Thank you for sharing your story. It's heartening to know that theatre has the power to provide solace and sustenance in our difficult times. Like you, I have often turned to my treasured composers to help face life's adversities.
Hope things are going well for you now, and that one day, you'll get to see Follies.
I thought in her own way, Jan Maxwell was as good as Alexis Smith.
Obviously, one should beware our recollections after 40 years, but I think Smith played the attitude while Maxwell played the text.
Each was brilliant in her own way. (Normally, playing "attitude" would be a bad thing, but it worked beautifully for Phyllis, who is all hard shell until her feeling finally break through with "Would I Leave You?")
They're both beautiful, and of course Smith is iconic in that red dress, but Maxwell was absolutely sumptuous. From what I can see, Smith played her more icy.
On the other hand, while Peters and Clark were excellent, I don't think we'll ever see a Sally as good as Dorothy Collins. Others PLAY the part, but from what I've seen she WAS the part in a way that modern actresses just couldn't replicate today.
(Just a disclaimer- I have not seen the original cast of Follies. I was only 2 years old at the time. I'm going by clips I've seen, which if you look around, are plentiful)