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STAGE TUBE: Jennifer Hudson Sings 'I'm Here' at Kennedy Center Honors — Page 2

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#28

STAGE TUBE: Jennifer Hudson Sings 'I'm Here' at Kennedy Center Honors

Well, WINNIE (the Winnie Mandela) movie has terrible buzz, a preview was leaked recently and it looked awful and sparked controversy since it seems they are portraying her as a martyr of sorts. But that's neither here nor there, many Oscar winners have embarrassing projects to their names (VIEW FROM THE TOP, LION FOR LAMBS, THE INVASION, etc) and that doesn't mean anything about their acting.
Hudson would be an interesting Celie if she worked with a really good director who was able to bring out a good performance out of her, she's not one of those people who's just naturally good, but she can be good and what's important is that she has star power and screen presence to spare. I'd love to see her tackle the role. I mean, Jennifer Hudson has an Academy Award, Fantasia has THE FANTASIA BARRINO STORY...I think Oprah knows the smart decision to make here.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#29

STAGE TUBE: Jennifer Hudson Sings 'I'm Here' at Kennedy Center Honors

To the person who said her technique was perfection, you must not have a whole lot of voice training. She was popping a whole lot of notes, scooping, downright yelling on-key in some spots and lost the phrase from lack of support in a couple of spots. She couldn't sustain the last note well enough and thankfully had a full choir behind her to fill in the blank.

That being said, it was a thrilling performance. The tempo was slowed down considerably. She didn't take some of the notes up into the ranges that Celie's like Jeannette Bayardelle did (Chicago/Broadway). Here's a sneaky peek at what Bayardelle did on a nightly basis... It was jaw-dropping:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJUUDx95RWE

Would love to see JHud come to Broadway, but my main concern is her stamina to sing 8 shows a week. During the Dreamgirls promos, she rarely sang AIATY live and mainly stuck with other songs in public appearances. When she DID sing it, you could tell she had a tough time getting through it without it seeming a little winded towards the end. Jennifer Holliday still has a lock on this song for being able to be as powerful at the beginning as she is throughout until the very ending note.



BN
#30

STAGE TUBE: Jennifer Hudson Sings 'I'm Here' at Kennedy Center Honors

She was popping a whole lot of notes, scooping, downright yelling on-key in some spots and lost the phrase from lack of support in a couple of spots.

UM. Have you heard Fantasia's version? She basically shouted the entire thing. Her technique is horrendous.
#31

STAGE TUBE: Jennifer Hudson Sings 'I'm Here' at Kennedy Center Honors

Um, have you heard Jeannette's version?

THAT'S how it should be sung. She's got support. She feels the music. It was an amazing performance (which I luckily got to see a few times). I loved LaChanze when I saw her, but vocally she was nowhere near the best Celie.

I'm not comparing JHud to Fantasia. It's no contest on that one... What I'm saying is who sings the show with more technical precision and awe-inspiring vocals. I say it's Jeannette. Just my two cents.



BN

Updated On: 12/30/10 at 01:19 AM

#32

STAGE TUBE: Jennifer Hudson Sings 'I'm Here' at Kennedy Center Honors

He didn't appear to be comparing Jennifer and Fantasia. He was commenting on Jennifer's technique. The performance was fantastic, and no doubt in comparison her technique is better then Fantasia's, but it still isn't amazing technique. I doubt she could handle singing this kind of score eight times a week.
#34

STAGE TUBE: Jennifer Hudson Sings 'I'm Here' at Kennedy Center Honors

Yeah Bayardelle's version was great...but let's talk realistically in this thread.
"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards
#35

STAGE TUBE: Jennifer Hudson Sings 'I'm Here' at Kennedy Center Honors

We ARE talking realistically: About JHud's ability to actually perform 8x a week in a vocally demanding show of any sort. I mentioned the difference between a one-off showy vocal performance and someone who gives a reliable, day-in-day-out schedule of shows. I can't see Jennifer going into a live show like Color Purple without experiencing the kind of absences that have made Donna Murphy so wildly popular in the past.
#37

STAGE TUBE: Jennifer Hudson Sings 'I'm Here' at Kennedy Center Honors

Kenita Miller was the best Celie-both vocally and in physicality. Kenita nailed the song without all the theatrics.

Jennifer Hudson is an AWFUL actress. She had the director holding her hand and giving her line readings during the filming of Dreamgirls. Plus Hudson is too gorgeous for the role.

Fantasia has the voice and is just fugly enough to fit the part.
"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal "I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello
#38

STAGE TUBE: Jennifer Hudson Sings 'I'm Here' at Kennedy Center Honors

We should also note that Jennifer's performance is in a higher key than what's written in the Broadway score.

I like to think she'd have no trouble singing it in the lower key consistently if she already gives a phenomenal performance in the higher one.

That was fantastic. Jennifer Hudson is incredibly talented.
#39

STAGE TUBE: Jennifer Hudson Sings 'I'm Here' at Kennedy Center Honors

If we need to put JHUD in a revival why not give her "THE WIZ" Could you imagine?


"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around."
#40

STAGE TUBE: Jennifer Hudson Sings 'I'm Here' at Kennedy Center Honors

"I can't see Jennifer going into a live show like Color Purple without experiencing the kind of absences that have made Donna Murphy so wildly popular in the past."

REALLY? You obviously know nothing about the Donna Murphy/Wonderful Town situation.
"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards
#45

STAGE TUBE: Jennifer Hudson Sings 'I'm Here' at Kennedy Center Honors

I never said I had inside info. It doesn't take a genius to remember how many times Donna Murphy called out during the Wonderful Town run... The folks on ATC can fill you in on the rest if you want some kind of backstory.

Back to JHud: I saw Kenita Miller do the show once and agree that she was fantastic, although not as electric as others in the role. She sang the score as written, adding little vocally to the role to make it her own. Her acting was SPOT ON.
#46

STAGE TUBE: Jennifer Hudson Sings 'I'm Here' at Kennedy Center Honors

Even though it is a bit too soon, after the 5-year mark is up so the show could be eligible for the Tonys, I'd love to see the show be revived with Jennifer Hudson as Celie. Especially with her in the lead role, the show will do brilliant. Althought it ran a great length, I miss it terribly.

Bring it back!
2011: In The Heights Tour 1/16/11, The Color Purple Tour 2/11/11, West Side Story Tour 3/18/11

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