Why I did'nt buy Bernadette! — Page 2

Bernadette was pushing her voice to reach her lower register. As a result she went hoarse and was even off pitch a few times. When the music reached Bernadette's "comfort zone", she was fine, but her "little girl's voice" wasn't appropriate for the character.

It was a disappointing performance.

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I saw Ethel Merman several times when she played DOLLY on Broadway. At first I thought that my favorite show was withering before my eyes because Ethel merely walked through "I Put My Hand In", then she stepped onto the runway and sang a song that was added for her: "World Take Me Back" and the audience was hers for the rest of the evening. She was a unique talent that had to be seen to be fully appreciated. The same is true with Mary Martin.

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I know exactly the part that you are talking about where you say she "cracks" and she didn't crack. She added her own flair to the note, she didn't crack. Listen closer. She was caught up in the emotions...THAT IS WHAT MATTERS. I thought it was wonderful. And now your insulting Bebe too. There are very few roles Bebe can play because of her voice, which I think is very unique and for that reason wonderful. What's wrong with you? Just out of pure curiousity who do you think is good? Next your gonna tell us that Chita is no good, or wait maybe Gwen Verdon. We got the point, you didn't care for Bernadette. Most people thought it was the best performance on the Tonys in a long time. Just out of curiousity what did you think of Marissa?

Updated On: 6/11/03 at 10:21 AM

That's why Bernadette is of a rare breed. She can sing AND act, and do it all at once. During Gypsy, you can see the tears streaming down her face during "Eveything's Coming Up Roses" and "Rose's Turn" (in which she quickly changes to anger). When she started yelling out, "Someone tell me, when is it my turn. Don't I get a dream for myself!?" I was like, WOW! And she was really shaking her stuff when she said, "This time boys I'm taking the bows and..."

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Guys, don't let this get ugly. No need to bait the others here about the relative abilities of Carol Channing or Marissa Jaret Winokur.

That said, a couple of things regarding Bernadette Peters. People seem surprised when she scoops and dredges into her lower register, or by that emotional choke or crack in her voice when she's belting. I've found this to be her sound for at least the last 20 years, if not more. She sounds the same way in Sunday in the Park, Song and Dance, Goodbye Girl, the Anyone Can Whistle concert and Into the Woods, whenever she is delivering an "emotional" number. Perhaps it's the aging of her voice, or a stylistic tic, but it doesn't mean she's not singing properly, or is incapable of meeting the score's demands. In Annie Get Your Gun, a generally sunnier score, I didn't notice it as much, but I sorta blocked that whole show out of my mind.

I went back and watched the "Rose's Turn" performance again, and apart from what I described above, I didn't notice any cracking from her. And I was captivated all over again by her performance. It's some of the most layered, emotional and smart singing and acting I've ever seen from her.

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Guys, don't let this get ugly. No need to bait the others here about the relative abilities of Carol Channing or Marissa Jaret Winokur

Voiceanth:...But that seems to be the point..for one of the posters, at the least

I mean they won't be happy till we all shout:

Bernadette is god!..A Christ-like figure who is:

T H E B E S T M A M A R O S E E V E R ...

What Carol Channing has to do with it is beyond me...

I'm still scratching my head how someone on this board feels that someone who likes one person's singing should be DISQUALIFIED from knowing anything about anyone elses abilities..

Marissa, they pick on her because she WON the award...'nuf said....

I think everyone is allowed their opinion and allowed to debate ....

This is not the "Bernadette Peters fan page" so differences of opinion might happen...should happen...and should be allowed....

Yes it is sad that voiceanth's "rules" apply to some and not to others. Whatever you say Voiceanth, if you believe that it was her "cracking" you can believe that. And even if it was "cracking", it was done on purpose. You continue to miss the point that the emotions got in the way of giving a technically flawless performance, but the fact that it wasn't technically flawless is what made it great, IMO. If the emotions can't get in the way of Bernadette's voice, than Marissa J. Winokur jumping around shouldn't affect her. Believe me I've seen several people work a stage with moves twenty times harder than Marissa's and still sing better than Marissa and on pitch, ie Gwen Verdon in Damn Yankees and Sweet Charity, Chita Rivera in West Side Story and Pippin...want to see a woman DANCE and sing at the same time get the DVD and watch her tear up "Spread A Little Sunshine"...I can go on. Musical theater includes dance and if you can't dance and sing at the same time then you shouldn't be in musical theater. There are tons of people who give wonderful performances that aren't technically flawless, but their acting more than makes up for it, Elaine Stritch is one of those people as is Carol Channing and Bea Arthur. But I'm not comparing Bernadette to any of them, because she can sing. And I don't even know why I'm defending her voice so much, because even if you say that she wasn't technically flawless in my mind she acted and SANG it PERFECTLY.

Also, I have hated Marissa from the moment the first note came out of her mouth when I saw her at the Neil Simon back in August. Her win has nothing to do with Bernadette's performance.

And I don't want ANYONE to say that she is the BEST MAMA ROSE EVER...cause she's not. Angela Lansbury was FAR superior. The difference is Bernadette made the role her own and I applaude her for that. I really don't care if you like Bernadette as Mama Rose. I have a hard time with you're continual bashing of her talent. Obviously she is talented and obviously she can sing. She's not always perfect (hated her in Annie Get Your Gun) but for me your analysis of her voice has nothing to do with this performance. Rose's Turn is one of the greatest monologues, let alone the greatest songs.

Updated On: 6/11/03 at 02:33 PM

LOL This is going back a few posts, but I loved Elaine Stritch at Liberty. I was moved to tears in a good way; and I simply loved her Ethel Merman story. Now there was someone who deservidly won the Tony last year! And she can't sing...but there is just something about her that is captivating. Perhaps it is her honesty about herself. I saw Bea Arthur last year as well, and enjoyed her show; but it din't compare to Elaine's.

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Bernadette's version of Rose's Turn was actually more dancy than most productions.

I was refering to musicaltheaterman's comment, not anything you said. That doesn't make her version any better than anyone elses. I was just pointing something out. You certainly are a bitter one.

Oh okay...same here.
It's when you started to talk about bat's flying out of her ass that I thought you were taking this whole Bernadette thing really hard.

LOL That just reminded me of "Bruce Almighty" when Bruce makes a monkey come out of someone's ass. LOL not a very good movie, but that part was funny.

Good God man, it's Bernadette Peters! You coulda at least said Butterflies. LOL Get it, BUTT-er-flies? I'm tired and bored. She's still my favorite Broadway actress and singer...please don't kill me. I didn't take the bat comment seriously, which is why I found it very funny.

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Updated On: 6/12/03 at 12:15 AM