The Barbara Walsh Love Thread

Let's hear it for someone who is currently giving, in my opinion, one of the finest performances on Broadway.

Her Joanne in COMPANY is stunning and, after seeing it three times now, her THE LADIES WHO LUNCH has brought me to tears all three times.

Would kill to see her win the Tony this year, though she's got stiff competition.

Anybody else here completely in love with and in awe of her performance?

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Updated On: 1/13/07 at 12:25 PM

For those with XM Satellite, she is featured on the current "Downstage Center" on the Broadway channel. The program will repeat but I'm not sure when. Fascinating interview and talk of her career. They even played an advance cut of her "Ladies Who Lunch". Marvelous talent.

If you don't have XM the interview will eventually be broadcast on the American Theatre Wings website (sans songs due to legalities). Worth visiting the site for a treasure of other interviews as well.

American Theatre Wing

Updated On: 1/13/07 at 12:50 PM

Amen to that, kyle.

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I was not at ALL impressed by her performance when I saw Company in Cincinnati. She was trying too hard to impersonate Stritch, and ended up giving a severe overdose of deadpan. In fact, when people were discussing transfer casting possibilities, I said several times that I thought her one of the more expendable members of the cast; her performance just did not work.

Fast forward eight months or so.

The first time I saw the show in NYC, I was surprised by how much more I liked her performance. It had evolved so beautifully and has continued to throughout the show's run so far. Her performance is now one of my favorites, and she is definitely a standout in the show. I love the scene she does with Raúl. It's absolutely gut-punching now, where it had originally failed to have much impact. She's fierce. I hope she'll get a Tony nomination.

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Updated On: 1/13/07 at 04:41 PM

I think she does as well as can be expected within the unorthodox staging and in Elaine Stritch's shadow- but I love Barbara in general and think she's an incredible underrated talent. In my opinion she's one of the best out there. She's performed wonderfully in so many great roles over the years but somehow never made a name for herself. Of course FALSETTOS was her breakout role, and she was just great in HAIRSPRAY- but the real lucky ones got to see her as Mother in RAGTIME (Chicago) or as Svetlana on the CHESS tour opposite Carolee. So even if not everyone loves her in COMPANY, I'm just so glad to see her career continuing to flourish.

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Here is a story about Barbara Walsh. Back in the day I worked as a wardrobe/wig supervisor at a major regional theatre. Barbara was hired to be in one of our musicals. I was her dresser. To make a long story short she was nothing but difficult through the whole production. Disgusted that she had to kiss her leading man, (she would refuse to do it in rehersals), she also treated the local actors horribly, and others on the staff and crew like they were beneath her. The best part was after being her dresser for a several week run, she called me into the dressing room the last show. In her hand she had an envelope. This is what she said: "Thank you so much for everything, you have been one of the best dressers I have ever had. I had a tip for you, (as she looked at the envelope)but I am afraid I cant give it to you. You see my husband and I are going through very tough times right now and money is tight. I hope you understand." And with that she dismissed me from the dressing room. I of course was dumbfounded. So were the two actors that overheard this exchange outside the dressing room. I never expect a tip from a performer, ever. It is always a nice gesture when they do but not expected. And trust me when I say that all the other actors I dressed more than made up for Ms. Walsh. The thing that was wrong about it was that she had an envelope with her like a prop for this monologue she gave me. It was not about the money. Paper and pen are free and a nice note would have made me feel just as special as a fifty dollar bill. I have since came along way in my career and I hope Barbara has too. And I hope her money situation is a little better now. But above all my heart goes out to her dresser on Broadway. The moral of the story is that a true "star" has class as well as talent.

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How can you say the thread was spoiled? I'm glad Gypsy71 shared his/her story.

I love her. Granted I have never seen her in a musical, but I have tickets to Company on the 31. Anyway she was the unexpected highlight for me, and I think a lot of the audience, during the first Broadway Unplugged at Town Hall. She sang Holding To The Ground, unplugged, truly one of the best interpretations of a song I have ever heard. She has great style and a gorgeous, pure, and outrageously strong belt.