Who was the best Belle? — Page 2

#26

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 11:31am

well, I can tell you that andrea McArdle was the worst Belle.

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"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."

#27

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 11:40am

Why didn't you care for Mcardle? I had heard Toni Braxton didn't do all that well in the role.

#28

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 11:57am

I didn't like Kerry Butler as Belle-- you didn't miss much.

Susan will remain my favorite. I agree with the comments about her strong characterization. She gave a Disney role depth. I think most replacement Belle's try to capture the animated character, whereas Susan made her real. I also like Belle with a "lower" voice, as someone previously said. I don't think she's your typical "ingenue". Of all the Disney ingenues, I think her voice should be the fullest. She's a strong character and I think that plays through better when she has a stronger voice, not a light and/OR whimpery voice.

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"You! You are the worst thing to happen to musical theatre since Andrew Lloyd Webber! And you, well, I just plain don't like you."
~Stewart Gilligan Griffin

Updated On: 9/28/05 at 11:57 AM

#29

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 12:06pm

What was wrong with Kerry's performance? She seemed to have the right look and her voice is pretty good. Does anyone think Celia Keenan-Bolger would make a good Belle?

#30

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 12:14pm

Susan, of course. =)

>>>>in defence of rachel beck, she was SO young when she played belle. in fact i did hear a rumour that she was the youngest professional belle in history, but that may have been (and probably was) all made up.

I THINK Laura Michelle Kelly was 16-17 when she was Belle in the West End.

#31

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 12:53pm

I guess I'll be the lone voice here....I DO believe the best Belle was Christy Carlson Ramono.

WORST would definitly go to Brooke Tansley...yikes!

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I adore the black band holding on the Phantom's mask. ~ Jenna2

#32

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 2:02pm

Brooke Tansley hands down.
great dancer,singer, and actress.
awesome energy.
just thinking about her makes me float.

#33

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 2:32pm

I have seen but one Belle, and, to be honest, I was incredibly disappointed.

I saw the show in Los Angeles with much of the original company intact. Susan seemed to be bored and simply going through the motions. Although I cannot demonstrate it for you here, I do an impression of Susan singing "Home" that includes checking her watch and filing her nails.

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"I am open, and I am willing, For to be hopeless would seem so strange. It dishonors those who go before us, So lift me up to the light of change." Holly Near

#34

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 2:37pm

Paige O'Hara. The voice of Belle in the movie. sorry, nothing can compare to the movie. I was too young to remember Susan's performance when I saw it (I DO remember, however, going backstage and meeting her-I was about 3 or 4, and she took a picture with me. It was my first backstage experience) I remember parts of the original production and looking back on it was very sumptuous. It's a shame the production quality has lost it's value during the transfer to the Lunt-Fontanne. To quote Forbidden Broadway, "'Beauty's' been, decreased..."

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"Sing the words, Patti!!!!" Stephen Sondheim to Patti LuPone.

#35

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 2:37pm

I can tell you who the worst one was...

Toni Braxton. I like her as an r&b singer, but she has no business being on Broadway. It was horrible.

#36

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 6:30pm

What about Megan McGinnis? I saw her in Little Women and thought she was great- she seems to have the innocence and sweet quality that is necessary for a good Belle as well as the great voice for it.

#37

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 6:46pm

SARAH URIATE BERRY! anyone have clips of her as Belle? I'm sure she was magnificent, but of course I'm biased.

#38

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 7:22pm

without a doubt susan egan

#39

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 7:38pm

i saw Jamie-Lyn and she was pretty good! After hearing the recording and seeing clips though... it's susans role!

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Jesus Loves You... Everybody else thinks you're an idiot!

#40

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 10:13pm

Having seen Rachel Beck as Belle (Melbourne, Australia) I have to say she was fantastic, I think her voice is an aquired taste, but what has always won with me is she is a phenominal actress, she has so much passion on stage the recording doesn't do her performance justice. (oh and I love the fact that she has an 'english/neutral' accent... the show isn't set in America...!)

*ducks for cover*

#41

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 10:13pm

Susan Owen was fantastic and one of the sweetest, most down to earth actresses you'll ever meet.

#42

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 10:23pm

susan egan - hands down - i gotta stick with the original!!

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"Nothing is an accident, We are free to have it all, We are what we want to be, It's in ourselves to rise or fall!!" - "Fortune Favors the Brave" from Aida - the love that never died

#43

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 11:04pm

I'm still waiting to see the show, but Susan Egan will be tough to beat, I'd think. I adore her on the sound track.

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*Krissy* **Support the use of illegal wood burning stoves. Get your own metal trash can today!**

#44

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/28/05 at 11:09pm

I saw Kerry Butler, but it was so long ago I forget how she was.

I hear Ashleys amazing though, so hopefully I'll see it sometime soon.

#45

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/29/05 at 2:00am

I thoroughly enjoyed Christy Carlson Romano as Belle too. I must second the notion of her being the best!

#46

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/29/05 at 2:10am

Susan Egan

#47

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/29/05 at 7:42am

Susan Egan...She was amazing!

#48

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/29/05 at 10:50am

Definitely Susan Egan. I saw 5 Belles (4 on Broadway, 1 traveling one - twice) and she WAS Belle.

-Sharon-
Orlando FL

#49

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/29/05 at 11:01am

farfrombway:

andrea McArdle. I have a love hate relationship with her. She sounds good on some things. I liked her rendition of "a change in me" a lot. but all the woman knows how to do is belt. BELT! BELT! BELT! she doesn't know how to have any sweet tones or quiter ones. I didn't hear any variety in her voice, and after two hours, it just took it's toll on me.

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"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."

#50

re: Who was the best Belle?

Posted: 9/29/05 at 2:31pm

Brooke Tansley...Hands Down......I have seen 6 Belle's and none can compare with Brooke. She tells the story so well with just the right amount of emotion and feeling not to mention that her dancing is superb and her voice is wonderful.....Also she is bar far the prettiest Belle ever. She even makes that Belle wig look great.