I miss Laurie Beechman

[Jimmcf]

I miss Laurie Beechman#0

Posted: 3/7/05 at 3:52pm

Man, what a voice she had.

Such a loss for us all.

Does anyone know if "Listen To Her Heart: The Life and Music of Laurie Beechman" will ever be released?

My mother always used to say, "The older you get, the better you get, unless you're a banana." - Rose Nyland

Updated On: 3/7/05 at 03:52 PM

[Benzy92]

re: I miss Laurie Beechman#1

Posted: 3/7/05 at 3:54pm

This woman was incredible to say the least! I have so many parts that I wanted her to play such as the Witch in Into the Woods and Aldonza in Man of La Mancha. I miss her also

[JBSinger]

re: I miss Laurie Beechman#2

Posted: 3/7/05 at 3:56pm

Yes, she was stunning. My first cabaret experience was her Andrew Lloyd Webber and More show at the Russian Tea Room. She was terrific. Glad her vocals live on in so many recordings/shows. Also a friend of mine was 2nd piano for some Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber concerts back in the 1990's. I'm told she was wonderful both on and off stage.

[DottieD'Luscia]

re: I miss Laurie Beechman#3

Posted: 3/7/05 at 4:01pm

I had the pleasure of seeing her in the original Broadway company of Annie. I also saw her with the 1st National Tour of Cats. I thought she was the best Grizabella in that show. She is sorely missed.

Hey Dottie! Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany

[wendy72]

re: I miss Laurie Beechman#4

Posted: 3/7/05 at 4:23pm

I did not realize she had passed away...when and what happened? I also saw her in the original "Annie".

[Unknown User]

re: I miss Laurie Beechman#5

Posted: 3/7/05 at 4:28pm

Me too----I saw her in the original cast of "Annie"---amazing and so memorable! I have 2 of her CD's----love them both. She is missed.

[Jimmcf]

re: I miss Laurie Beechman#6

Posted: 3/7/05 at 4:28pm

Tomorrow will be 7 year anniversary of her death from cancer.

My mother always used to say, "The older you get, the better you get, unless you're a banana." - Rose Nyland

[OtherDaryl]

re: I miss Laurie Beechman#7

Posted: 3/8/05 at 6:07pm

N.Y.C.
Just got here this mornin'
Three Bucks -
Two Bags -
One me.

15 Syllables and I can here it clearly nearly 30 years later.

"Love Life. Live." Michael Bennett

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

re: I miss Laurie Beechman#8

Posted: 3/8/05 at 6:10pm

I adore her "No One Is Alone" CD... makes me cry. She's wonderful. Has everyone heard her "Sailin' On" on the Child In Me CD? Ohhhh.

[title of show] on Broadway. it's time. believe.

[Becky]

re: I miss Laurie Beechman#9

Posted: 3/8/05 at 6:25pm

My favorite song of hers is the duet "One Hand One Heart/Make Our Garden Grow" with Sam Harris. Their voices are absolutely amazing together - and they were so close that it makes the line "only death can part us now" really eerie when I hear it. Updated On: 3/8/05 at 06:25 PM

[Princeton78]

re: I miss Laurie Beechman#10

Posted: 3/8/05 at 7:42pm

She was such a talented performer. I wish I could have seen her live. She was taken much too early...

"Y'all have a GRAND day now"

[PB ENT.]

Remembering Laurie#11

Posted: 3/8/05 at 9:29pm

Nice to see her remembered. Laurie grew up a few towns from me. The Westmont theater, Westmont, NJ was her home theater. She moved on to become a welcome resident of the Walnut Street Theater, Philly as well. Many of her friends watched her grow and acheive so much recognition and love. She was one of ALW's favorite people and a personal close friend to so many people on Broadway, from Sam Harris, David Freidman, Davis Gaines, to Bernadette Peters and countless more. Yet she never forgot her friends at home. Here sister Claudia and mother Dolly still carry her ambition and dreams.

I had the honor to see her in her last role of Fantine at the Forrest Theater in 1996. It was both heartbreaking and triumphant. Deep in the last stages of ovarian cancer, she performed with a shunt embedded in her for her medication. Rob Evan(J&H) was her ValJean. His experience of carring her off to her death bed onstage was always overshadowed by the reality of what she was facing. He still talks about her love and bravery to this day.

Always the optomist, always the strong one helping others. She truly created wonderful "Memories" for a lot of people. I know she would smile to think others are remembering her today.

