James Barbour concert at Hofstra Univ. June 27- Page 2

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 6/29/09 at 4:50pm

I'm just really interested to hear Barbour's take on the song. His voice is deeper than Sarich's, isn't it?

And is Rob Evan singing "Measure of a Man" on the English demo?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/29/09 at 5:34pm

And the haircut?

[philly03]

Posted: 6/29/09 at 7:50pm

"I'm just really interested to hear Barbour's take on the song. His voice is deeper than Sarich's, isn't it?

And is Rob Evan singing "Measure of a Man" on the English demo?"

Yes, Barbour is extremely deeper than Sarich, who was Valjean in Les Mis on Broadway and in London ... but Sarich has some range, don't forget he played Javert for some time as well.

Evan sings it on the demo, like Sarich he has a big range as well (I am not necessarily a fan of Evan though!). I know Michael Shawn Lewis (spent some time as Raoul in Phantom on Broadway) also did some recording with RUDOLF, but not sure if he played the role of Turfee or whichever Uwe Kroger's character is, or he also did some of Rudolf himself.


Dollypop, what happens if he just went back to his old hairdo during A TALE of TWO CITIES in Sarasota?? Haha

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 6/29/09 at 9:01pm

Ah, is Michael Shawn Lewis the one singing "The Writing's On The Wall" with Brandi?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/29/09 at 9:30pm

Okay, so don't answer my question about the haircut. See if I care!

I have no feelings left to hurt.

[philly03]

Posted: 6/29/09 at 10:59pm

It sounds an awful lot like Michael Lanning (or possibly one of the Camille Claudel leading men), but I don't recall him being involved with Rudolf. I am also not necessarily an expert on MSL's voice... I've only seen him in Phantom of the Opera (and ensemble in Woman in White), and Raoul isn't necessarily a big singing part you remember.

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 6/29/09 at 11:42pm

I try and block everything about Phantom of the Opera out of my mind.

But I don't remember Michael Lanning's name being attached to anything Rudolf... which is surprising since he seems to be in everything Wildhorn. Shrug.

[philly03]

Posted: 6/30/09 at 12:57pm

Oh Phantom isn't that bad.


So it is to be assumed it's Michael Shawn Lewis, ... I'm pretty positive Lanning didn't do anything DEMO wise for RUDOLF, but I'm sure he's done some workshop work. He seems to be one of those people who Wildhorn fancies their voices (although he's got Barbour now!), but never can fit them into a show (much like Chuck Wagner in lesser roles - it just didn't work).

You don't like Lanning? He's voice is certainly .. unique but I like it!

[madscientist]

Posted: 6/30/09 at 2:56pm

I'm also curious about his haircut! How short did he go? Also, is there any place where I could find the song Measure of a Man in English? Not just the lyrics, but the actual song? I really loved that song too.

And also, did he have any audience participation at this concert like he did at his Sardi's concerts?

Updated On: 6/30/09 at 02:56 PM

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 6/30/09 at 4:07pm

Lanning is alright, he doesn't bother me too much on Bonnie & Clyde, but I haven't really listened to much to him further than that. He was the Caterpillar on the 4-track Alice demo wasn't he? Maybe i'll give that one a listen. Sorry for picking your brain about everything Wildhorn, philly.

[philly03]

Posted: 6/30/09 at 6:34pm

No worries, enjoy it even. Got to get the word/interest out about Frank's newest projects someway :).

Lanning is the Caterpillar. He just recently performed in the fourth incarnation of The Civil War, one of only two people to do the Alley Theatre mini-production, Broadway production, National Tour, Gettysburg Museum Original Engagement, and then the DC production. I would assume, since I beleive that Wonderland will more than likely he headed for Broadway before B&C, that he will be in Wonderland (which seems to be a very full-production coming up, as opposed to what little I've heard about B&C).





"I'm also curious about his haircut! How short did he go? Also, is there any place where I could find the song Measure of a Man in English? Not just the lyrics, but the actual song? I really loved that song too. "
No, RUDOLF - The Last Kiss has only released ONE song in English .. but 3 times. "I Was Born For You" (or "...To Love You" .. one is DRACULA, the musical and one is Rudolf..anyway) by Lisa A. and Drew Sarich, of the Austrian production. Currently available oon iTunes. Try 'that site,' most of Mr Wildhorn's things have been getting leaked on there as well.

