The Official Kennedy Center FOLLIES Thread- Page 16

[lizabombs]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 3:04pm

If I were going to see an old lover after decades, and I looked like Bernadette Peters, I'd wear the red dress.

if I looked like Dorothy Collins, I'd wear what she wore.

[charlesjguiteau]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 3:23pm

The red dress brings up the question: do the costumes stay true to 1971 for the REST of the cast? Is it clear that the reunion is happening 40 years ago or does it sort of look like it could be happening today? (If they fail to put you in 1971, I'd judge that a major failing of the production: if you sacrifice the idea that the girls were performing in the Weisman Follies back in the early 40's, you make mincemeat of the chronology of the rest of the characters, not to mention the legitimacy of the Follies shows themselves.)

[bk]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 3:29pm

I'm with Pal Joey - not convinced at ALL. This show is not about Bernadette Peters reclaiming someone, it's about Sally Durant Plummer and Sally Durant Plummer, at least as conceived in the original production, has not been living a glamorous life and would not have such a dress - what would she need it for? Nor would she go out and buy such a dress. She would choose the nicest of her middle-aged outfits from her closet. Florence Klotz understood this perfectly.

If this production transfers, whoever is producing will be looking for a nice, big tax write-off because even if they had the chutzpah (which most producers do today, ego-wise) to keep it open long after it's expire date, it would lose every penny of its investment. A limited run with a somewhat starry cast, sure, it will sell out to the Sondheads alone. After that, no.

And after having read the word "revelation" again, isn't there some other word besides that now-hoary cliche? Danny Burstein was a REVELATION? Why? He's a terrific actor and I'm sure he's doing a great job. What's the REVELATION?

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 3:59pm

The red dress Bernadette wears looks like one of hundreds I've seen on the clearance rack at TJ Maxx under the heading "Evening Dresses." It would cost about 40 bucks, if that.

The fact that it is such a bright, tacky and unflattering color assures its spot on the clearance rack every time. Sally would have gone to TJ Maxx to buy a "new" dress for the occasion and seen this neon "evening dress" with a tag that read, "Compare at 295.00" and thought she was dressing "up."

Believe me, I know my clearance racks.

[lizabombs]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 4:00pm

I don't know. Sally is half mad. She did try to kill herself. And she thinks/wishes/whatever that Ben will take her away. If that's what she wants, she'd wear that dress. It's not like it's covered in jewels or anything, though perhaps it looks far more glamorous close-up. It's a fancy dress to show herself off. And if she's going to reclaim and old lover, why not?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 4:06pm

Miss P. Did you shop at TJMax in 1971?
Maybe JCPenny?
Snagged the last seat for the weekend of June 4th, seems the show is a big hit (sales-wise). Are there that many Sondheads in the Capital.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 4:12pm

CPD, I am very eager to see what you think of the show!

It's funny but I just realized that Phyllis's dress looks like one I bought at Marshall's for a formal event in 1998. The cost: "39.99." (I'm not kidding.)

Bernadette's dress is plain except for the color. It could have been bought any time between 1970 and now. (I should go to TJ Maxx today with my camera and post their "prom dresses" for you.)

Oh, in 1971, I shopped at Bamberger's mostly.

[Owen22]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 4:39pm

I saw the show last night and am surprised no one has discussed the fact that they threw away, entirely, the couples' goodbye lines. Instad of the "if you're ever in Phoenix...." lines, the couples just look at each other, decide there's nothing left to say, and exit separately. It was very effective (though Jan Maxwell can say more with a look than most speaking actresses....)

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 5:16pm

While I see a valid argument for the red dress, if Sally chose it for Ben, wouldn't it have been green? "I should have worn green/I wore green the last time..."

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 5:18pm

I saw the show last night and am surprised no one has discussed the fact that they threw away, entirely, the couples' goodbye lines. Instad of the "if you're ever in Phoenix...." lines, the couples just look at each other, decide there's nothing left to say, and exit separately. It was very effective (though Jan Maxwell can say more with a look than most speaking actresses....)

Those lines are from the London/Roundabout productions. This version uses an ending closer to the original. Thankfully. The Roundabout ending was a travesty.

[broadwaydanwi]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 5:57pm

Green dress, red dress...maybe Sally just likes Christmas colors!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 7:11pm

Miss P, if you mention TJ Maxx one more time in this thread, I think I'll die.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 7:14pm

Bernadette discusses FOLLIES. Includes a clip of her 'Losing My Mind.'

http://www.npr.org/2011/05/21/136525451/bernadette-peters-revives-sondheims-follies

[binau]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 7:16pm

Well, I think she definitely wants to play this role on Broadway if it wasn't already obvious ("I like to stay a long time in shows, at least a year"..)

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 7:21pm

Yeah, and let's not forget that the NY Times leaked the info that Bernadette tried doing Nunn's London production to secure the role on Broadway if either one transfers. Though apparently it didn't work out with Nunn. She seems determined to play Sally on Broadway.

[charlesjguiteau]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 7:24pm

awesome danny, think about it: how could Sally wear a green dress when her actual lyric is "I SHOULD have worn green; I wore green the last time."

This is all a silly argument. If the red dress tells a virgin audience the wrong info about Sally (too hip and stylish, too sexy for the room), then it's the wrong dress. N'est-ce pas?

Again for you all who have seen the show, is everyone else in the cast dressed correctly for 1971? Or are they all "timeless" too, god forbid?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 7:29pm

I'll let you know after tomorrow's matinee.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 7:39pm

PalJoey, I have Martin Gottfried's Broadway (coffee table book) and was looking a one of the pictures from Follies. It's a picture of "Who's That Woman" and it appears that the Follies dancer next to Alexis Smith is either in a ballet slipper or bare foot. Would you happen to know if this was common in the original production? The other dancer's look like they have tap shoes on. Thanks.

Updated On: 5/21/11 at 07:39 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 7:44pm

Be honest, people. Which dress tells you more about Sally Durant Plummer? Bernadette's red dress? or this:

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 7:46pm

Clearly that! I definitely prefer Sally dressed like that. Updated On: 5/21/11 at 07:46 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 7:50pm

Gregg Barnes designed a perfect dress for McKechnie's Sally in the Papermill production. I assume Schaeffer and/or Peters wanted the sleeker dress.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 7:51pm

Now, folks, we bring you,
Di-rect from Phoenix,
Live and in person...



SALLY DURANT!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 7:53pm

This picture breaks my heart.



"If you don't kiss me, Ben, I think I'll die."

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 7:59pm

Dottie--can you post that picture? They were all tapping their hears out, as were the ghosts.

Maybe she lost her shoe before the photo!

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 8:01pm

PalJoey, that last picture you posted IS beartbreaking.