#76
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:23pm
I don't care what anyone says, I love Elaine Stritch and she is a crazy mofo and that makes her even better.
Broadway concert at White House Discussion — Page 4
#77
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:24pm
That speech was absolutely fantastic.
#78
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:24pm
Wait, this girl is the tour Tracy? REALLY?
"You just can't win. Ever. Look at the bright side, at least you are not stuck in First Wives Club: The Musical. That would really suck. "
--Sueleen Gay
#79
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:24pm
Uh oh. Michelle Obama isn't gonna like a fat girl taking up the stage at the White House.
"Are you sorry for civilization? I am sorry for it too." ~Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck
#80
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:25pm
Didn't the tour end?
#81
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:26pm
....Mmmmk....
"I'm seeing the LuPone in Key West later this week. I'm hoping for great vocals and some sort of insane breakdown..." - BenjaminNicholas2
#82
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:26pm
Oh Elaine!
Here's the final rundown:
Barack Obama - Welcome
Elaine Stritch - "Broadway Baby"
Nathan Lane - Opening
Assata Alston - "Gimme Gimme"
Brian D'Arcy James - "Blue Skies"
Audra McDonald - "I Can't Stop Talking about Him"
Chad Kimball - "Memphis Lives in Me"
Tonya Pinkins - "Gonna Pass Me A Law"
Idina Menzel - "Defying Gravity"
Nathan Lane & Brian D'Arcy James - "Free"
Audra McDonald - "Happiness is Just a Thing Called Joe"
Idina Menzel with Marvin Hamlisch - "What I Did For Love"
Elaine Stritch - "I'm Still Here"
Danielle Arci, Constantine Rousouli and the Kids - "You Can't Stop the Beat"
Here's the final rundown:
Barack Obama - Welcome
Elaine Stritch - "Broadway Baby"
Nathan Lane - Opening
Assata Alston - "Gimme Gimme"
Brian D'Arcy James - "Blue Skies"
Audra McDonald - "I Can't Stop Talking about Him"
Chad Kimball - "Memphis Lives in Me"
Tonya Pinkins - "Gonna Pass Me A Law"
Idina Menzel - "Defying Gravity"
Nathan Lane & Brian D'Arcy James - "Free"
Audra McDonald - "Happiness is Just a Thing Called Joe"
Idina Menzel with Marvin Hamlisch - "What I Did For Love"
Elaine Stritch - "I'm Still Here"
Danielle Arci, Constantine Rousouli and the Kids - "You Can't Stop the Beat"
"When the audience comes in, it changes the temperature of what you've written." -Stephen Sondheim
#83
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:27pm
Worst.Ever.
Sad that is the best that could be offered.
Sad that is the best that could be offered.
#84
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:30pm
I missed Obama's opening speech. What did he say?
#85
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:30pm
Katurian2, I nearly choked while laughing at your post!
singing, it may not have been perfect but it was a good show. And it is so nice to see something like this take place in the White House.
singing, it may not have been perfect but it was a good show. And it is so nice to see something like this take place in the White House.
Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder
#86
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:31pm
Constantine Rousouli! Love him. If they do air this on PBS in October I hope they fix some of the vocals.
#87
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:31pm
Elaine Stritch was a hot fabulous MESS! And I mean that in the BEST possible way because she was clearly the HIGHLIGHT of the evening. Don't know how much of that performance, or her speech will make it to the final broadcast version, I'm just glad I was there to witness it.
#88
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:32pm
Is that REALLY what Memphis is like? I mean, the song was OK, but he sounded awful! I HOPE the show is better than that!
Idina was great, and I felt bad for Elaine Stritch. She did that song flawlessly at the Sondheim concert in March. She definitely proved why she's a legend with her perseverance and that speech at the end!
Idina was great, and I felt bad for Elaine Stritch. She did that song flawlessly at the Sondheim concert in March. She definitely proved why she's a legend with her perseverance and that speech at the end!
Hi, Shirley Temple Pudding.
