Rachel York in "Lucy"

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 7:34pm

I am a huge fan of Rachel York's performances, especially her Lilli/Kate in "Kiss Me Kate." I am wondering what people's views of her performance in the TV movie "Lucy" are.

I am also a big fan of Lucille Ball. IMO, she is the greatest comedic actress of all time. Many friends I talked to who saw the movie, did not like it and said that Rachel was all wrong for the part. I disagree wholeheartedly. I think Rachel bore a striking resemblance to Lucille Ball and played the part wonderfully. I really admire her work in this movie. She really seemed to dig deep inside of her and she really became Lucy. I love her performance and want to know if there's anyone out there who agrees.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 7:43pm

Agreed! She did a wonderful job and had an uncanny resemblance! The only pill that was hard to swallow was when it felt like she was literally imitating Lucy- the lucy arnaz cry/wail (wahaaaaa). Besides that, of course, she was a wonderful actress and handled the role beautifully. If you want to see clips of her as lucy you can go to her offical site:
http://www.rachelyork.net/

PS. Have you seen Dessa Rose? I hope you can catch it before it closes on Sunday! She is B-R-I-L-L-A-N-T!!!!!!

[justme2]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 7:46pm

I missed the Lucy movie, but I agree with you regarding Rachel York...she was fabulous in Kiss Me Kate! I believe I may have seen her in Scarlet Pimpernel as well in SF, but I'll have to check my program.

I love her voice and her song on the City of Angels CD...Lost and Found...is incredibly smooth and sexy.

When did she do the Lucy movie?

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 7:52pm

I'm not sure but I want to say either 2000, 2001, or 2002

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 8:19pm

Rachel did the Lucy movie in 2003. La Chanze played her maid.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 8:22pm

I like her a lot. and I thought she was fantastic as Lucy.

[hannahshule]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 8:37pm

Whoever taped that production of Kiss Me Kate is my GOD!!!!!!!!!
Performances like Rachel's are rare to come by nowadays. (please don't eat me for that comment, of course there are exceptions)

[jmnpublications]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 9:04pm

I just love it when people praise Rachel York! I think she is wonderfully talented - and versatile. I agree wholeheartedly about the LUCY movie (May 2003). Her transformation from the blonde movie-star Lucy to the redhead of TV fame was magical. While I thought the movie itself was pretty lackluster (I really didn't care for the script at all), I thought Rachel elevated it to something definitely worth seeing. As FOAnatic says, she didn't do an impersonation. She developed the character from the inside out.

I'm seeing DESSA ROSE one more time primarily because of her performance, and I'll be seeing RAGTIME at the Paper Mill because she'll now be Mother.

She is a force!

lc

[OrdinaryJukebox1]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 9:16pm

Nope, nope, nope. Not that I'm discrediting Ms. York as an actor, I'm just very against people playing humans like this. I was up in arms about the Judy Garland film until I saw Judy Davis, who was amazing in that film. However, I felt that this "Lucy" film wasn't very good, and I wasn't happy with Ms. York AS Lucille Ball, not saying she's a bad actor, just didn't do it for me.

-Vincent

[hannahshule]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 9:21pm

lc- yeah it's fun when people praise your favorite actress, especially onje so deserving as York. I'm positive that someday, she will be recognized. She's still kind of Broadway's Best Secret. I wish she'd be in a show in Boston. It'd be so exciting to have her in my hometown! Have you ever met her? She's a darling, very youthful and sweet. Not Prima-Donnaish at all!

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 9:34pm

Jukebox - Many diehard Lucille Ball fans would beg to differ.

[jmnpublications]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 9:35pm

Yikes! You're from Boston, too????? What fun. There are several of us here in Beantown who just adore the divine Ms. York.

Yes, I have had the great pleasure of meeting her several times - at a fund-raising event, at "Summer of '42" in Texas, at "Sly Fox" in Boston, and again at "Dessa Rose." She is, indeed, a sweetheart - very genuine, and even a little shy. Her brains and humor come through, too. She is a class act all the way.

lc

[hannahshule]

Posted: 5/26/05 at 9:54pm

Yay Boston!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rachel wasn't shy when I met her, or maybe I just wasn't paying attention, there were quite a few people there and kind of noisy, so it was hard to concentrate on her level of shyness, but that's so cute! I love it when actors are shy, it makes them seem so, human. i know, they are (in most cases) but you know what i mean.
That's so cool that you're from Boston though.

Updated On: 5/26/05 at 09:54 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 4:15am

"I believe I may have seen her in Scarlet Pimpernel as well in SF, but I'll have to check my program."

Nope, that was Amy Bodnar. (Regretably.)

[OrdinaryJukebox1]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 10:06am

FOA, the "die hard" Lucy fans can beg to differ all they want. The ones I know, myself included, didn't feel it. No need to take it personally. I recall, it didn't get the best reviews either...

-Vincent

[justme2]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 4:48pm

Lizzie...

You are right! I checked my Pimpernel program last night and there was Amy's name! I enjoyed her performance as well, of course! Hell, I enjoyed the whole show!

But...back to Ms. York...

[hannahshule]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 5:44pm

How many SP productions were there?

[Jezebel]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 6:05pm

I saw Rachel in Sly Fox last year and she was amazing. It's just a pity she didn't sing!

[hannahshule]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 6:15pm

i like how Rachel can also do straight plays like Sly Fox as well as musicals. She's so very versatile. And a great actress, LOTS of stage prescence.

Is anyone going to see the Cole Porter Concert she's in on July 8th?
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/93202.html

I know where I'll be! I hope she sings "So in Love"

[jmnpublications]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 6:18pm

She's certainly doing plenty of singing now, thank heavens. BTW, did you folks notice the thread I started about her performing at Wolf Trap on July 8? She is one busy lady, what with DESSA, RAGTIME, BROADWAY BY THE YEAR on June 13, and now the Cole Porter concert. They are going to start calling her the Divine Miss Dependable.

lc

[jmnpublications]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 6:19pm

Oops. Sorry hannashule. You beat me to it.

lc

[hannahshule]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 6:40pm

Don't forget Broadway Barks 7!

[jmnpublications]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 6:45pm

Is she doing that, too?! I know she did last year, but I haven't seen anything about this year's list of celebs. Wow.

lc

[hannahshule]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 6:59pm

here lc

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=3222

Updated On: 5/27/05 at 06:59 PM

[hannahshule]

Posted: 5/27/05 at 10:43pm

is she a blond or does she have brown hair? I've seen her with both, but can't tell which is her natural color, it's annoying. I like her as a brunette personally.