Audra to sing the blues on Broadway...?- Page 2

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 2:41pm

Can someone clarify for me why we are assuming it will be a play? When this show first premiered off Broadway, it was considered a musical for awards (Lonette McKee was nominated for the Drama Desk for Best Actress in a Musical, and I believe it won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Book of a Musical). Who knows whether the producers will petition it to be considered a play, but the Tony committee could very well go with precedence and consider it a musical.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 2:43pm

It sounds in the same vain as Janis Joplin's show. It'll be a play.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 2:46pm

Any news on tickets?

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 2:47pm

It also sounds very similar to END OF THE RAINBOW, but in this specific case, it has been considered and judged as a musical before. I could easily see the Tony committee going either way, so I'm just wondering why everyone here is so confident it will be a play.

[AC126748]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 2:49pm

I realize Audra's an actor--and a talented one at that--but aside from being African American and female, nothing about her screams "Billie Holliday" to me.

[cardamon]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 2:51pm

"It sounds in the same vain as Janis Joplin's show. It'll be a play."

But the Tony committee ruled that Mary Bridget Davies is eligible for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a MUSICAL.


Tony Rulings for Big Fish, The Glass Menagerie, A Night with Janis Joplin and More Announced

[anmiller07]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 3:00pm

Love the artwork!
Audience Rewards pre-sale 3/3/14 - 3/5/14. General public tickets available 3/6/14




Lady Day on Broadway Updated On: 2/25/14 at 03:00 PM

[RW3]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 3:00pm

I want the website to buy tickets!!!

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 3:02pm

http://ladydayonbroadway.com

[anmiller07]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 3:03pm

This BWW article says the recent Off-Broadway show was a different musical. Don't know how accurate that is.
Schedule Announced for LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR AND GRILL with Audra McDonald; Opening Set for 4/13

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 3:06pm

The Times said that too.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 3:11pm

I feel like the "Schedule Announced" part of that release is strange. Maybe it's just me.

[anmiller07]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 3:20pm

I thought so too. It made it seem like there would be a non-traditional performance schedule.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 3:29pm

"Raul Esparza has also been nominated in all 4 acting categories at the Tonys, but I think he and Boyd Gaines are the only two." Thanks Simplymarvelous, I had forgotten about Raul.

[thebeautyis3]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 3:34pm

The press release calls it a "musical play." I'd assume that means they're going to try to petition it as a play? Whether or not they're allowed to remains to be seen. Haha.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 3:39pm

I thought my "to-do" list for the Spring was finalized, but I guess not. I'm very excited for this.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 3:44pm

I realize Audra's an actor--and a talented one at that--but aside from being African American and female, nothing about her screams "Billie Holliday" to me.

The same thing was said of Diana Ross when she made LADY SINGS THE BLUES.

She received an Oscar nomination.

[christhefish]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 4:04pm

Does anyone know the play well enough to know how many songs it includes? Any chance it will lead to a recording as End of the Rainbow did?

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 4:23pm

The Times article said she will perform 18 songs.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 4:27pm

I am hoping the Tony committee considers it a musical. It will make the race for Leading Actress that much more exciting.

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 4:39pm

I'm willing to be wrong about this, and I'm still going to go to give it a fair shot, but I'm not a fan of this casting as of now. To be honest, I'm not all that crazy about Audra's voice when she's not singing legit soprano. I don't like her voice on the Dreamgirls concert recording at all. She's a very talented woman no doubt, but I have my reservations.





Updated On: 2/25/14 at 04:39 PM

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 4:48pm

Not to gear this thread off topic but since Visceral_Fella did bring it up, I also am not a fan of Audra's voice on the DREAMGIRLS IN CONCERT recording. Her voice was just all wrong for that character and that score.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 4:52pm

I'm really excited for what they'll do with the Circle in the Square for this one. The show subject and venue selection seem to suggest the potential for a really great immersive, pub/cabaret atmosphere. I hope the creative team is thinking the same thing! Given that there has already been discussion about table seating and on-stage options, I think they may be.

Count me as someone who is genuinely confused now on both questions: is this a musical or play and is it a revival or is it new? I'm well aware of the classics rule but this seems like they've reworked or even entirely redone the off-Broadway version? When I first heard about it I was also under the impression it would be considered a play with music, but if it's including 18 songs, granted probably not 18 complete songs, I'd be hard-pressed to see how that isn't a musical.

I'm also now confused. I thought A Night with Janis Joplin was ruled a musical?

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 5:18pm

I'm well aware of the classics rule but this seems like they've reworked or even entirely redone the off-Broadway version?

I don't understand why you got that impression. From everything I've read, it looks like a revival (first time on Broadway) of the 1986 off-Broadway musical by Lanie Robertson.

When people are saying that it's completely different than last year's off-Broadway play, they mean it is a completely different play. Last year's show was titled just LADY DAY and was written by Stephen Stahl.

[Sauja]

Posted: 2/25/14 at 5:24pm

A Night with Janis Joplin IS considered a musical. And since this is a revival of a show that was also considered a musical, it seems a safe assumption it will be in that category.

Vocally, Audra really is a bizarre match for Holliday, but damned if I don't fully intend to buy a ticket!