Ann Crumb
Ann Crumb
#1Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/28/11 at 4:39amAny other fans of this great performer on here? What are some of her best songs? I listen to the recording of Aspects of Love on a regular basis, but not familiar with the other shows she was in.
#2Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/28/11 at 7:20am
By the way, I don't know if many of you know (perhaps you do?) that Ann Crumb in "Aspects" was the Actors Equity trade-off that allowed Sarah Brightman to play Christine in the U.S.
Llloyd Webber had to agree that he would cast a relatively unknown American performer in a leading role in his next musical after Phantom. He or she would originate the role in London and then transfer to the U.S.
He had to accept those terms before Sarah Brightman was approved for Broadway. So casting Ann Crumb, the "relatively unknown American performer," in the lead of his next show (Aspects) was fulfilling his contractual obligation with the union.
EDIT: Michael Crawford was already approved. In addition to him being considered an "essential" part of the success of the London production, he was also considered a celebrity at the time. Sarah Brightman was not.
EDIT EVEN MORE: Just to finish the story out ... initially, Actors' Equity wouldn't budge with their decision not to allow Brightman to play Christine in the Broadway production of Phantom. Lloyd Webber had already held auditions in the U.S. and cast Patti Cohenour in the role. Then "Mrs. Webber" wanted to come to Broadway, so he approached Equity and they refused. He threatened to cancel the entire transfer to Broadway if they didn't work something out. That much made the news, by the way ("No Phantom For Broadway," that sort of thing.) Equity finally came back to him with the stipulation about casting an unknown American in a leading role for his next show, and that's how they arrived at a compromise. Brightman got to go to Broadway with the show, and Ann Crumb landed the lead in Aspects in London and the U.S. And poor Patti Cohenour was asked to stay on as the "alternate" Christine, which she reluctantly agreed to. She was never officially announced in the role, but I was in NY at the time, with close mutual friends, and we all knew she had won the role. Then the "Brightman Incident" followed, and Patti was demoted to alternate.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#3Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/28/11 at 8:08am
I saw her perform in "Aspects" a couple of times in London too.
Here are a few of her recordings:
"The Goodbye Girl" - Original London Cast
"Nine" Concert Cast recording
"Inside Out" - Original Off-Broadway Cast
"Johnny Guitar" - original Off-Broadway Cast
#4Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/28/11 at 9:24am
I got the chance to work with Ann about a year ago in a regional production, and she's a lovely woman to be around. As far as what she's up to nowadays, in addition to regional work, she runs a non-profit that rescues dogs from kill shelters and places them in no-kill shelters.
ETA: Here she is as Norma Desmond
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhh4eYa6Jl0&feature=related
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#5Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/28/11 at 11:13am
"By the way, I don't know if many of you know (perhaps you do?) that Ann Crumb in "Aspects" was the Actors Equity trade-off that allowed Sarah Brightman to play Christine in the U.S."
And when Ann Crumb left "Aspects" her replacement was...Sarah Brightman.
Does anyone know if Ann left because she wanted to or was she pushed out so that ALW could have his way?
#6Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/28/11 at 11:58amThanks for the info. I am a fan of Brightman too and they were both fantastic as Rose Vibert, Ann Crumb had a very long run in London and Broadway, I am sure she decided to leave the production herself.
blaxx
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/05
#7Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/28/11 at 2:55pm
Does anyone know if Ann left because she wanted to or was she pushed out so that ALW could have his way?
Sarah Brightman was actually brought in to try to save Aspects of Bore. The show was trashed by critics and was a major flop. I remember Brighthman appearing in TV shows, announced as the original Christine in the new Webber show - obviously, that didn't save the Titanic from sinking. It was the beginning of Webber's Broadway downfall, and it just got worse from there.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#8Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/28/11 at 3:43pm^^^ I never understood that. I liked Aspects. Was it the perfect musical? No. But it had some good moments and I think it was better than some of the other stuff I've seen on Broadway.
#9Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/28/11 at 3:58pm
best12bars, it's so funny you tell that story about Patti Cohenour and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, because a very similar thing almost happened with LOVE NEVER DIES.
While Sierra Boggess was involved with LOVE NEVER DIES from the beginning, there was one workshop Disney wouldn't let her out of THE LITTLE MERMAID to do, so she was replaced for that incarnation by (the terrific) Elena Shaddow, who everyone loved. When the original plan involving several concurrent productions of the show was being worked out, the idea was that Boggess would open the show in London and Shaddow would open the show on Broadway simultaneously. Then, Lloyd Webber decided that he wanted the show to open in London first so that Boggess and Ramin Karimloo could open it there and on Broadway. While Boggess did all eight shows a week in London, had the production ever made it to New York, the plan was to have Shaddow become her matinee alternate, with a guarantee to take over the role permanently whenever it became available.
Lloyd Webber sure has a way of letting history repeat itself!
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
#10Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/28/11 at 4:25pm
I saw Ann Crumb in a regional production of Man of La Mancha with John Cullum and they were both magnificent.
