Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Follies in Los Angeles 1990
#1Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 3:39am
I was watching the clip on Ann Miller singing "I'm Still Here" on YouTube and I saw that there were clips from the 1990s version of "Follies" that features some of the greatest voices to never have success on the Broadway stage.
The Incredible Karen "I Had a Ball" Morrow singing "I'm Still Here"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoJP_bV5Lso&feature=related
Susan "Most Happy Fella" Johnson singing "Who's That Woman"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOahWAFYbQI&feature=related
Yma "Flahooley" Sumac singing "One More Kiss"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os6X8aqCysg&feature=channel
Shani "A Time for Singing" Film version of "Oliver" Wallis singing "Losing My Mind"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zws19Y1JZ-w
Enjoy!
"A coherent existance after so many years of muddle" - Desiree' Armfelt, A Little Night Music
"Life keeps happening everyday, Say Yes" - 70, Girls, 70
"Life is what you do while you're waiting to die" - Zorba
#2re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 3:46am
Ehh. I am not feeling Shani's LOSING MY MIND. After watching the wonderful Donna McKechnie's version; Shani's performance just seems too forced.
And sadly I cannot find Judith Ivey's LOSING MIND on there anymore. Now that was a killer performance of the song from a pretty awful revival.
#2re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 4:06amThat production was at the Long Beach Civic Light Opera. Is Long Beach considered part of Los Angeles?
#3re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 11:22amYes, Long Beach is in Los Angeles - just right at The Orange County border. Back in the day, Long Beach CLO was THE musical theatre company of Southern California, along with LA CLO. But, they are both, but, a memory....
#4re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 11:41am
I saw this production! I saw MANY of the Long Beach productions.
I still have the special Byrd poster designed specifically for this production.
I remember they had to practically wheel Dorothy Lamour on stage to sing BROADWAY BABY.
Karen Marrow brought down the house (and woke up the mostly clueless audience) with her I'M STILL HERE.
Juliet Prowes, whom I've always found rather bland onstage, was a pretty solid Phyllis.
Shanni Wallace really had you feeling for her throughout the evening. You really got the sense that she was emotionally lost and masking her pain by trying to act "normal." It was pretty stunning when she cracked open during LOSING MY MIND.
The real thrill from a FOLLIES fan perspective was seeing Harvey Evans (who originated the role of Young Buddy, in the Broadway Production) now play Buddy.
That bit of casting... while lost on most of the audience...really put the past-confronting-the-present emotional potency in the production.
What great ones do the less will prattle of
Updated On: 11/1/08 at 11:41 AM
#6re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 11:44amYes, it was a wonderful production...absolutely! One of the best that they did back then. Around the time of "Follies," it was the beginning of the end of LBCLO.
#7re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 11:54am
At the risk of thread jacking...
LBCLO had a pretty ambitious (for a CLO) creative team... however they were stuck a very conservative and unadventurous audience.
I remember once during a revelatory production of CHICAGO (with Neuwirth, Prowes, Ballard) I was having a cocktail at intermission and there was this group of Orange County types complaining that the CLO never did shows they ever heard of.
I remember thinking "How many shows do these yahoos actually KNOW?... how many productions of KING AND I or THE MUSIC MAN can you stomach every year?"
By the way.. that production of CHICAGO was years before the Encores concert version, used the COMPLETE book to the show with the original set and original Fosse staging.
Pretty brilliant.
What great ones do the less will prattle of
Updated On: 11/1/08 at 11:54 AM
BrodyFosse123
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/27/06
#8re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 12:49pm
Regarding LBCLO's production of CHICAGO.
Neuwirth was Velma (in a black Louise Brooks/Dutch Boy wig); Prowse was Roxie and Kaye Ballard was Matron "Mama" Rose.
Yes, it included the complete book (unlike the current revival), the original 1975 Broadway set design, but it did not entirely include Bob Fosse's original choreography. Choreographer Ann Reinking used most of Fosse's original choreography but took heavy liberties throughout. Ironically, the "Hot Honey Rag" was entirely and completely different from Fosse's. If I find time, I'll post it as evidence.
