Christina Agulira on SNL — Page 2

"In 1985 the name was Madonna, now it's X-Tina..."they" need someone they can always compare to a Broadway person and go, well she's no blah..blah..blah......but in this case, X-Tina can sing EVERYONE INTO THE GROUND...makes the name calling tougher..

Big problem.."

What problem? Who's been calling anyone names besides you?

"It's the hysterics who worship Broadway and hate everything else (I imagine it's a latent reaction to being beat-up in the school yard as children)that really help to destroy this institution..."

Who's hating everything else? I have no hatred for any of those you speak of. Nor have I dissed them in any way. The juvenile name-calling has been all yours, voiceanth. You're making all sorts of imaginary generalisations based on your statements of utter fabrication. Where are the mysterious "they" that you speak of who have made all these statements of Christina or Madonna's singing talents? Your definition of "star quality" is your own. Sutton Foster and Alice Ripley do indeed have "star quality" within their genre. Are they worldwide megastars? No. Do they have to be in order to perform on Broadway? Obviously not. Both of them have won critical acclaim for their performances as well as Marin Mazzie.

Christina is a fantastic singer. But as long as your comparing her to Sutton, can Christina act, tap-dance, or perform eight shows a week for a couple of years? You have praised Christina's singing countless times without ever addressing anything else. Broadway isn't about mainstream pop superstars. Until the occaisional last-resort replacement in Broadway musicals to keep a show from closing, it never has been. If all you expect is your own narrow-sighted vision of "star quality" on Broadway, why do you even attend any musicals without stunt casting?

Marin Mazzie may not be a "Superstar waiting to happen", but that's probably because it wasn't her goal in the first place. Shows like Ragtime and Passion were never meant to be designed as Superstar vehicles to showcase hip-hop or disco performers. But to try to compare Beyonce or Christina to Sutton, Marin, or Alice Ripley is absolutely pointless. If you can't see the difference between Genie in a Bottle or and Sondheim or Ahrens and Flaherty, then there really is no point to your statements.

PS - In 2004, it's still Madonna. Christina has another 20 years to go to reach Madonna's status. I think Christina's voice is spectacular, but no so fond of her songs. It might be news to you, but the works of Tesori, Sondheim, Ahrens and Flaherty, Kander and Ebb, Rodgers and Hammerstein are a completely different style of music and maybe I missed something, but I've never heard Christina sing anything by them or in their style. All I can assess from your rather monotonous posts is that you have seen many Broadway shows and have learned nothing from them.

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Mister Matt...You must have got the fact that that the only reason I continued to write in this thread is to see you go on yet another 14-paragraph tirade....

I hope you’ve had an angiogram recently…

Matt, my first performance at a Broadway house was the original cast of “Annie’…I was kid but I knew what I was watching…

..watching and effortless and vocally opulent Andrea Mcardle stop a show cold in the first act without even breaking a sweat.. (the cast album only hints at the tone of that voice in 1977)

…thinking that would be the highlight only to discover a woman named Dorothy Loudon and only to learn from her in the second act how even the slightest of body movements can make an audience break into applause (“Easy Street”)…. and then an ovation.

I think I learned wee bit from them…

PS: X-Tina has sung a stupendous version of ‘Climb Every Mountain” fairly recently and as a child, her versions of “Come Rain or Come Shine” as well as other “standards/broadway related” songs are well documented …and in most cases, shockingly well sung for a pre-adolescent...

If and when she chooses to do Broadway, I’m sure she’ll be just fine….and hopefully she won’t need to tap (even though she knows how to ..as does Britney for that matter (documented as of 1998, should you need the video clip)....…tapping is not exactly rocket science, is it?

Updated On: 2/25/04 at 12:52 PM

Theatre baby..BINGO...

Like your chosen by God to be on Broadway (LOL) Like you take the veil...like it's a select calling that God picks you for...

(eyes roll)

Hillary Duff knows how to tap for gods sake!!! and she can't walk and sing at the same time...

Theatrebaby, I'm booking a hall!(wink)

"Mister Matt...You must have got the fact that that the only reason I continued to write in this thread is to see you go on yet another 14-paragraph tirade...."

You're saying I make your wishes come true? How sweet! But you should learn to count. I haven't written 14 paragraphs in any single post at all. But I do find your posts to be quite amusing.

