Sondheim Gala at City Center! WOW!

[btales]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 9:57pm

wow! what a night. much better than the lincoln center tribute....here are just a few highlights...

-donna murphy "loving you" and "i wish i could forget you"
-an into the woods reunion with chip zien, danielle ferland, ben wright, and kim crosby "no one is alone"
-jim walton: "our time" with whole company
-maria friedman "broadway baby" and "children and art"
-catherine zeta jones with alexander hanson and len cariou "you must meet my wife"
-angela lansbury "liaisons"
-raul esaprza "being alive"
-sutton foster "anyone can whistle"
-debra monk "the gun song"
-catherine zeta jones "send in the clowns"
-michael cerveris, len cariou, mark jacoby "pretty woman"
-joanna gleason "moment in the woods"
-b.d wong "someone in a tree"
-nathan lane "comedy tonight"

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 10:07pm

This is a wet dream. Jealous.

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 10:08pm

Raul was definitely the hit of the night. I thought Debra Monk and Nathan Lane were also fantastic, especially Nathan's reference to being in a John Doyle show by bringing on the tuba and cello, and his little medley of other Sondheim songs at the end.

Definitely a fantastic night in the theater, but it paled in comparison to Lincoln Center. Just didn't have the overall level of talent, passion, and focus of the other production I had the opportunity to see. Though most of my disappointment probably stems from my dream that I would get to hear Angela sing something from Sweeney. :) I'll probably appreciate it more tomorrow.
Updated On: 4/26/10 at 10:08 PM

[alba]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 10:13pm

I was a bit shocked by how pedestrian this was -- especially since John Doyle helmed it. No imagination whatsoever. Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou together on a stage, and they aren't even asked to eek out a few notes from Sweeney? If Glynis Johns wanted to be there, why weren't the seas parted to be sure that that happened? Nothing from Follies, except the overture? Half a song from Forum? Most everything done in reverse-chronological order? Snooze.

Debra Monk was GREAT. Len Cariou sounded so solid. The Someone in a Tree number was STUNNING. Lane and Murphy were as dependable as ever. But for the price of these tickets, and the potential of the evening, this was a big disappointment. Where was Bernadette? Patti? Elaine? Barbara? Victor Garber? Harvey Evans?


Updated On: 4/26/10 at 10:13 PM

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 10:20pm

Thanks alba, I didn't want to bash it too much if everyone else loved it.

I imagine Bernadette, Patti, and Elaine all saw the Lincoln Center one as the "real" one, so they focused their attention there. But EXACTLY, how could you reunite Len and Angela and have them only bow?

I'm going to listen to my OBCR right now just to appease myself.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 10:20pm

Tonight was truly a special night. After having listened to the Sweeney OBCR countless times, actually hearing Len Cariou's voice on Pretty Women was almost an eerie experience.

Raul was INCREDIBLE and sent the audience into a tizzy after Being Alive.

CZJ arrived baubled, bangled and beaded, and really acted her songs nicely. I may need to ask adamgreer and ljay's permission, but I would really like to join the Angela mafia and start campaigning full-time for her 6th Tony win.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 10:21pm

The highlight of the show was seeing Len Cariou, old as he is, wobbly as his voice may be, still command the stage and be frightening as Sweeney.

And Joanna Gleason! And the original Cinderella. (What was her name?) And seeing Danielle Ferland again.

And the few moments of Julie Andrews singing on tape.

And Nathan Lane's slapstick with the tuba and the cello was hysterical. That poor cello!

John Doyle is a bit pedantic.

But it was a lovely tribute, if not nearly as razzmatazz as the Avery Fisher Hall one.

[btales]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 10:21pm

"nothing from 'follies'".....maria did "broadway baby"

[alba]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 10:26pm

Yes, that's true, there was Broadway Baby. But that somehow doesn't count. It feels too "standard" or obligatory Sondheim tribute number, y'know? But it is from Follies.

I agree that hearing Len Cariou was somehow eerie. His voice may have a little roughness around the edges, but it's undeniably that voice.

The random notes from absent celebrities were fine, but they seemed a bit "random." Of all the actors and singers in the world, why these tributes? And the fact that a taped snippet of Julie Andrews was a highlight speaks volumes about the evening...

And could they not get *somebody* to move the chairs/microphones so that J.D. wouldn't have to get up from his narrator's chair, sometimes quite awkwardly, to do the job? Strange...
Updated On: 4/26/10 at 10:26 PM

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 10:33pm

And Joanna Gleason! And the original Cinderella. (What was her name?) And seeing Danielle Ferland again.

Kim Crosby! I love her.

I'm so jealous of all those that were able to go, it sounds like it was amazing.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 10:34pm

Loved original INTO THE WOODS cast being there.

And, I usually don't like Raul Esparza's "Being Alive." So, he walked out, and I was ready to, "Meh." But, tonight, I wept. Three times. I thought it was beautiful.

