Rachel York?

[EugLoven]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 6:22am

There's not been a nice thread devoted to Rachel York, our new Miss Colgate of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." I don't know much about the woman other than she's a cutey and has an album out.

Anyone wanna sing her praises?

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 6:40am

She has a lovely voice and great comic timing. She also proved with DESSA ROSE that she's a dramatic actress of great depth.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 6:46am

i am glad someone started a thread on her. i am constantly mentioning her. i think she and sutton foster and THE great women who should always be starring on Broadway! i think they are both AMAZING! TRUE stars and WONDEFUL people!!

[darkmist115]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 8:20am

she was absolutely brilliant in Kiss Me kate

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 8:26am

I don't know much about the woman other than she's a cutey and has an album out.

You don't huh?

www.rachelyork.net

She lost the .com because she had some fan running her first official website, and let that website lapse.

[EganFan2]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 8:49am

She's awesome. I love her voice. I hope she comes out with a new album soon.

[Horton]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 8:50am

Rachel York was also amazing in City of Angles, where her randition of "Lost and Found" was the show stopper! City of Angles also proved that she is a riotous comedian. I am telling you that she is one amazing gal. Updated On: 3/26/06 at 08:50 AM

[nelliecollins]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 8:56am

Rachel York is one of my favorites! Her album is really fantastic, you should definitely check it out!

[EganFan2]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 9:12am

She was good in the "I Love Lucy" TV movie, even though she was re-creating skits that Lucy had already done.
Updated On: 3/26/06 at 09:12 AM

[JbaraFan1]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 10:34am

I think she's great. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Sherie in DRS but would love to see Rachel too.

Never caught the Lucy tv movie but would love to see it.

btw ... I don't think that losing the .com site happened because a fan was running her site ... I'd say it was because that webmaster (who happened to be a fan) wasn't paying attention and didn't do their job in that regard. A good webmaster (whoever they might be) won't let that happen. :)

Back to Rachel herself ... my husband liked that episode of Frasier she did. lol

[Tigger]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 10:36am

If you can, find the DVD recording of the Broadway version Victor/Victoria (1995)starring Julie Andrews. Rachel York is absolutely hilarious and brilliant as Norma, the gangster's dumb moll.

[JbaraFan1]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 10:48am

Oh the V/V dvd is great ... well, actually I have the vhs recording. I probably should get the dvd though, I'm sure the quality would be better. But yes, I thoroughly enjoyed Rachel's (and of course Greg's!) performance(s) in that. Seeing it on tape made me wish I could've seen the show live.

But yeah ... Rachel as Norma cracked me up. Soooo funny!!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 11:39am

Rachel can be heard on BWW Radio singing "When The Camera Isn't There," a song from a new show. It can be found on "Lyrics By Leipart," a recording of demos all with lyrics by Charles Leipart.

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 12:00pm

I'm so glad to see that someone (other than me!) started this thread. I have all of Rachel's cast recordings and have seen just about everything she has done, either live or on DVD, starting with V/V. I think she is one of the most talented and versatile performers to come along in ages. Why she hasn't had more major starring roles on film and TV baffles me. She was astounding as Lucy, and the camera loves her. She absolutely burns through the screen. I'm also waiting for that break-out lead in a new musical that will establish her as the megastar she deserves to be.

In addition to all the roles mentioned above, Rachel also played Marguerite in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Mother in Ragtime and Dorothy in Summer of '42. I saw the latter two shows, and she was brilliant in each. She transforms herself in every role she takes on. She changes her physicality, her voice, and even her facial appearance to become the character from the inside out. I have read elsewhere on this board that fans often don't recognize her at the stage door. I think that's because when she's on stage she's not Rachel, she IS the character. When you meet her in person, she is quite different from any stage persona she has played. She is very sweet and gracious, and truly humble.

We are very lucky that much of her work has been preserved on either video or cast recordings. There is a complete list at the end of her bio on her Website. While Lucy never made it to video for commercial distribution, there are copies of the "for Emmy consideration" DVDs on sale at eBay from time to time. And you MUST get her solo CD, Let's Fall in Love. It's a completely different sound from her Broadway material, and she shows that she could make it strictly as a recording artist if she ever decided to go that way. She could easily become the female Michael Buble.

