Posted: 6/14/15 at 12:30pm
Caught GIGI last night. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Victoria Clark is a revelation. Her performance is truly stunning. Hope something big is next for her. Would love to see her in something like 'Sunset Boulevard'. Or maybe as Mrs. Lovett.
Posted: 6/14/15 at 12:33pm
She had already delivered some outstanding performances, like her Tony winning one in The Light in the Piazza or her wonderful performance in Follies. And I'd love to see her playing Mrs. Lovett.
Posted: 6/14/15 at 12:42pm
She's a treasure. A subtle, un-showy, warm, funny and beautiful presence onstage. Would love to see her do HELLO DOLLY!
Posted: 6/14/15 at 1:24pm
I absolutely love her. Does anyone know if she still teaches private voice in NYC?
Posted: 6/14/15 at 1:35pm
Someone needs to write another star vehicle for Ms. Clark. She's just extraordinary... It's not fair that someone of her talent is not starring in a new musical of every season.
Posted: 6/14/15 at 3:21pm
Musical theatre has always been a genre with plenty of great leading roles for mature women - I hope something big comes along for Victoria Clark in the near future!
I would still love to see her as Anna in The King and I at some point. At 55 she's perhaps just a touch out of the usual age range, but Gertrude Lawrence was 50 or 51 wasn't she?
Perhaps a Victor/Victoria revival? I could see her doing that too. Unfortunately it's probably more of a "big name" vehicle but she'd be great in it!
Posted: 6/14/15 at 3:23pm
I think she'd be a fantastic Mrs. Lovett.
Posted: 6/14/15 at 7:54pm
She is indeed a wonder! Her Sally in FOLLIES was the best I've seen since Dorothy Collins.
Posted: 6/14/15 at 8:11pm
Agree, Gaveston. She has just the right quality for the role...insecure and unsure, yet manipulative and mean all at the same time. Few actresses manage to capture that. Most go the weepy route like Bernadette did and I don't find that nearly as effective.
Posted: 6/14/15 at 8:38pm
I saw her in the second or third preview and again in the second or third-to-last performance. In the meantime, Clark had rightfully made Sally the center of the show (not by upstaging anyone, but just by crafting such a well-rounded and deeply felt performance). Sally is, after all, the best embodiment of the show's theme of self-delusion.
And I agree with you that an actress sobbing her way through the evening would have lost me.
(ETA I only saw it on PBS, but I thought Clark was equally amazing in LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA.)
Updated On: 6/14/15 at 08:38 PM
Posted: 6/14/15 at 11:58pm
I saw her several times in Piazza and although I liked her performance, I felt that Kelli and Matthew stole the show for me. Then I saw her in Sister Act and it was absolutely dreadful, and I sorta chose to forget the 1st act of that show. Then I saw her in Cinderella and she was absolutely terrific, but now her performance in Gigi is my favorite. I feel that the role of Mamita suits her so perfectly, and her chemistry with Miss Hudgens is great. It was a great decision to make the role of Mamita sing "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" and "Say a Prayer". With that said, Gigi, is filled with extremely talented actors, such as Vanessa, Corey, Howard, Dee and Steffanie. But yes, Victoria is giving the best performance of her career in Gigi.
Also, there is no reason to feel that Victoria should do this or that, she's been working non stop for years. Not many Broadway performers and stars can say that.
Posted: 6/15/15 at 7:40am
With Gigi, this will be her first Broadway show in a 30+ year career that a commercial open-ended run has closed before its time. Thats impressive...
Victoria Clark is one of the finest actor/singers working today. I'm sure she will be back on the boards soon but various articles I've read about her states she wants to direct. Apparently, she came to New York to be a director. She certainly has the connections to make that happen.
Also, would love to see her on Showtime's Homeland again!
Posted: 6/15/15 at 7:44am
"I absolutely love her. Does anyone know if she still teaches private voice in NYC?"
Yes! My friends son studies with her.
Posted: 6/15/15 at 1:46pm
Oh wonderful! I plan on making a trip to NYC in the next five months and I would love to have a lesson with her. Do you know how I can get in contact to set up a lesson?
Posted: 6/16/15 at 2:28am
I love Victoria so much (ever since Piazza). I would love to see her as Golde in the upcoming Fiddler revival. Such a queen. <3
Posted: 6/16/15 at 2:45pm
"She is indeed a wonder! Her Sally in FOLLIES was the best I've seen since Dorothy Collins."
Agreed!
Also, how anyone could have played Margaret in PIAZZA after her is just unimaginable.
Posted: 6/16/15 at 9:40pm
artscallion, I was thinking about our discussion last night and it occurred to me just how wrong it is for anyone to sob her way through a performance as Sally in FOLLIES. In the first place, there's the old adage, "If you cry, the audience won't." But more specifically than that, Sally is the only one of the principals who actually arrives with HOPE that she may yet realize her dreams (by running off with Ben). If the part is played as Debbie Downer, then the show might as well be called "Bad Choices" rather than "Follies".
***
P.S. Again I am baffled by the fantasy casting on this site. Victoria Clark as Golde? WTF for? Yes, Clark is a fine actress, but why waste that voice on a role for a non-singer? If Golde sings like Victoria Clark, then she is not the worn-out shtetl wife and mother who defines "love" as washing her husband's clothes for twenty-five years.
Voice = character (entirely in opera, but to a large extent in musicals, as well).
Posted: 6/17/15 at 3:00pm
Posted: 6/17/15 at 4:06pm
Somehow I gotta think Yale can afford it...
Besides, maybe she gives an annual donation to the college, or did the masterclass for free. And, frankly, Yale should (and did) rightly pay for something they felt was worth it. They weren't forced to do anything.
