Dorothy Collins

20 years ago, we lost an amazing performer and person. Dorthy Collins, known for her heart wrenching role as Sally in the original production of Stephen Sondheim's Follies, was one of my personal favorite voices in theatre. It seems a shame that she only did one Broadway show, although she was allegedly wonderful in a production of "Do I Hear A Waltz". Dorothy performed on television shows such as "Candid Camera" and "Your Hit Parade". Her acting was top-notch as well, proven by the vulnerability and pathos she executed during Follies. The nuance she brought to "In Buddy's Eyes" was particularly wonderful. My personal favorite moment was her ending scene with Buddy, as she says "Tomorrow? Dear God, it IS tomorrow." It brings me to tears even today.
In honor of her memory, here are my three particular favorites of her:

"Unchained Melody":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ynZ1k6LZeU

"It Might As Well be Spring":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNCaFwTZGIw

And her iconic torch song, "Losing My Mind":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU9CE6N_Dck

As you can see, she "sings like an angel." A beautiful and classy women, who will always be missed.

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Collins's performance in the original production of Follies (which I saw 6 times) is seared into my memory, as a kind of benchmark of how an actress can make the audience not only understand the character, not only empathize with the character but also ache along with the character. She had what Judy Garland had, and very few performers can make themselves that vulnerable.

You don't see it very much in her earlier TV appearances--the set-ups on Your Hit Parade were usually kind of silly--but you can see glimpses of it in that "Unchained Melody" or this "Let Me Go, Lover":

http://youtu.be/FCDMcTCrWis

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I too was fortunate to have seen Ms Collins in "Follies" during its Boston try out. One could have heard a pin drop during the devastating "Losing My Mind". Talk about an unforgetable theatrical moment! Maybe today you'd hear a few cell phones clicking, candy wrappers, etc
But I don't want to sound like the curmudgeon I probably am...

I can see her being wonderful in DO I HEAR A WALTZ.

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According to EVERYTHING WAS POSSIBLE, that was one of the things that got them interested in her for Sally.

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Updated On: 7/21/14 at 02:54 PM

I find it very interesting that she never made it to Broadway again. It seemed like a natural fit. She did a lot of stock work though.

I remember finding this site a few years ago. Great photos and an audio of her singing "Fifty Percent."

Edit: Make sure to check out all the different pages, each has a song with Dorothy singing.




Remembering Dorothy Collins

Updated On: 7/21/14 at 04:35 PM

I was lucky enough to see Dorothy Collins in FOLLIES at the Colonial Theatre in Boston during previews. I was 13 years old, but I "got it"... Let me tell you, the production design for the Loveland sequence made the magnificent last revival look like a summer stock production. I can still remember how magnificent that was!

Unfortunately, I went early on and heard Yvonne DeCarlo sing, "Boy Can That Boy Foxtrot" as "I'm Still Here" hadn't gone into the show yet.

However, Dorothy Collins was amazing and her "Losing My Mind" was heartbreaking even for a 13 year old heart.

Thank you for those amazing words. I love when people recognize her enormous talent.

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Updated On: 8/29/14 at 04:47 PM

Yes, it's a pity that FOLLIES didn't open up a Broadway career for her, though I think her voice went into decline pretty steeply afterwards. There's a 1977 recording of the Man I Love on YT. She doesn't sound bad but her voice was much deeper and I think she lost her soprano range (there's also a recording of a stock return to FOLLIES from around the same time, which attests to that).

I think I read that as well as DO I HEAR A WALTZ, she was up for the Lincoln Center SOUTH PACIFIC - what a dream it would be to have Collins on the cast recording rather than Florence Henderson with her two distinct and non-complimentary voices.

Lovebwy, I imagine the director might disagree with you. In that production, it seemed to me, the characters were suffering a group delusion. They were still the same characters, now trapped in Loveland. Neither Sally nor any of the others were under any obligation to act exactly like performers in THE Follies.

chrisampm2 I guess it's a matter of interpretation, but I think it would be better to see them all as performers in the Loveland scenes, which would tend to make Ben's breakdown more unexpected and powerful when it happens.

I agree too that Elaine Paige's I'm Still Here was all wrong. It was fun to hear her belt but she didn't seem to understand a word of what she was singing. (When she could remember the lyrics, that is).


Peters cries

Updated On: 8/30/14 at 03:50 PM

In addition to her daughter's site...remembering dorothy collins....check out www.collinstribute for a look at all of the various summer stock Dorothy did since her debut in 1957...and she kept going until her retirement in 1980.

I had to respond to the subject of Bernadette crying. My mother had zero patience for anyone who has tears streaming down their face while singing. You can not sing while crying.... it is physically impossible when you're feeling something so strongly enough to cry over. And therefore, anyone who cries while singing comes across as fake. One of the many things my mother (Dorothy Collins) taught me on performing. :)