Just had to comment on seating: Adamgreer, I apologize if I blocked your view at all. I was in M102 and tried my hardest not to bob and weave, but man is it about time they're renovating to improve the sightlines at City Center.
No issues at all, don't worry. The sightlines up there are horrendous and it's about time they got to work on that.
I can die now that I've heard Someone in a Tree performed live. Oh, and now I've heard Donna Murphy sing not one but TWO songs from Passion.
I didn't think this one had the same caliber of ~celebrity~ as the Lincoln Center one, but I really liked that this one covered what I felt was a wider range of Sondheim shows.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
Shoreh, in her diseased mind, thinks SHE will star on Broadway in the first major revival of ILLYA, DARLING! But the role is mine, jendeh, do you hear? Mine!!!!
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
The song list and cast of this concert makes it seem like it would have been an extremely nostalgic night!!
""Liaisons" has to be one of Sondheim's worst songs. Blech!"
Liaisons is hilarious and has (imo) really clever lyrics. What don't you like about it? (I know it's not 'pleasant')
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
I'm not crazy about Maria Friedman generally, but she sounded great last night. I wasn't sure I was feeling her delivery of Broadway Baby, but she really brought it home in the last verse. It was excellent.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
The gimmick of singing "Broadway Baby" in a tiny little squeaky voice was interesting for the first verse. She brought out interesting meanings in the lyrics.
But it was a bit too much of a muchness to do it again in the second verse. Since she was able to belt it at the end, she should have made a character choice that the tiny little squeaky girl developed confidence through the first verse and then belted out more or most of the second verse.
The song was written as a pastiche of the kind of tough-kid songs sung by "Little Gals with Big Voices" like Baby June and Baby Rose Marie and the young Judy Garland. To do the entire things as Shirley Temple is one joke done too long.
That said, Maria Friedman is a great talent, and I'm glad she was there.
However...I would rather have seen Danielle Ferland do the song, as long as she was there.
I think last night's concert was definitely a quieter, more nostalgic event, given that everyone sang songs from roles they'd performed, if not created.
Hearing Len Cariou sing Sweeney was, for me, one of the most moving and exciting experiences in recent memory. His effortless sense of menace, without Hearn's bombast or Depp's buckets of blood, was chilling.
And seeing those cast members of "Into the Woods" reunited brought tears before the music even began. Kim Crosby is beautiful, and her singing pretty much the way you remember it.
Jim Walton still bringing a wide-eyed sense of discovery to "Our Time" instantly made you remember what it was like to be untouched by life's soon-to-arrive disappointments.
I could go on, but I'm already boring myself. But it was a lovely night (oh, wait--that's Rodgers and Hammerstein!)
Jim Walton still bringing a wide-eyed sense of discovery to "Our Time" instantly made you remember what it was like to be untouched by life's soon-to-arrive disappointments.
And the disappointments arrived soon--after 16 performances for Merrily. The partnership of Sondheim and Prince dissolved, and the devastating 1980s began.
But Lord knows at least we were there, and we're here.
One odd thing: were all the personal messages from Brits, or am I misremembering?
Don't get me wrong: I love every one of those who did send messages (Judi Dench, Julia Mackenzie, Sheila Hancock, Julie Andrews . . . ). But why nothing from Patti and Bernadette, for example, who supposedly had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts?
It seems as though John Doyle just rang up his friends back home.
Anyone lucky enough to go to the dinner afterwards got an even bigger treat: Raul Esparza singing "Franklin Shepard, Inc." and "Children Will Listen"...
I missed the Lincoln Center gala (drat), but enjoyed the one at City Center. Regrets, I have a few, but I prefer to think fondly of what was sung--some standards (yes, Being Alive above all) and some lesser-known (to some of us) numbers--than of what was left out or who didn't show up, for whatever reason. That said, before memories start to fade, was anyone conscientious (or OC) enough to jot down all the titles and singers, or can re-create the list? (Easy--just run through a list of his shows, backward, plus the encores at the end.) I tried to do so but somehow dropped the Playbill while leaving--or am I losing my mind? (now, that would have been a great ensemble number at the end!)--though I did scavenge another one, but without a list of songs in it. (Some people are so inconsiderate.)
