Thoughts on "The Life"?- Page 2

[egghumor]

Posted: 5/27/11 at 6:26pm

jpbran, thanks for your thoughts regarding such threads and they path they usually take. As you can see, I decided not to start one. I'm with you. I think if we've paid for a theater ticket (or even received a comp) we have every right to leave. Personally what I can't stand to see, is people rushing up the aisles during the curtain call of a show they probably enjoyed, trying to be the first to get a cab, etc., but not bothering to applaud the company who had just worked hard for them.

BTW--One of the rare shows I walked out of at intermission was a Cy Coleman musical, the dreadful WELCOME TO THE CLUB. I felt so embarrassed for the actors. I knew one of the principals in the show and she had warned me, as they all knew it was a wobbly turkey before they reached New York.

[Patash]

Posted: 5/27/11 at 11:15pm

I saw The Life the night after the Tony Awards. As I recall The Life was pretty much the favorite to win Best Musical, and Titanic winning was a real surprise. Liza Minelli was in the audience that night and after the show, she climbed up on stage, her accompaniest rolled out a piano and they gave about a 40 minute show with the whole cast around her. I never understood what her connection was with the show, other than being a huge supporter of Sam Harris. But when we arrived at Joe Allen's 40 minutes late, the hostess said, "what a night you've had". Word was already out about the Liza appearance.

The show itself? A couple of really great numbers -- I still remember "Use what you got to get what you want". And yes, Lillias did indeed stop the show with her big number.

[peerrjb]

Posted: 5/28/11 at 1:56am

"Use What You've Got" is a really wonderful wonderful song. I've sung it in clubs for years and people who saw "The Life" often comment how that number gave them great hope for the rest of the show following....and then came the rest of the show following.

But Harris' performance of the tune is kick-in-the-butt grand.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 5/28/11 at 2:54am

I saw The Life in July, 1997, along with Titanic; Rent; Chicago; Les Miserables; The Phantom of the Opera; A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum; Cats; and Miss Saigon. My first trip to NYC and I was in a theatre-lovers Disneyland, hehe.

I knew very little about The Life when I saw it, and I must say I'm with member "Temms" on this one--my sister and I really enjoyed it and were actually very surprised it was as engaging as it was. We didn't enjoy it the same way we enjoyed other musicals. It was more like a Maury Povich "Who's yer daddy??" paternity test talk show episode set to music. It didn't move us deeply or have anything really important to say, but it more than just lightly entertained and turned out some stellar performances.

For some reason, the scene that really stands out in my mind is right at the top of the show when Pamela's character is released from prison and she sings about how it's a great day to be out of jail, set against a seedy-looking brick wall bathed in a warm, amber light. I just remember thinking it was a strikingly effective image and stage picture.

Anyone remember the scene when Lilias and Pamela board an elevator and a clever use of lighting and projection creates an effect in which it appears they are ascending? It was incredibly simple, but the unexpected special effect in a show that wasn't about special effects caused "Oooohs" and "Ahhhs" from the audience. The audience reaction to that was funny and awkward at the same time!

Updated On: 5/28/11 at 02:54 AM

[chatter]

Posted: 5/28/11 at 2:37pm

I saw this show twice because I really enjoyed it. It was fresh, terrific music and performances. Especially from Pamela Issacs (where did she go?) and Lillias White. Great fun.

[spike3]

Posted: 5/28/11 at 2:48pm

to the best of my knowledge, Pam Isaacs has been appearing on the soap One Life to Live. After The Life, she was Off-Broadway and won an Obie, and also appeared as Muzzie in the National Tour of Millie.

[ggersten]

Posted: 5/28/11 at 7:56pm

Here's Liza, Sam and Cy Coleman which seems like the performance Patash is referencing.
Sam, Liza and Cy - Use What You Got

[Patash]

Posted: 5/28/11 at 10:27pm

ggersten, yes, that's it! Thanks for finding that, I had no idea it was recorded. And how did I forget that Cy Coleman was part of the festivities as well?

Oh, and I still have my t-shirt like Liza puts on at the end. On the back is a big red platform shoe with "You're not in Kansas any more". Love it. Updated On: 5/28/11 at 10:27 PM

[egghumor]

Posted: 5/29/11 at 12:00am

Patash, thanks!!!

The Liza, Sam & Cy number is beyond wonderful!

How lucky we are that it was captured.

Posted: 5/29/11 at 7:58pm

I love a lot of the score, my main problem is with tone, the show doesn't seem to know what it wants to be.

As a regular One Life to Live watcher since about 1992, I have to say, while IMDB says Pamela Isaacs role as a Dr Josie has been recurring since 2000 or so, I swear I can't remember EVER seeing her.