Carol Channing is returning to San Francisco with Tommy Tune

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 6:33pm

In a show called TIME STEPPIN' at the Curran Theatre on November 8th. Unfortunately, it will not feature any performances. However, getting to see these two legends live on stage is reason enough to go in my book. Did anybody see this in Provincetown last year?

Posted: 9/26/14 at 7:14pm

I did and Tommy was the most gracious, caring, loving host! The evening was really all about Carol and he guided her all throughout the evening - pushing her along when she rambled, helped to cue her, held her hand and it was magical. Carol did the final monologue of Dolly and had to start over because she "wanted to get it right". We sang Hello Dolly at the end. There were snippets of songs sung acapella and it was about a little over an hour long. It was magnificent - GO!

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 9:01pm

Well of course I wouldn't miss it! I'm sitting in the second row so I can be as close to Carol and Tommy as physically possible.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 11/4/14 at 7:19am

Was just reading about this show. Wish I was in SF to catch it. BWW has a new interview with Carol and she's still remarkably sharp. Can't wait to hear all about it!
BWW - Video - Interview w Carol Channing

Posted: 11/4/14 at 7:54am

GO! You'll be sorry if you miss it!

[Fantod]

Posted: 11/8/14 at 7:14pm

I'm going tonight and I am beyond excited! I am so happy that I get to see one of the last couple of performances (probably) by the greatest musical comedy star since Fanny Brice and Marilyn Miller.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 11/8/14 at 7:31pm

Report back, please, Fantod.

[Fantod]

Posted: 11/9/14 at 2:16am

So I just got back (long drive and walk back to the car with homeless harassment...they seriously need to clean that are up) and it was absolutely amazing. Tommy Tune tap danced a bit for us and then asked Carol around 20 questions submitted by fans, all of which were answered impromptu by her. She had all of her wits about her, and it is truly a testament to her that she can tell her stories on the spot and make them funnier than most written material on television nowadays. She also did the entire Cecilia Sisson bit which was a treat as well as sang a song in French that she sang I believe at Joan Crawford's wedding that offended the French people at that wedding, even though she has no idea what it means as well as a song in Yiddish that landed her the part in Lend and Ear as well as a bit from Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend and the whole monologue and the first bit of Before the Parade Passes By at the end. We all sang Hello, Dolly to her and there were I believe four standing ovations throughout the show. Wonderful experience; definitely the second best I've ever had behind Next to Normal.

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/9/14 at 2:48am

How would an onstage Carol Channing interview and Next to Normal be ranked on the same list? Just seems difficult to sort out how to rank a fictional musical, not to mention all of the musicals in slots #3 and under, with Carol talking onstage about being Carol...

[Fantod]

Posted: 11/9/14 at 2:51am

I am not referring to musicals specifically, but theatrical experiences as a whole.

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 11/9/14 at 8:52am

After I returned, I posted to my facebook page the following status. Unfortunately, I can't share a fellow poster's assessment of Miss Channing's acuity, but it didn't matter, given all the love between her and the audience. I was especially grateful to see all this from the 2nd row.
- - -
Just getting back from a truly special evening. Tommy Tune hosted Carol Channing's return to the Curran Theatre. At age 4, she delivered Christian Science Monitor newspapers to the stage door from her father's Christian Science Church three blocks away - so the actors would have something to read in their spare time. (I just looked it up - she's a year older than the theater itself)

At age 93, sad to say her mind isn't what it used to be, and her stories would wander, and the ever-patient Tommy Tune ever-so-gently would prompt her and guide her back on track. It reminded me of the footage of Elaine Stritch at her last show at Cafe Carlyle. It really didn't matter that she would forget a name or get lost in a story. When she was on track, she summoned the magic time and again; you could see that even when confused, she still had the instincts of decades on the stage and with a glance or gesture played the audience like a pro.

The whole evening was primarily about being able to show appreciation for her long career. She was visibly moved and seeing her joy made it a special evening. Tommy Tune was the soul of graciousness. He did a little intro, demonstrating and explaining a "time step" before introducing Carol and led the audience in a chorus of "Hello Dolly" at the end. (Three curtain calls)

I'm so glad we had the opportunity to be a part of this event.

Updated On: 11/9/14 at 08:52 AM

[Fantod]

Posted: 11/9/14 at 1:32pm

I certainly think that Carol had much of her wits about her. It wasn't like she just droned on and on and had nothing interesting to say. She was hilarious through much of her dialogue with Tommy and did't get sidetracked very often. Maybe it would be a stretch to say she was totally 100% there, but she wasn't senile of anything, and the show was extremely entertaining apart from just being able to see those two legends on stage.

So glad you had a good time MarkBearSF. I was in the third row! Did you ever see a blonde kid who looked way too young to be there? That was me!

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/9/14 at 1:40pm

"In a show called TIME STEPPIN' at the Curran Theatre on November 8th. Unfortunately, it will not feature any performances."

Oh good, it will be up there with the zero performance show of Angela Lansbury and Michael Bennett I missed in Montreal!

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/9/14 at 2:23pm

"At age 93, sad to say her mind isn't what it used to be, and her stories would wander"

To be fair, that was my assessment when I met her in 2002 at a book event in SF.

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 11/9/14 at 2:45pm

(deleted because it was in response to a post which I misread)



Updated On: 11/9/14 at 02:45 PM