They're Playing Our Song w/ Klein & Arnaz

[morosco]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 6:26pm

Concert opens tomorrow night at Kennedy Center and runs through Saturday. Now that I look at the website this is not an evening totally dedicated to They're Playing Our Song. I thought it would be a semi concert version of the show. But no! They are only doing "selections" from the show at the end of the evening.
The program runs approximately 2 hours, with one 15-minute intermission.
PROGRAM:
HAMLISCH Ragtime Medley
HAMLISCH "The Swimmer", arr. Zito
HAMLISCH Marvin at the Movies
HAMLISCH Overture to "A Chorus Line," arr. Burns
Arrangements announced from the Stage: Robert Klein
Intermission: 15 min.
SCHWARTZ You and the Night and the Music
Lucie Arnaz
CY COLEMAN The Best Is Yet To Come
Lucie Arnaz
GONZALO RIG Quiereme Mucho
Lucie Arnaz
RAFAEL HERNANDEZ "Cumbanchero," arr. Pujals
Lucie Arnaz
IRVING BERLIN Blue Skies
Lucie Arnaz
HAMLISCH Selections from :They're Playing Our Song". orch. Burns and Hazard
Lucie Arnaz and Robert Klein

They're Playing Our Song - Again!

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 7:54pm

Originally, I planned to go to this as I usually go to all the NSO concerts featuring Broadway soloists, but decided against it because it is only selections from the show. I appreciate what Marvin Hamlisch did for A Chorus Line, but I hate when these things are advertised as being explicitly Broadway and they become "what Marvin has done in Hollywood" or "how Marvin can encourage audience participation" shows.

[Buscee]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 8:07pm

Oh Great! Just what I wanted to fly to DC For..I was hoping it was a concert of the show too!...Oh well, Plane and Tix are already paid for. Should be fun anyway. Thanks for the heads up!

[Up In Lost]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 8:29pm

I'm supposed to head down tomorrow. Might not be going.

[Sonia&Vernon]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 10:12pm

Well, there's only nine songs in the original show so they have to add some extras to make it long enough. I've seen Marvin, Lucie, and Robert perform together before and they are all terrific!

[JRybka]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 1:51pm

I saw them when they did the show in San Francisco YEARS ago... My mom took me when I was little and I was so sick but by the time the show started my fever broke and I was fine the whole show.... Musicals always make me feel better!

Anyway-- I am excited to be going to the show. We will be in the nosebleed seats as we have OD'd on buying tickets to shows this summer including Songs for a New World, Witches of Eastwick and Video Games Live! ---

What is this RAGTIME melody that is written in there? I checked the movie of RAGTIME and he did not compose the music so what is this?

I am still excited -- as long as Lucie Arnaz sings I Still Believe in Love.... I will be happy!

[dancersmom2]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 2:01pm

We saw this a year or two ago when they did it here in Little Rock (believe it or not!) It really was fun. They all seemed to be having a great time, especially Lucie. Her husband, Laurence Luckinbill, has Arkansas ties, so there were lots of family members in the audience. If you are a fan of the show, you'll love even the pared down concert version.

[FeelingElectric]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 1:59am

I just got back from the show, and it was fantastic.

Marvin Hamlish is an absolutely gifted man, and all of his greatest work was on display tonight. We were treated with selections from The Sting, The Way We Were, and A Chorus Line in addition to the featured attraction.

Robert Klein was as fantastic as always, peforming part of his famous comedy routine. Who dosen't love the colonoscopy song?

After the intermision, Lucie Arnaz did a few numbers. I thought the best of her selections was her passionate rendition of Irving Berlin's Blue Skies.

The three then came together to do a condensed version of They're Playing Our Song. Even though you didn't get the full show, Robert Klein and Marvin Hamlish really explained the plot very well as things progressed.

I absolutely loved the whole night. It's always wonderful when you get to see three amazing talents (and let's not forget the National Symphony Orchestra Pops) put on such an entertaining show.

Buscee, were you the person I met in the lobby after the show? If so, thanks for taking the pictures!

[Dancin Thru Life]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 9:20am

Hmmmm, that's interesting.

The Buffalo Philharmonic schedule (with Marvin as Pops conductor) has "They're Playing Our Song" listed for next season.

One would easily believe from the writeup that it would be a concert version with Lucy Arnaz and Robert Klein, as I had hoped. Perhaps that's what they WANTED us to think to sell some tickets! HAHA!

I bet if Marvin put this lineup together for the Kennedy Ctr. show, that He will probably stick with it in every city in which He is the Principle Pops Conductor.

It still sounds good, and I'll be there no matter what. I love that show!

Thanks for the info!

Updated On: 6/2/07 at 09:20 AM

[Buscee]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 5:01pm

Yup FeelingElectric that was me. Thanks for taking pictures of me too!..

It truly was a great night, and yes it was misleading to let people think it was a concert version of the show, but it was still great!! I asked Marvin after the show if there was a possibilty of a revival, and he said "No. It's a Dead issue"...Everyone wants to see a revival, but he said it won't happen... I wonder why? From the audience Klein and Arnaz looked as good as they did 28 years ago. The still had the chemistry, and what people called a poor book, still got the laughs. Amazing!

[morosco]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 5:22pm

A revival a dead issue? Hmmmm.... I wonder why Hamlisch sounds so firm on that? It would seem like an attractive show to producers because of the small size of the cast. Bankable names like Hamlisch and Neil Simon. Cast two stars that might commit to doing only 3 or 6 months then another pair could come in. Even D-list stars could sell this show. I see it as a gold mine.
Updated On: 6/2/07 at 05:22 PM

[Buscee]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 8:30am

Yeah I agree, but thats what he told me. I know Arnaz & Klein did a reading of it with Simon to hear it again, and see if it would work with an older cast. Simon supposidly said he wanted to re-write the break up scene. Maybe the issue is with Carole Bayer Sager? Who knows? I would love to see it again