Laura Bell Bundy and the Note- Page 7

[allofmylife]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 12:59am

Sorry, I've only seen the site video and Bcky was racing through the song, missing half the delivery and frankly giving a shadow of LBB's performance. Are you guys on crack or something? She's giving an understudy's performance. The reason people groan when they hear "At this evenings performance, the role of...."

[Craww]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 1:18am

It's even less fair to judge Becky Gulsvig from a YouTube video than it is for people to judge Laura Bell Bundy from the MTV taping. Seeing as how you're so ridonkulously invested in Laura Bell Bundy, I can't imagine you being open to such rigid critiques of her performance from people who didn't actually see her live.

Laura Bell Bundy performed the role perfectly to her ability the night I saw it, and I was still eyeing Annaleigh and Becky and random ensemble members wishing one of them were playing Elle instead. For me, the role is just not well suited to her.

[MerMaggieGalinda]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 8:14am

If I ever see Legally Blonde the musical live (which I probably won't because there are more shows out there that I want to see more when I just saw LB from the MTV recording) I really want to see Becky Gulsvig as Elle, from what little I've seen of her I can just tell I will really like her performance, plus she's from Moorhead, which is close to where I'm from. I really disliked LBB's interpretation of Elle, although I appreciated she separated herself from Reese's characterization, she made Elle a less complex character, and she came off as really, really dumb to me. Plus her voice is nothing special, and sorry to say, I just don't think she's pretty enough to be Elle.

[Anakela]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 9:09am

Oh geez...I can't believe that I've managed to hold out for seven pages of this, and am now posting, but, as someone who has seen all of them- Annaleigh!Elle live, Becky!Elle live (more than once), and LBB live (more than once), those of you judging Becky's 'bad' performance based on a clip on the Tube of You need to seriously reconsider, the woman is so *amazing* onstage and gives a truly great performance.


She's giving an understudy's performance. The reason people groan when they hear "At this evenings performance, the role of...."

Becky's "understudy performance" is one that makes me buy a ticket to the 2pm matinee if I happen to be wandering by the Palace at 1:30 and see her name up on the u/s board, yeah that's how much it makes me 'groan' to see her in the role.

Seriously y'all- I enjoy watching boots on YouTube as much as the next person, but they're boots. on YouTube. It's never been enough for me to be able to judge what someone's performance is like live.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 12:16pm

Point taken. I'll be in NYC again after Christmas, I'll see if she's appearing.

[WhitehallandMarks]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 12:34pm

Someone upthread said Annaleigh Ashford only went on once as Elle? Is that true? She seems such a natural fit for the role, judging by her performance in her normal track and a few clips I've heard on that site.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 12:36pm

Yes, she only went on once. And she was hysterical, great comedic timing and a ton of charisma. I would've LOVED to see her go on again.

[biggest CHENO fan]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 1:24pm

Annaleigh Ashford is adorable and incredibly talented. I love her. To be honest though, no one beats Laura Bell. Her voice is tired, give her a break people. She hit it at the beginning. She understands everything about Elle and gives 150% every night. LONG LIVE LAURA BELL!!!

edit- CRAWW- i LOVE your avatar, I didn't know that there were any Ashley Tisdale fans on here! Hooray! I absolutely LOVE her. Sorry about the off-topic-ness. Updated On: 12/10/07 at 01:24 PM

[Kalimba]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 1:36pm

Annaleigh with comic timing? Now that's a good one!

[Kelly2]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 1:45pm

"Annaleigh with comic timing? Now that's a good one!"

I didn't see her in anything else, but in LB, she definitely did have great comedic timing, and I think anyone else who saw her as Elle would agree.

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 2:03pm

Annaleigh was fantastic in Blonde both as Margot and Elle.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 2:11pm

Maybe Michael Longoria should stand offstage and hit it for her.

[MerMaggieGalinda]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 5:31pm

I don't think LBB understands the character of Elle at all, or my interpretation of Elle is skewed. Judging from the original movie and Reese Witherspoon's performance, Elle is optimistic, intelligent, bright and resourceful, and a little shallow and naive in the beginning. I never got the sense that LBB changed at all by the end, she still came off as shallow and naive to me, and not smart, just really, really lucky.

[ruprecht]

Posted: 12/10/07 at 6:15pm

I was the one that said Annaleigh Ashford only went on once, she was great but she left to play Glinda really soon after.

[Radioactiveduck]

Posted: 12/11/07 at 3:51am

"I don't understand why they don't prerecord it. Christine's note at the end of the title song in Phantom of the Opera is prerecorded. Why would this be any different? I would prefer to hear a recording of her hitting the right note in a studio then sitting in the theatre listening to her hit the wrong one live.

First of all...there's a HUGE difference between being able to consistently sing a C#5, and an E6.

Secondly, not every Christine lipsyncs, there are a wonderful few who really go out there and do it.