I'd be grateful, and I'm sure so would lots of other people, whether they attended or especially if they didn't.
From a helpful poster on ATC: ==================================
New York City Center Gala Celebration Honoring Stephen Sondheim
Monday, April 26, 2010
Featuring The Encores! Orchestra Musical Director, Rob Berman
Directed by John Doyle
John Doyle and Mia Farrow, hosts
FOLLIES - Overture ROAD SHOW “Get Out / Go” -- Michael Cerveris and Alexander Gemingnani PASSION: “I Wish I Could Forget You” – Donna Murphy ASSASSINS: “Gun Song” – Debra Monk INTO THE WOODS: “Moments in the Wood” – Joanna Gleason SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE: “Children and Art” – Maria Friedman MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG: Overture SWEENEY TODD: “Pretty Women” – Michael Cerveris, Mark Jacoby and Len Cariou PACIFIC OVERTURES: “Someone in a Tree” – B. D. Wong, Claybourne Elder, Alexander Gemignani and Mark Jacoby A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC: “You Must Meet My Wife” – Alexander Hanson, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Len Cariou COMPANY: “Being Alive” – Raúl Esparza (Doyle: “COMPANY opened 40 years ago tonight.”) ANYONE CAN WHISTLE: “Anyone Can Whistle” – Sutton Foster A FUNNY THING…, THE FROGS, and other shows: “Invocation and Instruction to the Audience,” “Love is in the Air,” and bits of “Comedy Tonight,” “The Ladies Who Lunch,” “I’m Still Here” – Nathan Lane (coming on fumbling, carrying a tuba and a cello and as he finishes his song he tips John Doyle quite a few green backs.) -- Shelia Hancock greetings read – -- Julia McKenzie greetings read -- BOUNCE, ROAD SHOW: “The Best Thing That Ever Has Happened” -- Claybourne Elder, Alexander Gemignani and Michele Pawk -- Milton Babbitt greetings read – -- Judi Dench greetings read – PASSION: “Loving You” – Donna Murphy INTO THE WOODS: “ No One Is Alone” – Kim Crosby, Chip Zien, Danielle Ferland and Ben Wright FOLLIES: “Broadway Baby” – Maria Friedman -- Glynis Johns greetings read, about SJS: “He’s such a lovely young man.” – A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC: “Send in the Clowns” -- Catherine Zeta-Jones -- recorded voice of Julie Andrews w/ greetings and she sings a bit of “Not a Day Goes By.” - -- Doyle reads some statistics on SJS awards: 61 Tony Awards, 5 Best Musicals, 8 Best Actress awards and many others mentioned -- A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC: “Liaisons” – Angela Lansbury MERRILY WE RROLL ALONG: “Our Time” – Jim Walton, Raúl Esparza and Maria Friedman -- Mia Farrow brings on Stephen Sondheim to a sustained ovation. --
I forgot about the Milton Babbitt greeting. That was very moving because he must be close to 100.
We all know how much Sondheim owes to Oscar Hammerstein, but Babbitt was the music teacher, I believe, who instilled in Sondheim the seriousness of purpose that has made him such an important figure.
I am in agreement with most of the posters in saying that the City Center Gala was second to the NY Phil concert, notably due to the lack of star power, direction, and (less face it) the lesser orchestra.
However, highlights were abundant, including one of my absolute favorite Sondheim's "Someone in a Tree." (This is despite Wong's...cold? flu?) Any opportunity to hear Murphy do Fosca is also always welcome. My personal highlight of the night (and the NY Phil concert) was meeting the man himself. His personality and smile can light up a room!