Michael Bennett's BALLROOM

[morosco]

Posted: 8/5/08 at 3:28pm

Does anyone know if any video footage of the Broadway production of BALLROOM exists?

[Pippin]

Posted: 8/5/08 at 3:31pm

I'm sure that, if it does, BrodyFosse (or god's Gift to Bootleg collections) will be on within minutes to brag about owning it.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/5/08 at 3:40pm

Dunno...but here's Louden doing Fifty Percent

[morosco]

Posted: 8/5/08 at 3:43pm

Ah yes...Loudon's performance there is sublime.

[Scott Briefer]

Posted: 8/5/08 at 4:01pm

I saw Ballroom. Another for my, Brilliant Failure, category. Ms. Loudon was amazing. The cast was amazing. Ballroom suffered from not quite knowing what it was. With the exception of a few songs sung by Ms. Loudon the music was carried by onstage band singers. As their characters were "outside" of the story and undeveloped, the music seemed more underscoring that a integral part of the show. It didn't quite work.

Having typed this, I'm glad I saw it though.

[fflagg]

Posted: 8/5/08 at 5:24pm

It would make for a fine revival and/or film.

[JRybka]

Posted: 8/5/08 at 5:50pm

funny you should say that... it was originally a film prior to it being a musical.

And Fifty Percent is probably one of the greatest theater love songs I have ever heard. Just my opinion.

[Scott Briefer]

Posted: 8/5/08 at 9:18pm

Well, it was a film in the sense that it was a made for TV movie. I saw, The Queen of the Stardust Ballroom, and it was wonderful. It wasn't a musical though.

I agree that Fifth Percent is brilliant as was Ms. Loudon other number, A Terrific Band and a Real Nice Crowd. Unfortunately, those were the only two dramatic songs. The rest were sung by the onstage band singers who weren't characters in the drama.

I believe Ballroom suffered from this. With the exception of those two songs the music really was incidental. The dancing was wonderful and it was great seeing all of the old gypsies strut their stuff.

There was a lot to like about Ballroom. It just wasn't great and we were expecting "great" from Mr. Bennett following the success of, A Chorus Line.

Of course, it wouldn't be long before he gave us, Dreamgirls.
Updated On: 8/5/08 at 09:18 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/5/08 at 9:32pm

Three of the cut songs on the Lost In Boston series were great. It is a shame they were not in the show.

I enjoyed it but the best thing about it was Loudon & the choreography.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/5/08 at 9:35pm

They did a revision in 1992-ish at the Long Beach Civic Light Opera with Tyne Daly as Bea and Charles Durning as Alfred.

They incorporated more of the film's structure (Opening with her death), and some new songs, which I've heard were part of the TV movie (I've never seen it). The only real complaint with the production was "Fifty Percent" was moved to earlier in Act II, versus the "11 o'Clock" position, which really bugs me for some reason.

Both audio and video footage exist of this.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 2:38pm

I'm sure I've seen the 1970s TV advert for Ballroom on YouTube which is short but well worth seeking out, just for its brief moment of glory.

There are also interesting comments on the "What were the problems with Ballroom?" thread, if you use the search facility (my laptop isn't letting me post links at the moment).

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 2:41pm

Several years ago, La Streisand was kicking around the idea of doing a movie of the musical.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 3:45pm

That "Fifty Percent" is good, but this one, from the Tony Awards, is better (despite the brief sound glitch at the beginning).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXUdWPsRjtw

[once a month]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 3:50pm

i thoroughly enjoyed the TV movie of Queen of the Stardust Ballroom years ago starring Maureen Stapleton. I was excited about the prospect of Ballroom before its opening, but thought that it wasn't quite fufilling enough. Bennetts (RIP)dances were gorgeous, the swirls of purple and blue, and the mirrored ball which occasionally was blinding were quite memorable, as was Dorothy Loudon (RIP). I hated the casting of Vincent Gardenia (RIP) and felt no chemistry between them.
Updated On: 8/6/08 at 03:50 PM

[morosco]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 4:01pm

Thanks Scripps2 for mentioning that commercial. I just watched it. Not a very good commercial for selling tickets I don;t think. I think maybe it should have focused more on the dancing. But it, and the other commercials posted by that user, are a wonderful time capsule of that period. Telecharge. lol

[LadyRosecoe]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 3:17am

On the two renditions performed by Dorothy in both 1979 and 1999, the song is preceded by the brief singing of "If anyone had told me a year and a half ago..." However, on the soundboard "Fifty Percent" starts with the "I don't sew on his buttons" lyric and I can't seem to place where the former segment is actually sung. Was this added for performances outside of the show or was this from another track elsewhere in the show?

[morosco]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 12:04pm

The published score has "If anyone had told me a year and a half ago..." segue immediately into "Fifty Percent" just as Loudon sang it in 1999. The show went through a lot of changes though so who knows? It could have been added later or cut later.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 12:14pm

The verse was cut by the time the show officially opened. In fact, the sheet music to the song opens with the "I don't iron his shirts"

[Connemara]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 12:19pm

I don't see how someone can like Loudon's Tony performance over the 1999 one. The latter brings me to tears just about every time I watch it. Obviously, she is in better performing shape in the Tony performance, but the emotional impact is not as great.

[morosco]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 12:26pm

I prefer her 1999 performance. Stunning.

By the time the show opened Bennett had cut a lot of stuff that he probably shouldn't have cut.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 12:37pm

Honestly, I don't really like the verse. I understand why it's there, and the need for it, but I like the song better myself.

And I can't decide which I like better, both of them are phenomenal performances. She deserved the Tony.

[Connemara]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 11:24pm

I miss Dorothy.