FOLLIES at Carnegie Hall- Page 4

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 6/3/24 at 9:33am

Kate Baldwin, Beth Leavel, & more join the cast

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 6/3/24 at 9:45am

previously announced cast members Norbert Leo Butz, Erika Henningsen, Rachel Bay Jones, and Donna Murphy will no longer be performing.

Most sad that we don’t get to hear Rachel Bay Jones sing Follies, but I can’t be mad about anything related to this concert!

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 6/3/24 at 9:58am

This is going to be quite the evening, I think.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/3/24 at 10:07am

Oh man. PRAYING we get Kudisch doing “Too Many Mornings”. 

[Skip23]

Posted: 6/3/24 at 12:04pm

Bring back Bob Gunton and Harry Groener.  They were perfect.  

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 6/3/24 at 10:38pm

Doesn’t surprise me that so many of them have bolted. They must have got wise to what a shambles the NINE thing was (produced by the same company) or not have been willing to endure the whole “we’ll figure out parts as we go” and have to share lines and songs and don’t want anything to do with it. 

Either way, when have so many people bailed on anything before this? 

[RunnyBabbit]

Posted: 6/17/24 at 11:33am

Managed to snag one of the tickets that went on sale this morning. Paid and arm and a leg, but I’m really looking forward to it!

[Shubert Alley Cat]

Posted: 6/18/24 at 7:40pm

I am selling one ticket to this concert for a very reasonable price — see my post on the Buy/Sell board.

[wiggum2]

Posted: 6/19/24 at 7:04pm

I have never been to Carnegie hall... It's going to be quite hot tomorrow... what's the dress code? Their website says be comfortable but what does that mean? 

[two ladies tickets]

Posted: 6/19/24 at 7:16pm

There is no official dress code at Carnegie Hall. And once it gets over 90° dress code gets thrown out the window. 

[Listener]

Posted: 6/19/24 at 8:27pm

Think they'll decorate the stage? Or just leave it white as it usually is?

[ManOfLaMuncha]

Posted: 6/19/24 at 9:27pm

Updated On: 6/20/24 at 09:27 PM

[Stagestrucklad2]

Posted: 6/20/24 at 3:34pm

There must be a dress rehearsal today. Maybe we’ll get an advance report.

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 6/20/24 at 4:23pm

wiggum2 said: "I have never been to Carnegie hall... It's going to be quite hot tomorrow... what's the dress code? Their website says be comfortable but what does that mean?"

I've been going to Carnegie for at least 5 to 6 concerts a year since 2007.  You can get away with a lot, (short-sleeves, jeans, etc.)  just please don't wear shorts.  

[two ladies tickets]

Posted: 6/20/24 at 4:31pm

It's 92° with 51% humidity, you can wear shorts. 

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 6/20/24 at 4:38pm

Days like today are why chic, unisex caftans really should become a thing. 

I'm coming from work so I won't be in shorts (and I generally wouldn't wear them) but feel free. You will never looks as horrifying as some of the regulars at the Met opera. 

Updated On: 6/20/24 at 04:38 PM

[JoeW4]

Posted: 6/20/24 at 5:01pm

I'll be attending the concert in shorts tonight, and I don't have any reservations or guilt about it! :)

[Owen22]

Posted: 6/20/24 at 9:25pm

I'm here at intermission (in shorts) and the first acr was lovely, especially the finale with Karen Ziemba and a cast of wonderful older and younger dancers recreating the original Michael Bennett choreography to Who's That Woman. Standing ovation!

[Dreamboy3]

Posted: 6/20/24 at 9:29pm

Overall this was really disappointing.  It’s not 1985 at Lincoln Center. There wasn’t a single rendition I would want to listen to again. I couldn’t hear most of what Kurt Peterson or Ted Chaplin said. The orchestra was much too loud. My lousy seats didn’t help. 

Updated On: 6/20/24 at 09:29 PM

[Owen22]

Posted: 6/20/24 at 11:25pm

One may not have lived a complete musical theatre life without hearing Jennifer Holiday sing "I'm Still Here". Another standing ovation.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 6/20/24 at 11:48pm

What a crying shame we never got to see Christine Ebersole play Sally. She was the highlight for me.

