Michael Ball Leaves London Chitty to Launch U.K. Tour - playbill.com

[Rob]

Posted: 7/3/03 at 11:02am

https://www.playbill.com/news/article/80485.html

The latest in Michael Ball news... Still no US plans it seems.

Posted: 7/3/03 at 11:06am

Oh God....I fell soooo massively in love with Michael Ball after seeing him in that God awful Andrew Lloyd Webber collection of music videos. He was featured in two of the videos of songs from "Aspects of Love". When he smiled in "The First Man You Remember" I was fairly certain I was goingt o melt on the spot. Oy! Updated On: 7/3/03 at 11:06 AM

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 7/3/03 at 11:18am

I would love for Chitty to make a US premier.

[kec]

Posted: 7/3/03 at 4:13pm

If you look at the dates of the tour, you'll see it's only a month long (and I'm very much looking forward to attending the final two concerts!). I think if they are planning on bringing Chitty -- AND Michael -- to NY the concert tour won't affect those plans at all. Last I heard rumor had the show going to NY in the summer of 2004 -- the only reason it didn't come this year was because they couldn't find a theatre big enough to store the car. I certainly hope they do get it to Broadway and soon!

Amneris, if you thought you would melt after seeing that engaging smile on the small screen, imagine seeing it live and two feet away from you! :) Have you seen his concert dvd from the Royal Albert Hall? Excellent!!! His rendition of Gethsemane alone make it a worthy purchase!

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/3/03 at 4:16pm

Last I heard, the Citty producers refuse to take any theatre besides the Ford Center.

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 7/3/03 at 4:39pm

Wow! Picky!

[DofB5]

Posted: 7/3/03 at 6:58pm

Thanks for posting this, Rob.

So what does everyone think is the chances of him coming to the states--with or without Chitty?

Do you think he'll ever do a US concert tour? You know I like him but I don't know how well known he is here in the States--perhaps if he teamed up with another singer and did a coast to coast concert tour. Oh, I don't know, maybe some other Brit that sings like an Angel, is easy on the eyes, has some theater/stage experence--I'd have to give just WHO that could be some thought but what do you think? It might be good for both of them.

Summer, Kec? I thought the soonest would be fall 2004--When/where did you hear the update?

D

Updated On: 7/3/03 at 06:58 PM

[jo]

Posted: 7/3/03 at 8:19pm

In addition to the UK tour, Michael is also working on a new album expected for release in early fall. The concert will probably feature the songs in the album.

Yes, watching Michael Ball perform in a concert is a very enjoyable experience - you can't believe how great that voice is ( especially when he hits what he calls "the money notes" - remember how he ends "Love Changes Everything") and he has such a lively stage presence. His concerts are always very well-paced musical evenings, with varied musical genres featured in his repertoire.

I didn't think I would be able to make it to the concerts this year as I am planning to be in New York again late this year -- but when I found out one can "commute" from JFK to Manchester, England ( there are daily flights), I booked myself tickets for the Manchester concert!

jo Updated On: 7/3/03 at 08:19 PM

[DofB5]

Posted: 7/3/03 at 8:34pm

I forgot about the CD. Any new word on it? It's theme? Kec, didn't you say he was writing some of the songs himself?

I wonder how one does that. I can write "filk" songs but I don't know how one can come up with song without hearing the music first--isn't it more of a poem at that point?

D

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/3/03 at 8:36pm

BrdwyThr,
VERY picky. Word was that they wanted the Ford Center and ony the Ford Center and have been patiently waiting for those tapping feet to pull a Dorothy Brock and bow out with an injury, but the show is still selling good and won't be closing all that soon.

[jo]

Posted: 7/3/03 at 9:01pm

DofB5,

There was some news that the working title of the tour is "I Wish You Love" ( presumably of the new album as well) - which sounds like an album on the subject of love. He has also said that it will probably include some songs written by him ( he has actually written four of them - featured on his RAH, This Time It's Personal and Christmas albums).

Can't wait for this one! Have you heard his version of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face? It's very beautiful.

jo Updated On: 7/3/03 at 09:01 PM

[kec]

Posted: 7/4/03 at 2:05am

Maybe the producers are being picky... but keep in mind that the theatre has to be big enough to store the car and the related equipment. For all we know, the Ford Center is the only theatre to meet their needs.

