Hugh Panaro! — Page 2

Gingersnap, well-said! ... I, too, was going to avoid making any comments because I feared this would become another lame 'Lestat' bashing thread. And look, if Hugh Panaro's performance didn't work for you, that's how you felt. And it's useless to debate an opinion. But for what it's worth, Anne Rice told Hugh, 'When I wrote this character, I didn't think anyone could play him. You ARE Lestat. You sound like him. You look like him. I have nothing to add.' And the Outer Critics Circle, who have no vested interest, nominated him for Best Actor in a Musical for 'Lestat.'

Gingersnap mentioned last week's 'Leading Men' concert, and I produced that Broadway Cares benefit. When we got a couple of last-minute cancellations, Hugh Panaro was all too happy to step in on short notice and sing for us. And yes, I actually asked him to perform 'Right Before My Eyes,' my favorite song from 'Lestat' (and a song that Elton John wrote FOR Hugh). If you had heard the voluminous applause he got, you would've thought he sang something from a hit show, not a short-lived one. Not only did he do it beautifully, he took the time to salute J.C. Sheets, one of the most 'spectacular' leading men he ever knew, and who had just passed away. To me, that spoke volumes about what an artist and a true gentleman he is. I've seen Hugh in many shows now, and look forward to many more. To me, he'll always be a class act.




Photo coverage from 'The Leading Men II' concert

Updated On: 2/16/07 at 06:59 PM

Thank you, Wayman. And kudos for the excellent job you did with The Leading Men II concert. Being there meant taking the afternoon off at work on short notice and risking hypothermia, but the entire show was worth it.

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Did it ever occur to anyone else that perhaps Anne Rice had some financial motivation to be in total support of the show? Don't get me wrong, I actually liked Lestat lot, and I'm sure she was quite pleased...but it did occur to me at one point that like..yeah, of course Anne is going to be in love with it in front of the cameras.

P.S. Hugh, I love you.

Updated On: 2/17/07 at 02:27 AM

I can't understand all the excitement over Panaro. I saw him in the Hal Prince version of SHOWBOAT and wasn't impressed. It seemed as though his ears were supposting his hats and he was very wooden as an actor. None of him moves seemed natural. It didn't help that his Magnolia was several inches taller than he.

He can sing, though. I'll give him that.

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Updated On: 2/17/07 at 08:46 AM

For the record, Anne Rice wasn't afraid to publicly criticize the casting of Tom Cruise in the movie 'Interview With an Vampire' when it was first announced. She said she was 'stunned by the casting of Cruise, who is no more my Vampire Lestat, than Edward G. Robinson is Rhett Butler.' After seeing the movie, however, she also was big enough to admit she was totally wrong, and that Cruise was really 'great.'
Anne Rice's thoughts on the film 'Interview With an Vampire'

Last summer he had a major concert gig. He was one of four male singers on Barbra Streisand’s European tour. He was thrilled to get the job but said he didn’t know what to expect when he met her. “I loved her. She was incredibly professional, really funny and, I know this is a weird word, cute; very feminine.”

When he and his three cohorts were interviewed by one of the Internet Broadway sites they were asked what their initial reaction to Barbra was. The other three all said the politically correct thing, Panaro says. But not Hugh. He said, “She has really big boobs.” The Web site quoted him as saying, “she was really pretty.” Apparently the size of Barbra’s bosom surprised him, and he said so. But it was too much for the Web site, fearful, perhaps, that the quote would offend Streisand. Panaro is certain it wouldn’t have.

HAHAHAHA!!!!
http://chestnuthilllocal.com/issues/2008.06.26/locallife1.html

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Features Hugh in a supporting role. The movie isn't great but it has its moments. Interestingly enough, the actress on the cover is Mara Hobel, A.K.A. Little Christina in Mommie Dearest.

I'm giving a second hand review here. My boss saw Les Miz in Philadelphia a month ago, and he came back raving about it. He's no theatre expert, but he has seen six companies of Les Miz. He didn't even known Panaro's name, but he was wild about how good he was (He knows I'm a Les Miz fan as well). So I looked it up, and was stunned that he got to see Panaro by fluke. Anyway, he was thrilled with that performance, and the thougt the entire cast was one of the best he'd ever seen.