March 19 to June 13, 2010 Studio 54 ~ 254 W 54th Street BARBARA COOK, TOM WOPAT, VANESSA WILLIAMS Brand new arrangements of over 2 dozen Sondheim tunes
What's really fabulous about all this, is that Stephen Sondheim is 80, Barbara Cook is 82, Tom Wopat is 58, and Vanessa Williams is 47. I ask you, is the world not becoming ageless? There is no stopping great talent. I myself hit 74 in March. And I KNOW I've got at least a good 30 more years left in me.
I don't feel any different today, than I did when I was dancing, way back in 1953. Yes Virginia, there IS life after age. Things are just getting better and better...
Last night and tonight, I watched the DVD of FOLLIES IN CONCERT, performed in NYC live at Avery Fisher Hall produced in four days, mainly to create a definitive album of the show.
The original 1971 production has become a cult favorite.
What was so completely thrilling, watching this 1985 show, was the emotion the performers felt. I could feel it. They all knew each other, and had known each other for years. So in a way, the lyrics of the songs rang true to them, reflecting moments in their own personal lives. The roster of performers couldn't have been better.
The audience went wild from the minute "The Beautiful Girls" walked down the steps to the stage. Each performer was greeted with such thunderous applause, you knew the audience was packed with hard core Broadway fans. They knew the merits of each Broadway star. To hear Elaine Stritch sing "Broadway Baby," made my heart pound, my eyes tear up, it brought down the house. That woman gives 200% of herself to each word she sings, and says.
I found myself crying through much of the performance, because there was something so touching, so personal, so vibrant about this show. It really was a reunion in reality. Not just the story of a reunion of showgirls, which Follies is, but a reunion of Broadway stars who came together to make this happen in just four days. Consumate professionals, afterwards they said to each other, "Have you ever seen a night like this!" You could see in their faces the joy they felt. One star said, "I like the rehearsals better than doing the show!" They just loved being together. It was all family.
TONIGHT ON PBS WE HAD THE BOSTON POPS DELIVERING BROADWAY STARS!
It was a lovely show, and I enjoyed hearing not only the songs, but the stories that went with each star's presentation. My idol is TOMMY TUNE, who's life I've studied from the beginning of his career. And of course, BARBARA COOK is amazing. The greatest star of the Broadway stage was shown to sing a medley of songs, including the one she said made her famous: I've Got Rhythm: The fabulous ETHEL MERMAN.
It was a delightful hour and a half, and I hope they present it again.
Don't you just love it? Stars in their sixties, seventies and eighties out there booking those gigs! Marian Seldes said "80 is the new 40" and I believe it. I say that to myself every day... I constantly meet people who are so magically younger than springtime! It's all about energy and positive thinking... it's all about setting aside those cliches from the past and filling your brain with possibility!
Falling in love seems to be my main occupation, although it's not listed on the Blogger selections. Still dancing through life... one leap and turn at a time.
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