I watched it and really enjoyed the music and performances. It was a little choppy because Michael York narrated and they kept jumping back and forth between his readings and the concert presentation. They also did the PBS thing with pledge promos. So it was hard to get a sense of the show's continuity. And for most of the show York was narrating "in studio" but then toward the end he was on stage reading and interacting with Barbour. Very strange.
The orchestra, which was on stage, was pretty lush. All of the voices were outstanding. I was particularly impressed with the performances of Barbour, Toro and Burkhart. I really liked the way "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" turned from grieving the child to lying in wait for the revolution. I also liked the duet between Carton and Darnay - "Let Her Be a Child," I think it's called. Quite touching.
I thought the few book scenes they presented were quite good. I liked the edgy comedy that was mixed in. Barbour was terrific. His performance was layered and very moving. And his delivery of the closing lines was simple but quite effective. I actually had a tear in my eye.
I wish I had been able to see the Broadway production. But the concert did give an indication of how lavish it perhaps was. The costumes were great and the backdrops and lighting added dramatic flair. My only reservations concern some of the lyrics. Occasionally sappy, and lots of forced rhymes. But the very talented cast put them over.
Loveclassics...where are you? It seemed to me that they were going to have a national showing Thanksgiving night, but I could not find anything after that. Did it show in selected markets only? And...everything philly03 asked...:)
$60 for the CD. $100 for the DVD. $200 for both plus the songbook. I believe they did say they could deliver by Christmas. I didn't pledge/order. I'm already a member.
bwaybabe2,
I'm in Boston. I don't believe it aired nationally, just locally on Thanksgiving night. We also got Liza's at the Palace Friday night!
You can go to the WGBH Boston website to donate online and choose your gift. I imagine you can do the same in your market. WGBH - ATOTC
The CD listed specifies that it's the "Broadway production."
Does that mean they're selling the concept recording (even though that's not the Broadway cast either) or the in-studio recording that was made at the same time the concert was filmed?
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
The store at PBS.org is selling Liza at the Palace but not TOTC PBS
"All our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney
We must have different Gods. My God said "do to others what you would have them do to you". Your God seems to have said "My Way or the Highway".
maybe cause it's still in the pledge drive time period? wait maybe a month or so and it might be available after that.
<--- the set of A Midsummer Night's Dream that I was assistant stage manager for during the 2007 season at the STNJ outdoor stage.
-Dre-
You must remember all the same that at the crux of every game is knowing when it's time to leave the table... And it's important to be artful in your exit. No turning back, you must accept the con is done... It was a ball, it was a blast. And it's a shame it couldn't last. But every chapter has to end, you must agree. ~Dirty Rotten Scoundrels~
There's a special kind of people known as show people. We live in a world full of dreams. Sometimes we're not too certain what's false and what's real. But we're seldom in doubt about what we feel. ~Curtains~
It is a far, far better thing I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest I go to, than I have ever known. ~A Tale of Two Cities ~
A friend of mine saw it in their area! He had seen the original version in Sarasota and said that what he found different in the concert version was mainly the sets and wardrobe. He liked the way they projected scenes in the background while the action took place onstage. One thing he thought was a bit different was the way the actors had to skirt around the orchestra...he doesn't know yet if to call it appealing or a bit distracting for the audience "and" actors.
I saw some of this in the video, and I happen to like it, myself. It makes for an unusual display of action.
He thought Michael York was great, and very convincing in his testimony to pledge, and in the reading. And actually, he liked the part when York is onstage with Barbour;a nice twist on things never done before with the show.
One thing I wonder: If the pledge campaign goes on throughout the nation into December, will the regular DVD be out in time for Christmas...?
Thank you, sydney23...you evoke my very same sentiment, here. Except I would have elaborated further with the adjectives idiot, clueless, lacking something better to do with his time....:{
The cast is great, especially Natalie Toro and James Barbour. The arrangements are hunting, and couldn't sound better. I just wish they sound as great on the CD recording. The editing however, is just horrible- very sloppy with many continuity problems. Shame it takes away from the overall experience. The Michael York bits are also very confusing, especially when he keeps reading his text from cards behind the camera. I also didn't understand why this 90-minute show was divided into 4 acts, while the two-and-a-half hour Broadway show was just 2 acts.
Anyway, I'm glad they preserved this in some way. I enjoyed the show on Broadway and always thought they should do a proper recording of it. Too bad some basic elements on this rushed televised concert were not as good as they could have been (editing and camera work).
"Movies will make you famous; television will make you rich; but theatre will make you good." - Terrence Mann.
in the immortal words of Howard Stern's father - don't be a moron.
Thank you, sydney23...you evoke my very same sentiment, here. Except I would have elaborated further with the adjectives idiot, clueless, lacking something better to do with his time....:{
I believe CDP was asking a question rather than trying to start trouble. I fully support the idea of not bringing the court case up every time Barbour's name is mentioned but I don't think you should be calling a well respected poster names for asking a question. The difference between the two is that was tried and found guilty by a jury of his peers while Barbour plea bargained. There's your difference. I won't get into whether it's wrong or right.
The arrangements are hunting
Wabbits?
"All our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney
We must have different Gods. My God said "do to others what you would have them do to you". Your God seems to have said "My Way or the Highway".
...well said, loveclassics. And if I might add, in the latter case, the girl involved was 2 months short of 16 (legal in her state), was not drugged in any way, and was totally a very willing participant. Also, what happened between them did not scale to more serious offense. And Mr Barbour served his sentence like the man he is. The names to the poster were well earned (and I am sure neither sydney23 or myself enjoy having to address anyone here this way), considering trying to compare the two very distinct cases. This is no place to pose such questions. We are discussing a PBS concert here. Try the judge who preceded on the case. Enough said.
"I love acting. It is so much more real than life." Oscar Wilde "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." Aldous Huxley
I DVR'ed it and I've watched part of it.I must confess, the music is not some of the best I've heard but the orchestrations are absolutely beautiful. James Barbour's voice is making me melt more than usual. I still plan on buying the CD and the DVD at some point.
Butters, go buy World of Warcraft, install it on your computer, and join the online sensation before we all murder you.
--Cartman: South Park
ATTENTION FANS: I will be played by James Barbour in the upcoming musical, "BroadwayWorld: The Musical."