[Sauja]

Posted: 6/20/24 at 11:51pm

A thrilling evening. Christine Ebersole’s “In Buddy’s Eyes,” Karen Ziemba and company’s “Who’s That Woman,” and Jennifer Holliday’s “I’m Still Here” were obvious highlights. Norm Lewis and Nikki Reneé Daniels sounded sensational on “Too Many Mornings” and I adored the kids from Kimberly Akimbo doing Loveland.

 

Without more of the context of the book, some moments didn’t go over as big as they might otherwise, but still a gorgeous tribute to an incredibly show.

[Listener]

Posted: 6/20/24 at 11:55pm

Did Holliday suck in a big breath of air at some point during the song?

I really hope someone recorded this. It would be lovely to hear some of the renditions and stories.

Did they have a backdrop or something?

Updated On: 6/20/24 at 11:55 PM

[Skip23]

Posted: 6/21/24 at 12:02am

IMHO

HIGH POINTS:
- Alexander Gemignani's "The Road You Didn't Take"
- Hearing those orchestrations again.
- The original choreography for "Who's That Woman"! Bennett was perfection. Took non-Dancers and made it look like a real Follies number.
- Michael Berresse's "The Right Girl". He made that difficult song work.
- Santino Fontana's "Buddy's Blues". One of the best versions I've heard. And he barely moved.

PLEASANT/ALMOST INTERESTING:
- Christine Ebersole's "In Buddy's Eyes"
- Jennifer Holliday's "I'm Still Here". A slowed down, jazzier version. Almost worked.
- Alexandra Billings' "The Ballad Of Lucy and Jessie" - even without backup dancers.

DIDN'T WORK:
Lots, but I'll be kind...

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 6/21/24 at 12:04am

It was extraordinary in every single way, and very polished all things considered. Were all of the performances definitive? Of course not! But nobody came even close to "bomb"ing. The 30-piece orchestra led by Joey Chancey sounded sensational in that hall, even if the sound balance wasn't perfect at times (Carnegie Hall isn't made for theatre music, sound design is tough for a one-nighter, and the 7-piece brass section goes HARD in some of those numbers. Sitting close is the only way to enjoy a musical at CH, in my experience.)

No set, no costumes, no choreo aside from the two numbers noted below. The only prop was John McMartin's cane from the original, which was used in Live Laugh Love.

Going by memory, here was the setlist:

• Overture/Prologue: Orchestra
• Weissman: Hal Linden!!
• Beautiful Girls: Christian Mark Gibbs
• Don’t Look at Me: Katie Finneran & Marc Kudisch
• Waiting for the Girls Upstairs: Stephen Bogardus (Ben), Thom Sesma (Buddy), Carolee Carmello (Sally), Barbara Walsh (Phyl) + Julie Benko, Hannah Elless, Grey Henson, Ryan McCartan as the young quartet
• Rain on the Roof: Klea Blackhurst & Jim Caruso
• Ah, Paris!: Isabel Keating
• Broadway Baby: Adriane Lenox
• The Road You Didn’t Take: Alex Gemignani
• In Buddy’s Eyes: Christine Ebersole (OMG)
• Who’s That Woman: Karen Ziemba + a multigenerational ensemble of dancers (choreography by Michael Bennett re-staged by Mary Jane Houdini)
• I’m Still Here: Jennifer Holliday (O M G)
• Too Many Mornings: Norm Lewis & Nikki Renee Daniels
• The Right Girl: Michael Berresse (choreography by Mary Jane Houdini adapted from the Michael Bennett original)
• One More Kiss: Harolyn Blackwell & Mikaela Bennett
• Could I Leave You: Beth Leavel
• Loveland: Ensemble
• You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow: four youngsters from Kimberly Akimbo.
• Buddy’s Blues: Santino Fontana
• Losing My Mind: Kate Baldwin (OMG!)
• Lucy & Jessie: Alexandra Billings
• Live Laugh Love/Finale: Kurt Peterson (OMG)

and before anyone asks, no, they did not do the Bolero.

Updated On: 6/21/24 at 12:04 AM