Vanessa Williams to star in ANYONE CAN WHISTLE at Carnegie Hall- Page 4

[Rudy2]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 10:48pm

Mickey3309 said: "To me it felt like Vanessa Williams didn't make a single acting choice. I thought Elizabeth Stanley & Santino Fontana were excellent. Their whole hotel room scene was wonderful - funny and touching. But wow... VW... I knew it wasn't going to be Donna Murphy, Patti LuPone, orMadeline Kahn but I wish she did SOMETHING with it. Such a waste of a kooky, fabulous role."

You expressed that perfectly. 

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 10:49pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "I don't really understand all the complaints of it feeling under-rehearsed. Of course it was, and we all knew it would be going in: it's a one-night concert, with Ted Sperling serving as both director and music director. The rise in quality of Encores! has tricked everyone into thinking that that's how a "concert version" should be performed. It felt a little more polished than some other MasterVoices concerts.

I loved Elizabeth Stanley, Santino Fontana, and the supporting cast. Hearing that score live is enough to make me swoon. Musically, it was glorious, save for Vanessa (whose voice hasreallydeteriorated with time). Vanessa's performance was a reminder that it's weird that Mayor Cora has the most material in the show. In hindsight, Vanessa is miscast...she usually plays quiet elegance & seduction; this needs someone who can do brassy musical comedy.

Overall an enjoyable evening at The Cookie Jar!"

I thank the wonderful servers at Bar Centralle that, by their strong pours, are telling me not to respond to this. 
 

*edited to recognize I said there instead of their. Even under the influence, grammar matters. 

Updated On: 3/10/22 at 10:49 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 10:55pm

Rudy2 said: "Does anyone know if Angela was there tonight? Considering her age, she still might not be venturing out."

I believe she lives in Ireland and California. I don't like to read into things too much, but I got kind of sad when we didn't get any kind of statement/quote from her after Sondheim's death. Not because she owes us anything –– she doesn't, and she's 96! –– but because age might finally be creeping up on her. Sigh.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 10:57pm

I think she did put out a statement when he passed. But no, I doubt we will see her in public again, sadly. 

[Rudy2]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 10:58pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Rudy2 said: "Does anyone know if Angela was there tonight? Considering her age, she still might not be venturing out."

I believe she lives in Ireland and California. I don't like to read into things too much, but I got kind of sad when we didn't get any kind of statement/quote from her after Sondheim's death. Not because she owes us anything –– she doesn't, and she's 96! –– but because age might finally be creeping up on her. Sigh."

She did put out a statement through Playbill which is restrained but beautiful.

I saw a picture of her enjoying lunch on her patio posing happily for the camera, with her mask down. She looked great.

Never count Angie out.

She has a Manhattan apartment as well, unless she’s sold it.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:02pm

I generally agree with everything said. I know they don't get much rehearsal time but it seemed like they spent too much time staging dancing and barely ever looked at the (yes, very confusing and meandering) book. Cora needs to be a broad who plays broadly and that ain't never been Williams's strength. I agree the second Ted Sperling mentioned Vicky Clark my brain was like "why isn't SHE Cora???"

I'll give some more love to Elizabeth Stanley, who I thought did a great job and got the biggest hands of the night.
 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:03pm

I had a lot of fun!

Elizabeth and Santino were AMAZING. Totally blown away by Elizabeth especially because I really only knew her from Jagged and that is obviously a VERY different role. She talked in interviews about being excited that this was her first post-motherhood (and post-COVID) new role and this definitely felt like an "I'VE STILL GOT IT" moment for her. 

I was similarly underwhelmed by Vanessa. She just failed to fill the space. Didn't help that I was in an obstructed view seat and she seemed to hang just outside of where I could see in a lot of her scenes. Her suit in act 2 definitely filled the space though. I loved that outfit. 

In the end, I was in a $15 seat, so I really didn't mind anything underwhelming about it. I definitely got $15 worth of entertainment value and solid performances (although I totally understand if you paid a lot more and didn't feel like this was worth your money). 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:07pm

JBroadway said: "I wouldn’t have missed this for the world, and I’m so happy I got the chance to hear this score live, and to get a sense of the story for the 1st time."