Incidentally, the director of this production was some choreographer named Rob Marshall. Many still wonder what ever became of him. 
#9re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 1:21pm
BigFat, you are correct. A lot of the "blue haired" crowds want to see "My Fair Lady," "Sound of Music," etc...over and over again. Many of the patrons/donors of LBCLO came from old money in Long Beach, and the surrounding OC areas.
Yet, at the same time, the budgets for the CLO shows skyrocketed, way out of control during those years when Barry Brown and others were running the place. The CLO shows only ran 3 weeks. To pay a top-notch cast like "Chicago" and "Follies," there's just no way that it could recoup in 3 weeks....no way.
And, the Terrace Theatre is a massive theatre to fill. So, it was a combination of many things that led to the downfall of the organization. And, it's very sad.
Updated On: 11/1/08 at 01:21 PM
#10re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 1:26pm
Yeah.. pity about the CLO. I remember being there for the COMPANY reunion concert... that was an especially glowing night. I think they were at there zenith then.
As for their low points.. I am sorry I missed the Pia Zadora FUNNY GIRL. My friends said it was an unintentional HOOT!
It seems most CLO's tank eventually... at least Long Beach can say it put on some interesting productions.
===
I stand corrected on that bit of the choreography.
If you are in a posting mood, I'd love to see the second act(?) "card game" scene.
I'd like to see if the staging is as clever and funny as I remember it to be.
What great ones do the less will prattle of
Updated On: 11/1/08 at 01:26 PM
#11re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 1:39pm
Yes, the "Company" reunion was something. Again.........out of control budgets. Never saw "Funny Girl." I was doing "Me & My Girl" at Whittier/La Mirada CLO at the time...now Musical Theatre West, and we got a comp exchange for the show, but I couldn't make it. Didn't hear very good things about it.
Again, getting a "star" with a huge salary to go along with it, wasn't always the best choice for them during that time.
#12re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 1:43pm
OH!!!!
*pulls up a chair*
I *heard* that for FUNNY GIRL.. Zadora's VERY VERY VERY rich and VERY VERY VERY old husband put up most of the money to showcase his child bride.
...but of course, I'm not one to gossip...
What great ones do the less will prattle of
Updated On: 11/1/08 at 01:43 PM
#13re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 1:52pmThat's probably very true!! I remember that Adrian Zmed was Nicky. Don't remember who else was in the show - that was March of 1991.
#14re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 1:55pm
I forgot!!! Yes! Zmed was Arnstein.. and Kaye Ballard was Fanny's Mother.
My friends who saw it, said that for the IF A GIRL ISN'T PRETTY number, they had Zadora (who is rather conventionally pretty) wear a pair of big glasses and awkwardly strut around the stage.
...ah.. I'm truly sorry I missed that one!
What great ones do the less will prattle of
Updated On: 11/1/08 at 01:55 PM
#15re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 2:20pm
Oh.. one last tidbit...
I meet Karen Morrow once and told her how much I remembered and enjoyed her performance in FOLLIES. I told her that I particularly remembered the bluish/purplish evening gown she wore when she sang I'M STILL HERE.
She said.. Oh Honey.. that was a gown from my own closet! By the time they got around to thinking about my costume they had LONG since run out of money!
What great ones do the less will prattle of
Updated On: 11/1/08 at 02:20 PM
#16re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 2:48pmGreat stories! Yes, I remember seeing pics of Pia as Fanny with the big glasses. I had completely forgotten about that.
BrodyFosse123
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/27/06
#17re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 4:25pm
"... ladies and gentlemen, at this performance the role of Fanny Brice will be played by... PIA ZADORA!"
Long Beach Civic Light Opera production of FUNNY GIRL
February 28 thru March 17, 1991
(at the Terrace Theatre)
Pia Zadora............................Fanny Brice
Adrian Zmed.......................Nick Arnstein
Kaye Ballard.......................Mrs. Brice
Lloyd Gordon.....................Eddie Ryan
#18re: Follies in Los Angeles 1990
Posted: 11/1/08 at 4:53pmThanks for the pics. That hair on Pia and the ladies.....it's so big. Well, the bigger the hair - the closer to God.
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