2011 Kennedy Center Honorees

The list of 2011 Kennedy Center Honorees was announced this morning. This year's class includes Barbara Cook (Theatre Actress/Cabaret Singer),  Meryl Streep (Actress), Neil Diamond (Singer/Songwriter), Yo-Yo Ma (Cellist), and Sonny Rollins (Saxophonist/Composer). The ceremony will take place Sunday December 4th. I love to anticipate who will perform for the honorees and because I'm a big Barbara Cook fan and I know who the Kennedy Center typically asks to perform for these things, I think I pretty much have it figured out. Kristin Chenoweth will likely sing "Glitter and Be Gay," a song made famous by Cook in the role of Cunegonde in the original Broadway production of Candide. If we get another song from Candide it will be the finale "Make Our Garden Grow" as a duet between the likes of Patrick Wilson and Audra McDonald. Perhaps her most famous role, Cook also originated, and won the 1957 Tony award for playing Marian Paroo in The Music Man. We'll certainly hear a medley of those famous Meredith Willson songs so expect performances from Broadway's leading sopranos such as Kelli O'Hara, Laura Benanti, or more plausibly Rebecca Luker who played Marian in the 2000 revival. We could also get a plug for Arena Stage's upcoming production of the show with a performance by their leading lady, and Tony nominee, Kate Baldwin. Cook is considered one of the finest interpreters of Stephen Sondheim's music and her signature song is "In Buddy's Eyes" from the musical Follies which just happens to be playing on Broadway now. In the show, the song is performed by Sally, currently played by fellow Sondheim Diva Bernadette Peters......so you do the math.

As for the other honorees, well I haven't gotten that far, but check back as I'll certainly make more predictions as the ceremony draws closer! 

2010: The Year I Saw All Of My Broadway Idols On Stage!

For me as a theatre-goer, 2010 was a year of firsts, my first time seeing my idols on stage that is.


My quest to see all of my musical theatre heroes started in May when I saw Kristin Chenoweth in Promises, Promises. We had these tickets particularly far in advance but Kristin gave us a little scare the week we were set to see the show, announcing on twitter that she was sick and would be missing shows. Luckily, she was well enough to perform the night we had tickets and seeing her live was unreal such a special experience for me. I've loved Kristin since before I can remember but I just happened to miss her in Wicked and The Apple Tree but was so grateful to have caught her in Promises, Promises. 

Read my review of Promises Promises here: http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2010/06/promises-promises.html

Barbara Cook is a performer that I have come to admire more recently than some of the others. I started listening to Barbara after Kristin Chenoweth mentioned in an interview that she was "her idol." After purchasing one of her  albums, I understood why. As a fellow soprano, I related to Barbara and her recording of "Glitter and Be Gay" was my savior when I was learning this complicated aria. While Sondheim on Sondheim had its flaws, it was the perfect vehicle to showcase Cook because while her coloratura notes are gone, she is still the master of interpreting a lyric, and that is exactly the kind of singer that Sondheim requires.


Read my review of Sondheim on Sondheim here: http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2010/06/roundabout-theatre-companys-sondheim-on.html

I've said this many times, but prior to seeing Everyday Rapture, I was not a fan of Sherie Rene Scott. I went to the show because a good friend of mine was a big fan and needless to say I was blown away by Sherie. Yes she has talent, but many people have talent. What really struck me about her was her commitment to the show and her performance energy. Having seen her later in the year in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, where she clearly was not as committed to the piece, I realized just how important it is that an actor is invested in the work and how much of a difference that makes to an audience.

Read my review of Everyday Rapture here: http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-would-judy-do.html

When I heard that Bernadette Peters may be replacing Catherine Zeta-Jones in A Little Night Music, I held off seeing the show and I am so glad I waited. Bernadette was a revelation in the role of Desiree and I have never been so captivated by a performer. I idolize Bernadette in a big way, but oddly enough, I was only star struck for a moment. After the initial exhilaration wore off, she was no longer Bernadette Peters, but rather she became the character of Desiree Armfeldt. Her Send in the Clowns was phenomenal, but I remember it more as a scene than as a song. And in my opinion, forsaking the vocals for the character is the mark of a true actress. For the price of that one theatre ticket, I saw a remarkable performance and took an acting class from a legend. How often can you say that?

