Toni Braxton

[Moriah3]

Posted: 2/2/18 at 9:16pm

Did anyone see her in Beauty and the Beast or Aida? Was she any good? I’m a big fan of hers but don’t know how I feel about her doing broadway!

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 2/2/18 at 9:26pm

I saw her in both.

I enjoyed her in both. I may be in a minority but I enjoyed her aida vocals. Her and will chase had great chemistry.

Her lifetime network movie last weekend wasn’t totally terrible.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/2/18 at 10:31pm

I also saw her in both.

I found her appallingly bad in both. In Beauty and the Beast she demanded new costumes and a song in act 2. They gave her these low cut dresses to wear that I’m sure Disney got letters about. While I enjoy A Change in Me, every single actress who sang it after she left sang it better. She had zero chemistry with anyone onstage, and seemed to be appearing in an entirely different production (Belle isn’t “sassy”).

Aida may have been worse. All of the keys had to be lowered to accommodate her extremely limited range. The acting was atrocious. It was just...a nightmare.

[Kev]

Posted: 2/3/18 at 11:13am

I also saw both.  

Braxton in BEAUTY did not work for me.  She looked uncomfortable and failed to bring anything charismatic to the table, even with her added "A Change in Me."  Braxton's Belle also gave "the hand" to the Beast at one point.  Just unnecessary casting.  James Barbour's excellent Beast was the highlight of that visit.        

For me, Braxton in AIDA was a complete 180.  She appeared so much more comfortable, had palpable chemistry with her co-star Will Chase, and made completely natural acting choices.  The lowered keys didn't bother me because she still sold the songs.  

I didn't realize how much I appreciated Braxton's performance in AIDA until I returned on a matinee and saw a completely lackluster standby performance from Saycon Sengbloh.  

Updated On: 2/3/18 at 11:13 AM

[JennH]

Posted: 2/3/18 at 1:14pm

Kev said: "I also saw both.

Braxton in BEAUTY did not work for me. She looked uncomfortable and failed to bring anything charismatic to the table, even with her added "A Change in Me." Braxton's Belle also gave "the hand" to the Beast at one point. Justunnecessary casting. James Barbour's excellent Beast was the highlight of that visit.

For me, Braxton in AIDA was a complete 180. She appeared so much more comfortable, had palpable chemistry with her co-star Will Chase, and made completely natural acting choices. The lowered keys didn't bother me because she still sold the songs.

I didn't realize how much I appreciated Braxton's performance in AIDA until I returned on a matinee and saw a completely lackluster standby performance from Saycon Sengbloh."

I'd bet dollars to donuts that this was because (and I feel this should be obvious, but maybe not) that Aida is 100% her musical wheelhouse of pop/soul/etc. B and the B is traditional musical theatre in very way, which Aida is obviously not. She fit that world because that's who she is as an artist. 

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 2/3/18 at 2:46pm

Ha Kev. I remember that day. Shaking my head asking “why oh why the matinee?” And to think we’d end up seeing lackluster many times in wicked. 

Personally I liked Toni’s sass and giving the beast the hand but yea she wasn’t great in beauty. 

 

Kev said: "I also saw both.

Braxton in BEAUTY did not work for me. She looked uncomfortable and failed to bring anything charismatic to the table, even with her added "A Change in Me." Braxton's Belle also gave "the hand" to the Beast at one point. Justunnecessary casting. James Barbour's excellent Beast was the highlight of that visit.

For me, Braxton in AIDA was a complete 180. She appeared so much more comfortable, had palpable chemistry with her co-star Will Chase, and made completely natural acting choices. The lowered keys didn't bother me because she still sold the songs.

I didn't realize how much I appreciated Braxton's performance in AIDA until I returned on a matinee and saw a completely lackluster standby performance from Saycon Sengbloh. "

 

[ermengarde]

Posted: 2/3/18 at 4:46pm

I thought it was double bad with both Barbour and Toni Braxton when I saw it. Disney sure regrets hiring him, huh?

A Change in Me makes no sense and slows the show down. 

[DAME]

Posted: 2/3/18 at 4:52pm

She was awful in both. Also one of the most embarrassing Vegas acts ever.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/3/18 at 4:52pm

JennH said: "Kev said: "I also saw both.

Braxton in BEAUTY did not work for me. She looked uncomfortable and failed to bring anything charismatic to the table, even with her added "A Change in Me." Braxton's Belle also gave "the hand" to the Beast at one point. Justunnecessary casting. James Barbour's excellent Beast was the highlight of that visit.

For me, Braxton in AIDA was a complete 180. She appeared so much more comfortable, had palpable chemistry with her co-star Will Chase, and made completely natural acting choices. The lowered keys didn't bother me because she still sold the songs.

I didn't realize how much I appreciated Braxton's performance in AIDA until I returned on a matinee and saw a completely lackluster standby performance from Saycon Sengbloh."

I'd bet dollars to donuts that this was because (and I feel this should be obvious, but maybe not) that Aida is 100% her musical wheelhouse of pop/soul/etc. B and the B is traditional musical theatre in very way, which Aida is obviously not. She fit that world because that's who she is as an artist."

Aida, as it was written, was nowhere near her wheelhouse. Her range is about three notes and the entire score had to be changed to accommodate her. If you enjoy Aida singing in sultry, smoky, tones, then sure. If you wanted the score belted to the rafters the way Heather Headley, Deborah Cox, and even Simone performed it (the latter was a terrible actress), then Toni wasn’t your girl. 

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 2/3/18 at 6:37pm

I loved the Mel B key change in “Rent” so opinions aren’t common opinions