Sophisticated Ladies

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 11:50am

I am watching this on dvd right now, and I am so bored of it. I love the music, but the actual performances and direction are a snore. Was this a huge hit on Broadway?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 11:52am

Hinton Battle was SO hot!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 12:00pm

It ran for a little over 2 years, so for a revue (at that time -- 1981-1983), it was quite successful.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 12:04pm

Hey, I just realized the guy that sang "And we did it again" in the A CHORUS LINE movie or whatever it is called, is one of the dancers.

The singers themselves are really good (especially this one female that sings "It Don't Mean a Thing (Unless it ain't got that swing)" . GOOD LORD). But, the direction and Choreography (which contributes to the performaces) are so bland.

Updated On: 1/18/07 at 12:04 PM

[D2]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 12:07pm

It ran for 767 performances (March 1981 - 1983), won 2 Tony Awards (Hinton Battle and Willa Kim for costumes) and in the theater it was very entertaining. I haven't seen the DVD so I have no idea how good or bad it is, but sometimes the electricity of the live performance in the theater doesn't translate well to the small screen.

And the phrase is "bored WITH it," not "bored OF it."

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 12:35pm

Sorry. Bored WITH it. Like I said, the singers are AMAZING . . . especially Phyllis Hyman. <--- I am going to have to buy her greatest hits album. LOVE her voice. It is getting better as it goes along, and D2, I think you are right about it being live vs. the dvd. If I was actually there in the audience, I would probably love it.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 12:37pm

Phyllis Hyman was the "It' Don't Mean a Thing" singer.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 12:38pm

Terri Klausner was pretty good in it too. What happened to her?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 12:44pm

Gregg Burge did "Surprise Surprise" in the ACL movie and was terrific in SOPHISTICATED LADIES. Too bad that he, Hyman, and Hines are no longer with us. They were great talents.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 12:55pm

Agreed that he is amazing in it.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 1:30pm

I loved this show! Haven't seen the dvd of it though but I found it to be very well done and highly entertaining and very, very electric on stage.

[Effie]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 2:40pm

I LOVED the show on Broadway. The DVD is lame, though. Judith Jamison and Gregory Hines were the principals on B'way. Hinton Battle was one of the supporting players and was bumped up to lead for the DVD (and I presume the tour that was filmed.) While an excellent dancer, he's no Gregory Hines in the charisma department.

Unless I'm mistaken the only original cast members performing the numbers they initially played on Broadway are Phyllis Hyman and Terri Klausner. Both are excellent on the DVD, especially Ms. Hyman. Imagine the show with all the performers at her level and you'll have an idea why it was a hit.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 3:00pm

Nope. The DVD performance was filmed at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (on Broadway) shortly before the show closed. It featured the final Broadway cast, which by that time consisted of alot of members of the L.A. production and the National Tour as well as original Broadway cast members.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 3:06pm

Wasn't there some dispute over compensation that led to Hines and Jameson not coming back for the taping? I seem to recall reading that at the time.

[morosco]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 3:23pm

Margo...I seem to recall that there was some kind of dispute with the Broadway company over compensation and most of the Las Vegas cast was brought in for the taping. I tried googling "Sophisticated Ladies Las Vegas" and the only results unfortunately were pornographic in nature.