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 6/30/09 at 7:48pm

I do hope Alice (is is just called Wonderland now?) and Bonnie & Clyde have enough life in them to warrant productions in New York, even if it isn't necessarily on Broadway, even though I would rather see the Count of Monte Cristo make it all the way. CoMC has a fantastic score (especially for a demo) and Brandi nails "When the World was Mine."

[philly03]

Posted: 6/30/09 at 8:14pm

..well it was released as a concept album. And the majority of them did the St. Gallen (where the glorious production of DRACULA, the musical originated); I also LOVE "When the World Was Mine"...it's one of those songs like a Linda Eder (<3 her as well) I just don't know who else would be singing it...Lauren Kennedy's end notes are too .. different sounding.

Yes - Alice is officially called "Wonderland: Alice's New Musical Adventure"...and they are both undoubtably getting their world premieres this fall/winter because of Tim Burton's "Alice" (thus the name change) and the Hilary Duff "Bonnie & Clyde" rumor remake...or atleast I'm assuming. Frank likes to stick to the books ... except for the current/except SP1 versions of The Scarlet Pimpernel.


I'm going to guess "Wonderland" will transfer...it will have one of those 3-D set designs (reportedly) such as Woman in White and Rebecca - Austria. It also .. just seems more together.

Monte Cristo I could see eventualyl "transfering" -- something that I don't think Rudolf ever will. Rudolf's story is .. unknown and somewhat uninteresting, while Monte Cristo is still a frequent read. Monte Cristo does...have some bizarre score moments though...we'll see. Hopefully Frank will keep a full orchestra this time though.

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 6/30/09 at 8:31pm

Well hopefully Brandi Burkhardt and Frank Wildhorn can mend fences... even though it took a while for him to do so with Linda Eder. The concept album has a couple great songs, even though "Hell to Your Doorstep" sounds a bit like "Falcon in the Dive," I think I prefer it (and I LOVE "Falcon in the Dive")

The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorite books of all time, so I would love to see what it looks like on the stage. I read a synopsis of Rudolf after my recent obsession with "Mut zur Tat" (which is still going) and it sounded pretty boring. But I think they are filming the Vienna cast, right? I know there is already a pro-shot of the Hungary cast.

I would love to see Wonderland make it up here... I haven't listened to the newer recordings they have done, but from what I heard on the four-track demo (again, with Brandi) it was decent. But I fear people will be going in expecting the Burton movie.

And Hilary Duff + Bonnie & Clyde? What?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/30/09 at 8:56pm

Brandi and Franki broke up? Was it the age difference? The fact that she's far too good looking? Was she tired of being a beard?

[madscientist]

Posted: 6/30/09 at 9:07pm

"Brandi and Franki broke up? Was it the age difference? The fact that she's far too good looking? Was she tired of being a beard? "

I'm wondering the same thing. I guess it could be any one of those things, I was really surprised when I found out that the two of them were together.

[philly03]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 12:46am

""Brandi and Franki broke up? Was it the age difference? The fact that she's far too good looking? Was she tired of being a beard? "

I'm wondering the same thing. I guess it could be any one of those things, I was really surprised when I found out that the two of them were together."

They met during Jekyll & HYDE Resurrection auditions, when Lauren Kennedy left to do Spamalot on Broadway. Kate Shindle suggested Brandi (who was her roomate the time .. and Lucy Harris in that production) try out, and she did. It's no surprise - Brandi is beautiful and certainly charming. And Frank met .. Linda that way. And if you read any interview with Brandi, she has said she has never had a big problem with the age difference.

Which BTW Linda Eder was and still is in fact extremely beautiful for her age/any age. And Linda was much taller than Frank .. so Frank must have some way with the ladies .

