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

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

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!

[jewishboy]

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?

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

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?

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 3/11/08 at 2:45am

i just watched the clip......thanks for posting haha wow

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 3/11/08 at 2:47am

I can die now

[jewishboy]

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?

[Flaunt It]

Posted: 3/11/08 at 8:25am

Why hasn't Donna been a ROXIE?

[hellzapoppin2000]

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.

[best12bars]

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."

[husk_charmer]

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.

[morosco]

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.

[BrodyFosse123]

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.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/11/08 at 11:46am

What did you think of the clip Brody?

[DottieD'Luscia]

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?!"

[ljay889]

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.

[LadyRosecoe]

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.

[WonderBoy]

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!

[WestVillage]

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.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

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.

[husk_charmer]

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

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

[BrodyFosse123]

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.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

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.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/11/08 at 3:34pm

Ray-
She was. To both. I'll see if I can video clip those easier.

[BrodyFosse123]

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.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/11/08 at 3:45pm

Ok...I'll post Ann.