Do catch her in DRS if you haven't already. She's delightful. One of the reviewers (Eric Grode, I think) compared her to Brooke Shields and Jenna Elfmann in that she is like a quirky, klutzy, comic beauty as Christine. I think he nailed it with that description. And of course that voice...wow.

lc

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 12:20pm

Rachel is far more talented the Brooke and Jenna. Rachel can sell a song or make you role on the floor laughing..... SHE IS THE REAL DEAL

[apdarcey]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 12:26pm

absolutely adore rachel, and lc, you're right, at first i didn't even recognize her in drs, though i obviously knew it was her. haha

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 12:57pm

I too adore Rachel York. I posted a long thing about her first performance in DRS, but I should probably alter that if I want to repost, as I've seen her since, getting better and better!

I recently was...privileged to see her at Seth's chatterbox. As soon as I get the date of it's airing on BWW, I will certainly be shilling it--I would not suggest anyone miss hearing this! She sang a simply eargasmic, fantastic rendition of "I Dreamed A Dream" (seriously I couldn't believe I was lucky enough to hear that live), did AMAZING Julie Andrews and Liza Minnelli impersonations, told hystercial Liza in V/V stories (you must hear these on the broadcast),...very funny, it was just great! (Plus you can hear a little cameo of me helping out with a line from Les Miz)

Umm, let's see...obviously I am fans of a lot of Broadway performers, but Rachel just really soared above most for me. I first saw her in Dessa Rose, thought she had a great voice, and did a great job of going back and forth between herself and older character. Then I saw her as "Mother" in Papermill's Ragtime...again...fantastic. Her "Back To Before" was one of the highlights of a fantastic production.

But it was when I got the V/V tape that I really saw how amazing she is. She was absolutely robbed of a tony nomination for that, but seeing that...she was so great, and I couldn't believe it was the same performer who I had seen in the other shows! The roles were soo different and she was great in all of them! That's the point where she became one of my absolute favorite performers.

Then I saw her in the Kander & Ebb tribute concert at Town Hall. She closed the night by singing "And The World Goes Round," and brought the house down earlier with her rendition of "Maybe This Time." She got the first, and loudest standing ovation/encore of the night and many raved in a night full of talent, she shone above them all. Seriously, if it wasn't Liza singing that, it was close.

Then...in addition to being able to see her in the V/V tape, you can also catch her in a DVD of Kiss Me Kate...the revival production in London. Brent Barrett played opposite her, and Michael Berresse's also in it. Again, a completely different role that she was great in. Few performers that I have seen...at least...have been given the oppertunity to show such diversity.

So I was thrilled to find out she'd be in one of my favorite shows, DRS. As I stated, I saw her first performance, and one since. As much as I love this show, I think her rendition of "Nothing Is Too Wonderful To Be True" is worth the price of admission alone (also Love Is Your Legs). She's just so great. She just amazes me.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 1:55pm

yay..i LOVE Rachel love!!
She DOES need to be a MEGA star!! more so than some that are out there now! i love her!

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 2:48pm

wickedrentq, weren't you AMAZED that Chatterbox hadn't sold out for Rachel? I was there too - Seth was speechless and slackjawed at her stories.

I can't understand why she is not a bigger star - she has a fantastic, powerful and sexy voice (She sang a silken bit of "Blue Lou", an Ella song that was her audition song for CITY OF ANGELS) crack comic timing, incredibly expressive features (HUGE eyes and a huge, expressive mouth) and she is a total 'oomph' girl.

If Ann Sheridan were a Broadway star, she'd be Rachel York.

Updated On: 3/26/06 at 02:48 PM

[WiiCKED x3]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 3:51pm

ahh i love rachel york :)

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 11:30pm

Master, was I shocked b/c I was expecting it to be soldout? No (unfortunately).

Was I shocked b/c she is so amazingly talented that it should have been soldout? Absolutely!

Oh well, I still say we were privileged to have been able to attend

[BwayLeadman]

Posted: 3/26/06 at 11:44pm

I just finished watching "Kiss me Kate" a few hours ago. Glad to see she's back on stage.

[MusicAndPassion]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 6:51am

If you check the Broadway World Video Previews & Broadway Beat you can hear her amazinging voice.

I can't wait to see her next month!

[EganFan2]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 8:46am

I'd like to hear her "I Dreamed a Dream". She was Fantine for a short period on Broadway, I believe. And she was a pretty young Fantine, too.

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 3/27/06 at 9:04am

That's right, EganFan2. She was only 22 or so when she played Fantine in 1991-92.

You can hear 10 songs in their entirety on her Website - www.rachelyork.net. Click the little down arrow and a menu pops up with the songlist. You can click on whichever one you want to hear or just let them play through in order. She wrote Goddess herself. It's terrific.

lc