Michelle Lee and Tommy Tune in Seesaw

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 8/24/06 at 11:42pm

I just bought the Seesaw OBCR and I was shocked to realize how much I enjoy it. The score is delightful, Coleman and Fields at their best (I actually find it more enjoyable than the Sweet Charity score, more personal in a way). Michelle Lee's performance truly surprised me, I saw her in The Tale of the Allergist's Wife I thought she was fantastic, but her singing in the recording blew me away. Also of course Tommy Tune sounds brilliant as usual in the role that made him a star.
I am 26 so I wasn't even born when this show opened. I just wanted to know if anyone who had seen the show live had any comments to make about it. I'm surprised it didn't win the Tony for Best Score (I prefer Seesaw over Raisin) or Best Leading Actress in a Musical. I was also wondering what are the chances of a revival?

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 8/24/06 at 11:58pm

I love this score! I didn't get a chance to see the show, but I remember the big dance number - "It's Not Where You Start, It's Where You Finish" - being done at the Tony Awards, and it was spectacular. Tommy Tune has legs that go on forever, and when he high kicks - wow! I, too, was very impressed with Michele Lee on the cast recording. She sings with such heart-breaking sincerity. You just want to scoop her up in your arms. And Ken Howard wasn't too shabby, either!

lc

[JackiesBroJoe]

Posted: 8/25/06 at 12:04am

Despite Michele's great numbers and "It's Not Where You Start," I think Raisin is a superior score. I'm picturing Virgina Capers holding her little plant and singing "A Whole Lotta Sunlight" on the Tonys. "Sidewalk Tree" melts my heart every time.
I remember a time in the 80's when "Ride Out the Storm" was played in some clubs for a short bit. Eerie.

Updated On: 8/25/06 at 12:04 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/25/06 at 12:21am

Nobody does "Nobody Does It Like Me" like Michele Lee. Nobody.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 8/25/06 at 9:53am

The show had an extremely troubled history. Michael Bennett replaced Ed Sherin as director in Detroit(?), fired Lainie Kazan and replaced her with her (seriously, they talked about it) good friend Michele Lee. He also made major changes to the book scenes and structure of the show -- the book writer (was it Michael Stewart?) pulled his credit and that's why it is credited to Bennett.

Bennett (with an assist from a brilliant number that he let Tommy Tune choreograph, no dummy he) turned a sure-fire flop of the season into a well-done show.

[Incognito]

Posted: 8/25/06 at 10:09am

I saw this in New York in '73. Charming piece, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Tommy Tune wore clogs and didn't lose one all evening.

Sorry I can't be more specific but the memory banks are deleting files by the bucketful daily: - )

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/25/06 at 10:40am

PJ---I dare you to say that three times fast and not lose your upper plate!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/25/06 at 10:46am

I saw the show early in its previews and couldn't follow what was in the program because so many changes had been made in it. Still, it was excellent and got even better when I checked back a few weeks later.

I loved this show so much that I drove down to DC to catch the touring company with Lucie Arnaz and John Gavin. In that production "Spanglish" was cut and there was a different ending to Act One.

It would be a great show for Encores! to revive.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 8/25/06 at 11:43am

I saw it with Tune/ Lee. A fun, fun evening. A total wreck of a show but who cared? I always thought the movie was so damn unappealing. Fonda was such a... well, this is a family board. They turned it into a warm show., even with the sour parts. Tommy Tune and that ladder. Wonderous. "The Late Great State of New York" was a great number. And I saw it on tour with Arnez. She is very underrated and forgotten and that's a shame.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/25/06 at 3:42pm

Fonda wasn't in the film. That was Robert Mitchum.

Apologize to the class.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 8/25/06 at 4:40pm

I saw a later tour (bus and truck?) with a sadly miscast John Raitt and an absolutely wonderful Liz Torres as Gittel. The addition of "The Party's On Me" as the first-act closer (it was created for the first tour with Arnaz) was such huge improvement.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 8/25/06 at 6:11pm

Sorry, teacher., Of course, I meant the play, which I would have mentioned but my dog ate my notes.