Read my review of A Little Night Music here: http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2010/09/barbie-award-for-acting-song-miss.html

I will probably never forgive myself for missing Kelli O'Hara in South Pacific (I saw Laura Osnes as Nellie) but I was fortunate enough to see her in concert at the Kennedy Center this season. I'm actually glad that my experience with Kelli was in concert because her voice is simply divine and you get to hear more songs in a concert than in a musical. Because I am a soprano, most of my repertoire is from the Golden Age of Broadway and Kelli happened to perform songs mostly from that genre so it was like a master class for me in that respect. I  thoroughly enjoyed her musical selections and I felt that I got to know her a little better through her banter between songs, and though she was cheesy at times, my goodness was she genuine. I think she truly is a cockeyed optimist.


Read my review of Kelli's concert here: http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2010/10/kelli-ohara-in-concert-at-kennedy.html

The Broadway show I saw most recently was Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and it marked my first live experience with Patti LuPone. Though I wished I'd seen her in a better show where she was the star, like Gypsy, Patti has that rare ability to turn any role into a star performance. I recall the hilights of the show being Patti with a gun, Patti on a motorcycle, and Patti hanging from the proscenium. What I love most about Patti is her respect for the theatre and her commitment to preserving it as a high art form. Her respect for the theatre translates into her performance and from this show and from Patti, I learned that the actor's job is to commit to the character and deliver an engaging performance, regardless of how good or bad the show is.

Read my review of Women on the Verge here: http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2010/11/women-on-verge-of-nervous-breakdown.html

This was just a brief overview of my experiences with my Broadway idols in 2010. Check back throughout the week for posts dedicated to each of these divas and what it is exactly that I love about them!

My Most Memorable Theatre Experiences: #5 Everyday Rapture

I must admit that there were two reasons that I bought tickets to see Everyday Raputre. 1) My good friend is a huge fan of Sherie Rene Scott and wanted somebody to see the show with her. 2) I am a Roundabout Theatre Club Hiptix member so I got really cheap tickets. I had heard about this Sherie Rene Scott person before and while I thought her voice was good, I assumed she was just your generic Broadway belter. Also, I though it was highly narcissistic to co-write and star in your own show and actually have it come to Broadway. Nevertheless, I went to the show, expecting to hear a lot of vocal tricks and riffing and see a lot of camp.

Now we reach the point where I eat my words. My expectations were shattered within the first five minutes and I was completely enraptured, no pun intended, by this tour de force of a performer. I've written  several posts about this show already, including a formal review, so I'll post links to them. 

http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-would-judy-do.html

I'll try not to repeat what I wrote in earlier posts, and now that its been a good four months since I saw the show, I would like to talk about my fond memories. This was a big theatre season for me as I got the chance to see my three Broadway idols, Bernadette Peters, Barbara Cook, and Kristin Chenoweth, onstage in the same summer. But as much as I adored seeing these ladies onstage, none of them gripped me quite the way that Sherie did. Patti LuPone once said that performers are most exciting when they toe the line between in control and out of control, which is the perfect way to describe Sherie in this show. She speaks directly to the audience at the top of the show, telling us she is playing a character also named Sherie Rene Scott who is 50% real and 50% imaginary. This is one of the few musicals I've seen where the book rises to match the music and two elements work seamlessly together to make a cohesive show. Being a one-act, the show moves forward and the momentum is never broken, allowing it reach a climax and eventually a point of catharsis for the audience. The supporting cast is used sparingly, making it the closest thing to a one-woman show since Liza worked the Palace two years ago. Being a singer myself, I have a great deal of respect for good belting and Sherie is a perfect example. It just happens so naturally from good breath control and projection, as opposed to those other belters (I'm not naming names) who sound like their faces are going to fall off when they go for a high F.

I could go on and on about her vocal technique and her acting skills, but what really struck me about Sherie Rene Scott, and the thing I remember most from Everyday Rapture, is how warm and giving she was. I've been to many performances where the actors phone it in, but Sherie's passion and love for the show just radiated throughout the theatre as she put every drop of herself into the performance. I went on such a journey with this character that I felt like I'd experienced a lifetime of her emotions all in an hour and a half. This show actually changed how I feel about theatre and elevated my standards of what makes a perfect musical. I made a big bold statement that Everyday Rapture was the only perfect new musical since Sunday in the Park with George. Check out my reasoning here:

http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2010/09/barbies-big-bold-statement-of-day.html

Oh yeah, and did I cry? There was no eleven o'clock emotional ballad that instructed me to cry, but nevertheless the waterworks happened anyway, and it was during the final number, Up The Ladder To The Roof, an uptempo to be exact. And did I mention that song is also my ring tone? And every time my phone rings, its an Everyday memory of the Rapture.

