Side Show — Page 2

She *has* had vocal problems in the past (during Side Show...) and I think she's just very cautious about that. She misses performances in just about everything she does. I think she just doesn't want to strain her voice too much. And other personal things factor in there... (hey, life is life... we all have things that come up) but, by no means is Emily a diva (well, in the negative connotation) of any sort. She's completely down to earth and humble. She's doesn't miss because she thinks she's too good. I doubt that's Audra's story either, though I don't know Audra... I have no idea what's up with her absences... I don't know about Laura either. I hear she's always really sick when she misses... she may be one of those, "I only want to give my best performance!" if she's that 'sick' that often. Like I said, don't know her at all, I don't know what her deal is. Nor do I think it's any of my business to judge (I'm not accusing you of judging... I know you're just curious, that's fine).

In Side Show, Emily burst a blood vessel in her throat... she was out a lot because of that. Like I said, since then she's gotten the worst rep... but I know, like closing week of Albertine, she was resting her throat because they had to record the CD that week and I guess it was giving her problems. Belting isn't the healthiest of activities and when you've had throat problems in the past, it's always smart to be careful.

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Daisy: The blood vessel issue is clearly reason enough to be out.

And not mentioned here is the degree to which the operatic world accommodates these same issues. A whole different "ethic," no?

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My thought is Jake can be any race that is not Violet's and it would work fine.
The writers made a choice to make him african-american. But I think that altering that wouldn't change the story/intetion/etc.
-david.

Hate to say it but I am the one who started that thread at ALL that Chat. I was unaware it would cause a huge controversy, though I should probably have known. I just picked up the CD over the holiday weekend and loved it and wanted to know why it closed so fast.

I am a sucker for emotional songs/belting. I have to say some people found the lyrics horrendous, but as a person who has often had some of the same feelings the twins had, it appealed to me.

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Chenowethfan: thanks for owning your thought-provoking position at ATC.

I've often wondered what people would say about SS, had they not seen it in the theater. As I've posted here, I was very taken with the show on stage -- to me, its strength is its great simplicity. The characters wear their hearts on their sleeves, voice longings and fears with urgency and vulnerability. The show was ambitious -- in its use of recitative, etc. -- but at its core, in those "power ballad" moments, too -- there was a universal experience. It reminded me (and Vincent Canby!) of MOST HAPPY FELLA, or another show of a bygone era, in its desire to express human needs in very accessible, visceral terms. To some, that made it shameless, too obvious, or soap opera, or even kitch. It's a love story, about an emotional connection, not the obvious physical one.

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I did hear of a production of Side Show in which Jake was not black -- but white and overweight.