They split sometime in November I'm assuming...I don't know details of it at all, only speculation LOL, but they were together at the opening, and in November she did a workshop of Monte Cristo (her last Wildhorn outing), with a huge bunch of the Tale cast including Barbour in Thomas Borchert's role in the St Gallen production, with Natalie Toro in Pia Douwes role. Barbour .. was the one who told Brandi to try out for Tale anyway, after Frank + James + wife + Brandi were out to dinner discussing DRACULA, the musical and other future projects. Come February, she was replaced out of Bonnie & Clyde. (Which little to be known, could have been so that she could have been in Wonderland - but I legit think she is too pretty to be playing a mom just now..!)

If you watch the Mamma Mia! Valentine's Day thing .. Brandi's new boyfriend is Grease/ATOTC Sarasota star Derek Keeling -- so I'm assuming they met during Tale's short Broadway run.

Then sometime over this winter, Frank and Linda must have started talking again or became Musically friendly once more I assume - Eder will sing plenty of his songs at her concerts again :). He has also brought her to several of the latest openings this past spring as his Opening Night date.

GOSSIP OVER ---------------------------


Wonderland:

-Rumor has it Brandi did the majority of that Concept Album that is supposed to come out this summer (which may be September now, if .. ever), with the exception of "Finding Wonderland" - or atleast that sounds far too much like Kennedy. Wildhorn/Jeremy Roberts have Global Vision Records, in association with the big Vienna company, so we'll see what happens. They have a .. magically way of erasing one voice and putting in another one (plenty of that DRACULA, the musical concept album was demos - particularly Kennedy's parts, unless she .. re-recorded them).

Wonderland will really show off Frank's versatility as a composer - there is the much popper stuff that we're not used to, mixed with the blues/country (The Civil War; Caterpillar Song -- basically Lanning's character), I've heard there may be some mo-town in there, the usual Wildhorn-sounding songs, maybe even some more latin-flavored songs. Of course "Mad Hatter" is the big-band number.

-They ARE filming the DREW SARICH RUDOLF - The Last Kiss in Vienna. I believe that production closes for the season on July 3-ish. (Monte Cristo closed June 13 in St Gallen as part of it's first season)

-Laura Osnes is the .. new Bonnie in Bonnie & Clyde. Not officially announced, but she's done some of the songs at her concerts, and did the workshops. Hilary Duff I've heard will be in a movie version of the story, a remake of hte Dunaway film.

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 2:45am

"They have a .. magically way of erasing one voice and putting in another one"

Yea, and fixing Uwe's voice too.

Did any word come out of the Count of Monte Cristo reading with Barbour/Toro/Burkhardt?

[philly03]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 1:09pm

It was mostly just a way for Murphy & Wildhorn to get some last minute tweakings / make sure it worked out for the St Gallen premiere in March. I don't even think backers were there for it...

It's one role I could say that Barbour may stay connected with, but I doubt Burkhardt will. If anything, it'll be Kate Shindle, Lauren Kennedy, Tracy Miller (the Mad Hatter in "Wonderland" demos - Nikki Snelson may be doing this role in Tampa/she did the workshop) or Laura Osnes...the "new" Wildhorn ladies. Or atleast the ones he keeps using.

Also, at the Linda Eder concert I went to about a month ago, she did mention that they weren't .. done trying to get Camille "another go" - but according to Nan Knighton's website, Camille probably won't be going to Broadwya, but rather a "major" regional production. Camille has some of Wildhorn's best music .. so it's a shame it may just go away forever. (Camille is not .. "major" production, it's a VERY small scale show, but I'm assuming they mean something like the Signature, Walnut, Alley...something like that, as opposed to wherever the Kelsey Theatre is in NJ - where the English NEW premiere of DRACULA, the musical took place). Of course, Linda could have just said that for the fans...!

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 7:24pm

Oh I would love to see Camille staged somewhere. It is such a tragic tale and a really strong score. I was sucked in from the minute I first listened to "Stone," speaking of, is that Eder singing "Gold" on the demo?

[philly03]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 10:21pm

Ah, Demo-boy:

Camille's demos have a mixture of actors in various roles on there. There are several editions of it, in fact. Most have the Eder-Gold, and the Guy LeMionner as Rodin, but since Camille talks came back around in 2007, someone else recorded the song "Gold" (which I would say is Wildhorn & Knighton's .. even individually their best songs they have ever written) for future versions. Therefore, some have the original version (which is on Eder's solo albums and fully orchestrated out the wall), and one is much more digitally sounding by ... either Brandi Burkhardt or Lauren Kennedy. Brandi is the only other person other than Linda Eder who has sang it, but there's no way any one would believe Brandi's a disgruntled brunnette actress :), so it may be Kennedy, who apart from final/belting notes sounds very much like Burkhardt at a first listen!

