Sutton Foster in Anything Goes. First Preview.
Mar 12
2011, 12:15:18 AM
I never post, but I was interested to see what everyone would have to say about Sutton in 'Anything Goes.' Just got in from the theatre (tonight was 2nd preview), and I was really impressed with the show. A lot of people have been criticizing ever since the rehearsal video of the title song was posted. Bottom line, to echo what was said before, the show itself is musical comedy heaven. Kathleen has tried to put her stamp on a lot of iconic material, and has been successful with a lot of the
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re: Mermaid casting
Jan 19
2007, 03:22:10 PM
It is to my understanding that aforementioned Boston Conservatory senior Chelsea Stock has been cast as a member of the ensemble and as an Ariel cover. That's all I know though.
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re: Understudies
Aug 16
2006, 12:56:21 AM
Within the past few years, I've been most impressed by the performances of Dennis Parlato in 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' (also covering during the switch between Jonathan Pryce and Keith Carradine), Niki Scalera in 'Tarzan,' Nicolette Hart in 'The Wedding Singer,' Kenita Miller in 'The Color Purple,' and Lisa Yuen (on for Marcy) in 'Spelling Bee.' I always anticipate seeing an understudy or two when I see a show because, in the instance that the given understudy doesn't go on in the role too freq
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re: Les Miserables Symphonic Recording Question
Aug 4
2006, 02:09:44 AM
Whoops! My bad on Philip Quast being Australian...I totally knew that too. As far as Frances Ruffelle goes, I feel like she deserves credit for establishing the role of Eponine (evidently she did something right, because she's so imitated by several of her predecessors, but I before a cleaner-voiced Eponine. Lea Salonga's voice is of the opposite extreme, but it doesn't bother me that an actress with a pretty voice should play a dirty street waif. As far as the high D on "all my life, I've on
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re: The Characters-In-A-Word Game
Aug 4
2006, 02:02:56 AM
"Wicked Witch"is rather lengthy, but I'll give it a go:
W: Wendy; 'Peter Pan'
I: Ida Strauss; 'Titanic'
C: Cassie; 'A Chorus Line'
K: Kurt von Trapp; 'The Sound of Music'
E: Eddie Ryan; 'Funny Girl'
D: Dorothy Parker; 'Thoroughly Modern Millie'
W: The Wizard; 'Wicked'
I: Ilona Ritter; 'She Loves Me'
T: Trevor Graydon; 'Thoroughly Modern Millie'
C: Chris; 'Miss Saigon'
H: Horton the Elephant; 'Seussical'
Whew!! Those "I's" are tough!
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Jodi Benson
Aug 4
2006, 01:49:23 AM
For anyone willing to give Jodi's vibrato in 'Crazy for You' (which I don't mind in the least...I find the the "character voice" she uses to be very fitting of Polly) another chance should look no further than her rendition of "Disneyland" on the aforementioned 'Unsung Musicals'...it's fantastic!!
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re: Side Show question
Aug 3
2006, 03:36:31 AM
Kim Criswell sings a rather interesting rendition of the song on her album "Back To Before," and duets with herself. It's a little intense, but worth a listen based on your inquiry.
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re: Les Miserables Symphonic Recording Question
Aug 3
2006, 03:32:33 AM
I don't mind Kaho Shimada's Eponine on the symphonic recording in the least...obviously one of the purposes of a complete symphonic recording was to pull international performers from their respective countries and produce a cast album that emphasizes what a global hit 'Les Mis' really is (hence Gary Morris and Tracy Shayne from Broadway, Philip Quast, Michael Ball, Barry James, and Gay Soper from the West End, Debbie Byrne (blegh) and Anthony Warlow from Australia, and Kaho Shimada from Japan).
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re: Jenn Gambatese out remainder of this week
Jul 21
2006, 11:36:48 PM
I caught one of Niki Scalera's performances as Jane last week when she was on for Jenn Gambatese, and thought she was fantastic...she reads the dialogue almost identically to Jenn, but has a more powerful singing voice. I'm a Jenn Gambatese fan, but was not disappointed by Niki's performance in the least. She seems to be used as the Jane cover moreso than Celina Carvajal (the first understudy), and I'd be interested to see other understudies in for principles in the show.
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re: What are your top favorite shows of all time?
Jul 15
2006, 02:43:17 AM
I'll try to be as selective as possible (ok, I picked 20!!):
(in no particular order)
-'Beauty and the Beast'
-'Baby'
-'Big River'
-'Cats'
-'Crazy for You'
-'Evita'
-'Funny Girl'
-'Gypsy'
-'Hello, Dolly!'