Same. Wow, y'all are harsh. I thought everyone was doing their best to sell the material. It felt like old school Encores. I didn't mind them being on book and I thought the choreography added a bit of production value. I did lose interest at times but that was because of the material and not the performances. I might have more to say later but now that I've seen it, this show is terribly weighed down by misogyny. 

Stanley was fantastic and in great voice though I think she lacked a bit of that x factor. Tough with this character though. Santino was wonderful but it's easy when the whole show plays to the male lead. TotallyEffed, I take it you also saw some Harold Hill in him? I didn't mind Vanessa. I didn't find her voice thin but this score didn't play to her strengths (it got a lot better after the first number). She and Sills had more chemistry than the main romance which was even worse in context than what I got from the synopsis. The politics of the show are muddled and/or bad. Something you could fix if you overhauled this nonsense about a repressed woman needed to be fixed by this brilliant four times divorced man. 

It gave me a bit of a Publicworks feel with the inclusion of the chorus but some of them did quite well with their parts. Glad I went. It wasn't a revelation but it was entertaining enough from the balcony.

[Rudy2]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:08pm

[Rudy2]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:13pm

By the end of the performance I couldn’t wait to get outside and blow my nose. I cried a lot during the second act.

The truth of the matter is that Cora is a character who is a cartoon. She is supposed to be zany, crazy, over the top and villainess yet lovable in her own way. There is a wink and a nod to her performance, as played correctly.

The truth of the matter is that Cora is a character who is a cartoon. She is a zany, crazy, over the top villainess who’s somehow still lovable in her own way. There is a wink and a nod to her performance, as played correctly. She’s supposed to be Kay Thompson with a side of Donald Trump and a whiff of Karen Walker.

Vanessa didn’t get any of that. She left virtually all of it on the table. 

There was a moment in “A Parade in Town” where she nearly skipped to the end of the song two minutes too early and my heart stopped.

Updated On: 3/10/22 at 11:13 PM

[Rudy2]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:14pm

Play Esq. said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "I don't really understand all the complaints of it feeling under-rehearsed. Of course it was, and we all knew it would be going in: it's a one-night concert, with Ted Sperling serving as both director and music director. The rise in quality of Encores! has tricked everyone into thinking that that's how a "concert version" should be performed. It felt a little more polished than some other MasterVoices concerts.

I loved Elizabeth Stanley, Santino Fontana, and the supporting cast. Hearing that score live is enough to make me swoon. Musically, it was glorious, save for Vanessa (whose voice hasreallydeteriorated with time). Vanessa's performance was a reminder that it's weird that Mayor Cora has the most material in the show. In hindsight, Vanessa is miscast...she usually plays quiet elegance & seduction; this needs someone who can do brassy musical comedy.

Overall an enjoyable evening at The Cookie Jar!"

I thank the wonderful servers at Bar Centralle that, by there strong pour, are telling me not to respond to this."

I wish I were sitting there next to you right now!

 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:16pm

Would have loved to have seen Beth Leavel up there tonight.

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:27pm

I wish I were sitting there next to you right now!

"

Next time, love 😘 always love mutually bitching about

horrific performance. 

[Ke3]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:29pm

I was so disappointed I couldn't get tickets, but these reviews are making me feel a bit better. Although I'm a little surprised that some felt Vanessa's voice has deteriorated. She's never had the widest range, or tons of power (not a knock, I love her), but I recently saw a video and thought she sounded quite nice. Maybe it was an off night tonight.

I've always felt she'd be so well served by material written especially for her. Then again, who wouldn't be.

[Owen22]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:30pm

It was all about Santino Fontana. He's the reason I went and he didn't disappoint. Yet I always forget (between sightings) what a wonderful performer Elizabeth Stanley is! She wasn't quite as good as Sutton was as Nurse Apple at Encores but she had some fantastic moments! Santino was better than Raul Esparza, only because this type of irony infused yet sincere character is right in Santino's wheelhouse. And as already stated, Vanessa Williams... Well... She ain't no Donna Murphy and certainly is no Madeline Kahn!

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:32pm

TotallyEffed said: "Would have loved to have seen Beth Leavel up there tonight."

Beth Leavel, Jennifer Simard, Kristin Chenoweth, Laura Benanti, Jane Krakowski, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Rachel York, Carmen Cusack, Christine Baranski or Ebersole...the list is practically endless!

