A great decade for Bernadette Peters

qolbinau said: "In the last 10 years, Bernadette gave a definitive performance of "Send in the Clowns", headlined a wonderful cast of "Follies" and was a triumph in "Hello, Dolly!". Here's to the next decade and hopefully some interesting projects, such as a reunion of Sunday in the Park with George, a revival of Dear World, a concert of The Visit, involvement in Sondheim's new show or anything else on the horizon! Thanks Bernadette!!"

I would love to see her in a revisal of Dear World (including elimination of the title song or a drastic re-writing of the lyrics). I think she would be terrific. Think she would be great in the Lilianne Montevecchi role in Nine if we are lucky to get one before even she is too old for the role.

As you know, I don't agree with you re Follies (I did not like her or Jan Maxwell). I thought she was great in ALNM and was really disappointed that I was unabletosee her in Dolly. I am sure she was terrific; hell, she was perfect for the role.

I was fortunate enough to see her in 'A Little Night Music' as well as "Hello Dolly!". And as an extra treat - the first season of "The Good Fight" , the spinoff from 'The Good Wife'.

She may be too old now, but she would've been great in a revival of 'Mame'. But I think that ship has sailed.

Didn't like her in Follies (the director was not a good director of actors, Elaine Page being the biggest casualty), but otherwise she did indeed have a great decade. I treasure having seen her in Hello, Dolly!

Dear World is not a good show, apparently, and in spite of its largely lovely score has proven resistant to revising, but she would be a wonderful Countess Aurelia. She might have better luck in a revival of The Madwoman of Chaillot.

What a lovely, positive thread.

I too hope for Dear World to finally hit the heights and Bernadette is ideal casting.

Her performance in Dolly was one of the most joyous performances I've ever seen. She was clearly having such a ball in that role, playing up her Bernadette schtick when necessary and bringing in real pathos when called for.

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "David10086 said: "She may be too old now, but she would've been great in a revival of 'Mame'. But I think that ship has sailed."

I've always thought that. She's probably at the very top of Mame's age bracket right now. The bigger issue aside from age is the financial optics –– Dolly sold because it's Dolly and there were still plenty of theatre lovers who had missed it with Bette or wanted to see it again;I do not think it's financially viable to build a bigDolly-style revival around Bernadette. (And the Toni Collette revival issupposedlyhappening in 2021/22)

Bernadette in an ENCORES production ofBallroomhas always been a pipedream of mine. Has she ever sung Fifty Percent?"

Unlike Dolly, Mame ages at least 15 years over the course of the show. That ship passed a long time ago. The only question I have relates to dancing. Lansbury danced the hell out of that show, especially in the title number, where her kicks were (no doubt intentionally higher than the ensemble). I do not ever recall Peters dancing in a show, even a little bit. Am I forgetting something? For that reason, I question whether she would have been perfect for the role as conceived. Take out the dancing Mame does and you eliminate a good amount of the excitement.

Jarethan said: "Unlike Dolly, Mame ages at least 15 years over the course of the show. That ship passed a long time ago. The only question I have relates to dancing. Lansbury danced the hell out of that show, especially in the title number, where her kicks were (no doubt intentionally higher than the ensemble). I do not ever recall Peters dancing in a show, even a little bit. Am I forgetting something? For that reason, I question whether she would have been perfect for the role as conceived. Take out the dancing Mame does and you eliminate a good amount of the excitement."

I don't know if she could still do them today, but her kicks were certainly high enough for "Easy Street" in Annie. And of course she did a lot of tapping in a number of variety show appearances (especially the Carol Burnett Show) in the 70s and 80s and did quite a bit of dancing in Pennies from Heaven.