The theatermania.com reviewer wrote that "The result is an album that, more so than any of the other existing recordings, allows listeners to re-experience the heartbreaking collision of past and present that's at the core of the piece. Ms. PETERS: You know, when I was a little girl, they said I had a funny voice because I actually had a deep voice and that's because my mother didn't speak correctly. At the height of the confrontation the orchestra suddenly swells He thinks she's very neurotic, and she is very neurotic, so he said to me 'Congratulations. Upgrade to PRO
Don't Look At Me, Sally babbles out the inadequacies of their marriages. A few years after the fling that led to his unknown fatherhood, the man has settled into a new life, but the establishing of his paternity makes him determined to . [43], Critics who had seen the production in New York (such as Frank Rich) found it substantially more "upbeat" and lacking in the atmosphere it had originally possessed.
Follies review - Sondheim's showbiz stunner returns in breathtaking "[117] Ben Brantley, reviewing the 1998 Paper Mill Playhouse production in The New York Times, concluded that it was a "fine, heartfelt production, which confirms Follies as a landmark musical and a work of art". Sally tells Ben how her days have been spent with Buddy, trying to convince him (and herself) ("In Buddy's Eyes").
Casting a 'Follies' of the Future, With Beyonc and Ben Platt Vance, David. And I usually do things that are different and a challenge and interesting to me to approach. The AP quoted Michael Coveney of the Financial Times, who wrote: "Follies is a great deal more than a camp love-in for old burlesque buffs and Sondheim aficionados. During one night of romance and regret, two crumbling thirty-year-long marriages are put to the test. "[35] "One More Kiss" was omitted from the final release but was restored for CD release. Laurence Olivier Award for Musical of the Year, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical, Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical, Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical, "Bernadette Peters on 'Follies' and Puppies", "Faculty, Theatre Arts, California State University, Long Beach", "Song list and acts, 2005 Barrington Stage", "2001 Broadway revival song list and acts", "By the Book: Broadway Revival of 'Follies' Performed Without Intermission Aug. 23", "Kennedy Center 'Follies' Steps onto Broadway", "Abstract-'Follies' musical opens at Colonial", "Stage View; Sondheim's 'Follies' Evokes Old Broadway", "Loss of Shubert Alters Face of L.A. Theater", "Follies at the Forum Theatre, Wythenshawe, partial listing", "Concert Performances of Sondheim's Follies Win Sydney Raves", "Roundabout's Revival of Follies Starts Previews at Belasco, March 8", "Peters Withdraws from London Follies; Casting Almost Complete", "What Follies! Were Still Here! Research Playwrights, Librettists, Composers and Lyricists, See more songs from
Young Daisy Eagan sings "Broadway Baby" from Sondheim's "Follies."This video is an excerpt from the highly recommended 1992 concert DVD "Sondheim: A Celebrat. [53] "Ah, but Underneath" was substituted for "The Story of Lucy and Jessie" in order to accommodate non-dancer Hoty. The majority of the Broadway cast reprised their roles, with the exception of Bernadette Peters, who had prior concert commitments and was replaced by Victoria Clark in the role of Sally, a role she has previously played in New York. Bobby Vernon; Gloria Swanson; Jay Dwiggins; Martha Trick; Robert Milliken; Fritz Schade; Juanita Hansen; Sylvia Ashton; Helen Bray; Florence Clark; Phyllis Haver; William Irving; Edgar Kennedy; Myrtle Lind; It was Prince who changed the title to Follies; he was "intrigued by the psychology of a reunion of old chorus dancers and loved the play on the word 'follies'".[2].
