Michael Ball Leaves London Chitty to Launch U.K. Tour - playbill.com

https://www.playbill.com/news/article/80485.html

The latest in Michael Ball news... Still no US plans it seems.

I would love for Chitty to make a US premier.

Last I heard, the Citty producers refuse to take any theatre besides the Ford Center.

Thanks for posting this, Rob.

So what does everyone think is the chances of him coming to the states--with or without Chitty?

Do you think he'll ever do a US concert tour? You know I like him but I don't know how well known he is here in the States--perhaps if he teamed up with another singer and did a coast to coast concert tour. Oh, I don't know, maybe some other Brit that sings like an Angel, is easy on the eyes, has some theater/stage experence--I'd have to give just WHO that could be some thought but what do you think? It might be good for both of them.

Summer, Kec? I thought the soonest would be fall 2004--When/where did you hear the update?

D

Updated On: 7/3/03 at 06:58 PM

I forgot about the CD. Any new word on it? It's theme? Kec, didn't you say he was writing some of the songs himself?

I wonder how one does that. I can write "filk" songs but I don't know how one can come up with song without hearing the music first--isn't it more of a poem at that point?

D

DofB5,

There was some news that the working title of the tour is "I Wish You Love" ( presumably of the new album as well) - which sounds like an album on the subject of love. He has also said that it will probably include some songs written by him ( he has actually written four of them - featured on his RAH, This Time It's Personal and Christmas albums).

Can't wait for this one! Have you heard his version of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face? It's very beautiful.

jo

Updated On: 7/3/03 at 09:01 PM

Hi

Good to see Michael's name "over there" - I am one European fan that would just love to see Michael back on Broadway, especially with Chitty.

On another note - Happy 4th July to all, hope you forgive the little "artistic freedom" here.

It is sounding like he really IS coming to Broadway! That is so exciting as I am a HUGE Michael Ball fan, and have never made it "across the pond" to see him.

---

Wow! Somehow I didn't pick up the fact the car goes over the audience. Now I really would like to see the show! That's sounds really cool!

AliceP--Nice art work! You did a good job.

Jo--No, I don't think I have heard him do that song. What album is it on? So what is everyones favorite songs?

Not in any order but my top 5 would have to be:

1 The Rose
2 River (from the Christmas CD)
3 I Wouldn't Know
4 Who Needs To Know
5 Some One Elses Dream

Acck! I've used my five slots but theres so many more that I really like! Maybe I should expand that to top ten! Err twenty--anyone go for twenty five???? :)

I kknow we've had this converstation before, Kec, but I do have to say that while I do like his Gethsemane, I still like Mr. Crawfords version better but I do like his version of Ave Maria better than Mr. C's. Just MHO.

D

Michelleruth -- we have no confirmation that Michael will be going to Broadway if/when Chitty goes across the pond. His American fans want to see him there, and a great many of his overseas fans would like to see him go as well, but as of right now, nothing is definite. But we all live in fervent hope.

Sharon --with regards to the theatre size -- any theatre they go into will need renovation -- if you have the "Making of ..." video or DVD you can see what they did to the Palladium before the show went in there. But they just cannot go into a small stage theatre with the kind of equipment they need to make the car fly.

True, there aren't any "money notes" a la the final note of "Love Changes Everything" but he certainly does full justice to the Sherman Brothers' music. The reprise of Hushabye Mountain, recently added to the show after the cast change in March, does allow him a bit more "stretch" so to speak -- he goes all out on this new verse of the song, sung to the smallest of the hidden children. It gave me goosebumps the first time I heard it two weeks ago. It was well received by the audiences when I was in the theatre, and everyone I've talked to about it says it is simply fantastic... and they're right

For those familiar with the movie, you will remember that Dick Van Dyke sings Hushabye Mountain to the children in the caves -- and, to my way of thinking, it was a bit misplaced -- it didn't offer anything in the way of inspiration to the children. In the play, the reprise was replaced by a new song Teamwork, which is just what is needed in that spot. This new verse of Hushabye has been added after Teamwork is finished, and, this time it fits very well.

Regarding "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," it can be found on Michael's "This Time it's Personal" CD.

I can't really come up with a top five, because I love everything I've heard him sing, but a few favorites would include: Just When, Someone Else's Dream, Never Coming Back (all written by Michael and Brian Kennedy) Ave Maria, on his Christmas Album, Amazing Grace (he made me cry when I heard him sing this live), Gethsemane, Loving You (from Sondheim's Passion)... I could go on and on.

BrdwyThtr -- it truly is amazing, and thrilling, to see that car fly!!! :)

Ahh, that expains it. I don't have that CD---yet. I only have:

Michael Ball
Always
The Musicals
One Careful Owner
Very Best of MB
Secrets Of Love
Songs Of Love
Center Stage
Christmas minus Amazing Grace (Because I didn't know there were 2 different versions of the CD)

I'm working on getting the others but I hate buying a CD that only has one or two songs I don't already have--I like new materal! Take the Christmas Album. Now I have to buy the whole thing all over again just to get the ONE missing song. That just doesn't seem fair somehow.

D

Updated On: 7/4/03 at 06:19 PM

"I'm working on getting the others but I hate buying a CD that only has one or two songs I don't already have--"

There is hope altough probably not for a while. Apple computer has recently opened an online store that sells individual songs, downloadable for 99 cents. Currently, it is available only to Mac users with OS X, but there might be other sites of a similar nature, and I believe other companies are planning to open such online stores. I suspect that at first, the Apple musie store and others like it will concentrate on all sorts of non-show music, but as they acquire the rights to more music, the selection will be good.

It seems like a pretty good solution for people who don't want to steal music and are tired of having to buy a whole CD to get one song.

I do enjoy this CD -- I think it gives Michael a chance to show how well he can do songs other than Musical Theatre, but I do think the latter is really where he's in his element.

D, For some reason, Amazon.com has this listed at a very expensive price -- maybe because they list it as an "import". You might want to look into Discount Music Corporation, the company in England that specialize in Michael's cd's and videos, although their prices including shipping may turn out to be the same. However, they also have the This Time... video in NTSC format -- and that is an excellent concert to see.