Please Explain the Appeal of Julia Murney- Page 2

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 4:13am

Why do I love her acting and dislike her singing? I just think her acting is brilliant, but I find her vibrato very grating.

[wickedpoppinsfan]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 9:24am

Same, I hate her voice sometimes, but her acting is great.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 10:45am

Wicked was actually the one role I saw her in that I despised. She was pretty bad.

I enjoy the presence she brings to roles. She makes interesting acting choices which don't always work, but they're fun to watch anyway. She hasn't exactly had the chance to play the best roles yet, but I do think she's incredibly talented.

Her voice is wonderful when singing the right material. However, when she strains, or is given something more difficult to sing, her solution is often to just pull out the big vibratto and hope for the best.

[Kev]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 11:43am

I feel she's full of vocal "tricks" in the same field as Shoshanaa Bean and Stephanie Block. The riffing just gets to me after a while.

Speaking in terms of the Wicked score, Murney's Elphaba stuck fairly to the score as written. She was not an overly riffy Elphaba (Block wasn't either) and, frankly, shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence as Shoshana Bean.

And the appealing thing, for me, about Murney vs. Bean/Block? I find Murney to be a better actress, plain and simple.

[morethan just malice]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 11:49am

When I watch and listen to Julia, I am mesmerized by her intensity, honesty, and openness. I get turned on when I hear her vibrato because it shoots through phrases, lifts emotions, and is not predictable. I never care about technical singing but risky and true performances, and I would listen/watch Julia in anything because of where she will reliably take me someplace.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 1:00pm

I never care about technical singing but risky and true performances, and I would listen/watch Julia in anything because of where she will reliably take me someplace.

Thank you...I wish more people would look for this (and make this!) in the theatre.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 1:00pm

I never care about technical singing but risky and true performances, and I would listen/watch Julia in anything because of where she will reliably take me someplace.

Thank you...I wish more people would look for this (and make this!) in the theatre.

[morethan just malice]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 1:11pm

Oh thank you, ThankstoPhansom. This hope and search for this type of performance are what keeps me looking forward to the next Broadway season and Cast Album! not to mention surfing youtube.
Updated On: 6/12/10 at 01:11 PM

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 1:16pm

Was there really any acting in "Lennon?"

[Sauja]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 1:20pm

I've only seen Murney twice--once at Joe's Pub where she sang "Raise the Roof" and once at a John Kander benefit where she did "Colored Lights." In both instances, I was thrilled by her performances, particularly with Colored Lights which was alternately steely and shattered. It was incredibly moving. I'd love to see her do more.

A legitimate question for the person who suggested she was loved because she had been an Elphaba: doesn't everyone who plays that role ultimately earn a lot more negative attention than positive? Bean, Menzel, Murney, Block...I feel like they all take a lot more knocks than most other actresses. Does anyone else have that sense? And before there are accusations otherwise, I HATE Wicked. Oh, okay, I can't stand Block either, but what I've seen of Murney and Bean, I've really enjoyed--admittedly it was all in cabaret settings.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 1:22pm

I'd seen and heard a lot of her on the internet, and I always thought she was a weak singer at best and an awkward actress, with a bizarre-looking face.

THEN, I saw her in First You Dream at the Signature Theatre. I could not take my eyes off of her the entire time. I'd never seen anyone so radiant while performing. She really puts her all into her performances, and somehow, that does not carry over on recordings. I also thought she was completely stunningly beautiful live, but when I look at pictures from that show, I don't see it.'

So in conclusion, I believe she has magic hypnotic powers.

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 1:37pm

I hate what happens to her diction whenever she belts. In Evita, it sounded like she was singing "What's nyew Buenis Aires?". Her sound when she belts is great, but she completely mispronounces everything.

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 1:48pm

I've only seen her in Saved and First you Dream (the Kander and Ebb concert at Signature theatre). I preferred the concert setting to showcase her talent, but it could have just been her role in Saved did not allow her to showcase her talent. I do like her solo recording. Some interesting song choices and interpretations.

[loganatorr22]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 1:59pm

here she is doing "Don't Cry For Me Argentina"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIuX7WvuQaM

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 2:45pm

I saw her do RAGTIME at North Carolina Theatre, as well as SAVED as Playwrights Horizons. I do not remember SAVED, because it has been burned out of my memory, but she was absolutely STUNNING in RAGTIME (as "Mother").

[toddlisatyriem]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 3:01pm

No buttons pushed here...

I think that performers and singing voices are like foods and taste buds. It's hard to define why some people like certain performers and others have such a strong dislike to them.

Julia Murney is just Ok with me.

Now a ton of people will disagree with me, but to me Kerry Ellis is a phenomenal performer and when I here her sing I get an uncontrollable, highly emotional visceral response.

[morethan just malice]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 3:47pm

I definitely agree with you about Kerry-- she is astonishing

[Eos]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 8:11pm

I love Julia Murney and her in your face vibrato. There's so much power behind it, to me. Different strokes.

Mildred, you said earlier that if she were really one-of-a-kind, she would be enjoying bigger successes, but she's got a pretty successful voice-over career.
Plus, I think she's hot...
Sigh...

[MRA]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 8:34pm

I've been a fan of Julia's since long before Wicked. What is her appeal? There's something about her when she is on stage. One thing I've noticed is that seeing in person her makes the difference for those that proclaim to not like her. I've found this to be the case more than once.

(Personal aside, no one should be judged by bootleg clips on youtube. Especially not for shows with wonky scores like Wicked.)

She has a strong voice, with a solid range. She has a powerful vibrato, which not everyone is going to enjoy, but that I find absolutely delicious.

I will never understand how someone can say she can't act. I will heartily disagree with that every time.

The reason why she come up in casting threads -- people want to see her perform, and they want to see her get the chance to get the credit she deserves for what she does. Not in a flop musical. Not as the umpteenth replacement. We want her to get the chance to shine.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 10:01pm

Scott Nevins loves Julia Murney. Need I say more?

[morethan just malice]

Posted: 6/12/10 at 11:23pm

Scott Nevins could like Julia because he "gets" that important others like Julia, and therefore he will like her.

[Adeliak]

Posted: 4/9/19 at 3:12pm

Oh she “gets it” alright.  She is our queen, our muse, our inspiration.... the LIGHT OF OUR WORLD!  

 

I want to wear her skin