Produced at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London, Against this volatile atmosphere of drunken remembrances, a decades-old love quadrangle receives a revival when Follies dancers Sally and Phyllis, and their respective husbands, Buddy and Ben -- who used to hang around backstage, waiting for their girls -- meet again. [41], A staged concert at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, was performed on September 6 and 7, 1985. Portions of the concert were seen by audiences worldwide in the televised documentary about the making of the concert, also released on videotape and DVD, of 'Follies' in Concert. and matronly starlets, veterans of a more innocent age of entertainment, Follies - New Broadway Cast Recording Produced by Tommy Krasker and Philip Chaffin Executive Producers: Michael M. Kaiser, Sean Patrick Flahaven Recorded at Avatar Studios, New York City on October 3-4, 2011 Recorded and Mixed by Bart Migal Assistand Engineer: Bob Mallory, Tim Marchiafava, Tyler Hartman & Mike Bauer Music Coordinator: John Miller Ben confides to Sally that his life is empty. to read expert guidance for Broadway Baby and unlock other amazing theatre resources! serenades those Beautiful Girls, the now-elderly ing6nues He noted, though, that "I'm sorry the cast was reduced from 52 to 38, the orchestra from 26 players to 14 To appreciate the revival, you must buy into James Goldman's book, which is peddling a panoramically bleak take on marriage." Inspired by a New York Times article about a gathering of former Ziegfeld Girls, they decided upon a story about ex-showgirls.
Not only has it already outsold every other album at our website, but the steady stream of emails from customers has been amazing. For Ben and Buddy, too, [124] The 2017 London revival cast was recorded after the production closed in January 2018, and was released in early 2019. Most songs were therefore heavily abridged and several were left entirely unrecorded. an eerie operetta waltz, all dreams are a sweet mistake and eventually
Follies - Everything Sondheim Janie Dee and Peter Forbes returned as Phyllis and Buddy, while Joanna Riding and Alexander Hanson replaced Staunton and Quast as Sally and Ben. (Soundbite of song, "Broadway Baby") SIMON: Stephen Sondheim wrote "Broadway Baby" in the early 1970s for "Follies," the award-winning musical he created with James Goldman. SIMON: When did you first realize that you could sing? Songs.
Follies (New Broadway Cast Recording) - Apple Music Cast. and Loveland calls, luring them back to a playground of He had agreed to work on The Girls Upstairs if Sondheim agreed to work on Company; Michael Bennett, the young choreographer of Company, was also brought onto the project. Whitman recall their sweetly naive duct, Rain on the Roof: [72] Hal Linden originally was going to play Ben, but left because he was cast in the Broadway revival of Cabaret as Herr Schultz. seems to be seeping into the present. Ms. PETERS: As a little girl, yeah. Marge Champion and Donald Saddler are endearing as the old hoofers. [75][76] Donna McKechnie enjoyed top billing as Carlotta. I saw no reason not to try new things, knowing we could always revert to the original (which we eventually did). Before she has a chance to really let loose, they are both called on to participate in another performance Stella Deems gets Sally, Phyllis, Emily, Hattie, and some others to perform an old number ("Who's That Woman? Playing Hattie who sings "Broadway Baby" is Patti Davis Suarez. I thought I wasn't a Sondheim girl. The resulting album was more complete than the original cast album. Rich, in his review, noted that "As performed at Avery Fisher Hall, the score emerged as an original whole, in which the 'modern' music and mock vintage tunes constantly comment on each other, much as the script's action unfolds simultaneously in 1971 (the year of the reunion) and 1941 (the year the Follies disbanded). And usually SIMON: I mean a lot of big stars like to get out after three or four months, right? ", and "Losing My Mind". Bernadette Peters, who's stopped more shows on Broadway than the stagehands union, joins us in our studios. But The original Broadway production, directed by Harold Prince and Michael Bennett, with choreography by Bennett, opened April 4, 1971. Directed by Michael Scott, the cast included Lorna Luft, Millicent Martin, Mary Millar, Dave Willetts, Trevor Jones Bryan Smyth, Alex Sharpe, Christine Scarry, Aidan Conway and Enda Markey. In a jazzy dance number, accompanied by a squadron of chorus boys, Phyllis reflects on the two sides of her personality, one naive and passionate and the other jaded and sophisticated and her desire to combine them ("The Story of Lucy and Jessie"). (It did get recorded but didn't make its way onto the album until the CD reissue years later. The musical numbers "Ah, but Underneath" (replacing "The Story of Lucy and Jessie"), "Country House", "Make the Most of Your Music" (replacing "Live, Laugh, Love"), "Social Dancing" and a new version of "Loveland" have been incorporated into various productions. Solange proves she is still fashionable at what she claims is 66 ("Ah, Paris! However, the show did not do well in its Los Angeles engagement and plans for a tour ended. Buddy then appears, dressed in "plaid baggy pants, garish jacket, and a shiny derby hat", and performs a high-energy vaudeville routine depicting how he is caught between his love for Sally and Margie's love for him[4] ("The God-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me Blues"). between Buddy and his pal, Ben. This production has taken on the glint of crystalline sharpness.
