Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

#1

Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 10:12pm

Who are they?

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BSoBW2: I punched Sondheim in the face after I saw Wicked and said, "Why couldn't you write like that!?"

#2

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 10:13pm

Sondheim!!!!!!

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This is my signature.

#3

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 10:14pm

patti lupone

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"Chicago is it's own incredible theater town right there smack down in the middle of the heartland. What a great city! I can see why Oprah likes to live there!" - Dee Hoty :-D

#4

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 10:16pm

This might not be popular, but Streisand is a product on Broadway, at least in part..

#5

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 10:22pm

i have to say joel grey

#6

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 10:26pm

In no particular order:

1.) Stephen Sondheim
2.) Edward Albee
3.) John Kander
4.) Kitty Carlisle Hart
5.) Vanessa Redgrave
6.) Chita Rivera
7.) Patti LuPone
8.) Elaine Stritch
9.) Julie Harris
10.) Barbara Cook

Updated On: 7/11/05 at 10:26 PM

#7

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 10:32pm

i'll second JULIE HARRIS.

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RIP glebby <3

#8

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 10:33pm

Streisand's not really a theatre legend though since she only did two shows and that was 40 years ago.

What about:

Performers:

Julie Harris
Zoe Caldwell
Elaine Stritch
Chita Rivera
Maggie Smith
Judi Dench
James Earl Jones
Vanessa Redgrave
Angela Lansbury
Rosemary Harris
Christopher Plummer
Frank Langella
Carol Channing

Non-Performers:
Sondheim
Hal Prince
Edward Albee
Athol Fugard
John Guare
August Wilson
Neil Simon
Jerry Herman
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Ellen Stewart
Sam Shepard
Lanford Wilson
Caryl Churchill
Arthur Laurents
John Kander
Gene Saks
Jules Fischer
Jane Greenwood
Alan Ayckbourn
Tom Stoppard
Jonathan Tunick
Paul Gemignani
Theoni V. Aldredge

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"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#9

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 10:42pm

If you include Patti LuPone, you have to through Bernadette Peters in there. Liza Minnelli has also won Three Tonys. She probably qualifies. Betty Comden, and Tommy Tune probably would fit in there as well.

All in all, just print a big list of who's in the American Theatre Hall of Fame at the Gerswin Theatre and cross off all the dead people.

Updated On: 7/11/05 at 10:42 PM

#10

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 10:44pm

I thought Liza won two (FLORA, THE RED MENACE and THE ACT). Which one did I miss?

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Praying Decca Broadway will put "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope" on CD!

#11

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 10:45pm

She has a third honorary. Not competative, but still three...She also has a nomination for THE RINK.

#12

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 10:54pm

Barbra Streisand...HELLO!

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"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#13

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 11:08pm

I dont think Streisand is a theatre legend either. Nor is Shirley MacLaine. Or Paul Newman.

#14

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 11:15pm

Liza and Bernadette

#15

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 11:15pm

Michael Bennett...why would you say Babs isn't a theatre legend?

Surely her "audition" for the role of Fanny was legendary.

She was nominated for a Tony for every role she has done on Broadway (even though it was only two) and did magnificent work in movies as well. And then there are her marvelous renditions of Broadway showtunes...

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"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#16

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 11:17pm

I think she's a film legend and a music legend. But as Margo says, she did two Broadway shows 40 years ago. It was the spring board for her career, not the basis for her career...

#17

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 11:20pm

Non performers: Tony Walton and Jules Fisher.

#18

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/11/05 at 11:20pm

I guess. I still say she did a legendary performance.

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"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#19

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/12/05 at 12:40am

No particular order:
-Stephen Sondheim
-Patti LuPone
-Bernadette Peters
-Angela Lansbury
-Joel Grey
-Chita Rivera
-Hal Prince
-Julie Harris
-Barbara Cook
-Audra McDonald (4 Tonys and she's only 32 or 33? She HAS to be up there!)
-Len Cariou

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"Who is Stephen Sondheim?" -roninjoey
"The man who wishes he had written Phantom of the Opera!" - SueleenGay

GO CARDINALS!!!

#20

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/12/05 at 12:44am

I'm not going to make a list. But Chita Rivera ofcourse. What an amazing woman.
Oh and Ann Reinking would also be on my list.

Updated On: 7/12/05 at 12:44 AM

#21

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/12/05 at 12:52am

I fourth(or fifth?) Chita Rivera!

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"I'm the STAR!"--Daniel Reichard during Glory Daze sound check

#22

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/12/05 at 12:59am

Looking just back stage -- no actors, and teams are together:

1. Sondheim
2. Webber (like him or not, his shows are living forever)
3. John Kander
4. Hamlisch (A Chorus Line will last forever)
5. Harnick and Bock (both of whom I believe I are still living)
6. Schwartz
7. McDermot and Ragni(the writers of Hair...that's their names, right?)
8. Arthur Laurents
9. Hal Prince
10. Cameron Mackintosh

Potential: Aherns/Flaherty, Jason Robert Brown, Adam Guettel, William Finn

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Hi, Shirley Temple Pudding.

#23

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/12/05 at 1:01am

Definitely Bernadette Peters, Nathan Lane, and Michael Crawford (even though M.C. was responsible for the death of Dance of the Vampires...). And how could we forget Julie Andrews? I think Tim Curry ranks up there, too.

As far as non-performers: Sondheim (forgive the spelling), the composers of Les Miz (I won't even ATTEMPT to spell their names), and Andrew Lloyd Webber. And even though the thread subject is LIVING legends, I just HAVE to meantion the recently departed Cy Coleman.

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"Wait a minute. What am I DOING here?! Mr. Bialystock was right! There IS a lot more to me than there is to me! Stop the world! I wanna get ON!" ~Leo Bloom, The Producers

#24

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/12/05 at 1:03am

You got Sondheim right baby! That's what I like to see.

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BSoBW2: I punched Sondheim in the face after I saw Wicked and said, "Why couldn't you write like that!?"

#25

re: Top 10 Living Theatrical Legends

Posted: 7/12/05 at 1:10am

Sondheim, Chita Rivera, and Nathan Lane.

Updated On: 7/12/05 at 01:10 AM