Vanessa Williams or Bernardette Peters as the Witch???- Page 4

[munkustrap178]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#75

Posted: 3/17/05 at 6:46pm

Oh, God?

You must agree, Joshua - Vanessa was terrible.

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

[Joshua488]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#76

Posted: 3/17/05 at 8:12pm

No, I DON'T think she was terrible. She was good, actually.

[munkustrap178]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#77

Posted: 3/17/05 at 8:34pm

I think she's very talented, dont get me wrong. But I thought she was embarrasing as the witch.

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

[BWAYboi_yes]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#78

Posted: 3/19/05 at 10:40am

I ask again, anyone know the story with Betty Buckley? I'd like to hear it.

[fiesta1]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#79

Posted: 3/19/05 at 3:02pm

I saw both performers, and also saw Phylicia Rashad. Bernadette was the best, but Phylicia was also very, very good.

Vanessa was wrong for the role

[TonyaFanatic]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#80

Posted: 3/19/05 at 4:50pm

Vanessa was wrong for the role, i believe but at the same time she is an incredible performer. there were a lot of directorial problems with the show that i saw. vanessa did do the opposite of what bernadette did and play the role down as where bernadette played the role bigger because she thought it was very bland and one note. which acting wise i believe was the better choice. vanessa couldve been great in the part and in a year of weak musical actress nominees, her nom was well deserved i believe for not being the "i'm a celebrity so im the best part of this show" type person. she recognized it as an ensemble piece and played it accordingly.

"Girl, this cupcake is the jumpoff"- Adriane Lenox

[frontrowcentre2]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#81

Posted: 3/20/05 at 3:40am

Of the two choices listed (and yes I saw both on Broadway) my vote goes to Benadette Peters. She gave a wonderful star performance, her singing was amazing (both times I saw her there was no sign of strain in her voice) and she was very funny in her delivery of lines. Vanessa Williams was not as dynamic in thhe role but the 2002 production did play better as a total ensemble piece.

IF I had only seen the video I might not think as highly of Bernadette's performance. She really does seem to do some strange line readings in the video. She had been out of the show over a year when she returned for a few taped performances in the spring of 1989. When I read WishIhadaTony's negative comments I wonder if he has only seen the video.

WishIhadaTony, however, is wrong about the Tony awards. The producers of WOODS did not submit Bernadette's name for a nomination because she had left the production a few months into the run to make a movie. She came into the show late in the pre-production process knowing she could open the show but could not stay with it more than a few months. It was by mutual agreement that Joanna Gleason's name be submitted and indeed she won the Tony. And if you watch the 1988 Tony awards you will see Bernadette Peters is the one who presents the award to Gleason who makes a point of thanking Bernadette.

Belive me, WihsIhadaTony, there was no rejection of Bernadette's performance by the Towny Awards nominators. In fact her performance recieved raves even from critics who were mixed on the show. You didn't like her performance, that's fine. But please, go back and read VARIETY from the spring of 1988 and you will see that it was the producers decision not to submit her name because she was out of the show months before the Tony Awards were presented.

I'm not trying to pick on you but I hate seeing false information given in order to validate an opinion. Stick to the facts.

Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com

[CASuperboy]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#82

Posted: 3/20/05 at 4:09am

Well this is based on listening to the original cast recording, seeing a live filmed version of it on the Bravo Channel so much, and seeing the revival. It's Bernadatte for me.

[eslgr8]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#83

Posted: 3/20/05 at 12:20pm

I've said many times on this site that "good" and "bad" are subjective, and that there is no "truth" in a good or bad review, just someone's opinion. Nevertheless I am shocked (well, maybe just quite surprised) at those who prefer Miss Williams to Miss Peters. I've seen the televised version many times, and saw the revival in L.A. before it moved to N.Y. I like Vanessa Williams as a singer, but I believe the witch is meant be a bit of an over the top scene stealing character, and VW was just too understated, especially in the first act, when she should have been more dynamic (and funny) as was BP.

[HeyMrMusic]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#84

Posted: 3/20/05 at 12:31pm

Thanks for the full explanation, frontrowcentre. I was always wondering about that.

~Steven

[eslgr8]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#85

Posted: 3/20/05 at 12:44pm

I'm Steven too. :)

[BWAYboi_yes]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#86

Posted: 3/20/05 at 12:53pm

It's ok everyone, no need to worry about me. I'm just sitting here for days wondering what happened with Betty Buckley. Surely one of you must know.

[BrdwyThtr]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#87

Posted: 3/20/05 at 1:09pm

I only saw Bernadette as The Witch on the movie and I saw Vanessa live, but my vote goes to Bernadette.

[Mr. Tuttle]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#88

Posted: 3/20/05 at 3:00pm

I vote for Kristen.

Ignorance is temporary. Stupidity last forever. Watch out BWW... HE'S BACK.

[newsieboy23]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#89

Posted: 3/20/05 at 3:29pm

Whats with the Betty question being ignored? hmm

[frontrowcentre2]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#90

Posted: 3/20/05 at 4:04pm

Re: Betty Buckley

Nothing much was documented at the time. Variety reported ina short item in late August 1987 that B.Peters had joined the cast as the Witch, but no reason was given for Buckley's departure. The cast (with Buckley) had a 2-week rehearsal, then took a month of so the authors could do some re-writing. It was during that month off that Buckley left and Peters joind the show for six weeks of rehearsals leading up to the first previews on September 29. (The original announced opening night wqs October 29 but was postponed a week to November 5.) As to WHY Buckley left, nothing official has ever been stated. Whether she was disatisfied with the way the role was developing, or had "personal" problems has been subject of speculation but I have never seen any official reason stated.

Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com

[munkustrap178]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#91

Posted: 3/20/05 at 4:24pm

Thanks for clearing those things up - I thought I had heard something before about Bernadette being with the show a very short time, and that's why she wasn't nominated - thanks again!

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

[Becca]

Could it be the role? Look at 'Last Midnight'#92

Posted: 3/20/05 at 4:35pm

Bernadette!

"Never trust a rose, the blossoms are nice but the thorns are poison."