What Makes 'Follies' a Classic? 7 Answers and 1 Big Problem. Polly Bergen stops everything cold with "I'm Still Here", bringing a rare degree of introspection to a song that is too often a mere belt-fest [T]he emotional highpoint comes when Joan Roberts sings 'One More Kiss'. Songs cut before the Broadway premiere include "All Things Bright and Beautiful" (used in the prologue), "Can That Boy Foxtrot! When Sally sees Ben, her former lover, she greets him self-consciously ("Don't Look at Me"). Mr. DANNY BURSTEIN (Actor, singer): (as Buddy) (Singing) I've got those, God why don't you love me? And then the rest of the cast is fantastic, Jan Maxwell and Ron Raines and Danny Burstein. A rich, new production of Follies has opened at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., with the original orchestrations. OTHER GUESTS and PERFORMERS, STAGE MANAGER, In 1971 or 2001, Follies validates the legend that a Broadway show can be an event worth dressing up for. She had nodes that she had to have removed. The song was "One More Kiss", and the compromise was that if there was time, it would be recorded, even if Jones couldn't promise it would end up on the album. Sally Durant Plummer, "blond, petite, sweet-faced" and at 49 "still remarkably like the girl she was thirty years ago",[4] a former Weismann girl, is the first guest to arrive, and her ghostly youthful counterpart moves towards her. [77], New York City Center's Encores! The good news is that it also features some of the most exciting musical moments Broadway has seen in several seasons.
and a brief glimpse of those dreams. Merrily We Roll Along (2012 New York Cast Recording) Stephen Sondheim. [70], Follies was part of L.A.'s Reprise series, and it was housed at the Wadsworth Theatre, presented as a staged concert, running from June 15 to 23, 2002. The four characters are "whisked into a dream show in which each acts out his or her own principal 'folly'". descend the famous Follies staircase one last time. It's just that the most glamorous room . Hard-hitting drama about a man who discovers that he has fathered a child only when he is approached by a child support agency. A London revival was performed in the Olivier Theatre at the National Theatre (August 22 until November 4, 2017 - later extended to January 3, 2018, as extensions are common practice at the National Theatre). The supporting role of Carlotta was created by Yvonne De Carlo and usually is given to a well-known veteran performer who can belt out a song. In the foreword to "Everything Was Possible", Frank Rich wrote: "From the start, critics have been divided about Follies, passionately pro or con but rarely on the fence Is it really a great musical, or merely the greatest of all cult musicals?" [19] However, the August 23, 2011 Broadway preview performance was performed without an intermission. EMILY WHITMAN - The female half of a cheerful song and dance team. It was directed by Harold Prince and Michael Bennett, with choreography by Bennett, scenic design by Boris Aronson, costumes by Florence Klotz, and lighting by Tharon Musser. )"[36][37], The musical was produced at The Muny, St. Louis, Missouri in July 1972 and then transferred to the Shubert Theatre, Century City, California, running from July 22, 1972, through October 1, 1972. Finally, he wrote: "But Follies never makes fun of the honorable musical tradition to which it belongs. Follies had its pre-Broadway tryout at the Colonial Theatre, Boston, from February 20 through March 20, 1971.[28][29]. At its best momentsand there are manyit is the most imaginative and original new musical that Broadway has seen in years. It could be. He tells Sally that he's done, but she is lost in a fantasy world and tells him that Ben has asked her to marry him. The production was directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman, set design by Ray Klausen, lighting design by Tom Ruzika, costumes by Randy Gardell, sound design by Philip G. Allen, choreography by Kay Cole, musical director Gerald Sternbach.[71]. Having exorcised the ghosts of their pasts the two couples depart Phyllis, having successfully seduced Kevin, one of the waiters, waltzes. A Survey of Follies Recordings, Part One Original Cast and '80s Concert In preparation for the cast album of the new Broadway production of Follies, here's part one of an overview of the four . For Buddy, life is all about findingThe Right Gene Nelson (Buddy). Ms. PETERS: Do over. whose name became a byword for style and opulence. "Who's That Woman?" - Stella and Company. Group Sales Associate at Broadway at The National, Camp Director at Traveling Players Ensemble. Paul Kerryson directed, and the cast starred David Durham as Ben, Kathryn Evans as Sally, Louise Gold as Phyllis, Julia Goss as Heidi and Henry Goodman as Buddy. Two new additions to the cast, Jayne Houdyshell and Mary Beth Peil, are terrific. That paradox is crystallized in " One More Kiss ," warbled by an ancient Viennese soprano while . Read is the book writer, writing a new ending to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, alongside a score comprising the pop music of Grammy .
