Kennedy Center Honors: Patti and Glenn

[zamedy]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 10:09pm

Amazing tribute to Beverly Sills at the Kennedy Center Honors. And Broadway was, of course, well represented with the likes of Kelli O'Hara, Sutton Foster, Laura Osnes and more. Had to wonder about any backstage awkwardness/tension between Glenn Close and Patti LuPone considering the whole Sunset Boulevard past. They performed virtually right after one another in the tribute to Sills. If there was any awkwardness, I'm sure it was only on the side of Patti since.. let's face it.. Glenn is a much bigger star in the eyes of the public outside Broadway.

[indytallguy]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 10:10pm

Barbara Cook, not Beverly Sills is who they were honoring.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 10:17pm

Love Glenn Close (and her oft-criticized singing in the SUNSET BLVD cast recording) but she killed "Losing My Mind." I really enjoyed the rest of the medley though, Rebecca Luker has a gorgeous soprano and her singing with Kelli O'Hara was pretty great! Foster seemed to be having a blast with "Everybody Says Don't" and Audra McDonald during the finale was terrific.

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 10:19pm

Really enjoy it. Always so exciting to wait with anticipation as the announcer is set to reveal the next famous performer!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 10:22pm

It looked like Meryl enjoyed it more than Barbara.

And Anne Hathaway's reaction to Glenn Close singing "Losing My Mind" reminded me of the first time I heard that song sung (by Dorothy Loudon) -- a mess of dripping admiration.

[broadwaybabytn]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 10:28pm

I think Meryl was crying!

Also, did anyone else notice that the program was sponsored by THE IRON LADY?

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 10:28pm

Yo-Yo Ma seemed to be enjoying himself, too. He leaned over to say something to Meryl after Rebecca Luker and Kelli O'Hara sang. And seemed to LOVE "Make Our Garden Grow."

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 10:36pm

I wonder if maybe "Losing My Mind" was more affecting seeing it live given Anne Hathaway's reaction or if they just edited the reaction shot in.
I agree that Barbara Cook seemed the least overwhelmed of the bunch during her own tribute. Meryl cried when everyone started singing "Make Our Garden Grow" and yes, Yo-Yo Ma seemed to love the medley as well!

[ReggieonBway]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 10:37pm

The tribute was absolutely breathtaking. I feel like an idiot for even asking, but what was the piece that Laura sang? I recognize the tune, but it's driving me crazy.

[broadwaybabytn]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 10:37pm

Yo-Yo Ma seems to love Colbert as well!

[theatreguy]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 10:48pm

Laura Osnes sang This is All Very New To Me from Plain and Fancy.

[zamedy]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 10:49pm

I feel like an idiot. Barbara Cook, of course!! Thank you, indytallguy.

[ReggieonBway]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 10:56pm

I don't know Plain and Fancy at all, but I adored that snippet. I may have to look into it.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 11:32pm

We saw Barbara Cook at Feinstein's a few nights after they taped this, and she was still overwhelmed by the evening and the honor. She had she had to keep pinching herself because it didn't seem real to her that they were paying this tribute to her.

She said she understood why they would give this honor to Meryl Streep and Yo-Yo Ma, but it didn't make sense, she said, that they would include her.

She said, about Meryl Streep, "She was sooooo nice to me." That was cute.

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 11:38pm

Most honorees do not emote quite as much as Yo-Yo Ma did during his. Last year Jerry Herman hardly smiled except when Lansbury and Channing took the stage together. I think it can be tough to be put on the spot like that -- especially as a performer, when other people are singing "your" songs; though I am sure there was no jealousy with Cook, she's a very humble person. Wonderful tribute. A great night overall.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/27/11 at 11:46pm

PalJoey, that sounds like a great story and a great thing to experience seeing her live so soon after the show!
SondheimFan5, you're right, some people are definitely more emotive than others, and just because you're not being expressive in front of a camera, it doesn't mean you aren't as grateful or overwhelmed (if not more) than those who are being expressive.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 12:07am

I'm so glad I recorded the show on my dvr. On the subject of G.C.....______________________. from RC in Austin, Texas

[ComingUpRoses2]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 1:04am

I've never understood all the hatred for Glenn Close and her singing. Hell, at least she always acts the hell out of a song and knows when to stop if she can't hit a note or something. I'll take a good actress over a good singer any day of the week. I actually found her South Pacific to be surprisingly well sung, even if she was too old for the role at that point. Her rendition of Send in the Clowns is also one of the most effective versions for me.

Was it just me or did she seem a little nervous tonight? A little shaky or something. Don't know if it was a character choice for the song or the fact that she was probably the only non-singer in the group.

The tribute was wonderful, though! Everyone was on fire. Meryl totally seemed to get a kick out of it, didn't she?

[singingbackup]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 1:48am

I think Yo-Yo is Cute-Cute

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 1:47pm

But, Send in the Clowns was written for Glynis Johns. She really didn't have a singing voice. Then, Dame Judi Dench sang it, again, without a really singing voice. To me, its one of those songs that someone who can't sing can still perform by speaking on pitch. A la Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 4:04pm

It's incredible that people are saying Glenn "can't sing."

Maybe she doesn't belt and riff the crap out of every note, but the woman can most definitely sing and she sings very well! =D

[f13overture]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 5:27pm

I think Glenn Close would have faired far better if she sang randomly in a tribute like Anne Hathaway did. Dude, she's not a trained singer plus she had to follow Rebecca Luker and Kelli O'Hara - that's not exactly a recipe for success...



Updated On: 12/28/11 at 05:27 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 5:37pm

Like I said, I thoroughly enjoy Glenn Close's singing and defend her when people attack her singing in the SUNSET BLVD cast recording, I've also enjoyed her singing on other occasions...but come on, that rendition of "Losing My Mind" was just not good.
Either way, it's obviously nice to see her there, both for Barbara Cook and for her friend Meryl Streep. I'm sure she'll be honored by the Kennedy Center soon enough (unless I missed the memo and she already has).

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 5:50pm

I saw Glenn on opening night of Sunset Blvd in LA and she couldn't sing it at all.

I really think you need to be able to sing if you are starring in a musical...

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 12/28/11 at 6:18pm

This probably belongs on the "unpopular opinions you hold" thread, but . . .

I love Glenn Close and think she's one of our very finest actors. But as much as I disliked her singing in "Sunset" I thought her acting was inexcusably worse--much closer to Lon Chaney than Gloria Swanson.

I know she won the Tony and that it's a well-thought-of performance, so I just chalk it up to something that I didn't get.