I saw A Chorus Line last night and

[Spacedog78]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 11:08am

It was exactly that. The same show, done the same way it's been done for years. In fact, I don't really thing there was anything too impressive about it. The dancing and staging was good, and the singing was decent. Two people I really enjoyed were Jason Tam as Paul,and Natalie Cortez as Diana, they drew me in and I forgot I was watching a show. Another person who I enjoyed was Charlotte d'Amboise, her acting was great, but she was having an off night with her dancing and singing. Mara Davi sang beautifully as Maggie, and Jessica Lee Goldwyn was funny as Val. Deidre Goodwin was funny as Sheila, but she really didn't do anything too amazing with the character to make it her own, it except make it ethnic. Overall it was worth seeing, but not worth paying full price for.


(Sorry about my previous spelling mistakes I was typing far too fast for my own good.)
Updated On: 1/26/07 at 11:08 AM

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 11:26am

6 results for: decent
de·cent / Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[dee-suhnt] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–adjective 1. conforming to the recognized standard of propriety, good taste, modesty, etc., as in behavior or speech.
2. respectable; worthy: a decent family.
3. adequate; fair; passable: a decent wage.
4. kind; obliging; generous: It was very decent of him to lend me his watch.
5. suitable; appropriate: She did not have a decent coat for the cold winter.
6. of fairly attractive appearance: a decent face.
7. Informal. wearing enough clothing to appear in public.
8. Slang. great; wonderful.

Updated On: 1/26/07 at 11:26 AM

[Hank]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 11:31am

re: "but not worth paying full price for"
My feelings as well. I still remember it being around forever with discounts and tkts, and I think I'll wait this one out before I see it again, but I'm glad to see it's successful.
Updated On: 1/26/07 at 11:31 AM

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 11:35am

If you've only seen someone in a particular role once, say... Charolotte D'Amboise for example, how do you know they were just having an "off night?" To what are you comparing it?

[Spacedog78]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 11:40am

Lets just say that I am hoping it was an "off night" and not the performance she gives every night.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 11:49am

Spacedog-
I doubt it was an "off night" judging by other posts.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 11:51am

Sorry to say, but Charlotte probably wasn't having an off night. For some reason (even though Charlotte is an AMAZING dancer) the "Music and the Mirror" choreography doesn't work well for her -- it doesn't seem to fit her her body properly. And her singing has never been that strong -- listen to the cast recording and she doesn't even sound that pleasing when recorded in the studio. Maybe she was having an off night, but an "on" night still isn't going to be that great.

It's amazing how, on paper, Charlotte should be perfect as Cassie.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 12:02pm

Agreed.

"Give me a chance to come THREWWWWWWWWWWW!"

[FosseForever3]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 12:02pm

Hanna From Hamburg - I agree completely. The night I saw ACL, Charlotte was either off or tired or just not strong enough stamina wise to make it through that b!tch of a number!

Same goes for Jessica Lee Goldyn...she seemed off as well and pushed her voice so much I was actually concerned. And she looks just like Pamela Blair, but she wasn't my favorite Val.

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 12:06pm

Charlotte does work her butt off, but she's just plain not right for the role.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 12:16pm

Because her acting and singing are subpar.

She is not the triple-threat everyone wants her to be.

[Sing a Song With Me]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 12:33pm

I think, in this instance, she's just not the right fit. I saw her twice as Roxie in Chicago and she was pitch perfect, vocally and dancing.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 12:33pm

munk -- how did you know EXACTLY what bothered me the most with her singing?

LOL

Rath -- what happened to Debbie?

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 12:52pm

Add to that the fact that there are moments in that song when she sounds astonishingly like Katherine Hepburn.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 12:54pm

Debbie's on a break, Hanna.

[My Strongest Suit]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 1:54pm

i thouroughly enjoyed this production when it was in San Francisco. i never got to see the original so i liked that this show is almost the same as it was years ago. Charlotte's dancing wasn't amazing wheni saw it either. it kind of sucks that she's supposed to be the old star dancer and during music and the mirror she's not fantastic.

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 1:56pm

I saw the production in SF too. With the exception of Charlotte, I thought it was one of the most universally talented ensembles I'd ever seen. It's a shame that the NY reception (at leat on this board) hasn't been as enthusiastic.

Did the cast just tire out too quickly?

[theatrelovr]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:22pm

It's funny because I was least impressed with the way Charlotte sounds on the cast recording. Actually, it's pretty bad. I have not seen the show to rate her performance, but I do find myself skiping that track almost every time.

[singtopher]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 6:56pm

I haven't seen the revival, but I just listened to Charlotte's rendition of "Music and the Mirror." I'm very disapointed. Lord, who is her voice teacher?

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 7:50pm

I just think the way she says the words on the cast recording is very strange. Reminds me of early Patti in that way, actually. But not in any other way.

Posted: 1/26/07 at 8:37pm

I hear mixed things on Charlotte. I saw her in Chicago in 99 (the tour when it was in Vancouver) as Roxie (with Barrett as Flynn) and thought she was absolutely amazing, but that is a very different role (and one with a lesser range)

Spacedog did you notice any changes while watching--on the cast album the new orchestrations, for instance, really stick out for me

E

Posted: 1/26/07 at 9:04pm

I, too, though Charlotte was wondering in Chicago. She was great in Sweet Charity too. She's a phenominal dancer and while some may disagree, I like her acting choices for the most part (I do think her Cassie is something to be seen. I liked her much more live than on the CD). But is she my favorite Cassie? No.
For some reason, I love the current company. Do I think think they're particularly strong singers? Well, they beat the OBC. Their dancing is pehnominal (except for Ken Alan who just seems a little off to me) and acting fresh for the most part. I will admit I'm biased because I'm just happy to have this show playing again somewhere. I love Mara Davi as Maggie, and think Brad Anderson, Chryssie Whitehead, and Tony Yazbeck are particularly strong as well.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/26/07 at 10:28pm

I still find it so ironic that Christina Applegate was constantly bashed while playing Sweet Charity, and Charlotte d'Amboise was basically seen as God when she was the stand-by.

Thought sure have changed on Charlotte.

But I still love her.

[My Strongest Suit]

Posted: 1/27/07 at 2:32am

i just wanted to add that Tony Yazbeck has an amazing voice. :)i loved him in this.

[winston89]

Posted: 1/27/07 at 9:00am

Spcedog, you say that the show is just like the orignal. What would you have done to update it.


It's not like its a show like Chicago where they changed a lot of stuff. In this particular show, it was done black box with no sets at the shubert. That's what they did here. You talk about it like there were loads of different things they could have done. Keep in mind that the guy that created the show is dead so that did affect some creative choices as well.