-'Les Miserables'
-'Meet Me In St. Louis'
-'Miss Saigon'
-'Ragtime'
-'Show Boat'
-'State Fair'
-'Sunset Boulevard'
-'The Fantasticks'
-'The Phantom of the Opera'
-'Thoroughly Modern Millie'
-'Titanic'
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re: LIttle Women tour... - Struggling?
Jul 14
2006, 02:01:00 PM
If you can get that kind of a deal on tickets and the show's in town, by all means, go see it!! I concur that the show is "dull," but it has its moments. "Astonishing," "The Fire Within," and "Somethings Are Meant To Be" are highlights of the score (for me at least), and Maureen McGovern is worth seeing. I'm a crazy Sutton Foster devotee, and while I found her Jo to be one of the headlining strengths of the Broadway production, she will forever be identified with Millie (so they stuck her bac
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re: Favorite show-stopper?
Jul 14
2006, 01:53:23 PM
-"Be Our Guest" in 'Beauty and the Beast'
-"We're In The Money" in '42nd Street'
-"The Jellicle Ball" in 'Cats'
AND the mother of all showstoppers (alas, it concludes the first act): "I Got Rythym" in 'Crazy for You.'
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re: The rest of the LES MIZ cast
Jul 13
2006, 11:25:01 PM
I'm guessing that Becca Ayers will join Nikki Rene Daniels as a Fantine cover, but the Eponine/Cosette covers aren't as clear...I'd estimate that either Megan McGinnis or Haviland Stilwell will fill the track that dual understudies Eponine and Cosette...I agree that Megan has more of a Cosette voice, but she's got the perfect look for Eponine, and I think she could handle it vocally. As far as the men go, Drew Sarich would logically be the first cover for Javert (Grantaire always is) and Justin
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re: Best Tonyless performers
Jul 11
2006, 05:08:39 PM
As a fan of her work, I'm well aware of Miss Henshall's Broadway credits...I was simply indicating that it would be nice to get her overseas for something new. I overheard her husband Tim Howar discussing how she's "waiting for the right project" to make her Broadway return at the 'Rent' stagedoor, and that came to mind when I was thinking of "Tonyless" performers.
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re: Best Tonyless performers
Jul 11
2006, 04:56:36 PM
I nominate Charlotte D'Amboise and Susan Egan...both women are phenomenally well-rounded talents who have paid their dues and who have been Tony-nominated. Not to say that Susan Egan's portrayal of Belle in 'Beauty and the Beast' was Tony-worthy (unfortunately I don't know that she's planning a return to Broadway anytime soon), but hopefully Charlotte will get some attention as Cassie in the 'A Chorus Line' revival. Also, West End really needs to share Ruthie Henshall with Broadway...she's phe
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re: Norm Lewis as Javert
Jul 8
2006, 04:06:48 PM
I don't understand why the filling of a role like the authoritarian Javert by an African American actor would be such a challenge to believe. As mentioned earlier, prior companies of 'Les Mis' have utilized multiracial casts, and an African-American Javert is far less historically inaccurate than a little white girl who ages ten years to become an Asian Eponine. Similarly, think of all of the African-American Fantines (Melba Moore, Thursday Farrar, Tonya Dixon) who have "given birth" to white
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re: When do you think Phantom will close on b'way?
Jul 5
2006, 02:32:49 AM
To respond to the 'Cats' question, I believe the show closed in September of 2000 after nearly 18 years at the Winter Garden. I'm sure attendance wasn't at/near full capacity for the full duration of its run, but like 'Phantom,' 'Cats' is one of those shows that has acquired a following of fans that return time and again to see the show. 'Phantom' especially appeals to NYC tourists (I'm thinking specifically of a billboard I've seen in Times Square that reads "remember your first time")...it's
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re: Juliana's Journal...remember?
Jul 5
2006, 02:09:09 AM
I haven't thought about "Juliana's Journal" in, what must be, two years...I used to check in on the 'Millie' tour's progress via her journal religously. A friend of mine had somehow located audio clips of Juliana singing "Gimme Gimme" online, and I listened a while back...she didn't sound too hot (at least not in comparison to the likes of Sutton Foster, Darcie Roberts, and Susan Egan), but she always seemed really likeable in her journal entries.
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re: Fun Broadway Game---How far can you go?
Jul 5
2006, 02:02:35 AM
(I could say Patrick Wilson, but that would be far too easy)...Kate Baldwin (she was a replacement swing)
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