How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?

[StephenSondheimWHOO]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 2:13pm

Just wondering, It doesn't seem like the type of role she ussually does, even in concert.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 2:20pm

Audra never played the role on stage -- only for the Actor's Fund Concert.

It was always a pipedream of hers to play Deena Jones (she always knew she wasn't a right fit), and since Seth Rudetsky is a very good friend, he allowed her that dream for the 20th Anniversary Concert/Recording.

[MovieGuy1031]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 2:43pm

But was it good?

[Lavieboheme3090]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 2:45pm

The recording is wonderful.

[soapguy17]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 2:51pm

She did the best she possibly could considering her miscast. It was a wonderful recording.

[Kringas]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 2:57pm

Woo and MovieGuy, the concert recording is readily available. Why not give it a listen yourselves and form your own opinion?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 2:58pm

She was miscast. Much as she tried to tone it down, her "legit" trained sound (with way too much vibrato) came through in all of Deena's music, which simply is all wrong for the character. Deena needs cool, sleek, unaffected 60s pop sound a la Diana Ross in order for it to make sense that the Dreams became a major mainstream success during that era. Audra's Broadway/classical voice -- while ideal for many other roles -- simply doesn't have the pop sound that Deena requires.

[MovieGuy1031]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 3:03pm

Kringas, i'd gladly give it a listen, but I don't exactly have the money "readily available" to purchase the entire recording from iTunes or amazon, considering they're both asking about $20 for it. I can live with the movie recording for now...

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 3:35pm

I thought she was absolutely phenomenal.

[Copeman63]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 4:26pm

Agreed Margo.

*I think she has been fabulous in everything else she's done, this was just miscast, but hell, it was a concert and for charity, so no biggie.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 4:30pm

Not to be negative... but

she also wasn't the best fit for Dot in Sunday, for many reasons (her voice, etc) But that was also concert style, so it worked.

But I don't mind how she sounds with Deena, the vibrato just doesn't work though.
Updated On: 12/30/06 at 04:30 PM

[gustof777]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 4:54pm

wow actually thought she was an amazing dot and her voice sounded great with the score...her "children and art" and marie was so poignant and hilarious and her " We Do Not Belong Together" was chilling!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 5:41pm

Race doesn't matter in a concert staging -- only in a fully mounted show.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 5:58pm

Ummm, Dot is a fictional character that Sondheim and Lapine created, she was not a real person therefore any argument discussing Dot's real race is pointless.

[gustof777]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 9:03pm

yeah and it really didn't take anything away from the show

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 9:03pm

Mis. Cast.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 9:04pm

I think when she is with the 2 other girls she is fine...when she is alone it just does not work. The woman has a great voice...but not for Deena.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 9:34pm

She is such a gifted performer that she was wonderful in the role despite being completely miscast. I mean Shoshana Bean would have been less miscast as Deena than Audra.

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 9:47pm

Um, dot was not even real,

So calm your racist a@sdown.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 10:13pm

Shoshana would have been good.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 10:14pm

Actually, if you look at the painting, Dot's face is purple. I don't know what race is purple.

[sondhead]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 11:30pm

I don't know what "wonderful" recording ya'll are referring to, but my concert CD is terrible. Audra McDonald, for all her talents, is terribly mis cast. White sounds a mere echo of the brilliant Effie in her past and Heather Headley is so terrible that her "Ain't No Party" is easily one of the most embarassingly-terrible recordings I've ever heard.

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 11:33pm

I have to admit that I hate the concert recording too, I think just about everyone is miscast, even Audra, but she does a better job than any of the other women, but its nice to have the whole show on record.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 12/31/06 at 12:40am

I actually really love the concert recording, warts and all. Even if you hate the three girls, which I know may make for a painful show, I think Billy Porter defines Jimmy Early.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 12/31/06 at 1:49am

Wonderful, what can I say but, Wonderful
She sings the sh*t out of it
Better than anyone, including that Beyonce thing,
who's voice is so weak