So Christina and Brittany can tap. That's very good to know. You answered my question. I had heard Christina's Come Rain or Come Shine. I forgot about that. She was like, ten, I think, and it was a pop rendition with the R&B ornamentation rather than anything like the original legit version. I haven't heard Christina's Climb Every Mountain, but your panting obsession with all things Christina has convinced me that forming my own opinion is completely unecessary as no other Broadway performer could possibly ever do anything as well as her. Ever. Only Christina could play Millie, Dolly, Mame, Fanny, Evita, Effie, Annie, Aida, Aldonza, Eliza, Tracy, Elphaba, Glinda, Laurey, Mamma Rose, Kim, Eponine, or Desiree or any other lead. Except possibly Brittany. They have proven themselves to be consummate actresses with exceptional comedic timing and the summit of anything regarding musical theatre without having ever set foot on a Broadway stage. To run any show without them starring in it is simply a waste and the only excuse for the performers of the past must be that these two supermegaüberstars singer/dancer/actresses of such theatrical renown is that they didn't have the privelege of being born earlier.

I admire your praise for McArdle and Louden, yet I find it somewhat hypocritical as they were never, how did you put it? Superstars! Like Beyonce, who could so obviously wipe up the stage in either role no matter how inappropriately cast.

Tapping is not rocket science. You got me on that one. Rocket science is rocket science. Tapping is a dance form. Some find it more difficult than others. But if it is so easy for you, I'm sure Tommy Tune or Savion Glover have a part for you. Unfortunately, you couldn't do it. You're not Christina. Unless...are you?

If and when she does Broadway, I hope she'll be better than just fine. I also hope that a hundred other actresses who are just as talented (is it possible?) and more appropriate for the role who have spent their lives just trying to make ends meet for their love of performing on stage don't get bumped out because they are not millionare bored "Superstars". I also hope she has some respect for her fellow cast members for their hard work. Just because you don't like some of the current leads, doesn't mean their not good. It only means you don't like them. I hope you get your wish and Christina is the next Mother Superior in The Sound of Music at the ripe old age of twenty-something. No one else could possibly handle the part. One, two, three, four, five, six paragraphs. Damn! I'm still eight short.

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Oy...you two...I mean...

Well...don't you think that there could be a greater issue at work here? One that Anthony does have a point about?

I have, on this board, lamented the dulling of Broadway performers over the last 15 or so years. Conservatory schools have created these cookie cutter performers that are proficient at everything and just bland enough to be able to move from show to show. I mean...how many early-late thirties blonds with strident belts do we have in this business???? Where are the original, freakish performers that brought something so magical to the stage? Cause they ain't working on the stages of NYC (for the most part).

People used to come to NYC at a young age, get involved in the theatre and learn their craft on the job. Now we all go to 'acting school' (yes...even me) and are torn down and made into the likeness of whatever that department is. Individuality is sacrificed. Say what you will, but Xtina is an original. And perhaps that's what we need here. Something more than proficiency...something special...star power.

That said, Anthony, not every star is cut out to be on the stage. You know it, I know it, we all know it.

And Matt, for every one hundred actresses that don't get the part, 20 of them will actually be on a Broadway stage in the ensemble of EVITA. It's not like it's a one-woman show. There's always need for a star. And until Broadway starts cherishing those that are truly special instead of those that are just enough, I see no problem bringing in a star.

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Avril Lavigne would be enchanting as Alice Challice in "Darling of the Day"..

Think what darling Avril could do with "Not on your Nellie!"

NOT on your Nellie, your blinkin' bloomin' Nellie...absolutley posi-toot-ly NO!"...

Chenoweth!

Channing!

Chuck-up!

Give me Norah Jones in "Minnie's Boys"....

Now that would make me geshrai all the way to the Box Office!

Updated On: 2/25/04 at 04:32 PM

John Mayer in "Anthony's Bedroom"....

now that would be a great big hit!

All those ladies I mentioned I consider stars as they are recognizable and have been featured within their own genre based on their talent and their name....


.....recognizable to whom, my darling Matt..you..and who else..

To the couple with children....in Ota Creek, Montana?

Or maybe the cowpokes in Wyoming?

Honey, I betcha there are folks up in parts of Cali-forn-i-yeah who don't know HALF of the ladies you mentioned in a previous post!

Ask them who Christina is though and you'll probably get an answer, pro or con!

The fact is Matt, most people, besides you, of course, consider stars, real stars, to be either Music or Movie stars:

To quote Miss. Streisand in 1967 (who at that point had been on Broadway, TV and recorded 12 gold records)

"To me, being a star always meant being a Movie Star!"

Even SHE did'nt consider broadway stardom to be worth much and she was a MEGA Broadway star!

You may hate to hear this and lord knows I did'nt like her but when Melanie was doing CHICAGO, there were freakin' CROWDS in the STREET just waiting for a glimpse...

That fact, no one likes to admit...the chaos around that stage door on a Saturday night...for HER, of all people!

The other fact is how chaos, of any kind, is ABSENT FROM DONNA MURPHY'S STAGE DOOR or Miss. Chenowerth or most of the ladies you mentioned ....!

Updated On: 2/25/04 at 06:48 PM

I just watched the SNL with Xtina---she is great! I would love to see her as Eponine in the film of Les Miz. =)

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A regular Ann Miller.

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