Putting it Together

I just got the dvd with Carol Burnett today, and I bought the cast recording (with Julie Andrews) off of itunes, as well. What does everyone think of this show? I like how a plot can be established without really anything external added to the songs. I'm thinking of directing the show this summer- does anyone know how much rights would be? I checked MTI shows, but they don't provide that information easily.

The orchestrations in "Beling Alive" are chilling...

See, MTI confuses me about Putting It Together. In the song list, they list "The Ladies Who Lunch," "It's Hot Up Here," etc. But in the snyopsis, they mention the songs (and presumably plot?) from the original.

ha! that is the Broadway version! I guess they're finally making it available! YAY!!!!!!!

I love Putting it Together. It was a very enjoyable and I loved the songs. The Blooper never ceases to make me laugh. Also the cast was very good.

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John is on every studio recording in the known universe. what's this about his voice? pish...

I love the CD with Julie Andrews, Stephen Collins, Christopher Durang, Michael Rupert and Rachel York, but I'm lukewarm about the DVD with Carol Burnett. I prefer the song mix on the CD much more, plus I think the cast on the whole is stronger vocally. The harmonies are wonderful. You also get "Miller's Son" by Rachel York on the CD, which is heaven. I don't know why Ruthie Henshall wasn't given the opportunity to sing it in the Broadway production.

While Burnett doesn't sing as well as Andrews, she is very funny. Her performance, and the hilarious outtake, are the main reasons to watch the DVD. Oh, how I wish they had taped the MTC version. It sounds like it was really fun.

lc

Saw the original production of this at the Fire Station in Oxford. Diana Rigg, Clive Carter, Claire Moore, Clark Peters. It was terrific and as it was really a 'try out' it was interesting seeing Julia McKenzie and Cameron Mackintosh giving notes to the cast during the interval. Diana Rigg went up during 'Not Getting Married Today' and stopped the number, restarted and, of course, brought the house down. As far as I remember, the Julie Andrews production is the same version and I've only seen the odd number from the Carol Burnett dvd. I really want to see it all - she looks incredible and John B and Ruthie..Well.....

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The original cast recording isn't very good; the only real highlight is Rachel York. The revisions for the revival were better, I thought, and kept the story flowing. Plus, the cast is better on the DVD (Hearn, Burnett, Henshall, Barrowman, and Pinchot . )

Chris Durang is cute on the 1st recording ("I Could Drive a Person Crazy"). I think it's a good audition song for a guy, even though it's Sondheim.
Michael Rupert had/has/always had such a beautiful voice. And Rachel York's The Miller's Son. I forgot how great that was. And Julie saying "Oh fook it. Let's do it"

Did I get that wrong? I'm going from memory.

I knew it was either that or ....
yeah. ok, ha. hmm

thanks

:@)

I was unmoved by this show both at Manhattan Theatre Club with Julie Andrews and on Broadway with Carol Burnett. The songs never made sense in the weird cocktail party plot. There were great moments about both productions, and also moments when I thought "what the hell were they thinking?" A song like "Could I Leave You," which is so reliant upon the situation that sets it up, lost so much by being shoehorned into a plot it didn't belong to.

I do agree with many of you, though, that Ruthie Henshall is something else. I hope she's back on Broadway soon.

We got the video last week from the library and after watching it - I have to say I liked the original MUCH better. Everyone in the original had stronger vocals (with the exception of Christopher Durang - oy what a non performer he is)...but Julie's voice was much easier to listen to than Carols (at this stage of the game, anyway) and I far prefer Rachel York over Ruthie Henshall...she (and her accent) gets on my nerves. Also Bronson Pinchot's shotgun vibrato and very stiff movements were annoying, not to mention the blandness of John Barrowman - yikes - what do people see in him? I've never been a huge Michael Rupert fan - but I would rather sit through his renditions of the songs than John Barrowman. George Hearn is one of my favorite performers, but he seemed off his game all evening - a little behind the music and not acting the songs the way I would have liked. All in all - I'm glad I went to see it at Manhattan Theatre Club when it was originally presented - a much more enjoyable evening.

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