APPLEGATE APPEARS AT LAST "CHARITY" IN BOSTON

I just returned from the final show and wow..they really should have given this a shot. Charlotte, Jannie and Kyra have grown tremendously. Charlotte's singing blew me away..she was belting tonight and sounded great! The cast was totally into it and was superb. I wish they had given it a shot in NY. Charlotte and Dennis got big entrance applause, and the audience almost blew the roof off of the Colonial Theatre at Charlotte's curtain call. Poor Charlotte broke down a bit and looked genuinely grateful. After this, Christina Applegate, looking fabulous, sans cast, walking beautifully, walked out, waved to the crowd and took a final bow with the company.
*Sigh*...i'll miss this show.

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Updated On: 3/27/05 at 10:40 PM

I am so upset this show did not make it. So many dedicated cast members...talented too! Gosh, I am going to start crying, lol.

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I'm so glad I was able to see the show in Chicago before Christina injured herself. I had so much fun watching the show and I too wish it had made it to Broadway.
I'm thrilled to hear Christina appeared at the show today. I hope she gets some more experience and gets back on stage soon, with time and experience she could prove to be quite a talent.

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Updated On: 3/27/05 at 10:46 PM

If Christina was at the show today and took a vow, I would guess that those "lawsuit" rumors can be put to rest.

Yeah I doubt Fran and Barry would let someone suing them appear onstage at their show...even if Barry had to take her down himself.

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Yes, Charlotte had really grown in the short time. I'll bet today was very emotional for her but I'm sure she is grateful the she had the chance, however brief, to play this role. It was a precious moment for her and, if I may say so, a precious moment for me as well. Charlotte's performance in this show reminded me of why I fell in love with Broadway and musical theatre in the first place. Seeing her in this show took me back to when I was a kid and I felt pure joy before cynicism started to cloud things. I am so glad that I was able to have that moment of joy! Thank you, Charlotte!

I was there, too, and I can tell you that it was NOT the hack job that some of the papers in Boston said it was. It wasn't perfect by any means, but Charlotte and Denis (especially Denis, good LORD is that man talented) were fantastic.

I felt SO bad for Christina. I don't if she was there for the entire show or not, but to watch someone play your role while the show closes had to be hard. I just wanted to give her a big hug. I was contemplating going to the stage door, but what the hell was I going to say? To any of them?

It's just really unfortunate.

But Charlotte was wonderful, Christina looked really, really good, and Denis O'Hare needs to do show after show after show.

now that they arent making a revival cd, which cd should i get?

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There are only 3 versions of the score currently in print:

Original 1966 Broadway Cast Recording starring Gwen Verdon, John McMartin, Helen Gallagher and Thelma Oliver. Re-released by Sony a couple of years ago, it was re-mastered and is an excellent recording.

Original 1969 Motion Picture Soundtrack starring Shirley MacLaine, John McMartin, Chita Rivera, Paula Kelly and Sammy Davis, Jr. Re-released by Decca last year after being out of print for years. They really didn't do anything special with it. If you want to hear the songs as they were originally performed in the film I would stay away from this album because the score is butchered and not presented the way they were actually performed in the film. Rent the DVD instead.

1995 Jay Studio Cast Recording starring Jacqueline Dankworth and Gregg Edelman. This version is of an all-studio cast and contains some parts of the score that were never recorded before. I've never heard it but I've heard mixed things about this one.

1986 New Broadway Cast Recording [OUT OF PRINT] starring Debbie Allen, Michael Rupert, Bebe Neuwirth and Alison Williams. I saw this revival and still own the CD. I like the performances, but what I don't like is the truncated "Rich Man's Frug" and the synthesized versions on this recording. I would have preferred an honest to goodness real orchestra like they had in the theatre.

Original 1968 London Cast Recording [OUT OF PRINT] Starring Juliet Prowse.
Released briefly as part of Sony's WEST END series, this is a great version of the Cy Coleman-Dorothy Fields score. Juliet Prowse is charming as Charity Hope Valentine. I would have loved to see her do this live.

Overall, if in doubt go with the Original 1966 Broadway Cast recording...you can't go wrong with the one that started it all.

i'm kinda surprised that the Weisslers didn't try to take it on the road (albeit it would take some recasting, naturally). The physical production would not be such a loss to them if so. And it seems like the product for the road is a little short this coming season. There are character roles that "road names" could have filled to pull in some audiences. i hate to see a revival get this close and have to pull the plug. They toured BIRDIE with Tune and Reinking and it never got to NYC either, why not this?

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Good for Christina for showing up. I'd like to think that she was showing the audience just how close she was to getting back on the boards when the Weisslers decided to pull the plug.

And once again I notice not BAD reviews, but fair to good. And I say once again...these reviews are better than shows currently running on Broadway now. But, it doesn't matter now, for now we won't be able to see the show and form an opinion of the material ourselves. God forbid.

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Gosh, what about those three ensemble members who came directly from Wicked? That's a shame. Boo for the unemployment of actors.

~Steven

Yes, I talked to Dennis O'Hare on Saturday. He said he was very sad, but the fact that he gets paid through september wasnt so bad.

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