Charlotte D'Amboise- Page 2

[Jarethan]

Posted: 8/20/23 at 6:58pm

ghostlight2 said: ""Wow! You guys are harsh! I’d love to know what leading roles you’ve played on Broadway? If you don’t like her, then just remember what my grandmother used to say: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all”. I’ve enjoyed Her performances in both A Chorus Line and Chicago. I’ve seen lots of Broadway stars and performers but everyone is different. Instead of bashing people celebrate that everyone is different and has different talents to bring to the table."

Easy, fella. Only one person has been harsh. The rest of us have just been honest. No bashing. I saw Charlotte first in CARRIE. I've seen her in almost everything since, except SWEETCHARITY. I even saw her in PARADE in LA (she was great).

She really isn't a singer, though, and a dancer's life is a short one. She isn't likely to be offered many (if any) more roles.

I don't think triple threats truly exist. As I understand it, a triple threat isn't just someone who can merely sing, dance, and act. They have to excelat all at 3 of those arts. I can't think of one.

"Angela Lansbury did that in Mame and that was only 57 years ago.  Hugh Jackman did it in Boy From Oz, not so much in TMM, because his voice got a little too nasally when approaching any high notes.  Today, Sutton Foster is probably the only triple threat that I can think of.

 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/20/23 at 7:54pm

WldKingdomHM said: "I’ve never seen so many understudies in my life. Chorus Line and WSS"

Honestly, the u/s in A Chorus Line were usually better than anyone on the line.

[quizking101]

Posted: 8/20/23 at 8:29pm

Ariana DeBose is also a triple threat. She literally met all three of the criteria in WSS and ended up with an Oscar.

That’s a bit hard to dispute.

Back on topic - I think Charlotte is a great Roxie, and she really has a full bag of tricks to keep the crowd engaged (especially during her “Roxie” number). But I do think she is getting a bit long in the tooth for the role. Can she still perform the hell out of it? Absolutely. But even sitting far away, you can tell she’s not exactly getting any younger and they should start preparing some new Roxies to join the rotation since Charlotte and Dylis Croman seem to be the only ones.

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/20/23 at 9:48pm

quizking101 said: "Ariana DeBose is also a triple threat. She literally met all three of the criteria in WSS and ended up with an Oscar.

That’s a bit hard to dispute.

Back on topic - I think Charlotte is a great Roxie, and she really has a full bag of tricks to keep the crowd engaged (especially during her “Roxie” number). But I do think she is getting a bit long in the tooth for the role. Can she still perform the hell out of it? Absolutely. But even sitting far away, you can tell she’s not exactly getting any younger and they should start preparing some new Roxies to join the rotation since Charlotte and Dylis Croman seem to be the only ones."

Bianca Marroquin actually has a few more performances as Roxie than Charlotte. They use her as both Velma and Roxie nowadays.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 8/20/23 at 10:21pm

Wick3 said: "I've always enjoyed Charlotte as Roxie (she does a great ad-lib part near the end of act 1). If you're a teenager near the front row, she'd pick on you and ask what age you are.

Anyway, I looked up Charlotte'sage and she's 55. Her husband is 68. I'd imagine by now she might be thinking of retirement? Working on Broadway can be taxing on both the mind and body. Donna Marie Asbury retired last year at age 56 after being in Chicago for 20 years."

Donna Marie Asbury retired in 2019.

[Wick3]

Posted: 8/20/23 at 10:43pm

Patti LuPone FANatic said: "Wick3 said: "I've always enjoyed Charlotte as Roxie (she does a great ad-lib part near the end of act 1). If you're a teenager near the front row, she'd pick on you and ask what age you are.

Anyway, I looked up Charlotte'sage and she's 55. Her husband is 68. I'd imagine by now she might be thinking of retirement? Working on Broadway can be taxing on both the mind and body. Donna Marie Asbury retired last year at age 56 after being in Chicago for 20 years."

Donna Marie Asbury retired in 2019."

.... And I wrote that post on February 2020.

[sparklingtonic2]

Posted: 8/21/23 at 12:29am

quizking101 said: "A.. I think Charlotte is a great Roxie, and she really has a full bag of tricks to keep the crowd engaged (especially during her “Roxie” number). But I do think she is getting a bit long in the tooth for the role. Can she still perform the hell out of it? Absolutely. But even sitting far away, you can tell she’s not exactly getting any younger ...."

Charlotte might be older than the character is supposed to be, and it might be true as noted by someone else in this thread that dancers don't have the longest careers. But that doesn't mean that's how it should be.

Older dancers have a lot to offer. It might be the case that young dancers have more stamina and power (I'm not speaking of Charlotte here -- just making a general point). However, many older dancers have more musicality, greater texture, and more to say as artists than their younger counterparts. It would be nice if the industry could offer more roles for them and not get stuck in a Don-Lemon-like mentality that dancers are done when they turn a certain age.

Not that Charlotte needs a role that's less physically demanding (that I have noticed). She seems at the top of her game to me. But then we're back to the age of this particular character. Perhaps we simply need more great roles for mature women, both those who dance and those who don't.

