Your favorite Momma Rose...

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 5:24pm

I'm in a very GYPSY mood today and thought I'd ask around. I'm sure this has been discussed before but I felt like asking.

Which is your favorite Momma Rose?

1)Ethel Merman
2)Angela Lansbury
3)Tyne Daly
4)Linda Lavin
5)Rosalind Russell
6)Bette Midler
7)Bernadette Peters

Post away!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 5:26pm

What's the criteria? Is this based on who you've seen?

If that's the case -- Bernadette Peters. Brilliant both times I saw her.

[WillParker]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 5:27pm

who i've seen? Peters.

based on recordings? Lansbury by a landslide!!

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 5:28pm

Performance in general (acting/vocals). It can be live, on CD...or even :cough: bootlegs :cough:

But I would go with Bernie, too!

[pattifan2]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 5:29pm

My three favourite Momma Roses...Bernadette, Bernadette, Bernadette...

[WillParker]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 5:33pm

then Lansbury by far.

then maybe Bern, Midler, Tricia Williams, the woman who played it in my production that i directed a few years ago, Merman, Daly...Russell & Buckley are LOOOOOOOOOW on my list.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 5:33pm

Ethel, Bette and Linda in that order.

[cliffarico]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 5:41pm

Patty Duke in the Spokane WA Civic Theater production.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 5:54pm

I just watched the original movie. And I think Roz was amazing, even though she got some vocal help, you can tell when she is doing her own singing, and "Rose's Turn" was mostly her.

I thought Natalie Wood was sooooo fantastic. It's so refreshing to finally hear her sing. The woman could definitely sing - Maria might've been out of her range - but she did damn good with Louise.

*Is in deep regret he missed the revival with Bernadette*

But knowing Gypsy - I'm sure it will be back on Broadway in the next decade - this show never stays away too long.

Posted: 7/15/05 at 6:00pm

Hey Rath! Chime in.

I love the Tyne Daly recording. For me it's a tie ....

Angela Lansbury and Tyne Daly.

Roz is last in the singing and Betty Buckley is last in the acting. (of Rose, of course)


Listen to Chita Rivera sing. Updated On: 7/17/05 at 06:00 PM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 6:06pm

Okay, chita - here I am.

That's hard - every actress has different take. I will stick to the ones I've seen. Tyne was a bulldozer, fantastic, although her singing was just not there. She acted her way through the songs and it worked onstage.

I loved Bernadette - I didn't expect to, but she was actually, to me, a more dimensional Rose than Daly. I really was impressed with her.

Lavin - couldn't stand her. Like a yippy little dog.

Midler - she was fine. No strong feelings either way.

One of the best Roses belongs to Jana Robbins, who played Mazeppa and u/s Rose for Daly and Lavin. I saw her go on many, many times.

Updated On: 7/15/05 at 06:06 PM

[baddadnpa]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 6:12pm

I am no fan of Merman, but my vote goes to her.

[WillParker]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 6:16pm

ugh....how can you pass up Lansbury in favor of Merman?!?! I know, I may be the antichrist for saying that but GAH....just listen to Lansbury's Rose's Turn....the woman is AMAZING...sure, it may be a little odd to hear the British accent, and sure they lowered the keys, but EVEN SO!!!

i'm not terribly passionate about much, but i AM passionate about La Lansbury's Rose.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 6:17pm

Merman, then Lansbury.

[joeybiltmore1]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 6:18pm

On stage: Daly

On CD: Merman

Posted: 7/15/05 at 6:20pm

baddadnpa, is that you? Yummy!!!!!!

Chita sings Updated On: 7/15/05 at 06:20 PM

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 6:24pm

Definitely Merm!

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 7/15/05 at 7:32pm

Maureen Moore, Bernadette's standby.

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 7/16/05 at 12:08am

Merm!

[mwjr16]

Posted: 7/16/05 at 12:15am

Bette Midler AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!! She is Momma Rose. She should of played it on Broadway.

[sanda]

Posted: 7/16/05 at 12:17am

Peters

[Corine2]

Posted: 7/16/05 at 12:22am

I loved Bernadette and I also loved Jen Simard as Bernadette.
So real you would swear it was Bernadette.
Jen Simard is a genius.
I miss her. ;-(

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 7/16/05 at 12:24am

ETHEL MERMAN -

for a number or reasons:

1. She brings the most intesnse anger to the role of any of the ladies

2. The role was written for her and the songs tailored to her unique voice

3. Lansbury acted the hell out of it. Sondheim said in a recent interview that Ethel was better in the low comedy of the first act but Angela got the most out of the darker second act and the staging helped her make Rose's bows after "Rose's Turn" the fantasy in her head. BUT ... Angela's voice doesn't have the range or the belt of Merman and on the CD I hear her straining for some of the notes.

4. Daly was fantastic in the role and deserved her Tony (though her speech was a bit much!) But she is not in great voice on the recording.

5. Midler is too busy being Bette Midler to rally bring Rose to life.

6. Russell can't sing it and makes her Rose into Auntie Mame's cousin. Still the movie isn't as bad as some people caliam and Natalie Wood makes a plausible Gypsy.

7. Peters, like Lansbury, has a smaller voice but she also acted the hell out of it. Her "Rose's Turn" thankfully shown almost complete on the 2003 Tonys was brilliant. (her understudy was even better in the role, but lacked the requisite Box Office appeal.)

Ethel Merman's "belt" bothers some people but I can't think of any role where it is more appropriate. What a concept: Cast Miss Merman (a loud pushy dame) as Rose (A loud pushy dame!)

You want a test of the role: Listen to the spoken line in "Some People" ("Then I'll get it someplace else. But I'll get it! And get my kids OUT!!") Listen to Merman's reading of the line and compare with all the other versions and you'll see what I mean.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 7/16/05 at 12:24am

Bernadette.

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 7/16/05 at 12:30am

From the recordings and Rose's that Ive seen:

1)Bernadette Peters
2)Angela Lansbury
3)Bette Midler
4)Rosalind Russell
5)Ethel Merman
6)Tyne Daly

Sorry, never heard or saw Lavin in the role.