"There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" questions

[jewishboy]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 11:51am

This a really random question, but I was just thinking about the "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" scene in the movie of Sweet Charity and I remembered how great it was. So, since Fosse did direct the movie, is the choreography for that number the same as it was in the original production? Also which version do you guys like the best? Original, Movie, Revival(s), or some obscure recording I don't know? Right now I think the Original is my fav.

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 12:13pm

Having seen the Debbie Allen revival which Fosse directed, as well as the film, the choreography is pretty much the same.

He changed a few things around, since he was on a more realistic 3-dimensional rooftop set for the dance section in the movie, and the girls didn't always have to "face out" to the audience, but (with minor alterations) it was the same steps.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 12:20pm

Thank you. How was Bebe as Nicki?

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 12:21pm

The OBC is one of my favorite discs of all time. I also watch the musical numbers from the film often, especially "There's Gotta Be..". Nothing can beat that.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 12:24pm

The title of this thread could be used for another book about flop musicals

[D2]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 12:27pm

"How was Bebe as Nicki?"

She won a well-deserved Tony for the role. She was fabulous and stole the show right out from under Debbie Allen with every perfectly executed finger flick and acid dropped line.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 12:31pm

She sounds great on the recording. I really have to catch her live in a dancing performance... how long until she leaves Chicago again?

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 1:09pm

Bibi was fine, I suppose, and I didn't think she danced anywhere near as well as Debbie Allen when they were side by side in "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This." And she and Allison Williams were painfully flat all through "Baby, Dream Your Dream." Bebe landed all of her laughs beautifully, though, and "Big Spender" was a show-stopper... but I was really rooting for Patti Cohenour who blew me away in "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" that year.

I loved Michael Rupert as Oscar though. He also won a Tony for this revival. He was hilarous, sang beautifully, and was very touching in the role.

Updated On: 2/25/07 at 01:09 PM

[ahmelie]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 1:36pm

I'm goin' all the way to the top, and I'm gonna be... a hat check girl!

Sometimes I want to be a dancer for the sole purpose of performing that song.

[D2]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 1:44pm

Threadjack alert:

Truthfully, for me the best performance in the '86 revival was from lead dancer Dana Moore. She was phenomenal in The Frug - her smile just lit up the stage and she had more energy than anyone else in the show.

I agree with B12B about Michael Rupert. He was very touching in the role.

I guess the day I saw it Miss Allen wasn't feeling well. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere else but on that stage that night.

Back to topic.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 2:00pm

I saw a clip of Chita Rivera, Donna McKechnie and Bebe Neuwirth doing "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" from the Sweet Charity benefit performance and it was genius. That's my favorite.
I wonder how Bebe fared when she had to go on as Charity, she strikes me more as Ice Charity.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 2:11pm

I heard they changed the name from Charity to Stingy when Bebe played her