Updated On: 8/21/23 at 12:29 AM

[bryan2]

Posted: 8/21/23 at 8:43am

I have seen Chicago 8x with 8 different Roxies and finally last month I was able to be in NYC when Charlotte was on. I have always wanted to see her in this and funny timing was always off. I can honestly say she was the best Roxy I have seen , funny , cute and in fine voice. The people I was with never heard of her and were thrilled by her .  I don't recall Gwen Verdon or Ann Reinking having great voices but they had fine careers due to the presentation and interpretation of the songs they sing and staying in key.... I can say that I saw Charlotte in Cats and also in Song and Dance and she stuck out because she had an it factor that made her more noticeable than the other dancers. She looks great/  her dancing is other level...she can spin like nobody else and then go right back into a Fosse pose which is not easy and her singing is always on key and pleasant. Many Broadway stars are not great singers but Charlotte is a triple threat because she is a good singer and a great dancer and actress so I believe she will always be around as long as she want to. LOVE HER if you can't tell lol

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 8/21/23 at 2:17pm

sparklingtonic2 said: "I saw her in Chicago a few months ago, and she was fantastic. I saw the show on two different nights with mostly different casts, and Charlotte was my favorite of all the leads. I also love her in the Carrie bootlegs; she seems to understand the gleeful awfulness of Chris more than other a lot of actresses. I'd make the trip to NY to see in her in something new. Hoping it happens!"

 

Her Chris was so repugnant, the epitome of high school evil. She played that role insanely well  

 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/21/23 at 9:03pm

Charlotte's still my favorite Roxie. She couldn't sing Music & the Mirror well, but she acted the hell out of that scene which is how she got that Tony nomination. Loved her in CONTACT and later on in the SWEET CHARITY revival despite its horrible choreography. Wasn't all that warm to her Fastrada in PIPPIN though. She's a well-respected Broadway dancer/gypsy that teaches during her off time w/Chicago. Curious if she'll ever set an end date with Chicago?

[Wick3]

Posted: 8/21/23 at 11:06pm

I've seen Chicago a few more times since 2019 and I must say Charlotte is also my favorite Roxie! She's so comfortable in the part and she's simply a natural. 

[bryan2]

Posted: 8/22/23 at 8:53am

I now people keep saying her Music in the Mirror was not great but do you really think Donna Mckecknie has a great voice?? no it is pleasant and on key....Bebe Newirth played Cassie also and she can't sing but stays on key which is what matters actually for that part, Cassie is a dancer a dancer DANCES lol

[ACL2006]

Posted: 8/22/23 at 9:09am

I always thought Donna McKecknie had a nice singing voice. Charlotte had to have M&TM lowered for her and it remained in that key for Jessica Goldyn and Nadine I. but Jessica Lea Patty was the only Cassie cover to be able to sign it in the original key in the revival.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 8/22/23 at 9:17am

ACL2006 said: "I always thought Donna McKecknie had a nice singing voice. Charlotte had to have M&TM lowered for her and it remained in that key for Jessica Goldyn and Nadine I. but Jessica Lea Patty was the only Cassie cover to be able to sign it in the original key in the revival."

But to a certain point, if a Cassie doesn't have a "perfect" voice, can it not add to the character that it could be what holds her back from being a full blown star? 

I saw Charlotte in the Chorus Line revival on the Fourth of July 2007, and she was fabulous. I really enjoy her as a performer. It is also noted that she has played many of the great dancer roles on Broadway (Lola in Damn Yankees, Charity in Sweet Charity, Cassie, Kathy from Company) 

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 8/22/23 at 10:30am

bryan2 said: "I now people keep saying her Music in the Mirror was not great but do you really think Donna Mckecknie has a great voice??"

Her Sally from the Papermill production of FOLLIES is absolutely beautifully sung. Amazing tone and she navigates the wide range of that role stunningly. She is my favorite recorded Sally...and yes, I am including Barbara Cook. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 8/22/23 at 11:32am

McKechnie first sang “Music and the Mirror” in 1975. She was always primarily a dancer, then added acting and singing as her career expanded. The FOLLIES Papermill Playhouse production was in 1998 - 23 years later and with acting and vocal growth (and voice coaching). In 1975, the voice you hear on the FOLLIES 1998 cast recording would not have existed yet. 

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 8/22/23 at 11:56am

This is a very strange conversation...or rather, several strange conversations.

Yes...Donna McKechnie's voice progressed through further training. It became more nimble and smoother between registers. But saying the voice hadn't existed yet is just weird. It's not like she went from late career Stritch to early career Kelly O'Hara in those years. It's the same voice...fuller later one...but she sounds like Donna McKechnie in 1975 and she sounds like Donna McKechnie in 1998. 

This still isn't as weird as people in this thread asserting that triple threats don't actually exist unless you dance like Elizabeth Parkinson, sing like Audra McDonald and act like Zoe Caldwell. Triple threats are real...they have existed. From Gwen Verdon to Chita Rivera to Donna McKechnie to Sutton Foster to Ariana DeBose.

Late August really brings out the weird round these parts.