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 10:48pm

I'll have to give it a listen again, but it didn't sound like Brandi to me, and it didn't really sound like Linda Eder, so it could be Lauren Kennedy. I don't know who Lauren Kennedy is, so that could be it (is she in Vanities?)

I only have Eder's "It's Time" because I love her rendition of "Man of la Mancha (I, Don Quixote)," but I will have to check out one of the ones with Gold. Thanks!

[philly03]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 11:57pm

Buy her "Broadway, My Way" album. Or "It's No Secret Anymore" .. those are the two that are MOST Broadway music, but "It's Time" is my second favourite of hers. THe "Broadway, My Way" includes "Gold" and GLORIOUS renditions of "Anthem" (Chess) and since we're takling about James Barbour here - "On the Street Where You Live" (which Barbour does an amazing rendition of himself!). "It's No Secret Anymore" has Wonderland's first completed song - "Anything Can Happen" (which last I heard will still somehow be in the show/thus far), which was a big Kathy Lee Gifford favourite, and her biggest/second (next to "Something to Believe In" from "It's Time) single - "Vienna" which got tons of press thanks to the connections Frnak & Linda had/have with Rosie O'Donnell. Also included is a bunch of Havana! music.


I think it is Brandi...most people have no idea where to even begin to think of who it is, but I am pretty certain is Brandi from when she was just beginning Wildhorn, as she sounds much younger almost...and the overall quality of that track is horrible. Again: No one else has been able to publically sing "Gold" besides Eder (all over) and Burkhardt (several Wildhorn concerts - esp. in Europe).

If you're a Wildhorn fan you best get used to Kennedy. She's also a BIG "muse" somewhat/was for Jason Robert Brown. Buy her track entitled "Easy" from her latest album - it's the only legally available music from "Zelda"/"Waiting for the Moon" and it's a delight.

I am almost positive she will be cast in Wonderland, unless Vanities extends a ton or she drops out herself - I don't see Shindle as a mom, nor Tracy Miller, nor Brandi (not that she will be back - or so I assume.), nor anyone except Eder, who I don't know if she'd even consider a 4-month-ish run altogether, and then have to transfer to Broadway. In fact, Eder may even be too old for the role now. But I'd LOVE to hear her sing "Finding Wonderland", who it's rumored to be Ms Kennedy singing that track on the Wonderland website.

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 7/2/09 at 12:02am

Well, didn't Eder say that she didn't want to return to the stage because she knew she wasn't a great actress? Perhaps I made this up, but I swear I read it somewhere

[philly03]

Posted: 7/2/09 at 12:14am

Eder has said that in the past about certain roles: Mamma Rose for one. She has said she loves to sing those songs (great rendition of "Some People" on her "Broadway, My Way") but knew she wasn't a strong enough actress to do it.

She actually .. worked on her acting for Camille. Not an easy role...


And besides she is not a horrible actress? Is she one of the best? Not at all...but let's not forget she was nominated for a Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Awards and won a Theatre World Award - and had Rosie pledge a Tony nomination (that she didn't get). The role of Lucy .. doesn't even require the amount of acting something like Camille and/or Rose from Gypsy, among several others require. The production got bad reviews and the director got a bad rap for the cuts he imposed - and so he had to blame something. He tried to make Eder a "better" actress (in fact, most of the cast agrees he - RObin Phillips - is an excellent acting coach), but .. instead he decided to have Linda do the old walk on, walk off type thing. She has true stage presence, but they decided to bring the acting to her as opposed to her acting them out.



Linda is all for returning to the stage - but at the right time; she is an extremely dedicated mother and Charity worker, among countless other things. I also doubt she needs the money: all those records, and I'm sure she got something out of that divorce with Frank. She knows (and jokes sometimes) that she's not the best actress, but I would rather see someone who could sing the hel out of a song as opposed to someone who can't sing and act it out better.