Donna Sounds Fantastic — Page 2

Donna absolutely rocked tonight! Maybe not the song I would have chosen for the Tony's but it was easily the strongest performance. All the others were, on the whole, quite disappointing considering that this was Broadway's night to strut its stuff on national TV. I was disappointed that she didn't win Best Actress but the level of her performance should give her plenty to be proud of. Maybe we all should learn to trust her ability to manage her health and energy. Everyone is so ready to crucify her when she takes days off to avoid agitating a sickness. Well tonight showed what kind of stamina a healthy Donna has!

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I thought Donna was amazing too, but I wish they had let her sing the whole song instead of just part of it. It would have been nice if she would have won, but then I don't begrudge Idina a Tony either.

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Could anybody watch the tape again for me and say for absolute certain that Donna was not lip synching?

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donna sounded like crap and she looked like she was ready to die with her back curved and legs wide open

I enjoyed this performance and am looking forward to seeing Wonderful Town next weekend!

OK.....Whoa, SHe rocked! A little skinny and gauntly looking but none the less, AMAZING, and WOW how about that dancing im very intrigued by this show now and really want to go see it when i get to the city. " Me tarzan nah nah nah nah"

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I have to agree- Donna was on fire last night and I think she gave the strongest female performance out of all the leading ladies up last night. She is so amazing. I want to be Donna Murphy when I grow up. Or Carol Channing. Now that just made my night.

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I agree that Donna sounded great (I haven't checked the tape, but I didn't feel like it was lip-synced last night), but the number didn't entice me to go see the show. I've never seen Wonderful Town, but I'm very familiar with the show and I had a big problem with the number the way it was staged. It's more of a directorial thing. Ruth's intent seemed all wrong for the action that is supposed to be occurring at that moment in the show.

Ruth Sherwood is supposed to be attracting customers to the beatnik club, The Village Vortex. That part was evident, but they lyrics and the opening of the song are supposed to be way more comedic. Ruth is supposed to be awkwardly trying to fit in to the beatnik image (hence the rather stilted "get hep! get hep!"), which is met with indifference at first, but as she gathers confidence and momentum, she becomes more of a novelty that attracts the attention of the passersby. Her use of "scat" is written to sound more desperate and inexperienced than accomplished ("that old oaken bucket, tarzan, jane" etc. is not good scat, but it sounds funny), so her fantastic singing didn't seem to really match what was written for the scene. The audience on the street are supposed to be initially amused by this older woman trying to awkwardly imitate the beatnik bohemians, but then it is her unfailing enthusiasm and energy that becomes infectious and win support of the crowd, not her proliferation in performing jazz for which she is supposed to be completely inexperienced. It just didn't make any sense to me. For me, it was a total let-down.

I did like the choreography, though.

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I thought the last note sounded good, too. Unfortunately, I just didn't care for the whole number. What was all that business with "fish" and "bless you"? It was hard to understand most of the lyrics. I supsect they were nothing earth shattering, anyway.

I agree, her last note was right on, it was Idina that was a little shaky (though still amazing)

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This is one of those cases of "You gotta see Donna in Wonderful Town" people keep telling me.
Well, I tried a couple of weeks ago. Donna was out and I got refunds.
But hey, I loved her in A Song of Singapore and The King And I, (missed Passion), but I promise: "I'll be there"!

jezzebelle - Yes, they could have done Wrong Note Rag which features both the women as well as the ensemble and I personally think it's a better song, but I don't know how it is staged in the revival, so maybe it wasn't as visually appealling.

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