Charity on Today — Page 2

is the video of the performance online anywhere, or will it become available? i missed and am dying to see it.

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Gwen Verdon is the most awarded musical theatre performer to grace the Broadway stage...what the heck are you talking about when you say she didn't have a Broadway voice? In what universe does that comment make any sense!

Gwen had a Broadway voice so did Julie Andrews, Barbara Harris, Chita Rivera, Tyne Daly, Carol Lawrence. Idina Menzel, Karen Ziemba, Rebeca Luker, Audra McDonald, Liz Callaway, Carolle Carmello, Sally Mayes, Faith Prince, Patti Lupone, Betty Buckley...get it?

Updated On: 4/22/05 at 12:01 PM

YEah, trashing Gwen Verdon and saying Christina Applegate is better doesn't make you look too credible.

And yes, I am glad Applegate overcame her broken whatever, but is that really enough at this level of performing, to be cute and have a lot of gusto? Not really.

Updated On: 4/22/05 at 12:04 PM

Things are so misread on this board.
First of all, I never said Christina was better. Actually, I never heard Christina sing. So, I cannot, nor was I comparing.
Second, Gwen, in actuality, was not a "singer". She was a performer. The same way Carol Channing is not a "singer", but, also, a performer, or even Elaine Stritch. Bob Fosse even stated, once, that Verdon could not sing. If you listen to the Chicago Cast Recording, you could hear that it wasn't her powerful voice that sold her as a star.
To compare Verdon's voice to the stylings of Andrews, Lawrence, Menzel, Calloway, etc. is like comparing N'Sync to The Beatles. Either is not greater than the other, they just have different styles, and, again, Verdon's strogest point was certainly not her voice.
I'm not saying Verdon wasn't good, but for all of you that criticize Applegate's performance, were you even around when Verdon was performing on stage?

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Updated On: 4/22/05 at 12:12 PM

But how did Joyce Chittick do?

When I stated that Christina's performance made me long for Gwen I was refering to the entire package. No, Gwen did not have the most beautiful voice, but Mother of God on an Underpass, she sure knew how to SELL it and use her distinct vocal qualities to enhance the character. Watch her performance on the Ed Sullivan DVD and you will see what I mean. She was the real thing.

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I'm pulling for her too (and therefore pulling for everyone who pays 90 bucks to see her show).

But I thought everything about the Today performance was ordinary, average, in no way remarkable except for being accomplished by a woman who broke her foot five weeks ago. She sings as well as most Charities, but what an odd take on the number -- shoving Charity aside at a key moment and taking over. It looks generic, under choreographed, and summer-stocky, and I found myself terrified at every moment that she'd re-injure herself. However, I'm in the minority here, so perhaps the audiences will cheer and be cheered by this revival and her very invested work. Even a mediocre Sweet Charity beats many other entertainments.

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STOP COMPARING THEM! GWEN VERDON WAS GREAT AS CHARITY, BUT THAT WAS HER VERSION, AND NOW SHE'S DEAD. SHE IS A BROADWAY LEGEND, HOWEVER SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE LIKED HER VOICE AS MUCH AS OTHERS DID. THAT DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM THE FACT THAT SHE WAS GREAT AND WILL BE REMEMBERED AS A LEGEND. CHRISTINA IS A DIFFERENT PERSON AND IT'S REALLY NOT FAIR TO COMPARE HER TO ANYONE ELSE. SHE'LL GROW INTO IT, BUT SHE WILL NEVER EVER BE LIKE GWEN VERDON BECAUSE SHE ISN'T GWEN VERDON, SHE'S CHRISTINA. I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD SHUT UP AND GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. OBVIOUSLY SHE IS DEVOTED TO THIS SHOW BECAUSE SHE PRETTY MUCH MADE IT HAPPEN ON BROADWAY, SO I THINK UNTIL WE ALL SEE THE FULL SHOW WE SHOULD RESERVE CRITICISMS, BECAUSE LIKE SOMEONE SAID EARLIER, IT WAS OUTSIDE, I'M SURE IT WAS COLD, AND SHE DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB IN MY OPINION. NOT TO MENTION SHE'S JUST ADORABLE. SO ANYWAYS, THAT'S MY OPINION. LET'S NOT COMPARE APPLES AND ORANGES OK?

Except there is a gaping hole the size of Jenna Jamison's vagina in your theory.

Verdon performed MANY of her roles without the aid of body mics, unlike the rest of those performers. Those performers have NEVER had to play 8 shows a week without the aid of body mic-ing, unlike Ms. Verdon who won all of her Tonys in the age before body mic-ing was popular.

You have every right to not like her voice. Hell...it ain't pretty. A recording artist? No. A big-time Broadway star with an old-school Broadway sound? Abso-f*cking-lutely!

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Updated On: 4/22/05 at 12:32 PM

Four, Chita.

Only Julie Harris has 5.

Verdon has 4:
One supporting for Can-Can.
Three leading for Redhead, Guys and Dolls and New Girl in Town.

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It's as if you all think I'm dissing Verdon!
I'm not. I am not denying that she was not a great Broadway star!
I'm just saying that vocally, she falls in the lines of Channing, Reinking, Stritch, And even Bea Arthur - all of which are GREAT performers.
But, whatever - this is going to go on and on, and the point to this thread is being missed.

I support Christina, and am glad that she is determined to do this.

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I agree, Idina does not have the experience that those other performers have, but with time and hard work maybe one day she will be on par with them.

Michael Bennett:I did not see Gwen in CHARITY but I did see her in CHICAGO and let me tell you, the only time I ever took my eyes off of her was to look at Chita...and Vice versa. I left that show with my eyes crossed.

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