Barbie's Showtune(s) of the Day #9: Selections from Follies

In honor of the spectacular announcement yesterday from the Kennedy Center about their upcoming spring 2011 production of Follies, I thought I would post some of my favorite songs from the iconic Stephen Sondheim show.

In Buddy's Eyes, Follies, as performed by Marin Mazzie--although I think this song works best when performed by a slightly older actress, Mazzie's performance is irresistible and she truly exploits all of the emotion in the song



Losing My Mind, Follies, as performed by Barbara Cook--in my opinion, nobody interprets Sondheim better than Barbara Cook and this performance is just terribly heartbreaking

My Fave Five Broadway Sopranos

Kelli O'Hara

This southern gal is a product of the same teacher, Florence Birdwell of Oklahoma City University, that produced Kristin Chenoweth. She is best known for her Tony nominated roles: Clara in The Light In The Pizza, Babe in The Pajama Game, and Nellie in South Pacific. Her earlier Broadway work shows off her light, sweet, airy sound, but her later work and her solo album, Wonder in the World, demonstrate that there is more to this girl than blonde hair and high notes. There is genuine soul behind that glorious voice. Because her voice and her look are so classical, she seems more inclined to revivals and I think that if My Fair Lady is ever revived on Broadway, the role of Eliza Doolittle just may be her ticket to finally winning that TONY. Listen to the title track of The Light in the Piazza for a taste of Kelli's impeccable control and sweeping vibrato. 

Audra McDonald

Television fans will know her as Dr. Naomi Bennet on ABC's Private Pactice, but theatre fans know she is a Broadway Baby at heart. She is a classically trained soprano from Julliard. Many know her as a belter, which is not untrue, but her power in her lower register actually comes from her soprano training.She performed an unthinkable feat, winning 3 TONY awards in 5 years as Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel(1994), Sharon in Master Class (1996), and Sarah in Ragtime (1998). She won a 4th TONY in 2004, portraying the role of Ruth Younger in A Raisin in the Sun. She shares the title of "4-time TONY winner" with legends like Gwen Verdon and Mary Martin. She continues to perform concerts worldwide, specializing in opera and classical song cycles. My personal favorite Audra recording is "Your Daddy's Son" from Ragtime.

Julie Andrews

Perhaps the most well known of these 5 sopranos, Julie Andrews captured the hearts of audiences world-wide on film as Mary in Mary Poppins and Maria in The Sound of Music. Her stage highlights include My Fair Lady, Camelot, and Victor/Victoria. Vocally, she is known for her crisp diction and perfect pitch. Unfortunately, in recent years, she has been limited to non-singing roles due to a botched throat surgery that rendered her singing voice unusable. But she has continued to perform in films and her speaking voice is just as fluid and mesmerizing as when she had the use of vibrato. And we will always remember her as the silvery-voiced soprano we fell in love with. The title track from The Sound of Music is a classic Julie Andrews piece that is not to be missed.

Kristin Chenoweth

Anybody who has ever met me knows that Kristin Chenoweth is my idol. I've loved her ever since I began to study voice and found that I too was a soprano. I thought that only belters could have Broadway careers until I began following Kristin's career and then I decided I wanted to be just like her. Her Broadway highlights are certainly her performances as Glinda in Wicked and her TONY winning turn as Sally in You're A Good Man Charlie Brown where she showed off her upper register and her belting capabilities that, like in Audra's case, stem from her classical training. As Cunegonde in Candide, she showed off her coloratura range in what every soprano considers the most demanding song written for the musical theatre, Glitter & Be Gay. She is currently showing a darker side to her performance in the revival of Promises, Promises and though it is great to hear her sing the classic Burt Bacharach tunes, I miss hearing those great high C's, otherwise known as the "cheno note". "The Girl in 14G," written specifically for Kristin by Jeanine Tesori and Dick Scanlan is a shining example of her abilities to shift from operatic arias to jazz riffs and belting all in one song.

