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

Oh, God?

You must agree, Joshua - Vanessa was terrible.

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

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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

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.

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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.

I'm Steven too. :)

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

Whats with the Betty question being ignored? hmm

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!

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