[JB Fan]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 5:03pm

CurtainPullDowner wrote:

"Maybe Michael Longoria should stand offstage and hit it for her."

Very funny, especially considering now that he has begun doing 6 shows a week, he is having some difficulty in Jersey Boys...



Jersey Boys Thread with current information about Longoria's voice

[ardenfanXD]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 5:14pm

Well she DOES carry the show, so it should be obvious why she can't hit the note. She goes flat every time, and I thought she would be better after the strike, but she didn't. But either way, I still love Laura Bell and she is an amazing performer. Good thing she extended her contract til August!!!

[goldfish2]

Posted: 12/17/07 at 7:12pm

Does she smoke??? Maybe that's the problem.

[Rosalind]

Posted: 12/18/07 at 8:23am

As I suggested before, I just don't think she has the best technique. She sounds kind of strained all the time, even when she is hitting notes well. Voocaall fry, she's exhausted. Even on the recording, it kind of sounds like it's just too much for her to sing. But then again, what do I know?

However, she DID sing well in her episode of Cold Case! Hahaha.

[nygrl23]

Posted: 12/18/07 at 9:05am

Super basic question about Broadway shows--has it always been 8 shows a week? I'm wondering if performers who were on Broadway in the oh, 40's, 50's, etc., had vocal problems as consistently as many people in the business do today. Lots of people back then smoked, drank, partied after shows. They probably didn't get up at 6am to do vinyasa yoga and avoid a lot of the partying like many of today's performers.


Updated On: 12/18/07 at 09:05 AM

Posted: 12/18/07 at 10:12am

I have to be honest with you, I am surprised everyone is so interested in Becky Gulsvig because I was very unimpressed with her version of So Much Better. However, it is a youtube video of one song in the entire show... but the way you were carrying on about her, I thought it would be the most amazing thing I've ever seen.
Mind you, I have heard one clip of someone singing and been very impressed, so I really think its this particular clip that is unimpressive and nasally.

But I was also very unimpressed with LBB's last note on the MTV version and just in general vocally. When seeing it live, however, it was great. I do give her mad props for surviving through the whole show, but to me, vocals is the most important aspect and in the MTV version I cringed on the last note. I hated that it was recorded like that, but I mean, think of Idina and Wicked at the Tonys? Similar, even though she was sick. And also, I don't think it should be recorded if possible, because I think it can be sung even with everything else done in the show.

And lastly, I would have loved to see Annaleigh in Elle just to see her take on it. I was impressed with her Margot, and I wanted to see if I would like her version of Elle too.

[ruprecht]

Posted: 12/18/07 at 10:28am

And let's not forget, korennglish is the all time greatest vocal connoisseur BWW has. Sorry but you always seem to have something off to say about good singers and like her performance or not, Becky Gulsvig is a GOOD singer. LBB's voice hasn't sounded strong in a long time, that's old news but thanks for pointing it out again.

Posted: 12/18/07 at 10:48am

Wow okay, I was just commenting on the video itself. Do I care a lot about vocals on Broadway? yes. But I was just commenting just like everyone else. I don't see why that is such a problem just because I was one of the few that disagreed. I will hand it to her, Beck's national anthem sounded great. But from what I heard of So Much Better, it was okay. Maybe it was the clip or not, but I just heard what I heard. And I didn't know that LBB was having so many problems with her vocals recently in Legally Blonde. I'm sorry if you had such a problem with my post. You make it sound like I have such high standards, and maybe I do, but it doesn't make my points any less valid. It is hard to impress me, but it doesn't mean that I can't be impressed and it's not bad to hear the other side... not every singer is perfect and I don't expect them to be, but don't try to put aside my opinions because you disagree.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 12/18/07 at 12:50pm

We are making ridiculously impossible demands on performers these days. Singing eleven numbers in a show AND carrying the book AND doing most of the dancing. Come on now! Compare what LBB does to what any of the classic gods of Broadway did in one show.

In fact, compare her to pretty well any other leading actor on Broadway. Damn Star Search and American Idol. They have caused us to ramp up to a frenzy and expect whirling dervishes at every performance.

It's stupid. We are burning these people out before their time. It's like overusing a field to produce three crops a season and then wondering why the soil erodes away.

The creative staff of shows like Legally Blonde may be fulfilling the wishes of the audience, but at what cost? Vocal pulps have taken down even iron throat singers like Nathan Lane, who will be the first to admit that "The Producers" written by the Broadway-naive Mel Brookes was WAY over the top in the demands it made on anyone playing Max.

And we all know other names who have torn their lungs and throats out trying to sing over orchestras pumping out massive arrangements when one or two instruments would do fine.

It's as if there is a disconnect between the modern compose/arranger and the modern singer. These people are not jukeboxes. They can't perform at this level forever.

I just hope LBB isn't the first one to blow a fuse.

[alphieboy]

Posted: 12/18/07 at 1:00pm

If she can't hit the note then she should not have been cast. With that said...she should not have been cast.