Barbara Cook

And last but not least, the woman who has inspired every soprano in the musical theatre, the Queen herself, Barbara Cook. Her earliest roles were in the ingenue category, from her TONY winning portrayal of Marian in The Music Man to originating the role of Cunegonde in Bernstein's operetta Candide. After a hiatus from Broadway, Cook embarked upon a very successful cabaret and concert career. She has also become known as one of the greatest living interpreters of Stephen Sondheim's work and made a triumphant return to the Broadway stage this season in the musical Sondheim on Sondheim where she delivered sensational versions of In Buddy's Eyes, Not A Day Goes By, and Send In The Clowns. Although her voice has dropped a bit over the years and she no longer has her high E-flats, she will always be the singer that all other sopranos try to live up to. There is no song in the musical theatre that is more spectacular than Barbara Cook singing "Glitter & be Gay".

Roundabout Theatre Company's Sondheim on Sondheim

Sondheim on Sondheim is a compilation of Stephen Sondheim’s work, but this production explores a completely different take on the idea of a musical revue. A block of television screens allows Sondheim himself to come into the Studio 54 theatre as he discusses his history as a musician and the inspirations behind his work. The large block of screens separates into smaller clumps to show several images at the same time. The screens that are not in use also fold into a rotating staircase to become part of the set, as if the actors are physically walking among Sondheim’s ideas and thoughts.

The most praised singers of Sondheim’s work are often referred to as ‘interpreters’ and this cast headlined by Barbara Cook, Vanessa Williams, and Tom Wopat certainly includes some phenomenal interpreters. Norm Lewis, Leslie Kritzer, Erin Mackey, Euan Morton, and Matthew Scott complete the cast. This company (no pun intended) of eight is perfectly divided into a younger and a, let’s say more experienced, half. This works perfectly, especially in the song Waiting For the Girls Upstairs from Follies in which two older couples sing an octet, reflecting on their younger selves.

With such a luminous cast, we expect powerhouse performances from the above-the-title Cook, Williams, and Wopat, but some of the most remarkable performances come from the lesser known players. Norm Lewis delivers Being Alive more passionately and with more life than any actor who has played Bobby in Company on the New York stage. He is not just another magnificent voice—he carries a tremendous emotional weight, driving the piece forward as a performance, not just a song. Another pleasant surprise is Erin Mackey’s Do I Hear A Waltz from the musical of the same name. This singular soprano number in the show soars above the heavy ballads and comedic tunes, truly showing off her impeccable range. Her performance is nothing to scoff at either as she flawlessly delivers this delightful song from an otherwise flop of a musical. If Mackey is smart, she will follow Barbara Cook’s every move and learn from her, one of the musical theatre’s most stellar sopranos, and she too could have a bright future in the business.

Vanessa Williams is fabulous as always, particularly in the cast rendition of Children Will Listen from Into The Woods where she is featured in a duet with Tom Wopat. This song may actually be even more poignant in this production than in its original source material due to the context. It comes after a very emotional discussion by Sondheim of all the times his mother told him he was a mistake and how that affected his life. This eleven o’clock number paves the way for Cook to sing the emotional climax of the show.

Barbara Cook, a Tony winner and acclaimed cabaret singer, is certainly the highlight of this production, clearly for her vocal and performance qualities, but also for her sheer star power. Her wealth of experience, both in the theatre and in her life, add a great deal of weight to some of the show’s heavier numbers. Her rendition of In Buddy’s Eyes from Follies tells the story of a woman who, although she is aging, will always feel young in her husband’s eyes. Cook’s Send In The Clowns is simply the best I’ve ever heard and could draw a tear even from the most stoic of audience members. Coming after a discussion by Sondheim of the importance of his teacher Oscar Hammerstein II, this iconic song is truly a tribute to anyone who has ever been a mentor or touched a young life.

This production of Sondheim on Sondheim is perhaps most poignant in its exploration of generations from legends, to current stars, to newcomers. The one downside to this otherwise impeccable production is the absence of perhaps the most revered Sondheim interpreter—Bernadette Peters. But who knows, with Peters’ previous work with Tom Wopat and his unique take on the title character from Sweeney Todd in this production, maybe the pair will headline the next Broadway revival of the tale of The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.