Ann Reinking's Singing in CHICAGO..

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 2:00am

I love Ann Reinking. I think she's amazing.

Her singing was great in the 70's and 80's. She sounds GREAT in "All That Jazz", and "Annie." And I heard clips of "Goodtime Charley" and she sounded really good! I'm glad she was nominated for that.

But as Roxie - her raspiness is so extreme. For me - I love it. But her singing for Roxie is definitely an aquired taste. But I was wondering did she put a lot of that on - the raspiness, or was that her natural singing voice at the time. Because only a few years before that she was singing Rosie in Birdie just fine from what most say. I mean she always had a raspy singing voice, but it's so extreme in CHICAGO. I like how she sounds on NOWADAYS, but on some songs she gets very extreme, especially ROXIE, the way she delivers her lines in that song will scare you and make you laugh.

And on Ute Lemper's DVD that I own, they have clips of Ann in rehearsals with Ute and Ruthie. And she was singing along with NOWADAYS and she sounded fine.

So I'm basically wondering, is Ann's singing in CHICAGO, how she naturally sings now? It's kind've sad - because in her early years, she had a great voice. She's like Gwen in so many ways!
Updated On: 8/21/05 at 02:00 AM

[Parks]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 2:01am

I was just listening to the Chicago revival cast recording...and she kinda scares me in Roxie with her laughing...so does Bebe...(their laughs)...

I miss Luba and Charlotte.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 2:03am

LOL Yeah. Ann and Bebe take a while to get used to!

But I suggest you check out the London Cast Recording! Ruthie and Ute are two VERY powerhouse singers, and their vocals are a lot more easy going.

def. check it out.

[.LittleWing. 0224]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 2:05am

when i first read the title of the thread i swear i read

"Ann Reinking's Sinking in CHICAGO"...

and i was really confused. got it now though, i know you were all concerned. it's just hard for some people

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 2:08am

I listen to the revival recording, and to me, Ann's singing is not very good. Maybe it is not supposed to be (ala Cabaret). I kept skipping her songs after a while because I felt like she was not that easy to listen to.

But . . . she still sings better than me . .

[Parks]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 2:10am

...I can sing Roxie's songs better than Ann...and I am not a female. hahaha

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 2:10am

Oh I love her singing. I always thought it was a little tribute to Gwen.(The vocals in Chicago)

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 2:12am

I used to have Ann and Tommy performing "Rosie" from Bye BYe Birdie on a TONY telecast but i lost the vhs! I recall the dancing was so smooth. Loved it!
Updated On: 8/21/05 at 02:12 AM

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 8:30am

I agree that most of the sound Ann has in CHICAGO is probably a character choice as a tribute to Gwen. I felt that even more when I saw her live -- it seemed to me that she was putting on a little quiver in her voice to sound a bit like Gwen.

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 8:45am

I always thought it was a little bit of age and a bit of a tribute to Gwen as well. And of course you can sing better Parks. You're a younger girl. :)

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 9:08am

Maybe this just didn't translate well to the revival recording, or to those of us who aren't as familiar with the history behing the show. Though I may be stoned for this on the board, I have never heard the original BCR. I only became aware of the show with the revivial. I saw it tour here in LA.

Unfotunately, born and bred in LA, we get socked with more movie history than live theater history. Thanks for providing some more background on this.

[Jwei123]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 9:37am

Unfortunately, that is not only how she sings, but how she speaks as well... it is just her voice. It makes her very unique, because, as she says, it is such a "character" voice...

I really didn't mind it for roxie, but I'm sure it hasnt helped her career too, too much.

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 10:51am

Yeah...I always wondered this as well but when I got the "Side Show" recording she didn't sound like she did on the "Chicago" recording....the "Side Show" CR is AWESOME by the way.


How old is Ann anyway...? she looks like she isn't that old to me...but she's been around for so long.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 12:08pm

I figured she was probally trying to tribute to Gwen with the vocals, and she was probally putting it on a little. They say if she didn't miss a lot of performances (injury, death in family) she probally would've been nominated for Best Actress along with Bebe. But she won for Best Choreography..

Jwei, I don't get how her Roxie could hurt her career? She got great reviews. She's getting older. She mainly sticks to choreographing shows, and helped create with Gwen Verdon and Nicole Fosse the big hit FOSSE.
And in the late 90's, the Weissler's invited Ann back to play a Roxie stint on the Boston run of the tour, and her Velma was Ruthie Henshall.

Okay, and for those who've only heard her singing for Roxie. Check out her movies, especially ALL THAT JAZZ. She is INCREDIBLE. Her dancing is just..amazing. And she has some heartbreaking acting moments. And best of all - she is playing a character based on herself! Oh how I wish I've seen her on Bway.

Updated On: 8/21/05 at 12:08 PM

[Demitri2]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 12:27pm

Ann Reinking...SIDE SHOW recording? Which one do you have UNMASKED cause she's not on mine nor was she in the show when I saw it?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 12:29pm

-buries his face into both his hands-

[Sant]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 12:40pm

"I have never heard the original BCR."

Well, if you've heard Ann Reinking's performance on cd, you've pretty much heard Gwen Verdon's performance too. There's not much difference, they sound almost the same.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 1:13pm

i definately think it was a homage to gwen. Who's voice i love in the damn yankees dvd but her roxie "voice" irritates the hell outta me.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 1:33pm

I found her singing on the Chicago revival recording absolutely unlistenable. Like nails on a chalkboard for me. Every time one of her songs comes up, I reach for that fast forward button immediately.

But that's just me.

[sassypanz]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 2:12pm

I didnt really get the raspything in the recording. was she having a bad day?

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 2:54pm

I like her singing on the Chicago recording. I prefer it to some of her other work. Except when she says the line, "Nobody walks out on me." She says it funny. lol But other than that I enjoy it.

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 4:09pm

WHOAAAAA..........I've got sooooooooooooooooooooooooo the wrong person...I was thinking of Alice Ripley....Blah (brain fart)

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 4:14pm

As I said, if you really want to hear Ann sing, rent ALL THAT JAZZ the movie, or ANNIE - which I'm sure most of you have seen.

I think Ann brings the raspiness a little more extreme than Gwen. We know the Gwen story. Gwen's voice was never like that, she had a LOVELY belty voice - then during SWEET CHARITY rehearsals a feather was wrapped around her vocal chords, and she lost most of her range, it was a real tragedy. And to make matters worse - during CHICAGO she had polyps on her throat. So her voice was pretty much shot, and it was a real shame. If you listen to her earlier Cast Recordings, you'll be shocked. I've even heard her VERY rare solo album from the 50's, and it's SHOCKING how damn good her voice was.

So Gwen had her own signature sound for Roxie, and it worked PERFECTLY for the character. So I definitely think Ann tried to recreate that. Plus she played Roxie in the 70's on Broadway, which I've heard from family she was INCREDIBLE during that stint.

I do wish the original cast from the CHICAGO revival can all return for the revivals last show whenever that happens. But it seems like The Weisslers burned their bridges with Bebe.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 4:16pm

Ute Lemper....

*swoons*

[Sant]

Posted: 8/21/05 at 4:54pm

What happened between the Weisslers and Bebe?

It's too bad if she will never play Velma again! Of all Velmas I've seen (and there are many of them!!) she's definitely the best! It would be great to see Bebe and Chita Rivera as Velma and Roxie respectively!