Though count me among those who thought Williams would have been good casting on paper (I probably said as much in this thread months ago).

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:34pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "TotallyEffed said: "Would have loved to have seen Beth Leavel up there tonight."

Beth Leavel, Jennifer Simard, Kristin Chenoweth, Laura Benanti, Jane Krakowski, Renee Elise Goldsberry,Rachel York,Carmen Cusack, Christine Baranski or Ebersole...the list is practically endless!

Though count me among those who thought Williams would have been good casting on paper (I probably said as much in this thread months ago)."

JANE KRAKOWSKI!!!!! OMG!!!!! Now I can't get it out of my head!!! She would have been a revelation in this role! She can just be so strange and kind of off-putting in the most hilarious ways! Perfect for a wacky, zany mayoress!

[Owen22]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:45pm

Incidentally, if anyone would like to see a staged version of Anyone Can Whistle (and will be in London next month) the always-reliable Southwark Playhouse will be presenting it beginning of April through May 7th. The only person in the cast I know is Alex Young who will be playing Cora and she is fantastic.

Updated On: 3/10/22 at 11:45 PM

[Owen22]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:45pm

Incidentally, if anyone would like to see a staged version of Anyone Can Whistle (and will be in London next month) the always-reliable Southwark Playhouse will be presenting it beginning of April through May 7th. The only person in the cast I know is Alex Young who will be playing Cora and she is fantastic.

[Owen22]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:45pm

Incidentally, if anyone would like to see a staged version of Anyone Can Whistle (and will be in London next month) the always-reliable Southwark Playhouse will be presenting it beginning of April through May 7th. The only person in the cast I know is Alex Young who will be playing Cora and she is fantastic.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:46pm

I’m so sad that I’m going to be missing that production, by just a couple weeks!

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 3/10/22 at 11:50pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Though count me among those who thought Williams would have been good casting on paper (I probably said as much in this thread months ago)."

She sold tickets. I'm sure people were expecting Wilhelmina Slater. Not knowing the score and loving her, I still think she did fine but I can see how someone expecting "zany" would be disappointed. Reading this thread, I'm picturing a John Waters character or a Disney villain. And no, that's not what she brought. 

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 3/11/22 at 12:04am

Saw the show tonight, and emphasis on saw it, because I was in the first tier box right above the stage and the sound balance was terrible. I could enjoy the orchestra fine, but a good portion of the time, the vocals were either doubled, delayed, or muddled. Thankfully I knew the score but the people around me who didn't know it were confused at intermission and wanting to leave. I do hope they did record it to release it at some point, that way I can actually hear the show I was at.

As for casting, I feel like the cast was strong on paper, but given very little direction. Vanessa on paper was a great idea, and with the right direction, could've given a great sultry unique take, her version of kooky. Instead, it looks like she was told, "Just do Wilhelmina Slater." It was adequate but could've been so much more.

More successful was Elizabeth Stanley, who really ran away with the show. She definitely deserves more chances to show what she can do, because she was great and can really do it all. Santino Fontana was wonderful as always, leaving us wanting more.

It's a bizarre little show, and I was glad to finally able to see the whole thing, and in Carnegie Hall of all places, but overall, it didn't live up to it's potential as much as I hoped.

[JasonC3]

Posted: 3/11/22 at 12:17am

I've always been a bit lukewarm to VW and find her singing to be hit or miss.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 3/11/22 at 12:35am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "The rise in quality of Encores! has tricked everyone into thinking that that's how a "concert version" should be performed.:

 

Maybe, maybe not. I've seen some other really strong concert productions outside of Encores. But in any case, it's worth noting that some material work better on little rehearsal than others, and casts/directors make better use of limited rehearsal time. 

Some other stray thoughts/responses:

I understand the praise for Stanley - she sang beautifully and brought a lot of energy and charisma to the stage. But she lacked the comedic sensibilities to make the role soar IMO. Maybe with more rehearsal, as noted above. 

I have yet to be impressed with a performance from Douglas Sills - I find him really boring and bland. He must have been great in Scarlet Pimpernel to have garnered such goodwill. 

I agree the show came across is pretty sexist.

Fontana was great casting - it reminded me of his performance in Mr. Rosewater, which, it now occurs to me, is a similar sort of role in a similar sort of comedy. But this performance wasn't as good as that performance IMO.