#89
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:32pm
The text of the speech is here. I really enjoyed the show and the speech, and think Elaine Stritch wins.
Obama Salutes Broadway
Obama Salutes Broadway
Updated On: 7/19/10 at 08:32 PM
#90
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:41pm
Phew, I was wiping sweat bullets from my forehead for Idina during "Defying Gravity." It was like the Tonys all over again; she barely made it through alive. Ouchies. I saw her do that arrangement of the song in March, and she was absolutely spectacular and in great voice, but when she gets nervous, she gets NERVOUS!
Elaine Stritch's mess up was kind of spectacular, though. I'm glad I got to witness it before that butcher it up in the editing room.
Is Audra EVER not right on the money? She doesn't seem to falter at anything. I'll never forget the moment last year at Twelfth Night when she forgot her lines; I cherish it as a reminder that she IS actually human!
Elaine Stritch's mess up was kind of spectacular, though. I'm glad I got to witness it before that butcher it up in the editing room.
Is Audra EVER not right on the money? She doesn't seem to falter at anything. I'll never forget the moment last year at Twelfth Night when she forgot her lines; I cherish it as a reminder that she IS actually human!
#91
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:43pm
Constantine Rousouli! Love him.
I do too... :)
I have no idea why Hairspray performed. It was just awkwardly done.
I do too... :)
I have no idea why Hairspray performed. It was just awkwardly done.
#92
Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:49pm
The whole Hairspray schtick was just an effort to support arts education. It was a nice sentiment, but the performance was not so hot.
#93
Posted: 7/19/10 at 9:28pm
not sure how well this represented the history of american musical theatre...no jerry herman, no gershwin, no cole porter, no jerome kern, no rodgers & hammerstein....yet we had like 10 sondheim, 2 jeanine tesori, and bon jovi? truly bizarre.
#94
Posted: 7/19/10 at 10:53pm
I thought Idina did beautifully on both songs-- she sounded fantastic to me. The Obama family seemed to be Idina fans, especially the girls, whose faces beamed after each song she sang. Everyone who was watching on the Facebook board I was was blown away by her, and were also impressed with her green dress. Everyone did well- even though Chad Kimball did sound rusty and Elaine blew her lines (but recovered beautifully). It was a great program all the way around.
#95
Posted: 7/19/10 at 11:47pm
I thought Idina and Audra were the best of the evening. Idina had maybe 1 or 2 notes that were a little out of her reach (her voice is just so much lower than it was in 2003). Still, she sounded beautiful and gave it her all. She hasn't been holding out the "me" in her tour, either. Audra is just beautiful and has a beautiful voice. Both women walked away from their songs with huge ovations.
#96
Posted: 7/20/10 at 12:35am
Ugh, I'm so upset I missed it. I was in a rehearsal for a Broadway Revue in our community theatre. Is there a place yet, where I can watch it online? I'm going to be in Europe in October so I won't be able to see it then either.
#97
Posted: 7/20/10 at 1:59am
I also missed it tonight, bummer! Will I have to wait til October to hear Brian d'Arcy James singing "Blue Skies" or will I be able to find it before that?
#98
Posted: 7/20/10 at 2:49am
Just another opinion:
Audra is perfection - in presentation and performance.
Tonya is the same, but no one noticed.
I want to know what Marvin was thinking while Idina 'sang' his song. Ugh.
And I grew tired of Elaine's grandstanding a long time ago. This didn't change my opinion.
Nathan was just embarrassing.
Audra is perfection - in presentation and performance.
Tonya is the same, but no one noticed.
I want to know what Marvin was thinking while Idina 'sang' his song. Ugh.
And I grew tired of Elaine's grandstanding a long time ago. This didn't change my opinion.
Nathan was just embarrassing.
#100
Posted: 7/20/10 at 12:26pm
It's hard to listen to that speech and see how people think he's elitist or smug. Joking with the audience, needling his wife, his obviously delight in having everyone there...
Tickets From $59
Tickets From $71
Tickets From $71
Tickets From $95