Jewel, Karen Olivo, John Tartaglia, et al. Set for NBC Broadcast of Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 7/3/09 at 11:27am

NBC's live broadcast of the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular will include performances by Grammy Award winner Rob Thomas, multi-platinum singer-songwriter Jewel, and Tony Award winner Karen Olivo and the cast of the Broadway revival of West Side Story. In addition, Shrek star John Tartaglia will be interviewed live by hosts Tiki Barber and Natalie Morales. The broadcast will air on July 4, 9-10pm EST.

For the first time since 2000, Macy's Fireworks will return to the Hudson River to honor the country's independence and to kick off the 400th anniversary of the exploration of the Hudson River by Henry Hudson on his ship, The Half Moon. This year's fireworks spectacular will feature more than 40,000 brilliant shells exploding over New York City at a rate of more than 1,500 shells per minute.

For more information, visit www.nbc.com.


http://www.theatermania.com/new-york/news/07-2009/jewel-karen-olivo-john-tartaglia-et-al-set-for-nbc_19937.html

[kchenofan]

Posted: 7/3/09 at 11:31am

Tony winners Idina and Audra McDonald's vocals will be used for Stephen Flaherty and William Schermerhorn's "American River Suite" as part of the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks celebration. Their voices will also be accompanied by the Choir Academy of Harlem.

As reported on the Idina Menzel website

[sn2214]

Posted: 7/3/09 at 11:45am

I wonder what will happen to WSS on July 4th evening performance. Will their section be pre-recorded? I got matinee tickets for WSS that day so I'm a bit worried about missing Karen Olivo!!

[alightinthedark23]

Posted: 7/3/09 at 12:44pm

I love how WSS is billed as Karen Olivo and the cast of West Side Story. It shouldn't be any other way.

[whsprint]

Posted: 7/3/09 at 10:28pm

West Side Story and Jewel were prerecorded on Thursday night.

Jewel sang her rendition of God Bless America and West Side Story sang America (when they say the cast of West Side Story, they really meant 7 cast members)

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 7/4/09 at 10:37am

Are they doing the dancing? Or just singing?

[winston89]

Posted: 7/4/09 at 11:20am

I would think it's pre recorded without the dancing. I believe that the song is going to be used as background music to the fireworks.

But, the question that I am wondering is this. If they have the cast album out of West Side story with Karen et al, then why would they spend the money to rerecord it when they can just use the new cast recording?

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/4/09 at 9:01pm

Of course he pronounced her name wrong.

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 7/4/09 at 9:08pm

How little prep do you have to do to get one of the major act's name wrong?

[Liverpool]

Posted: 7/4/09 at 9:28pm

Wow, its a Stephen Flaherty-palooza tonight.

[fetzles1490]

Posted: 7/4/09 at 9:31pm

Hah, every song so far has been by Stephen Flaherty. Audra sounded beautiful as always. Idina sounds better than I've heard her in this song too.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/4/09 at 9:32pm

Wow! Idina sounds absolutely fantastic!!

[Liverpool]

Posted: 7/4/09 at 9:34pm

Was the singing live cause they never showed the singers.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 7/4/09 at 9:36pm

per Playbill.com:

"Flaherty (Ragtime, Once on This Island, The Glorious Ones) was commissioned to write "American River Suite" ? featuring lyrics by William Schermerhorn ? to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the exploration of New York Harbor and the Hudson River."

[fetzles1490]

Posted: 7/4/09 at 9:36pm

No, I think both songs were recorded. Otherwise I'm pretty sure they'd have shown Audra and Idina.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 7/4/09 at 9:37pm

yeah, the Playbill article also says the vocals were prerecorded.
Flaherty, McDonald, Menzel and West Side Story Featured on Macy's 4th of July Celebration

[Edna Turnblad]

Posted: 7/4/09 at 9:40pm

The Playbill.com article said that Idina and Audra and the Choir were prerecorded. The whole John Tartaglia thing was crap! He didn't say anything! It was just him smiling and waving.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/4/09 at 9:47pm

Audra and Idina both sounded great. So glad Stephen Flaherty got so much exposure tonight. The fireworks were stunning this year.

[alightinthedark23]

Posted: 7/4/09 at 9:50pm

I agree, I thought Idina sounded great. It was obvious though that it was pre-recorded.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 7/4/09 at 10:01pm

How little prep do you have to do to get one of the major act's name wrong?

probably the same amount you get when you show the wrong actor during the Tony Awards, or spell their name wrong in an article.