Becky Gulsvig breaks toe, Lauren Zakrin Elle for two weeks, and also the new Elle? — Page 7

I wasn't a fan of that video. It was like Elle on helium.

Exactly. Great analogy!

Something doesn't feel right. I was expecting to love her Elle, but she comes off spastic and unintelligent.

Just having seen the show on their Memphis leg and already having seen the OBC and reality re-cast, I didn't know what to expect from this mish-mash of OBC'ers & newbies.

The show felt rushed. Singing was garbled. Enunciation is KEY in a wordy show like this and many on-stage mumbled their way through the songs. Becky, for all of the talk about her great vocals, sounded totally underpowered, was drowned out by the orchestra and didn't put together an 'owning the stage' kind of performance. It felt like what it was: A once-ensemble member getting the upgrade to leading lady.

Unfortunately, that sort of thing worked much better for someone like Sutton Foster.

Say what you want about LBB, but what she had you can't teach in a class: She had star power. She could command the stage just by being on it. That is what Elle needs in this tour. I wasn't always looking AT Becky when she was on, I was sometimes looking through her. Not good.

I also prefer LBB's tapping in What You Want. Better technique and a much better dancer.

Loved DB Bonds. Best Emmett I've ever seen.

Natalie Joy: It's tough to imagine anything better than what Orfeh brought to the table. Joy just doesn't have the pipes to make her songs exciting. I was shocked they cast someone with this kind of small vocal range for songs this big.

Megan Lewis: She hit the needed notes in Legally Blonde! Loved her voice, character, look. As much as I enjoyed Shindle in the OBC, Lewis's vocals were much more effortless in delivery.

Coleen Sexton: WOW. She grew up into something amazing. My only experience was seeing her in a horrible cast of Jekyll and Hyde towards the end of its Broadway run. She was good, but definitely not in the vocal league of Linda Eder. Sexton was a fantastic Brooke. She brought it all to the table.



I don't think I'd see the tour again, but am glad the MTV performance was captured for future viewings. I like seeing the full set and a cast who looked absolutely over-the-moon to be performing the material.




BN

Updated On: 3/8/09 at 08:29 PM

BN, are you saying that the tour cast didn't seem like they were enjoying what they were performing?

I like Becky and her spin on Elle, but something changed between Broadway and the tour. I can't put my finger on it. I have only seen videos of her on Broadway, but I saw her live on the tour. As an understudy, she projected and belted the notes, but on the tour she's obviously trying to protect her voice and so she holds back. But something else changed, too, in her interpretation of the role and her ability to command the stage. Of course, take this with a grain of salt since I never saw her live on Broadway, but I did decide to see the tour based on the videos of Becky from before.

Don't believe everything (more like anything) you read on broadwaysecrets.

The tour cast ensemble works hard, it shows and for that, it makes the show enjoyable. The leads are just inconsistent and Becky needs to step it up vocally: This is a first National and needs to reflect it.

She's saving her voice? What, like this show is as vocally demanding as something like Dreamgirls or Gypsy? Come on... Any WELL TRAINED vocalist can sing this show 8 times a week without problem. For Becky to 'save' her voice and mark through some of the songs is unacceptable. There are many capable female performers out there who would kill for the opportunity to lead this tour. If you're not going to go full-out at every public performance, every single night, then maybe you're not in the right frame of work.

With some of the performances I saw in Memphis, it put some (but not all) of the show in community theatre territory.

Didn't mention these folks. Wanted to get them in:


Ken Land: Mushmouth. Had a nice voice, but didn't use it with proper technique. No diaphragm support.

Crystal Joy: I would have loved to see her in Dreamgirls at TUTS. Nice voice. Great attitude.

Courtney Wolfson: Best diction in the whole cast. Clear, concise vocals. Great comedic timing. A highlight.

Amber Efe: I loved her in the OBC and was happy to see her on the tour. Great voice. Bell-clear. I'd have much rather seen her on as Paulette, as I think she'd just blow away the audience. While she wasn't a lead, I couldn't take my eyes off of her when she was on-stage. Great charisma.





BN

How has becky's attendance been since she's been back? I have always heard about her wonderful attendance, but of course she wasn't on when I went to see lb last night in chicago. i wonder if she was just feeling under the weather or if there is another big ordeal

Have they put Rhiannon on yet, or are they still only using Zakrin?

ugh seriously?? its still in chicago until june 6. that is such a bummer--i missed her when she was in texas due to her foot and was confident i would see her this time.