Differences in Original and Revival of 42ND STREET- Page 3

[allofmylife]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 12:17pm

Dang. You're right.

Twenty-seven years ago.

Where did it go...

What was I saying...?

[Tom1071]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 1:43pm

Meredith Patterson was un-freakin-believable as Peggy Sawyer. I saw her do it about 10 times.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 6/21/07 at 6:10pm

Was Peggy always blonde?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/21/07 at 6:19pm

Not necessarily. I've seen a couple of brunette Peggy's - Clare Leach and Karen Ziemba.

I think all the Peggy's in the revival were blonde though.

Updated On: 6/21/07 at 06:19 PM

[thejcm]

Posted: 6/21/07 at 9:22pm

Dottie, how was Gail?

She teaches musical theatre at my old high school here in Louisville and a couple of her pictures were used on the posters for the show when we did it my sophomore year. (I wasn't in musical theatre at the time, unfortunately.)

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/21/07 at 9:34pm

jcm, I was in high school at the time, but initially I was disappointed when I saw that Wanda Richert wasn't performing that day (the show was only a few months into its run). From what I do remember, Gail was very good. The two things that stick out in my head from that first viewing of the show was the opening "audition" sequence and the beautiful tableau of the gowns in "Dames". I still have the sovenir program.

[iliketheater]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 12:00am

I love hearing about all these historic events. Thanks allofmylife, I almost feel like I was there!

I can't speak for the original; but hearing people talk about their experiences with it - about the beauty of the costumes and the emotion in the music and dialog - I felt all of it when I saw the revival. When the curtain went up on those beautiful shoes tap dancing like crazy I knew I was in for *BROADWAY* - everything that that meant to me at the time.

The cast was fantastic! The ensemble had energy shooting out of their heads! And I have to say, David Elder is a treasure. I really enjoyed what he brought to that show, and I'm sad I haven't seen him in anything since. Kate was fantastic, and probably the best tapper of the Peggy's, but overall my favorite was Nadine. Ms Ebersole was AMAZING. Just amazing. The best singer of the Brocks (sp?), and just great acting. Beth was great also, she not only understudied, but eventually was a replacement in the role (the last, if I'm not mistaken).

Anyway, I say this to say that the 42nd Street Revival may not have been as exciting to those who saw the original; but for me, it was the broadway event of 2001, and I'll remember my first time seeing it forever.
Updated On: 6/22/07 at 12:00 AM

[Bway2323]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 3:30pm

Leavel left the show I'd say at least a year before it closed. She was the first D Brock I saw, and my favorite. :) Shirley Jones came into the show following her (she wasn't that bad in the role, except for her singing... they raised all the keys for her!! Eek... an old lady wobbling high notes is not a pleasant thing for anybody...) Then Blair Ross, who was the first Dorothy Brock on the 1st National Revival tour took over and closed the Broadway run. She was good. A little more realistic. I liked Leavel's more because she was hilarious without it seemingly like she was trying to be. It didn't take away from her being real. I never got to see Ebersole, and it breaks my heart.

I saw Nadine a bunch of times. She's a beautiful dancer... she just can't sing very well. Which is fine. Peggy barely sings anyway. She sings one short and cut-off verse of Young And Healthy (they let her sing the whole thing on the cd, but she barely gets started in the actual show), and two verses in the 42nd St ballet, and that's it. Everything else she's singing along with people.

And no, Peggy doesn't have to be blond. Look at the original Peggy in the movie it's based off of, she's definitely not blond. They did seem to keep her blond in the revival, but Mara Davi was in the national tour of the revival as a brunette Peggy.

[JulianHookbucks]

Posted: 6/22/07 at 4:43pm

Mara was gorgeous. A fantastic tapper, and a gorgeous singer... anyone see her? I saw it twice. I'm so proud of her. Three years ago, I was watching her onstage in a non-equity tour of 42ND, originating in the revival of A Chorus Line, and now... on to Chaperone. :) and she was a gorgeous Brunette, but her understudy was a blonde... hmm...