The Raúl E. Esparza "Spread the Love" Thread, Part Four- Page 71
The Raúl E. Esparza "Spread the Love" Thread, Part Four
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1750
Posted: 3/9/09 at 11:02pm
Just back from MISCAST 2009.
Early in the show, Raúl & Norbert Leo Butz sang Jaimie (Raúl) and Cathy(NLB)'s "The Next Ten Minutes,' ending with the "I Do's" and a great Kiss.
Next to last number of the evening had Raúl doing a Kick-Ass version of "The Man Who Got Away," with Garland's choreography and hand movements. NOT Camp at all. Killer!
I hope it shows up on-line SOMEWHERE!
Updated On: 3/9/09 at 11:02 PM
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1751
Posted: 3/9/09 at 11:12pm
The full Line-Up of MISCAST 2009 was:
1. Robin de Jesús singing "It Won't Be Long Now" from In The Heights.
2. Steven Pasquale singing "Maybe" from ANNIE.
3. Alice Ripley and Kelli O'Hara doing "It's a Hard Knock Life" from ANNIE.
4. Aaron Tveit singing "Back to Before" from Ragtime.
5. Raúl & NLB's "The Next Ten Minutes" from The Last Five Years.
6. Kelli O'Hara singing "This Nearly Was Mine" from South Pacific.
7. Daniel Breaker singing "So Much Better" from Legally Blonde.
8. Steven Pasquale singing "Free At Last" from Big River.
9. Alice Ripley singing "Epiphany/We All Deserve To Die" from Sweeney Todd. WOW!!!
10. Norbert Leo Butz & Aaron Tveit singing "What Is This Feeling?" from WICKED. (Included a Fiyero "White Pants" Butt wiggle contest!)
11. Raúl Esparza singing "The Man That Got Away" from A Star is Born.
12. Beth Leaval finished the evening with "I Am What I Am" from La Cage aux Folles.
Terrific evening.
Updated On: 3/9/09 at 11:12 PM
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1752
Posted: 3/10/09 at 1:12am
Pic from the arrivals tonight:
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1753
Posted: 3/10/09 at 1:19am
Seeing Raul sing something from L5Y was a DREAM.
What a fun night! I would definitely go again.
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1754
Posted: 3/10/09 at 11:31am
11. Raúl Esparza singing "The Man That Got Away" from A Star is Born.
Oh my God....
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1755
Posted: 3/10/09 at 11:32am
I'm ashamed to say I didn't know the song, but he sounded beautiful!
They had a projection backdrop that showed the actors' headshots, and then said their name and the role they were "playing." I enjoyed that Raul was playing Esther on Purim.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/30/08
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1756
Posted: 3/10/09 at 11:53am
The program lists the songs alphabetically without saying who will perform them, but I just knew that had to be a Raul performance! Emcee - you have to rent the DVD of STAR IS BORN and see how Raul channeled Judy Garland, especially the right arm extended over his head with the palm up. That became a characteristic Judy posture after that movie.
Did anyone see Raul/Norbert/others on the way out? I wanted to wait but had to run home early.
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1757
Posted: 3/10/09 at 12:02pmI just put it on my Netflix queue. I assumed it was choreographed, but I didn't realize it was exact. That just makes it all the better!
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/30/08
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1758
Posted: 3/10/09 at 12:19pmIt made me think of DEFYING GRAVITY when Raul does the Idina hand gestures.
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1759
Posted: 3/10/09 at 12:23pmYeah, but that was all camp. This was NONE.
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1760
Posted: 3/10/09 at 2:06pmOh, how wonderful. As usual, I'm totally friggin' jealous of the people who were able to go.
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1761
Posted: 3/10/09 at 2:59pmWow, I bet "The Man that Got Away" was intense. Sad, really when you think of it's significance in his life. I wonder if that was intentional or not.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/30/08
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1762
Posted: 3/10/09 at 2:59pmIt really is a lovely sad song. It suits Raul's voice -
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1763
Posted: 3/10/09 at 3:07pm
Sad, really when you think of it's significance in his life. I wonder if that was intentional or not.
From what I understand, they don't choose their own songs.... but maybe some of the performers do.
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1764
Posted: 3/10/09 at 4:19pmMaybe they don't, but maybe someone who knows them really well does....
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1765
Posted: 3/11/09 at 10:32am
The L5Y duet is deadly. Just thought I'd declare that. 
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/30/08
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1766
Posted: 3/11/09 at 11:11amI am not familiar with LAST 5 YERAS and there doesn't appear to be a cast recording. Any suggestions on a way for me to get to know this show better? I am really kicking myself that I missed the performances at Westport Playhouse about a year ago (I think I have the timing right.).
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1767
Posted: 3/11/09 at 11:15am
Um, there is a cast recording through Sh-k-boom. And you should def buy it.
I think it's on iTunes as well.
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1768
Posted: 3/11/09 at 11:18am
http://sh-k-boom.com/boutique.html#shkboom
Scroll down, it's there. It's also on iTunes. It's one of my favorite scores. You're missing out if you haven't heard it!
I wanted to go out to the production in CT last year (the one Kristin Huffman did), but the timing was horrible for me. I was finishing my senior spring semester and spent much of it in thesis isolation.
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1769
Posted: 3/11/09 at 11:35am
The Last Five Years (a fairly awful local production) was actually the very first stage musical I ever saw. I don't listen to it often (or ever, really) but it is very good.
Here you can insert a coy comment about how wonderful I found the Miscast duet (if only I'd happened to hear it).
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1770
Posted: 3/11/09 at 12:02pm
I'm with you Craww, I rarely listen to the album. It's not one of my favorites. From my experience, "Goodbye until Tomorrow" is a great song, BUT the tempo is torture.
However, I LOVE the song "Moving Too Fast".
But what makes the album a must have is Norbert. Really, his brilliance is rarely matched.
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1771
Posted: 3/11/09 at 12:47pm
Emcee called to read me the songlist before the show and I said Raul should have The Man That Got Away. Or one of the Annie songs. Sadly I was only half right.
If I were running this show, I'd want the choices to be humorous. Like Michael Cerveris performing "Gonna Wash that Man Right Outta My Hair". That would be more fun than just switching the genders.
Wanting life but never knowing how
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1771
Posted: 3/11/09 at 1:03pm
But what makes the album a must have is Norbert. Really, his brilliance is rarely matched.
Agreed. I love Sherie too, but Norbert makes the album.
I'd probably make the choices a little more comical, too. lol, Michael would rock it, you know he would.
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1772
Posted: 3/11/09 at 2:05pmDoes anyone know if clips of this performance have shown up anywhere?
The Raúl E. Esparza 'Spread The Love' Thread, Part Four#1773
Posted: 3/11/09 at 3:34pm
But at the same time, a song that taps into your life are just plain brutal and can show vulnerability that actors usually like to keep locked away. Which is why I'm sure there was a reason Raul sang "The Man that Got Away". I could see Michael singing something like "Past My Prime" from Lil' Abner.
And Michael is ALL about Rock. And skirts. So he'd love it. Actually, that could be really funny. And use all those HORRIBLE whigs he's had to where in the past.
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