By the way, were the violinists in the clip of Sunset Boulevard actually paid to do that?
#11Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/29/11 at 2:28am
I admit I have a huge soft spot for Aspects, and while it has many flaws, I never quite got why it was such a huge flop on Broadway (I believe it ran three or so years in London?). ALW was kinda at a loss, writing, for him, a relatively intimate show but feeling it had to be a big production after Phantom--although Maria Bjornson's original designs, wile probably too big for the piece, are, as usual with Bjornson, spectacularly evocative. While I always think some people's take on New York critics and ALW that it's some sort of conspiracy are silly, it does feel that some of the reaction to Aspects of love was a reaction to the perception that these London shows were taking over.
I didn't realize Sarah did it in New York. I know she took the minimalist, nearly all white, Robin Phillips production on tour for a year or so in North America (I saw the premier of that production as a kid living in Edmonton and at the time loved it, though I remember little about it except that it was hyped by ALW and others as finally doing the show intimately, with a few small rewrites, the way he claims he wanted...)
Either way, having heard Sarah sing Anything But Lonely and Chanson D'Enfance (with the original middle 8 that ALW later reused for Whistle, lol), I'd rather listen to Ann sing them anyday.
BroadwayShowTime
Understudy Joined: 9/11/10
#13Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/29/11 at 4:05am
Aspects of Love was thrilling at the Prince od Wales Theatre in LOndon. I saw Ann Crumb and Sarah Brightman- both were excellent.
I have always been puzzled by the show's reception on Broadway- it was no worse than many successful shows, with a set of lovely performances and a beautfiul design.
It has always felt like a backlash against the success of Phantom and other Brit musicals of the time. It will always suffer from being the show after 'Phantom' for ALW.
#14Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/29/11 at 7:53am
The relatively recent and very fine Menier Chocolate Factory revival of "Aspects", directed by Trevor Nunn with an excellent cast, showed why it will never be a hit.
The story with its non-stop inter-generational love affairs is preposterous and downright creepy.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#15Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/29/11 at 10:06am
"The story with its non-stop inter-generational love affairs is preposterous and downright creepy."
Maybe that's why they called it Aspects of Love. And remember it was based on a novella written in 1955, so the material was already out there.
And I found it less creepy than Sweeney Todd with the Judge and Joanna.
#16Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/29/11 at 10:45am
Aspects of Love is still my favorite Webber score. I saw the minimalist national tour and it was so beautiful. I also read the novel and the musical is a very faithful adaptation and perhaps improves on the source material. Lloyd Webber was known for spectacle and though Aspects originally opened with huge sets and designs, the story simply doesn't lend itself to spectacle and I think audiences were confused and disappointed that the story and score were strikingly different than his previous work and ultimately at odds with the staging. I'd love to see it return in a smaller production closer to the minimalist production that toured.
The story with its non-stop inter-generational love affairs is preposterous and downright creepy.
No more preposterous than...well...just about any other book musical.
#17Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/29/11 at 2:37pm
"Maybe that's why they called it Aspects of Love. And remember it was based on a novella written in 1955, so the material was already out there.
And I found it less creepy than Sweeney Todd with the Judge and Joanna"
Agreed 100%!
#18Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/29/11 at 3:29pm
Aspects of Love is certainly my favourite Andrew Lloyd Webber musical and in my all time top 10.
The lead of George was played in previews in London and was replaced by another actor Kevin Colson who went on to open the show on Broadway, the actor who pulled out admitted "he couldn't sing", who happens to be a Rodger Moore which is a shame as when he played 'James Bond' he seems to be able to do everything else!
This is probably why the Broadway production suffered, Michael Ball and Ann Crumb were fine in their respected roles, but the role of George does call for a big name that will attract an audience like Al Pacino, Jermey Irons or Anthony Hoskins etc.
And Yes if you can sing changes everything.
PitPro2004
Broadway Star Joined: 2/15/04
#19Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/29/11 at 7:33pm
I always thought Aspects was just a plain show, perhaps a jab at those who always felt that ALW's productions were high on effect but low on substance. Between this and Evita, they are both certainly more character driven.
I always gave Ann Crumb a HUGE amount of credit. Having seen Aspects in NYC about 5 times, I met her a fair share of times and she was so lovely and personable. Let us not forget what a tremendous amount of courage it took to get on that stage the night after she almost had her foot torn off in London.
#20Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/29/11 at 7:48pmAnn was the Fantine understudy in the original Broadway production of Les Miserables. I really like her take on the role in comparison to that of Randi Graff's.
MamasDoin'Fine
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/28/08
PitPro2004
Broadway Star Joined: 2/15/04
#23Ann Crumb
Posted: 12/30/11 at 8:27pm
I suppose the poster who was there can actually explain it better, but in short; there were two travellators (sp?)built into the stage (think flat escalators) and Ann had a habit of rubbing her foot on one during the show. At one point, her foot became lodged in it and it took off pulling her foot and her along with it. Pretty much almost sliced her foot in half.
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