Reading the incredible Hello Dolly! reviews immediately following the great Little Foxes reviews, most of which referenced great performances from the past, I started thinking about performances I have missed that I would have killed to see. If any of you have seen them, I would love to hear your thoughts. For me,
-- Judy Holiday in Bells Are Ringing. I have deleted several Bells songs from my playlist, but I still play those that are left fairly frequently. The combination of Jule Styne's great score and her performance are almost unmatchable to me. And she beat Julie Andrews in MFL for a Tony. I have seen the movie any number of times, and she is largely the only reason...to have seen her live on Opening Night would have been incredible.
-- Geraldine Page in Sweet Bird of Youth. Interestingly, I was able to see her in the movie. I also think that Irene Worth gave one of the best performances I have ever seen...so I can only wonder what it would have been like seeing her live in it.
-- Alec Guiness in Dylan. I saw an excerpt from the play on TV many years ago and was absolutely mesmerized.
-- Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison in MFL. No explanation needed.
-- Rosemary Harris in The Lion Winter. Admittedly 55 or so years ago, but Walter Kerr said she gave one of the 10 best performances he had ever seen. Since I have loved her in everything I have seen her in, this is a must.
I feel like Barbra in Funny Girl is the classic answer. My other answer is even worse because if I had tried harder, I could've, but really just couldn't work out. I will forever be upset that I couldn't see Cynthia in Color Purple and I have a feeling it's going to be remembered for ages, as the start of her sure to be huge career. (After her West End career, of course).
Julie Andrews in My Fair Lady Len Cariou in Sweeney Todd Carol Channing in Hello, Dolly! Michael Crawford in The Phantom of the Opera Alfred Drake in Oklahoma! George Hearn in La Cage aux Folles Dean Jones in Company Richard Kiley in Man of La Mancha Angela Lansbury in Mame Patti LuPone in Evita Ethel Merman in Gypsy Chita Rivera in West Side Story
For me it would have to be Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera in the original production of Chicago. They both are the quintessential Roxie and Velma and it's a shame that production was not preserved. Plus it would be so cool to see Fosse's direction in real life!
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
I realize as I read through these wonderful lists, how fortunate I am to have seen many of these great performances! But to add to the fun, here are a few I wish I HAD seen...
Robert Morse - How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
Liza Minnelli - The Act (I know the show was supposedly awful, but I loved her then and now!)
Barbra Streisand - Funny Girl (truly, a star was born)
Joel Grey - George M
Bernadette Peters - Dames at Sea
Paul Robeson - Show Boat
Mary Martin - South Pacific
Gertrude Lawrence and Yul Brynner - The King and I
I realize as I read through these wonderful lists, how fortunate I am to have seen many of these great performances! But to add to the fun, here are a few I wish I HAD seen...
Robert Morse - How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
Liza Minnelli - The Act (I know the show was supposedly awful, but I loved her then and now!)
Barbra Streisand - Funny Girl (truly, a star was born)
Joel Grey - George M
Bernadette Peters - Dames at Sea
Paul Robeson - Show Boat
Mary Martin - South Pacific
Gertrude Lawrence and Yul Brynner - The King and I
BWAY Baby2 said: "Lauren Bacall in Woman Of The Year
Vanessa Redgrave in Long Days Journey Into Night
Sally Field in The Goat or Who Is Sylvia/- I love that play
Katherine Hepburn- Madwoman of Chaillot
Judy Garland at the Palace- my mother would not take me- she said Judy could no longer sing
Elaine Stritch- A Delicate Balance
Hepburn only did Madwoman on film...and it was a stinker, unfortunately. Even though she won a Tony, you didn't miss much with Woman of the Year. She won in a bad year for musicals. Really was nothing special. i saw everything else and they were great.