eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went
eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went
eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#0
Posted: 1/31/05 at 9:52pmHi everyone... i'm a little obsessed with Eva Cassidy and would really really really like to know how the show went... who performed what, reviews, anything. "I know you by heart" just almost made me cry lol
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#2
Posted: 1/31/05 at 11:07pmI'm curious myself as I am surprised that the organizer(s) at least attempted to step outside of their usual *box* as far as talent was concerned.
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/15/04
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#3
Posted: 1/31/05 at 11:37pm
Just got back...it was just amazing. I'll post a full review tomorrow, but i'm sure you'll hear more about it before then.
Leading Actor Joined: 1/25/05
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#4
Posted: 2/1/05 at 10:08am
As a huge fan of Eva, yes I had the joy of watching her many years ago, I was a bit underwhelmed. Part of the problems with some of these benefits is that they are so rushed there is chaos where there should be confidence.
The performers were for the most part wonderful, yet a few were so off and in no way worthy of singing on any stage, and I NEVER got the idea Eva Cassidy meant anything to hardly any of them!
For shame on Lori Ann Struck having to read a note card to express her thoughts, and how was grabbing a drink from the table in front of her and downing it an example of respect? It didn't help her to stay on key, that's for sure. Scott Alan actually has kind of an interesting voice, but was terrible singing "Songbird", THANK GOD for Cheyenne Jackson and his beautiful "Danny Boy". Great to see Erin Leigh Peck singing in such good voice. Jenna Leigh Green was the stand out, so full of class, she DID Eva proud.It was also sad to hear that Eden Espinosa and Steph J Block gracefully bowed out, perhaps they got a whiff of what was to come.
It is time the people who put these events on think about the audience and make the show actually entertain us, Eva Cassidy ALWAYS made sure she both entertained and moved those who were lucky enough to watch her perform.
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#5
Posted: 2/1/05 at 10:11am
It was a mixed bag, thanks in part to the very large crowd in a very small space and very tiny performance area (I wouldn't exactly call it a stage). The heart was in the right place...
It's hard to comment on how the performers handled the songs because the beauty of Eva Cassidy's music is not only how she reinterprets classic songs with different arrangements but how hauntingly beautiful her voice is. So you're immediately thrown off by the fact that it's not her singing or at least I am/was.
Several of the performers, while possessing great voices, didn't seem to know how to handle the delicate grace of Eva's interpretations of the songs. I'm not sure if they were just putting their own stamp on things, or what, but it would seem in this unique case you would try to match the original as closely as possible since she never sang original songs.
There were some gorgeous interpretations though. Chief among them that stand out in my mind are Natalie Joy Johnson singing "People Get Ready" (she managed to do the one thing that I think everyone else didn't, get to the heart of Eva's music while still sounding like herself), Lisa Brescia's wistful "Time After Time", Cheyenne Jackson doing a melancholy "Danny Boy" which even made the waitstaff stop moving for a moment, Jenna Leigh Green's pretty and vulnerable "True Colors" and Kristin Rossi singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".
The rest of it was fairly unmemorable in my mind to be honest. Though Orfeh (who'd sung on her own earlier) and her husband Andy Karl dueted on "You Don't Know Me" (which was originally a duet with Eva and Chuck Brown) and sounded really great, I'm not sure I was on board with the interpretation of the song.
As for the title song of the evening "Songbird" which happens to be my favorite Eva Cassidy song, originally Eden Espinosa was supposed to cover it, but she was home sick so Scott Alan stepped in for her at the last minute. All I'll say is that he's a trooper, that boy. 
ETA: I agree, the hosting was just bad. Thankfully Scott stepped in during the second act and at least made folks laugh (though probably not the best place for it, but it was much needed). I kind of feel like having known about this benefit for some time, there should have been better preparation.
Leading Actor Joined: 1/25/05
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#6
Posted: 2/1/05 at 10:15amI agree nearly 100% Trisky."Songbird" is one of my favorites and it was NOT done justice.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#7
Posted: 2/1/05 at 10:17amNot being a big enough Cassidy fan to endure standing around a space like Prohibition, I'm not sure I would have attended had I been on the East coast, (even for Orfeh) but I don't think I had to actually be there to know that Boxfives' review holds no water with me...You had some of the best Broadway singers singing Eva Cassidy and the ONE person you chose to single out was the actress from Sabrina The Teenage Witch? Are you joking?
Leading Actor Joined: 12/28/03
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#8
Posted: 2/1/05 at 10:22amAl. Isn't it remotely possible that "the actress from Sabrina The Teenage Witch" outshined the others on the roster? I wasn't there, so I don't know. But isn't it possible that Jenna Leigh Green was, indeed, right on the mark while others (who I asssume you adore like Orfeh) were less so. It is possible. Isn't it?
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#9
Posted: 2/1/05 at 10:24am
Have you ever actually heard Jenna sing, Al Dente? I don't think she deserves to be blown off just because of her past TV credits. Her voice is actually quite powerful.
ETA: And for what she was singing last night, Eva's music, she was exactly what the music called for.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#10
Posted: 2/1/05 at 10:25amSince I'm trying to be the kinder,gentler Al, I'll say this as kindly and as gently as I can...I saw Green in Bare and in a word...NO! I'm not, however, surprised that Johnson did well, again, I happened to have seen Bare. Nuff' said.
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#11
Posted: 2/1/05 at 10:27amFair enough, but having seen Jenna sing many more things besides Bare, I totally disagree. Her voice is quite stunning.
Leading Actor Joined: 12/28/03
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#12
Posted: 2/1/05 at 10:28amWell not to knock performance I haven't seen (nor have you Al) perhaps the others were indeed that bad that Jenna and Natalie rose above them. You can shudder at either scenario.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#13
Posted: 2/1/05 at 10:33amAnd I do. Like you said Jeff, we'll never know. Again, wild horses couldn't drag me to that upper west side nightmare of a dive bar.
Leading Actor Joined: 1/25/05
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#14
Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:17am
Orfeh was fine as always, it was just that Jenna Leigh Green was the only one who seemed to really understand what Eva was all about.
Look, I don't want to say last night was a total mess, but it was close, the young producers have to step it up, the venue was a big mistake.
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/15/04
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#15
Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:26amthe whole point was to pay tribute to Eva and to raise money... and they raised A LOT of money, which classifies it as a success. I thought each performer seemed very involved and caring... and everyone in the audience recieved them well.
Leading Actor Joined: 1/25/05
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#16
Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:31am
Well, it would of been nice to have had a little more thought put into it, the space was ill matched to both the crowd and event, period.
How much money was raised?, as someone who donated I'd like to know.
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/15/04
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#17
Posted: 2/1/05 at 11:37am
I understand boxfive... the place was small, but it was also because we had a huge turnout... which isn't a bad thing, haha.
And I'm sure Sabrina will come on if she wants and post the final amount that was raised... but it's pretty impressive
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#18
Posted: 2/1/05 at 2:34pmDid ayone sing "Wade in the Water"? If so, how was it? I LOVE that song!
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/15/04
re: eva cassidy benefit..would love to know how it went#19
Posted: 2/1/05 at 3:17pmno, no one sang it
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