Whose Baby? - Wikipedia [31], Frank Rich, for many years the chief drama critic for The New York Times, had first garnered attention, while an undergraduate at Harvard University, with a lengthy essay for the Harvard Crimson about the show, which he had seen during its pre-Broadway run in Boston. However, it is clear that Sally is still in love with Ben even though their affair ended badly when Ben decided to marry Phyllis. Buddy and Ben, the theatre seems haunted by their younger selves, SIMON: And you were talking like this or something? "[21], According to Sondheim, producer Cameron Mackintosh asked for changes for the 1987 London production. For Sally and Buddy, Phyllis and Ben, ; and Hattie proclaims again that she's, "[115], Time magazine wrote about the original Broadway production: "At its worst moments, Follies is mannered and pretentious, overreaching for Significance. The cast starred Donna Murphy (Phyllis), Victoria Clark (Sally), Victor Garber (Ben) and Michael McGrath (Buddy). Even the songs we love are dangerous. days waiting around for the girls upstairs, but they're still here. After previews from August 3, 2002, it opened officially on August 6, and closed on August 31, 2002. "[20], Major changes were made for the original production in London, which attempted to establish a lighter tone and favored a happier ending than the original Broadway production. [83], Reviews were mixed, with Ben Brantley of The New York Times writing "It wasn't until the second act that I fell in love all over again with Follies". Buddy in Arizona - cooking, flower-arranging, trips to the mall, SIMON: Bernadette Peters stars in "Follies" at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. through June 19th. 1971, the weismann theatre, new york city, College/University, Large Cast, Mature Audiences, Mostly Female Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female. Broadway impresario Dimitri Weismann arranges a reunion of the actors, singers, dancers, and personalities who peopled his famous Follies in the years between the World Wars . Phyllis interrupts this tender moment and has a biting encounter with Sally. The 2001 Roundabout Broadway revival, the first major production following Goldman's death in 1998, was again a combination of previous versions. Sign up today to unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. the memories of three decades come flooding back - all those
Kelli Rabke sings "Broadway Baby" from Follies at 54 Below EMILY WHITMAN - The female half of a cheerful song and dance team. As their younger counterparts approach them, Phyllis comments to Ben about their past. The Company of our celebrated, long-running series, #SondheimUnplugged, is thrilled to be Back in Business for season thirteen of our award-winning program at #54below. Stephen Sondheim. The clarion-voiced Philip Quast has three Olivier Awards to his name and is bound to be considered for a fourth in due course for his soul-stirring performance as Ben Stone in the National Theatre . Walking off my tired feet. concert for The New York Times, wrote: "I have never felt the splendid sadness of Follies as acutely as I did watching the emotionally transparent concert production At almost any moment, to look at the faces of any of the principal performers is to be aware of people both bewitched and wounded by the contemplation of who they used to be. This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. to read expert guidance for Broadway Baby and unlock other amazing theatre resources! Arlington, VA, Camp Director at Traveling Players Ensemble
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"You're Gonna Love Tomorrow" / "Love Will See Us Through" - Young Ben, Young Sally, Young Phyllis and Young Buddy. The once resplendent theater is now little but planks and scaffolding ("Prologue"/"Overture"). Not to say the show's not fun, the show has got lots of fun moments and it's haunting and it's gorgeous, because they've come back to this old theater and you notice ghostly, walking really slow, gorgeous showgirls. If you don't And when I read it, I thought this is just so heartbreaking, really. Sally tells Ben about her life with It originally was performed in one act. Follies Stage production February 20, 1971 Comments Sung by character "Hattie Walker" . "/", "Bolero d'Amour" Danced by Vincent and Vanessa , "You're Gonna Love Tomorrow" / "Love Will See Us Through" Young Ben, Young Sally, Young Phyllis and Young Buddy, "The God-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me Blues" Buddy, "Margie", "Sally", "The Story of Lucy and Jessie" Phyllis and backup male dancers . NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. The production was directed by Eric Schaeffer, with choreography by Warren Carlyle, costumes by Gregg Barnes, set by Derek McLane and lighting by Natasha Katz. he's spent Too Many Mornings dreaming of her. "Liner notes to original Broadway cast recording".
