Passion — Page 2

The night I saw PASSION I stage doored the show afterward. I wanted to ask Donna Murphy if her make-up changed in the final scene. She said yes and that her face make-up was lightened. I told her she looked truly beautiful and she smiled and said that was the effect she was after. A moment later Marin Mazzie was standing next to me when a small woman stepped on my foot as she was walking down the street and apologized profusely. I immediately recognized her. And so did Mazzie who turned to me and asked me if I knew who had just stepped on my foot. I said, "Uh-huh." It was Chita Rivera. Quite a memorable evening.

I recall it being outstanding in one respect. It was the first Broadway show I had then seen in a very long time that was truly well sung.
I did not like the staging at all. While Donna Murphy moved me and everyone else, the show failed to move me and apparently failed to move the rest of the audience. The music didn't interest me much at the time but I now I appreciate some of the score. I found the staging particularly gimmicky... with it's tin soldier quality in the camp scenes.

Most critically, I did not believe Fosca's impact on Giorgio. Now that I'm (MUCH) older I'd like to see it again.

But all this is tangential I am forever finding that Sondheim's shows perpetually demand reexamination. It has happened more than once that a Sondheim show I had never quite "got" ultimately became luminous and powerful to me in the right creative hands. Maybe some day that will happen to me with "Passion."

Updated On: 7/31/20 at 05:08 PM

"Did anyone see the recent production at Signature in VA? Natascia Diaz was a brilliant Fosca.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suLSf1kJFcg

Signature also just put out a new virtual show and it features a brief clip of Natascia singing one of the songs and Natascia talking about the role and the show"



What a great video!!