"A Star to Be" article
http://www.theatrefest.com/LaurieBeechman/articles.asp?article=05jun82.htm

Laurie's Obituary
http://www.theatrefest.com/LaurieBeechman/memories.asp?article=inquirer.htm

www.pbentertainmentinc.com BWW regional writer "Philadelphia/South Jersey"

Updated On: 3/8/05 at 09:29 PM

[EVIE]

Remembering Laurie#12

Posted: 3/8/05 at 11:03pm

I have her ALW cd and I think she does the best version of "Love Changes Everything" I've EVER heard!! Rest in peace.

[Glebb]

Remembering Laurie#13

Posted: 3/8/05 at 11:23pm

Love her in Joseph.

" ...the happiness in the tune convinces me that I'm not afraid."

[Mojojo5]

Remembering Laurie#14

Posted: 3/9/05 at 12:28am

God, I love Laurie Beechman; her voice is simply soul stirring. I mean, she is THE Star-to-Be (and no one else can sing that part with as much joy and honesty as her). Her singing of the last chorus of "Strange as it seems..." in "Pharoh Story" from Joseph... is amazing. God, I muss her and all we could have seen her do. "Strange as it seems, there's been a run of crazy dreams. And a man who can interpret could go far. Could become a star."

Zach... a little misty eyed

"You're not a kid anymore, Robby. I don't think you'll ever be a kid again, kiddo." - Joanne, Company

[AuditioningWaitress]

Remembering Laurie#15

Posted: 10/9/05 at 12:48pm

Reading all the posts on the best "Grizabella" made me listen to some of my old Laurie Beechman CD's and put them on my iPod. I feel in love with Laurie's voice the first time I hear her in ANNIE...I really didn't know who she was though until JOSEPH. I still love her recording more than any of the others. BTW, what is "Listen To Her Heart: The Life and Music of Laurie Beechman"? Are they going to release some of her stuff? I know her pop album "Laurie & The Sighs" and her "Listen To My Heart" CD are really hard to find.

[Chip1012]

Remembering Laurie#16

Posted: 10/9/05 at 3:48pm

I treasure the 3 cds of hers I have.

[WonderBoy]

Remembering Laurie#17

Posted: 10/10/05 at 12:49pm

Laurie was a dear friend of mine and an inspiration to me as well. Remember, it's Laurie HOPE Beechman.

I fortunately have a recording of one of her cabarets and I also have a tape of us talking and singing together in her dressing room at the WG. I miss her tremendously and not a day goes by that I don't think about her.
The Laurie Beechman Website

"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds." ~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns

[AuditioningWaitress]

Remembering Laurie#18

Posted: 10/10/05 at 12:55pm

Thanks for the great pics WonderBoy...Glad to know she was just as much as a beautiful person as she appeared to be...I always felt that Laurie never got her due the way Nancy LaMott, Susanna McCorkle or Eva Cassidy did...And by the way, I LOVE Nancy, Susanna and Eva, so I don't want to read further down that someone can't believe I don't like Nancy LaMott, Susanna McCorkle or Eva Cassidy!!! I just think Laurie never got the respect it seems like they did.

[WonderBoy]

Remembering Laurie#19

Posted: 10/10/05 at 1:02pm

Yeah, but she got a theatre named after her! She got a lot of national recognition before her death. She sang at the Clinton's inauguration and tracks off her NO ONE IS ALONE album appeared everywhere on TV. Besides, she had Neil in her life and his love was the greatest recognition that she could ever dream of.

"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds." ~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns

[BobbyBubby]

Remembering Laurie#20

Posted: 10/10/05 at 1:08pm

I adore her. I need to buy her solo album.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Remembering Laurie#21

Posted: 10/10/05 at 1:49pm

Laurie had a wonderful, wonderful voice. To this day I cannot listen to any other Joseph recording because it's just not the same. I wish I'd seen her live as well!!

[Marquise]

Remembering Laurie#22

Posted: 10/10/05 at 3:22pm

From left to right: LAURIE BEECHMAN, Ellen Foley and Debi Dye singing "Black Boys" in the 1979 movie version of HAIR.
Updated On: 10/10/05 at 03:22 PM

[melissa errico fan]

Remembering Laurie#23

Posted: 10/10/05 at 3:24pm

Ms. Beechman was an incredible talent and a truly beautiful human being. I pass by the West Bank Cafe (which houses the Laurie Beechman Theatre) almost daily and I always take a moment to remember her and her gift.