Sondheim on Sondheim 6.26.10

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 6/26/10 at 11:07pm

This HAS to be the most intellectual piece of theatre I have ever seen. I am so glad that I was able to catch this show before it closed. Everything was just intriguing, clever, and amazing!

The set was brilliant. All of the screens made the audience feel much more closer to Mr. Sondheim. I love how the cast usually looks at them while video plays to make them not only be performers, but members of the audience as well. Also, when video was playing during a song, to explain it, I kept learning so much. I wanted to break out my own yellow pad and pencil to take notes.

Barbara Cook - Let me remind you at that I was probably the only one that didn’t know of her previous work, but as soon as her graced the stage, the more I wanted to learn. She has such a beautiful head voice and is hilarious in “You Could Drive A Person Crazy.”

Leslie Kritzer - Such a powerful voice. Her best number was “The Wedding Is Off” (I think that‘s the number, after Williams throws the flowers at Mackey.) And her comedy in “The Gun Song” made me less nervous in that scene.

Norm Lewis - The best male performer, in my opinion. His voice is much very different than most performers. And I like it. He’s pretty tall too - random, I know.

Erin Mackey - She was the best female performer, whose name wasn’t above the show title. Her rendition of “Do I Hear A Waltz?” was so soothing and angelic. It might be a bad choice on my part, but I would SO see Phantom… if she were Christine.

Euan Morton - The male performer with the best humor in the show. “Franklin Shepard, Inc.” had me laughing out loud. I’m surprised that he hasn’t done any theatre in a while before this show. I hope he continues with it after this one closes.

Matthew Scott - His performance was fantastic - everyone was. “Multitudes of Amys“ was brilliantly performed. I wish “I‘ll Meet You At The Donut” was performed long, although it wasn’t for comedy purposes.

Vanessa Williams - The only way I know her is from my well spent hours watching Ugly Betty. She is such a beautiful performer. I really do beg of her to do more stage work later in the years to come. “Ah, But Underneath”… sexy and awesome!

Tom Wopat - Of course not knowing his previous work, I was wondering if he was one of those performers whose voice is so unique that it made them famous. Or maybe he was just sick - regardless, he was great! “Epiphany” had me glued to my seat and me mind focused on his performance.


Stage Door: I was probably the 3rd on there. I was able to meet 6 of 8 of the cast members. I already knew that Barbara Cook wasn’t going to come out. Everyone was so nice and gracious - especially Erin Mackey and Norm Lewis. Tom Wopat was giving out flyers about his website and music - I have to check on that very soon. Thought it would be appropriate because of him being so respected in theatre, I called him sir the whole time I was talking to him. The only look of Vanessa Williams that I got was when she stuck her head out the window to talk to the stage doorman. I politely asked if I could take pictures with each person and they gladly said yes. I wish my eyes were open in my picture with Mr. Wopat though. Also, there was an police car, in an emergency, driving down 53rd street and a car was stuck in front of it. The car in front tried to pull over, but a cone went under his tired. As the policeman was getting mad and honking his horn because of the slowness of the car in front, Norm Lewis was smiling and fake yelling at the police man and saying “Give him a break, there‘s a cone under his tire. Hey stop that!” and stuff like it. He’s a class act.

After seeing this show, I kept wishing that I was born earlier in life to see all of the shows featured live. Until they’re revived, I’ll be searching them online, watching DVDs, ect. Thank you, Mr. Sondheim for opening the doors to all of your amazing music for me to explore.

And now, I pre-order the cast recording! 5 out of 5

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 6/26/10 at 11:44pm

You owe it to yourself to grab up every cast recording, solo disc, and concert album Ms. Cook has made.

Updated On: 6/26/10 at 11:44 PM

[heo1128]

Posted: 6/27/10 at 1:36am

I was also at the show tonight! LOVED it. Agree with everything you said.

I also noticed Barbara Cook's teleprompter…?

[TBone]

Posted: 6/27/10 at 4:39am

I was at this evening's performance as well, and really had a lovely time. Norm's voice is perfection! I was so thrilled to finally be able to see Barbara Cook live, and I was not disappointed. Can't wait for the cd!

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 6/27/10 at 9:33am

Mildred Plotka: I'm on it. Any one in particular I should get first?

heo1128: Where were you sitting. I was at the matinee, left orchestra, but far back that I wasn't able to see any monitors.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/27/10 at 9:36am

If this was your introduction to Barbara Cook, you have a lot of pleasure in store. Start with Candide. then get The Music Man, then get She Loves Me...then imagine the tough times she went through--the weight gain, the depression...and then get Barbara Cook at Carnegie Hall.

After that you have the Follies Concert and all the CDs she made after that comeback, as her voice got richer and richer even though the high notes were lost.

