastic, but the show was in very good shape (after a big dip, so so I understand) when I revisited it.
I'm on the "love" side of the fence. A wonderful mood-piece of a show. And yes, I like cats in general, too.
EDIT: And these photos served as a reminder of just how special it was when it opened.
Smaxie, thank you for posting that. Rhiannon Giddens is incredible, judging from that clip. When she switched to opera after the first few songs, I was blown away. Now that's versatility and range. Wow. So sad she won't get a chance in this show.
STAGE MAG
