Profile for jayinchelsea

Some years ago had the pleasure of working with Ann Harada on an off-Broadway production of MATTRESS, and I can tell you that her Queen was amazing; she sang like crazy and got all her laughs. I played the mute king opposite her, and it was a blast. Yes, try to get Ann!

Count me as one of that "minuscule number." I saw the show twice in 1962, one of the first times I was allowed to go from Brooklyn to Manhattan via subway by myself. Always felt the show had taken a very back seat to Streisand's performance. Yes, she was great, but there was a lot more to the show. Herbert Ross' dazzling choreography was amazing, especially as danced by Sheree North and Harold Lang, two expert dancers, but also by a very hard-working Elliott Gould in the lead. At $5.50 a shot...

I'm kind of shocked about the negative comments tossed out about Tveit and Foster, two of the best musical actors currently on the boards.Huh? They are both incredibly talented and accomplished singing actors, both Tony winners, and I don't imagine that they will disappoint their many fans. Why all this negativity? I fully expect to be seeing SWEENEY again with this brilliant cast.

broadwaybabywannabe2 said: "SisterGeorge said: "broadwaybabywannabe2 said: "SisterGeorge said: "broadwaybabywannabe2 said: "i just booked this musical in honor of Stephen Sondheim, for my birthday trip to NYC...seeing this and MERRILY to celebrate my 76th year!...all the posts here make me so excited to see this final Sondheim entry into his canon!"I just saw them back to back--and I realize you already have your tix--but for anyone else who decides to do a double feature, I would suggest tak...

I'v just spent (make that "wasted&quot 30 minutes reading about this latest pop-film-to-Broadway-show piece, and I'm firmly convinced that this former New Yorker, who returns to NY several times a year to catch up on theatre, will not be wasting his time or money on this piece of crap. Haven't we had enough of these lousy film "adaptations" in recent years (TOOTSIE, MRS DOUBTFIRE etc.) to bring this "disease" to an end? Most of them fail dismally, both quality and profit wise, but there seems...

I've been following the comments on this site, and while there are some criticisms, it sounds as though this show will be a winner. Can't wait to see it on my next NYC trip.

Anyone else see the original production? I did, sort of. By the time I went, Burton had escaped to Rome to meet and seduce Elizabeth Taylor during the making of CLEOPATRA. His replacement, another Welsh actor named William Squire, was excellent. Sadly, Julie had also left, and her replacement was the inappropriate, still trilling soprano of old movies, Kathryn Grayson, and her songs were rearranged to meet her vocal "strengths". Goulet was gone too, but the role was so dull it really didn't m...

I came across a copy of the London recording of CAMELOT from 1964, starring the late Laurence Harvey as Arthur. The recording is more complete than the original Broadway one; it includes "The Jousts" and the total finale and reprise of the title song. Harvey was not as good a singer as Burton (and the Guenevere and Lancelot are no Andrews and Goulet) but the finale as spoken by Harvey was thrilling and surprisingly moving. Makes me even more anxious to see this. And I did see the original pro...

A wonderful singing actor whose performance in COMPANY could not be equaled, and whose comic talents in MURPHY BROWN were second to none.RIP, and thank you for years of pleasure.

She truly is the last of the living legends! I first saw her live on the opening night of BAJOUR in 1964, and I was so excited I nearly fell out of my first row balcony seat at the Shubert. 40 years later, as Board Chair, I had the honor of presenting her with a SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBTQ+ Elders) Lifetime Achievement Award.She is the best! Many, many happy returns!

I saw this at an early preview, and to say I was underwhelmed would be an understatement. Audra has no bigger fan than I; I've been glorying in her work since the days of CAROUSEL, and have cheered each and every performance since then. But OSM never came to life that night, and the audience response was tepid at best, and perhaps Audra was still working her way through the play. Still, the opening night reviews were a shock, and I can only think that Leon's direction, which was flat and dull...

Love Will Swenson, hoping he can somehow get the kind of notices he got for HAIR some years ago. And always wished I had seen his Starbuck in the last 110 IN THE SHADE with the magical Audra.

Sure it's a great recording, and love Brian Cox, but for me, the show is not the show without Preston and Cook.

I first saw COMPANY on opening night in 1970, and was properly blown away. Yes, I knew Sondheim's genius from FORUM and WHISTLE, but no, was not prepared for this. I was all of 21, and certainly didn't get the whole show, but I kept going back to see it (always preferred Dean Jones to a too-slick Larry Kert), and have spent many, many nights of my life watching the show. The original was best (the London production with Adrian Lester the worst, followed by the mess made by John Doyle), and I ...

I was a young gay-boy-in-training in those days, and DOLLY was always on my list of shows to visit. I saw Channing several times, and Betty Grable (who was great fun) and Bailey even more times (and eventually saw Molly Picon in summer theatre in Philadelphia). But I never got to see Ginger; friends said she was dull in the role, so I skipped it. Seeing these excerpts makes me sorry that I did...

I first saw COMPANY when it opened on Broadway in 1970. I saw it many times since then, including the 1990 20th anniversary performance with Dean Jones blowing the roof off the Beaumont. And amazingly, Steve Sondheim allowed me to produce a two-week revival, as a benefit for BC/EFA some years ago. Luckily I got back to NYC this month to see this amazing revival (I had seen the production in London a few years ago). I felt sure that the major Tony wins would carry it along for some time, but s...

With raves like this, any word that they might extend? Coming to NYC on June 1, would hate to miss this, love McAvoy.

We know when Hugh is taking vacation days, but what about Sutton? Don't want to buy tickets for future dates (June, specifically) if she may be out then. Does anyone know?

I saw Streisand in a late matinee performance of FG, and she was clearly bored, racing through the show with little or no commitment. Only because I loved the score I came back to see the show again when Mimi Hines came in, and she performed the songs and the scenes as though her life depended on it, amazing. A few years later they did a run of the show at Westbury Music Fair with -- hold onto your seats -- Barbara Cook as Fanny! She was actually quite funny in the book scenes, and her singin...

This musical play, done first off-Broadway and then too briefly on Broadway in 2000, seems to have disappeared. Saw it again at Kennedy Center during is brief national tour later. Was there ever a recording of the beautiful score?