Hairspray at Hollywood Bowl Cast Released- Page 3

[AnthVoice2010]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 6:51pm

How about....

"Mama, I'm ALTER COCKER, Now"!

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 6:52pm

Did you ever see Harvey as Edna? Live?

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 6:55pm

Nope.

Did you ever see Michael Ball? Updated On: 5/24/11 at 06:55 PM

[greeny11]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 6:56pm

I have to say I find Harvey's singing voice really grating - I much prefer Mr Ball I'm afraid, and I think that would be true of most UK audiences too. I don't think audiences over here would get it if Edna couldn't sing.
Updated On: 5/24/11 at 06:56 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 6:58pm

I never ventured to criticized Michael Ball as Edna, but you criticized Harvey's performance without seeing it.

Nice.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 6:59pm

I agree greeny11, I think it is a British/American thing.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 7:00pm

I don't have a problem either way.

Except when you said you had doubts about him being able to play the role due to his heritage.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 7:01pm

best12bars, darling. Sit down. And please tell me where you think I criticised Harvey's performance.

If you don't mind.
Updated On: 5/24/11 at 07:01 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 7:05pm

Harvey Fierstein is an old-school Broadway (yes, American musical theatre) star, in the same vein as legends Zero Mostel, Yul Brynner, Carol Channing, Bert Lahr, and Phil Silvers. It's not about the quality of his voice, his looks, his size, his versatility, etc., it's about how he connects with a live audience in a theatre. It's electric. It's an unspoken energy that immediately draws people in. It's pretty incredible to witness it with a full house and see how they are captivated. You can't see that in clips or on a bootleg DVD. I've seen him on Broadway in Torch Song Trilogy and Hairspray, and he engages an audience the way few performers ever can or will.

Updated On: 5/24/11 at 07:05 PM

[Tevye_the_Dairyman]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 7:08pm

Hear, Hear Besty

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 7:08pm

"I don't get the Harvey love" pretty much sums it up here, Clap. Did you really need me to draw it out of you? That was a general statement, right? All-encompassing. I didn't think you needed yourself quoted back to you.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 7:10pm

Well, I didn't (and still don't) get the love for Harvey Fierstein. You've explained your reasons, which are rather interesting.

I happen to feel the same about Michael Ball.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 7:12pm

You feel like Michael Ball is an American musical theatre star who was great in Torch Song Trilogy?

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 7:14pm

I'm not even going to grace a ridiculous question like that with an answer.
Updated On: 5/24/11 at 07:14 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 7:17pm

I'm pretty sure you just answered.

[charlesjguiteau]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 7:19pm

Did anyone here catch Harvey in La Cage? Reviews?

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 7:24pm

Phyllis Rogers Stone, I, in no way, answered your question...you might want to re-read that one again

[Adam Chris]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 7:25pm

Phyllis, you missed my point. In my explanation I was refering to others who were questioning his ethnicity.

Again, it's not a big deal to me.

[AnthVoice2010]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 7:27pm

Harvey was great in the show. He stopped the show more times than I can even count. Harvey owns the part. Harvey is not the problem.

The problem is a 58 year old woman playing a high school student to a boy who graduated High School in real life last year!

It smacks of "Throwing her a bone" which I guess is all well and good and typical of the powers involved.

However, You could be seated in GUAM and know there is a problem between the love interests...

For Christ Sake - They could have got Adele!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 7:30pm

You still answered me, though, Clap.

Adam, I'm just going on what I read. Your first question "does anyone else have doubts..." kind of implies that you have doubts. Actually, not kind of. It does imply that those are your thoughts. It may not be a big deal to you, but the question you asked and the way you asked it make it seem otherwise.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 7:31pm

"You still answered me, though, Clap."

I'm not denying that I did...

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 8:28pm

Besty,

That post is brilliant. Thank you.

Harvey has a quality that can not be copied, or ignored. I saw the man who was his understudy on Broadway, playing Edna on the tour when he took over the part. It was pathetic to watch someone on stage who was trying to copy Harvey's performance and it failed miserably.


Clap,

Why on earth are you complaining about someone you've NEVER seen in person? Just because you don't like his voice is not a reason to post such negative statements.

Were you planning on flying to LA to see the show?

Probably not.

So why are you letting it bother you so much?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 8:41pm

I see this more of a 'reunion' show than anything else.
And that is fine by me.
Marissa closed the show just last year with Harvey so it makes sense.

In Marissa's defense,.
she is not 58,
nor is she 48,

but a good ripe 38.
Which is prime years for any actor to play the ages 18-50, depending on what it is.

Plus, this is theatre.

If an actor is good enough to suspend an audience in any imagination or believability then she or he is entitled to portray the role.
it is the audience, who then has to be open minded to embrace that.

If all the Broadway shows, movies and television shows would truly cast its players true to age, according to character descriptions, then mostly everyone would be out of a job.

it's called ACTING!!!! Deal with it.

Harvey is the epitome of Edna, the originator, often duplicated and always imitated.

He is the male version of Ethel Merman, a distinguishable voice, a heartfelt personality, and an incredible interpreter of the text (Tracy, be a dear and hold my waffles)...
and can turn out anyone in his path as Edna.

let it be.
Amen.



Updated On: 5/25/11 at 08:41 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 8:53pm

I'm pretty sure Ethel Merman was the Ethel Merman of Broadway.

[egghumor]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 8:58pm

Hey, Adam Chris and ClapYoHands, that's all Phyllis Rogers Stone is good for: missing the point.