BWW TV: Encores! Summer Stars THE WIZ Sneak Peek - Ashanti Sings 'Home'

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 5/20/09 at 10:21pm

Click Here to Read BWW TV: Encores! Summer Stars THE WIZ Sneak Peek - Ashanti Sings 'Home'

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 5/20/09 at 10:32pm

Well, she's a bit sharp in places, but not as bad as I was anticipating. However, this is a one-off...not after doing 8 performances.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 5/20/09 at 10:35pm

Eh. Okay, I guess.

No matter what she does, this production will always carry the stank of a wasted opportunity.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 5/20/09 at 10:36pm

^ A-men.

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 5/20/09 at 10:40pm

It was ok, but I still love Jazmine Sullivan's... and she was 11 when that was recorded. Much better.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/20/09 at 10:42pm

I actually thought she sounded pretty good. Yes, she had a little trouble on the higher passage, but not the disaster some were expecting.

[Sauja]

Posted: 5/20/09 at 11:27pm

Now, maybe I'm just feeling extra kind having come home from Guys and Dolls and having that disaster fresh in my mind, but I actually really, really enjoyed this. It could end up that she can't pull it off eight times a week. Or it could turn out that she just gets better and better with rehearsal. It remains to be seen, but I'm more optimistic than I was before.

[BwayLeadman]

Posted: 5/20/09 at 11:27pm

i didn't like it at all, thats just me...

[Bar none]

Posted: 5/20/09 at 11:35pm

Not bad at all.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 5/20/09 at 11:36pm

After seeing this video, I'm willing to give Ashanti a chance. We'll see how this song sounds after she's sung the rest of the show.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 5/21/09 at 1:02am

Agreed. IdinaBellFoster. She isn't my first choice by far, and I still find the whole thing underwhelmingly cast. However, she could turn out amazing.

That said, she has to get through "Soon as I Get Home," "Be A Lion," all three "Ease on Down the Road"s, and "Everybody Rejoice/Brand New Day" (I can never remember which is stage and which is film).

[JBSinger]

Posted: 5/21/09 at 11:09am

Better than I thought. At least she did more than just "get through" it. She just needs to open her eyes more and let the song become a theatrical moment and a journey. right now it's just a singer singing a song.
Per the Summer Stars mission, I don't think this is a role she was "born to play" but hopefully a good director and the awesome supporting cast will help her raise the stakes. they are probably hoping for a commercial transfer with as many names attached to this show.
I wish them all the best!

[Broadwayboy2631]

Posted: 5/21/09 at 12:15pm

I feel like I misjudged her, based on what I saw from broadway.com. Overall, with the song as a whole, she actually does a decent job. I trust the creative team, so I'll give this girl a chance.

[2blocksfrombway]

Posted: 5/21/09 at 1:11pm

sorry, but that was wretched! there are so many other talented young women who could knock this song out of the park!!! it really makes me angry that they cast this girl because she is a known pop performer. i am super disappointed with thomas kail! after all that terrific work he did assembling the superior cast of ITH, you would think he wouldn't settle for this. BOO!

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 5/22/09 at 1:00pm

Just saw the video--I liked the beginning, but it got messy near the end.

Updated On: 5/22/09 at 01:00 PM

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 5/22/09 at 1:59pm

I thought she sounded great except her last note and her vibrato is a little weird.

[soapguy17]

Posted: 5/23/09 at 1:36am

As far as pop singers go, this was a top-notch performance of a showtune. As far a musical theatre performers go. . .not so much. I clicked on the link without expecting anything, when you look at how she sounded at the start of her career and how she sounds now, there's no doubt in my mind that she's willing to work to get better at things. I WILL be there, and my family WILL force me to see this, so I'm going to see what happens. I'm hoping she'll knock it out of the park. I'm also REAAAALLLY hoping that she has some awesome/kick-ass stand-bys and understudies. If the show can't be used to teleport some awesome woman into the musical theatre stratosphere why not at least get one some slight exposure when Ashanti's sick? Alas, that may just be idealistic wishful thinking on my part.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 5/23/09 at 1:47am

JBSinger's point that right now it's just a singer singing a song couldn't be more true. She does a good job but yes, she is singing the song, there is no musical theater-ness to it, IMO.

[DiVAgrl]

Posted: 5/24/09 at 9:55pm

Eh.

She was better than I expected but I agree that this was a wasted opportunity. It sounds like she listened to Diana Ross & Stephanie Mills and took favorite parts from both of them. With a new production I would've liked to have seen a new face, and heard a new interpretation. (Just MHO)

... having said that, she wasn't bad. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt when I see it.

[musicalfandukie]

Posted: 5/24/09 at 11:45pm

Her voice is not big enough for that song. The ending of the song was just disappointing.