Here she is at the beginning of her career, singing "Till There Was You" from The Music Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0vggMCiJfs


Here she is a few years after her comeback singing "It's Better with a Band":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kON3xx65oaQ


And here she is from Follies in Concert, singing "Losing My Mind":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_G4JNMURj4

Updated On: 6/30/10 at 09:36 AM

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 6/27/10 at 10:33am

I was there Friday night and loved it, too! I think Wopat was sick- I don't remember him sounding so hoarse in other shows I've seen him in. Norm was my favorite of the guys, too, and all of the women were fantastic! Morton was very funny, but I was a little disappointed in his voice. I really liked Scott, but he just doesn't have the same uniqueness as his co-stars.
All in all, I loved the show and wish I could see it again. It was an honor to get to see Cook live and I hope she continues performing for as long as possible!

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 6/27/10 at 11:44am

I saw the show Friday night and loved it.

Barbara Cook was brilliant (no surprise there). I was particularly impressed by Norm Lewis, whose "Being Alive" received some of the longest sustained mid-show applause I have ever been a part of. I was also taken aback by Erin Mackey, whose voice is shockingly clear.

Tom Wopat was definitely sick, but I couldn't stand his Epiphany because of his acting more than his singing; it was just too unsubtle and repetitive.

Vanessa Williams was mostly great, but her "Losing My Mind" killed me--it was so good, but she kept adding "M" sounds to the beginnings of words starting with vowels (ex. "My love you so", instead of "I love you so") which was very distracting.

I am too young to have had the pleasure of seeing any original Sondheim productions live, but he is my favorite composer and I have studied his work from DVDs, cast recordings, revivals, books, etc. Watching the show I was struck by how many of his songs affect me so deeply--some are attached to specific events or times in my life, and others have come--over time--to be advice that I turn to again and again.

When Sondheim remarked that art and teaching are other ways of having children, I had to agree; indirectly, through his work, he has been such a presence in my life that he has become a sort of remote artistic father: a person to whose standards I aspire, whose work I cherish, and who has shaped my own ideas of what good theatre is.

[Cearsgk]

Posted: 6/27/10 at 12:19pm

I saw it Tony week end. I totally agree about Wopat and Epiphany. And I loved him in Catered Affair.
That was wild when Mr. Sondheim said if Oscar Hammerstein had been a geologist, HE would have been a geologist. Imagine. Also loved the Merman swearing story.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 6/27/10 at 2:04pm

rrmusic, how about this?

http://www.amazon.com/Broadway-Years-Barbara-Cook/dp/B000001SLS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1277661650&sr=8-2-spell

Has a great selection of her Broadway roles and is a nice starter without having to get every cast album at once. As the shows or songs intrigue you, you could go from there.

I also recommend getting her Mostly Sondheim CD or the DVD. Or both! Her other concert CD's are great, but this is my favorite.

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 6/27/10 at 5:18pm

PalJoey: All of those video clips were fantastics. Thank you so sharing them with me. They're all saved to my favorites.

bwaylvsong: I agree with what you said about Matthew Scott and Euan Morton. I wish that they had a bit more songs to sing by themselves as well.

aspiringactress: When I saw the show, the audience did love Norm's "Being Alive." They were clapping so loud that I could hear the first few words over the next video clip playing on the monitor. And I loved Erin's voice as well - so pure. ANd I don't think I remember hear Vanessa putting M's before her words.

Cearsgk: The Ethel Merman story was the best video clip out of all that played during the show.

Mildred Plotka: Thanks for the link and for guiding me through all of the great music. I'll be sure to buy it soon.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 6/27/10 at 6:28pm

Okay, I have to know... will this ever be released as a cast recording? Because Norm Lewis is my favorite singer and "Being Alive" is one of my favorite songs, and I desperately want to hear that!

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 6/27/10 at 6:45pm

It's already recorded, Schmerg. PS Classics is releasing it. Early August for orders on their website and August 31st everywhere else.

http://psclassics.com/cd_sondheimonsondheim.html

[rjm516]

Posted: 6/27/10 at 9:34pm

Wow I really need to see this. When is it closing?

Nevermind, I realized. It's done! Darn that sucks! Updated On: 6/27/10 at 09:34 PM

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 6/30/10 at 2:40am

Just wanted to say that I just ordered my Sondheim on Sondheim cast recording and Broadway Years: Barbara Cook CD. Can't wait to get them! :)

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 6/30/10 at 4:33am

If you can track down a recording of her in the BBC Radio presentation of The King and I that she did about 10 years ago, I highly recommend it. Ms. Cook makes a great Anna. Every not perfect and her reading is good fun too.