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4 guys attempt Cassie's "Music and the Mirror" — Page 3

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#51

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 2:29am

When she holds that last note on "dance" I get chills. She is truly magnificent, what a thrill it is her to watch her do it AND in full color. And seriously, it's impressive how she wears the red costume as if it were her own skin, especially when it looks so horrific on everyone else. Thanks, husk!
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#52

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 2:34am

OK, so after watching that clip I have to ask if we should just accept the fact that no one will ever be able to do that number like Donna? Or, should we still consider the possibility that dancers such as Shannon Lewis, Rachelle Rak, or Elizabeth Parkinson might be able to do the number justice?
#53

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 2:44am

Rachelle Rak and Natascia Diaz might be able to do the number justice but I think it's fair to say that no one will ever match or come close to the brilliance of McKechnie's Cassie. Just the same way no one will match Verdon's Charity, Murphy's Fosca, Peters' Dot, Lansbury's Mame, Rivera's Velma, etc. The perfect alchemy between role and performer is rarely achieved once, to get it twice is a bit far-fetched, IMO.
Re Elizabeth Parkinson, I've never seen her on stage, but I have read/heard from people that while she's an spectacular dancer she isn't much of an actress at all, is there any truth to that? How about her singing?
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#56

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 2:49am

I don't necessarily agree with this, but there was also doubt before A Chorus Line if McKechnie was a good actress herself (I think). Maybe Parkinson just needs the right role?
#58

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 9:08am

Donna auditioned for Walter Bobbie and Annie Reinking for Roxie in the late 90s, but was not offered the role. The rumor was there were some negative feelings/jealousies between her and Reinking that go back a long way.

The Richert video is from the national company circa 1979, because that's Stephen Crenshaw coming on as Paul. That is her baby fat and she is nineteen or twenty at the most. It is why she was Bennett's favorite for a while -- she was a real powerhouse.
#59

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 9:10am

What's also impressive about that clip?

Donna was 48 years old in 1988.

Damn.

I agree it's the perfect role created for her. She had an unusually good voice for a dancer, and most can't possibly do the song justice, even if they can do the dance. And I haven't seen any dancer do a better job either.

So, no. Let's just retire her red "jersey" and say that she is IT.

Or as Carly Simon once sang, "Nobody does it better."
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#60

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 9:33am

That's a damn good video for 1979.

Frankly, I fail to see how Wanda is a powerhouse. She stumbles several times during the Swank Lake portion, her passion and drive don't feel there. All I can hope is that she was better live.
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
#61

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 10:10am

The 1988 vid of McKechnie's return to Cassie is amazing. This was after her bout with severe arthritis.

She does an amazing performance with the lines leading up to the number. So raw and emotional. I've never seen another Cassie make it that real before.
#62

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 10:52am

Anyone interested in reading stuff regarding ALL of her shows (from the creation of the "Turkey Lurkey Time" number in PROMISES, PROMISES; the "Tick Tock" number in COMPANY; the failed ON THE TOWN revival to even the film THE LITTLE PRINCE) has to read this book. Her recollections bring to full circle all that is Cassie. It is a perfect case of art imitating life. If you're familiar with Donna's career, Cassie's monologue is chilling -- especially hearing Donna perform it. Cassie's life IS/WAS Donna's life.

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'
#64

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 12:12pm

WOW!!! Thanks for posting. After watching that I couldn't help but think, "what was Wanda Richert doing during her version of that number?!"
Hey Dottie! Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
#65

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 12:53pm

Her autobiography is wonderful. I especially (of course) loved the parts about Verdon & Fosse.

BUT I would love to hear more about this bad blood with Reinking.
#66

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 1:55pm

That was the one thing that I think lacked, was the juice. But I view her as a respectable performer so I wouldn't necessarily expect HER to write in that way. Donna's talk of the debilitating disease she went through and her recovery by the vitamins and all natural diet was probably what stuck with me the most actually. For somebody to document such a personal and frightening experience is something so much harder to write about than the gossip.
#67

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 2:01pm

Annie actually wound up wearing the skirt on the other side which is how all Cassies wore it after her. Donna was the only one to wear it on the right.

Wanda is a friend of mine and there are a lot of things you can say about her but she is the freaking jam and ah-mazingly talented and there is no denying that. I will leave that subject alone because it is not worth my time.

The vid of Donna is breathtaking as always. Thank you SO much for posting!
"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds." ~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns
#68

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 2:31pm

"Due to Ann Reinking's short torso and long legs, she was the only Cassie who didn't wear the red skirt. They first tried modifying the skirt length for her, but eventually gave up."

Annie said in The Longest Line that they tried it without the skirt for a few performances, but Michael thought it looked to vulgar, so the skirt came back. On the flip side, when Donna went into the national tour following the Broadway closing, she had gained some weight, and Baayork had Donna keep the skirt on through the entire show, because her butt/hips needed to be covered.
#69

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 3:18pm

I love Donna's memoir but I find it really heart-breaking, it's sad to see that her life post-A CHORUS LINE wasn't really all that great.
That's sad to hear about McKechnie and Reinking having some bad blood between them. That's the business I guess.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#71

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 3:21pm

McKechnie and Reinking ALLEGEDLY have some bad blood between themselves. This was hinted at but no one has confirmed nor elaborated on any details.

#72

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 3:32pm

I wonder if it had anything to do with Donna touring "Sweet Charity" and not Ann...

Well, it has been rumored that Reinking was basically responsible for the death of the SWEET CHARITY revival after Debbie Allen's departure. Allen had earned raves in the role, and apparently Reinking was a bit train-wrecky as Charity Hope Valentine (I'm a fan of Reinking but there is such a thing as miscast). I don't think anyone expected her to go touring with the show. I have heard that McKechnie was pretty spectacular in the tour though.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#74

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

Posted: 3/11/08 at 3:44pm

I already have clips of Donna in the 1987 tour of the revival of SWEET CHARITY formatted, so I'll post those on YouTube.com later tonight. I once had them posted on an older account on YouTube.com.

re: 4 guys attempt Cassie's 'Music and the Mirror'

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