America on Letterman this week

[Trish2]

Posted: 3/10/09 at 10:43pm

Why oh Why would they pick that number !!!??? Of course, I know why-it's the most uplifting number in the show. Unfortunately, it never soars. I can only imagine the youtube comparisons to Chita and Debbie. Considering this lackluster cast they would have been better off doing a montage of songs.
Updated On: 3/10/09 at 10:43 PM

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 3/10/09 at 10:45pm

It's fine. The average Joe Six-Pack watching Letterman won't be comparing Karen's dancing to Chita's the entire time. It's one of the better numbers in that lackluster revival.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/10/09 at 10:48pm

Karen's dancing is going to be brought up at least once a day on this board up until (and probably after) the Tonys. Mark my words.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/10/09 at 10:56pm

When does this air?

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 3/10/09 at 10:57pm

Thursday.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/10/09 at 11:00pm

I hope they do something with Karen's hair.
The close-up TV camera can be very cruel.
Who's Joe Six-Pac?

[Trish2]

Posted: 3/10/09 at 11:07pm

Yes , close-ups can be cruel. I certainly hope that someone on the creative team speaks to Karen about opening her mouth so much during the dance breaks. I'm sure it has to do with her dance insecurity, but it was certainly unflattering.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 6:47am

If the producers had any guts, they would do SIENTO HERMOSA.
Every interview and press release is stressing that the "groundbreaking" aspect of this production is the use of Spanish to make this revival more authentic. Josephina is getting the best buzz and she would look muy hermosa on camera.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 7:23am

Karen looks great in "America"...except for that inexplicable hair. She ACTUALLY looks like she just got out of the shower.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 7:43am

Agreed. She looks like that through most of the show and I was kinda irked by it for some reason...it's really long and flat and wet-looking.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 9:28am

Maybe 1% of the viewing audience will know theatre and dance well enough to notice the difference between Karen, Chita, Rita and Debbie. And maybe 0.5% will actually bother with the negative comparisons.

The rest of the country will see it and think "Oh my God, I love West Side Story!"

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 9:35am

Karen can't dance. Get her out of there!!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 9:47am

In any production, "America" gets the biggest hand of any number in the show, this one included, despite our carping. (And mine is admittedly the loudest.)

These producers are no dummies. They know the weaknesses of the current revival--and the strengths.

Of course they're doing "America" on national TV. It's a free commercial.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 1:45pm

"Maybe 1% of the viewing audience will know theatre and dance well enough to notice the difference between Karen, Chita, Rita and Debbie. And maybe 0.5% will actually bother with the negative comparisons."

Agreed. And those of us who know lots about theatre but little about dance (like me) probably won't even be able to tell the difference.

[Ole Chum]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 3:52pm

karen olivo is not also getting the loudest applause every night. they are not stupid. she is exactly who they want representing the show.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 4:46pm

I spoke to some people the other night who do not know a lot about theater and they said "America" was their favorite number and Karen was their favorite in the. I would just like everyone who is saying she can't dance to take into consideration that Karen is trying her best and is not a great dancer like Chita or Debbie but still performs the **** out of "America" every night.

It's probably my favorite number in the show as well.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 5:33pm

Of course it's their favorite number. The number is indestructible.

Arthur likes to tell a story about another indestructible number in another show: "You Gotta Have a Gimmick" in Gypsy.

Once, when Arthur was giving notes to director Sam Mendes about everything that was wrong with the Bernadette Peters Gypsy revival, Sam said to him, "Well, the number with the three strippers got a big hand!"

As Arthur reports it, he responded: "Sam...that means NOTHING. You could have cast Saddam Hussein and his two sons as those three strippers and it STILL would have gotten a hand."

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 8:24pm

I "heard" (wink) Karen's America and I love her voice in it. Sounds much cleaner than it did in Heights.

Charleston- Whenever you say "Get her out of there!" I always picture Patti screaming that to someone and I laugh.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 9:58pm

Ok, she may not be Chita, but Karen is way better than Saddam Hussein would be in Gypsy.

[insertclevernamehere]

Posted: 3/13/09 at 12:34am

On now
And they have NO room to dance.

Updated On: 3/13/09 at 12:34 AM

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/13/09 at 12:37am

Pretty good.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 3/13/09 at 12:38am

I'd buy a ticket.

[Trish2]

Posted: 3/13/09 at 12:39am

they had a very saavy camera director. shot it from all angles and never really featured her. smart move.

[bwayguy22089]

Posted: 3/13/09 at 12:40am

Great job They did the best with the room they had. Karen sounds great! Even if she can't dance, I didn't notice. She was giving it her all and enjoying it!

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 3/13/09 at 12:45am

I just watched it, and I did find the number to be lackluster. I don't think that it was the best number to do to promote the show. That said, I paid close attention to Karen's dancing, and she seemed to be doing well to me, at least as well as the other girls.