Dorothy Loudon and Ballroom

[esparza 333]

Posted: 1/3/11 at 4:23pm

I have always been a fan of the late great Ms. Loudon but I only recently heard her brilliant performance of the song Fifty Percent from Ballroom. Really gorgeously sung and beautifully acted. This show has such a great score and I have been hearing bits and pieces of the score for a few years and it is weird that I only recently discovered this stunning song. It is a shame that most of Ms. Loudon's major broadway ventures were flops except of course her hilarious, tony winning turn in Annie. She really was one of the most versatile and amazing comic actresses of our time. And as a singer/performer just amazing. Such a distinctive voice. I wish I could have seen her onstage. I highly recommend searching her performances of Losing My Mind/You Could Drive a Person Crazy from the 1993 Sondheim Concert at Carnegie Hall and also her performance of Broadway Baby from the 1984 tony awards. I have posted the link to her Ballroom Tony Performance. She is sorely missed.

As far as Ballroom goes, I absolutely love the score and it's a shame Billy Goldenberg never wrote for broadway again. I would love to see a high profile production of this one day but can't imagine anybody else singing the score besides Loudon. If it was revived today who do you think would be the best choice for Bea and who for Alfred? It would be interesting to see somebody recreate the Michael Bennett choreography as I hear it was fantastic.
Fifty Percent Tony Performance

[twinbelters]

Posted: 1/3/11 at 5:14pm

Ballroom's score is only so-so in my book, but Loudon's songs are wonderful. Incidentally, there has been discussion of Tyne Daly doing a production somewhereabouts.

I love Loudon too and would kill to see any footage of her in Lolita, My Love. Her songs are wonderful and she is impeccable performing them. A musical Charlotte Haze: THAT is a role where she could never be replaced.

[tellybox]

Posted: 1/3/11 at 6:57pm

As mentioned, Tyne Daly would be an interesting choice for Bea. I'd personally like to see Donna McKechnie do it though.

[wewdie]

Posted: 1/3/11 at 9:17pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D2zJNUhWi8

It's just my opinion, but this may the all-time definitive performance of this song.

Ms. Loudon is definitely missed.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 1/3/11 at 10:16pm

I'm so you glad you brought up this show. I worked (FOH) there for the entire 3 months it ran, and was just swooning every night. I believe, that because it was Micheal Bennett's first show AFTER Chorus LIne, that expectations were SO high, that the critics just didn't see the show that us up there, which IMHO was GREAT! And let's not forget the GREAT, great Vincent Gardenia. The romanticism of the show was so authentic..lovely, it made me weep. Even though I was in my early 20's, and the show concerned "aging", etc, I loved, loved, loved it. I am also a BIG fan of the film that came out way before the Bway show, which was entitled "Queen of the Stardust Ballroom". Also, quite brilliant. As I recall of the Bway show, the"evil (!?)" John Simon, was about the ONLY critic that liked it immensely. (shocking!) There was a scene in Act 2, I believe, which was a waltz, which was gorgeously orchestrated. and used very effectively, a disco ball in dim light. Just fabulous!

As far as "Fifty Percent" goes, I have never, ever heard in a theater, an 11:00 number so heartbraking and stunningly sung. It brought the house down EVERY night. You had to BE THERE...

I asked my Mom about Dorothy Loudon at the time, and she remembers her from 50's TV.

Updated On: 1/3/11 at 10:16 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/3/11 at 10:23pm

Tinymagic, thanks for sharing!! I enjoyed reading your post about Ballroom.

[esparza 333]

Posted: 1/3/11 at 10:29pm

Wewdie, I love that version as well. I was gonna post it also. I love how that version compares to the tony performance. She sings it more simply but acts it more and I love how the orchestrations are more simple and how she still as the same charisma at an older age.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 1/3/11 at 10:42pm

Yes, WEEDIE, thanks for posting. I dare anyone to watch that and NOT weep. I believe towards the end of the run of BALLROOM, Ms. Loudon's husband was very ill or died...I can't remember exactly. Anyway, one of my fave shows of all time. A lot of the dancers were in their late 30's and 40's and were wonderful, and brought such authenticity to the show... Mary Ann Niles (Fosse's first wife) was one of the dancers.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/3/11 at 10:44pm

I like the first one linked better. It's more raw, more emotional.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/3/11 at 10:56pm

I thought Dorothy Loudon's husband died either before or during her run in Annie.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 1/3/11 at 11:00pm

Everything's a blur to me now, DOTTIE!? Anyway, I'm glad I VCR'd the film decades ago (poor quality, though), 'cause the DVD on AMAZON is over $100.00? WTF? Is it THAT obscure?

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 1/3/11 at 11:19pm

I love Loudon's performance, but in a new revival the role belongs to Donna McKechnie. She's expressed interest in it, it's just a matter of getting it done.