Joanna Gleason kind of summed up the evening after the song with her shrug. "Yeah, it was good....OK."

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 10:41pm

I enjoyed myself immensely tonight, and there were many wonderful moments, but I agree with some others that the Lincoln Center concert was overall superior- it felt more polished and professional. This one seemed much more "thrown together" and lacked the "wow" factor of the Lincoln Center show.

That being said, the highlights for me this evening were the original cast of Into the Woods uniting to sing No One is Alone, Deborah Monk singing The Gun Song, the Merrily overture, and Nathan Lane (who woke the audience up after Sutton bored us all with her Anyone Can Whistle). Lane arriving onstage with the tuba and cello was priceless. Angela was resplendent, as always, but why did they have her sing Liaisons? I can hear that 8 times a week at the Walter Kerr! I also loved the finale- Jim Walton led the entire group in a rendition on Our Time.

If Glynis Johns wanted to be there, why weren't the seas parted to be sure that that happened?
I believe her health precluded it, the same reason she wasn't at the opening of A Little Night Music.
Updated On: 4/26/10 at 10:41 PM

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 10:49pm

I actually felt guilty only paying $25 for this evening - it was outstanding. Catherine and Angela were perfection. Len Cariou! Nathan Lane! The OBC of INTO THE WOODS brought tears to my eyes. Raul's "Being Alive" had me weeping. So many highlights. I am still recovering.

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 10:52pm

That was amazing. I had such a great time! I enjoyed the song line-up better here, but liked the cast line-up slightly better at LCT.

It was thrilling to see Len Cariou live, especially holding hands with Angela.
Raul was great as always. Loved the Woods reunion. Maria Friedman was a surprising delight. Debra Monk truly brought the house down. Catherine performed an emotional Clowns out of context.

I may need to ask adamgreer and ljay's permission, but I would really like to join the Angela mafia and start campaigning full-time for her 6th Tony win.

Please do join! We need all the help we can get.

Updated On: 4/26/10 at 10:52 PM

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 10:59pm

Yeah, when Angela entered and people started standing, I couldn't help but think, "OK, just give her the Tony. Don't fight it. Just let the universe run its course."

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 11:08pm

She truly deserves it. Her "Liaisons" was perfection tonight (after not having sung it for two weeks - she returns to the show tomorrow).

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 11:11pm

Thanks ljay! :)

Yes Angela needs to be the record holder for Tony wins. There should be a parade through the theater district the day after the Tonys celebrating Angela and her wins!

[StageManager2]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 11:20pm

Team Finneran!

"Liaisons" has to be one of Sondheim's worst songs. Blech!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 11:21pm

I cried through, more or less, the entire thing. I am so exhausted, and yet on such a high.

Raul was beautiful. A surprise to nobody, but I cried like a baby when he sang Being Alive. It was very special to see that again. It still gets to me just as much, even all this time later.

I think my other favorite moment was actually the Pretty Women trio. Oh! And Someone in a Tree. I love that song so much.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 11:23pm

One bit of annoyance I have to mention....someone needs to PLEASE tell the people in the lighting booth (at the back of the gallery) to SHUT UP during the show. I could hear their entire conversationand knew that they were quite excited that the Jets opted not to sign Leon Washington. It was really rude and incredibly disrespectful.

If I knew where the door to the booth was I would have taken matters into my own hands and told them to shut up.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 11:31pm

adamgreer--where were you? Reginald Tresilian and I were right in front of the lighting booth in Row M.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 11:38pm

Myself, ljay, and our other friend had N102, 104, and 106, right next to the lighting booth.
Updated On: 4/26/10 at 11:38 PM

[wonkit]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 11:51pm

I thought Len Cariou was in extraordinarily good voice, and hearing him sing Pretty Women again was a tremendous thrill.

[Sauja]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 11:51pm

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. I watched most of the performances with my left eye only and through the spiky hair of someone two rows in front of me. Nevertheless, a thrilling evening. Raul was absolutely amazing, as were Murphy, Lansbury, and a host of the other usual suspects. For me the two biggest wows of the night were Maria Friedman busting out big at the end of "Broadway Baby"--what a carefully and delightfully calibrated performance--and Jim Walton leading the ast in "Our Time."

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/26/10 at 11:52pm

I find it ammusing people are complaining about the cast lineup here. It's not as if it wasn't announced who was performing. And the "surprise guests" MORE than made up for the fact you didn't get to see Patti or Bernadette, two people you can see perform at anytime. Its not everyday you get to see Len Cariou, Maria Friedman or Kim Crosby!

And saying that Julie Andrews taped message being a highlight is sad, I have to completely disagree with. We got to hear Julie Andrews sing tonight. When was the last time THAT happened?

I had an amazing time tonight and wouldn't trade it for anything.
Updated On: 4/27/10 at 11:52 PM