With regards to the CD -- on a recent UK tv morning show, Michael said he wanted to do something similar to his Donmar Alone Together performance -- which was the story of the life of a performer. The CD will be the story of a love affair -- from the early days of the romance, through the settling in and then to the breakup. Some of the songs will be original, with some written by Michael. According to those people who were at Michael's concert in Harrogate recently, the upcoming concerts will be different from his previous concerts. It all sounds very intriguing. :)

Oh, and D, the CD should be out in the fall sometime. Presumably before the concert tour which starts October 27.

As for writing... people work it different ways. I have a friend who is a composer -- he takes poems or Biblical verses and sets them to music he writes himself.

The "summer 2004" rumor was something I picked up somewhere -- don't exactly remember where or when. :) Updated On: 7/4/03 at 02:05 AM

[AliceP]

Posted: 7/4/03 at 3:20am

Hi

Good to see Michael's name "over there" - I am one European fan that would just love to see Michael back on Broadway, especially with Chitty.

On another note - Happy 4th July to all, hope you forgive the little "artistic freedom" here.

[sharon1]

Posted: 7/4/03 at 8:12am

Gosh I hope CCBB is Broadway bound. And like you said kec they need a big enough theater for all the equipment. Unless they do a major renovation in an existing theater. The car does have to come up thru the stage and fly over the audience. Michael would be great to see over here. As for his new album if it follows the story telling of of Alone Together it would be phenomenal. I just love that whole video. It is a tour de force performance. Especially the medley from hell. And Padam. Back acha

[Michelleruth]

Posted: 7/4/03 at 8:38am

It is sounding like he really IS coming to Broadway! That is so exciting as I am a HUGE Michael Ball fan, and have never made it "across the pond" to see him.

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 7/4/03 at 9:30am

Seeing a car fly over the audience would certainly be amazing!

[DofB5]

Posted: 7/4/03 at 10:35am

Wow! Somehow I didn't pick up the fact the car goes over the audience. Now I really would like to see the show! That's sounds really cool!

AliceP--Nice art work! You did a good job.

Jo--No, I don't think I have heard him do that song. What album is it on? So what is everyones favorite songs?

Not in any order but my top 5 would have to be:

1 The Rose
2 River (from the Christmas CD)
3 I Wouldn't Know
4 Who Needs To Know
5 Some One Elses Dream

Acck! I've used my five slots but theres so many more that I really like! Maybe I should expand that to top ten! Err twenty--anyone go for twenty five???? :)

I kknow we've had this converstation before, Kec, but I do have to say that while I do like his Gethsemane, I still like Mr. Crawfords version better but I do like his version of Ave Maria better than Mr. C's. Just MHO.

D

[sharon1]

Posted: 7/4/03 at 11:01am

kec
Maybe we should reiterate that in this show Michael doesn't go for the money notes. It is more subdued until the Reprise of Hushaby Mountain (which I have not heard). And apparently that is pretty much a show stopper. Am I correct. He does do a wonderful job with "Teamwork"

[kec]

Posted: 7/4/03 at 4:34pm

Michelleruth -- we have no confirmation that Michael will be going to Broadway if/when Chitty goes across the pond. His American fans want to see him there, and a great many of his overseas fans would like to see him go as well, but as of right now, nothing is definite. But we all live in fervent hope.

Sharon --with regards to the theatre size -- any theatre they go into will need renovation -- if you have the "Making of ..." video or DVD you can see what they did to the Palladium before the show went in there. But they just cannot go into a small stage theatre with the kind of equipment they need to make the car fly.

True, there aren't any "money notes" a la the final note of "Love Changes Everything" but he certainly does full justice to the Sherman Brothers' music. The reprise of Hushabye Mountain, recently added to the show after the cast change in March, does allow him a bit more "stretch" so to speak -- he goes all out on this new verse of the song, sung to the smallest of the hidden children. It gave me goosebumps the first time I heard it two weeks ago. It was well received by the audiences when I was in the theatre, and everyone I've talked to about it says it is simply fantastic... and they're right

For those familiar with the movie, you will remember that Dick Van Dyke sings Hushabye Mountain to the children in the caves -- and, to my way of thinking, it was a bit misplaced -- it didn't offer anything in the way of inspiration to the children. In the play, the reprise was replaced by a new song Teamwork, which is just what is needed in that spot. This new verse of Hushabye has been added after Teamwork is finished, and, this time it fits very well.