New York, NY, Accessibility Statement Terms Privacy |StageAgent 2020. Yesterday marked the birthdate of the actress/singer/dancer Ethel Shutta (pronounced Shuh-tay), born in 1896, immortalized as the person who introduced the Stephen Sondheim favorite "Broadway. The cast included Anne Rogers, Jo Anne Worley and Philip Bosco. Rounding out the ensemble is Lawrence Alexander, Brandon Bieber, John Carroll, Sara Edwards, Leslie Flesner, Jenifer Foote, Leah Horowitz, Suzanne Hylenski, Danielle Jordan, Joseph Kolinski, Amanda. The plot takes place in a crumbling Broadway theater, now scheduled for demolition, previously home to a musical revue (based on the Ziegfeld Follies ).
Sondheim Guide / Follies (Recordings) They've come a long way from those "[114] On the other hand, Martin Gottfried wrote: "Follies is truly awesome and, if it is not consistently good, it is always great. ", "Who Could Be Blue? SALLY DURANT PLUMMER - Buddy's well-to-do wife, still gushy and girlish That new jukebox musical is the new Broadway smash & Juliet.
"[33], Among the reasons the concert was staged was to provide an opportunity to record the entire score. Research Playwrights, Librettists, Composers and Lyricists. Phyllis Rogers Stone, a stylish and elegant woman,[4] arrives with her husband Ben, a renowned philanthropist and politician. All rights reserved. "[65], Theater writer and historian John Kenrick wrote "the bad news is that this Follies is a dramatic and conceptual failure.
Who's Next (Bonus Track Version) by The Who on Apple Music the surviving players of his lavish pre-war Follies, from the silver James Goldman
A Broadway revival opened at the Belasco Theatre on April 5, 2001, and closed on July 14, 2001, after 117 performances and 32 previews. The concert starred Barbara Cook (Sally), George Hearn (Ben), Mandy Patinkin (Buddy), and Lee Remick (Phyllis), and featured Carol Burnett (Carlotta), Betty Comden (Emily), Adolph Green (Theodore), Liliane Montevecchi (Solange LaFitte), Elaine Stritch (Hattie Walker), Phyllis Newman (Stella Deems), Jim Walton (Young Buddy), Howard McGillin (Young Ben), Liz Callaway (Young Sally), Daisy Prince (Young Phyllis), Andre Gregory (Dmitri), Arthur Rubin (Roscoe), and Licia Albanese (Heidi Schiller). However, he thought that it was "wonderful" that, at the end of the first act, "the principal characters recognized their younger selves and were able to acknowledge them throughout the last thirty minutes of the piece. Former Weismann performers at the reunion include Max and Stella Deems, who lost their radio jobs and became store owners in Miami; Solange La Fitte, a coquette, who is vibrant and flirtatious even at 66; Hattie Walker, who has outlived five younger husbands; Vincent and Vanessa, former dancers who now own an Arthur Murray franchise; Heidi Schiller, for whom Franz Lehr once wrote a waltz ("or was it Oscar Straus?" The rest of the album consists of material from the 1920s, '30s, and '40s, written by the . Smith (Phyllis), John McMartin (Ben), Dorothy Collins (Sally) and Pounding Forty-Second Street To be in a show. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. Sondheim's songs aren't parodies or deconstructions; they are evocations that recognize the power of a love song. SIMON: Is there a role you wish you could do over or do again? to get him down, as he scuttles frantically between mistress and Jayne Houdyshell as Hattie, Mary Beth Peil as Solange LaFitte, and Don Correia as Theodore joined the Broadway cast. STELLA DEEMS - Another veteran of the final Follies. Stephen Sondheim | "Broadway Baby" By Barbara Anastacio October 16, 2017 The song from his 1971 musical "Follies," as sung by employees of The New York Times. [81] The cast starred