Sondheim Gala at City Center! WOW!- Page 3

[LongtimeBwaygoer]

Posted: 4/27/10 at 3:06pm

Thanks very much, Kev, for passing along that list--enormously helpful to those of us who were there and want to remember, remember, and to those who couldn't attend.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/27/10 at 3:20pm

I don't really like Milton Babbitt's music but every time I listen to something he wrote, I wonder if that inspired Sondheim to write Sweeney or Pacific Overtures or Passion...

[jv92]

Posted: 4/27/10 at 3:23pm

What did Julie and Glynis say, or send rather?

[Scripps2]

Posted: 4/27/10 at 3:44pm

"Is there going to be a London tribute."

Where to begin?

There have already been two small scale tributes, a fringe production of Anyone Can Whistle, a Q&A session with Mr Sondheim at the National and an episode of arts TV programme The South Bank Show devoted to him.

Still to come are a larger scale tribute show with Maria Friedman and Graham Bickley that will also be done outside of London. Major productions of Into The Woods and Passion are scheduled. The Donmar also has a schedule of events in the Autumn including concert performances of Merrily and Company, and Q&A sessions with Mr Sondheim and also Sam Mendes and Michael Grandage on directing Sondheim. I think Paul McCartney's college in Liverpool is doing something but I ain't looked it up.

And one of the annual Promenade concerts at the Royal Albert Hall will be devoted entirely to him and screened live on national television.

So, with British understatement, I'd say there was a fair amount going on.


Updated On: 4/27/10 at 03:44 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 4/27/10 at 4:00pm

Ah, what I'd give to hear Donna Murphy sing "I Wish I Could Forget You" and "Loving You" live. And I adore Kim Crosby, why doesn't she do shows anymore? I imagine hearing her along with the rest of the INTO THE WOODS OBC was great.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/27/10 at 4:34pm

Don't get me wrong: I love every one of those who did send messages (Judi Dench, Julia Mackenzie, Sheila Hancock, Julie Andrews . . . ). But why nothing from Patti and Bernadette, for example, who supposedly had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts?

I would assume because both Patti and Bernadette appeared in person (singing) at the other tribute?

[ken8631]

Posted: 4/27/10 at 4:56pm

Went there for Raul - weren't disappointed... Wife wanted him to sing "Marry Me a Little" "Being Alive" of course was VERY well received (still think he deserved the Tony.....)

They should have had them all a bit further back - very bad sightlines from above..... Also could only see the bottom half of all the background projections....

Interesting that Mia Farrow served as the other host.

Was hoping that Angela would sing something from Sweeney....

Sounded like B.D. Wong had a cold....

Also hoped to hear "Children Will Listen"

Mr Sondheim was introduced at the end but didn't say anything....

Updated On: 4/27/10 at 04:56 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/27/10 at 7:58pm

Debra Monk's "Gun Song" deserves a shout-out. She was flawless--and very funny.

Updated On: 4/27/10 at 07:58 PM

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 4/27/10 at 8:00pm

Debra Monk's was easily one of my favorite performances of the night. And there were a lot of favorite performances.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 4/27/10 at 8:16pm

Debra Monk was brilliant! Effortless is definitely the word, and sounded fantastic.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 4/27/10 at 8:21pm

Farrow and Sondheim, per the Seacrest bio, were a comfort to each other when the crap with Woody happened and he was also going through a breakup.

[TheEnchantedHunter]

Posted: 4/28/10 at 12:53am

Time to declare a moratorium on Sondheim---forever!

Every celebration, fete, festival, tribute, birthday bash, blowout, commemoration, party, jubilee, retrospective, anthology, salute and ovation is an unconscious way of saying the Broadway musical is conclusively, unconditionally, unambiguously, decisively and definitely...DEAD.
Updated On: 4/28/10 at 12:53 AM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/28/10 at 12:58am

All righty then.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/28/10 at 7:35am

I'm looking forward to the celebrations for his 85th.

[ken8631]

Posted: 4/28/10 at 8:04am

As long as Raul is a part of it (for my wife), and Sutton is there (for me).....

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/28/10 at 9:54am

Two days later and I am still basically incoherent over this, heh.

[heathurr2]

Posted: 4/28/10 at 12:59pm

I planned a trip to NY around this, paid more than I could afford for mid mezz seats... and it was every bit worth it. Especially to see Raul sing Being Alive. I was shaking during his performance. It's unbelievable the physyical effect Sondheim's music can have on me sometimes, shakes and chills. Wow.
Great show.

[CompanyFan]

Posted: 4/28/10 at 6:21pm

I also planned a trip to NYC to see the gala. I loved every minute of it. My personal favorite was Raul Esparza singing "Being Alive," but there were so many other great moments. Nathan Lane and Debra Monk were wonderful and funny, and it was so touching to see Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou.

I'd never been to City Center before. I was in the second row of the gallery, and I still felt as though I had to lean forward to see the stage. And, by the time we arrived, they'd run out of Playbills!

But it was worth it. So, so worth it.