Regarding "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," it can be found on Michael's "This Time it's Personal" CD.

I can't really come up with a top five, because I love everything I've heard him sing, but a few favorites would include: Just When, Someone Else's Dream, Never Coming Back (all written by Michael and Brian Kennedy) Ave Maria, on his Christmas Album, Amazing Grace (he made me cry when I heard him sing this live), Gethsemane, Loving You (from Sondheim's Passion)... I could go on and on.

BrdwyThtr -- it truly is amazing, and thrilling, to see that car fly!!! :)

[jo]

Posted: 7/4/03 at 4:53pm

Re the flying CHITTY --

When I saw the production last year, CHITTY was shown flying twice on stage as well as over the orchestra pit and the first rows ( you can also see this from the video on The Making of CHITTY). There is some current gossip that the CHITTY being built for Broadway will fly even higher and more across the audience.

Maybe they do need a certain type of theater stage configuration for this production?


jo

[DofB5]

Posted: 7/4/03 at 6:19pm

Ahh, that expains it. I don't have that CD---yet. I only have:

Michael Ball
Always
The Musicals
One Careful Owner
Very Best of MB
Secrets Of Love
Songs Of Love
Center Stage
Christmas minus Amazing Grace (Because I didn't know there were 2 different versions of the CD)

I'm working on getting the others but I hate buying a CD that only has one or two songs I don't already have--I like new materal! Take the Christmas Album. Now I have to buy the whole thing all over again just to get the ONE missing song. That just doesn't seem fair somehow.

D

Updated On: 7/4/03 at 06:19 PM

[jo]

Posted: 7/4/03 at 7:47pm

DofB5 -

For "This Time It's Personal " --

Track Listings
1. Walking in Memphis
2. If Tomorrow Never Comes
3. You're Still the One
4. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
5. Just When ( co-written by Michael Ball)
6. The Song Remembers When
7. I Don't Want a Lover
8. You Bring the Best Out of Me (written for Michael Ball)
9. Never Coming Back (co-written by Michael Ball)
10.The Greatest Man I Never Knew
11.Think Twice
12.No Matter What
13.The Dimming of the Day
14.The Dance

Although not personally my choice ( I prefer his musical theatre albums), this is a great favourite with many Michael Ball fans because of the adult contemporary theme chosen for the album.

There's also a video/DVD of the same name that came out featuring most of these songs, a musical theatre portion, and other contemporary songs. This was from an intimate concert in London's Cafe de Paris. Unfortunately for US fans, it only came out in PAL and Region 2 formats.

jo

[Sally]

Posted: 7/4/03 at 7:50pm

"I'm working on getting the others but I hate buying a CD that only has one or two songs I don't already have--"

There is hope altough probably not for a while. Apple computer has recently opened an online store that sells individual songs, downloadable for 99 cents. Currently, it is available only to Mac users with OS X, but there might be other sites of a similar nature, and I believe other companies are planning to open such online stores. I suspect that at first, the Apple musie store and others like it will concentrate on all sorts of non-show music, but as they acquire the rights to more music, the selection will be good.

It seems like a pretty good solution for people who don't want to steal music and are tired of having to buy a whole CD to get one song.

[DofB5]

Posted: 7/4/03 at 8:43pm

Sally, That would be GREAT! Your right that I, like most people, do NOT want to use bootlegs. I would gladly pay for a legal copy of a song I don't already have that I want.

As it is, I just try to buy the CDs that have the most songs I don't already have. "This Time It's Personal" sounds like one I'll get. Thanks for telling me about it!
:)
D

[kec]

Posted: 7/5/03 at 2:38am

I do enjoy this CD -- I think it gives Michael a chance to show how well he can do songs other than Musical Theatre, but I do think the latter is really where he's in his element.

D, For some reason, Amazon.com has this listed at a very expensive price -- maybe because they list it as an "import". You might want to look into Discount Music Corporation, the company in England that specialize in Michael's cd's and videos, although their prices including shipping may turn out to be the same. However, they also have the This Time... video in NTSC format -- and that is an excellent concert to see.