Bernadette Peters as Sally, Jan Maxwell as Phyllis, Elaine Paige as Carlotta, Linda Lavin as Hattie, Ron Raines as Ben and Danny Burstein as Buddy. Carlotta amuses a throng of admirers with a tale of how her dramatic solo was cut from the Follies because the audience found it humorous, transforming it as she sings it into an anthem-like toast to her own hard-won survival ("I'm Still Here"). Christine Baranski played Carlotta, and Lucine Amara sang Heidi. Kirkeby, Marc (released April 1971). times, she's grateful just to have got through it, and confidently Oh. A recording of the National Theatre production was released on January 18, 2019.[104]. "[19] "Loveland" features a string of vaudeville-style numbers, reflecting the leading characters' emotional problems, before returning to the theater for the end of the reunion party. He feigns a lack of interest; there is an underlying tension in their relationship. The original production, among the most costly on Broadway,[1] ran for over 500 performances but ultimately lost its entire investment. Sally thinks this is a sign that the two will finally get married, and Ben is about to protest until Sally interrupts him with a kiss and runs off to gather her things, thinking that the two will leave together. As the guests reminisce, the stories of Ben, Phyllis, Buddy, and Sally unfold. It depends on how you like to work. Sally is bitter, having never been happy with Buddy, although he has always adored her. After the failure of Do I Hear a Waltz? Solange purrs her way through the fake Gallic sophistication Gain full access to show guides, character breakdowns, auditions, monologues and more!
Follies Original West End Musical Cast 1987 | West End World Ms. PETERS: And then I got the call when I was I was performing at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, James Lapine called me to say he wrote this new show with Stephen Sondheim and it's to play an artist model. I am happy to report that since then, Ms Peters has connected with her inner frump, Mr. Raines has found the brittle skeleton within his solid flesh, and Ms. Maxwell and Mr. Burstein have only improved. Follies is a blend of both, and the new production is rounded out with production numbers celebrating love's simple hope for young lovers, its extravagant fantasies for Ziegfeld aficionados, and its fresh lesson for the graying principals. [62][63] It followed a similar presentation at the 1995 Melbourne Festival of Arts with a different cast and orchestra. "[46], This production was also recorded on two CDs and was the first full recording. The plot takes place in a crumbling Broadway theater, now scheduled for demolition, previously home to a musical revue (based on the Ziegfeld Follies). The London production had new songs and dialogue. Broadway Baby, Learning how to sing and dance, Waiting for that one big chance To be in a show.Oh.Gee.' I'd like to be On some marquee, All twinkling lights, She's crazy. (1999 Broadway Revival Cast) Cole Porter, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Marin Mazzie, Michael Berresse & Amy Spanger. 66. Ms. PETERS: Wow. ), Sondheim Unplugged features some of Broadway and cabarets most dynamic voices accompanied by piano only.Kelli Rabke is best known as Eponine in Les Miserables and the original Narrator in Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat.For more videos from 54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, subscribe here https://54Below.org/YouTubeView upcoming shows and purchase tickets on our website https://54Below.org/calendarFollow us on social media!Facebook https://54Below.org/FacebookInstagram https://54Below.org/InstagramTwitter https://54Below.org/TwitterTikTok https://54Below.org/TikTok