What's all this love for Danny Burnstein??? I happen to find him annoying in any role he plays. Just his mere presence makes me cringe. He always over does it. A really campy, genuine HAM.
I enjoyed Terri White's performance very much, but Jayne Houdyshell blew me away with her performance - it was just incredible and I was absolutely riveted throughout the whole thing.
I love all three women. I admire each of their prior performances as well as their contribution to Follies however after seeing the show 3 times (once in Washington DC and twice in NYC) if I had to pick only one I would rank them as: 1. Jayne 2. Terri 3 Elaine
From the bottom up my why... I was terribly disappointed with Elaine's delivery. I have heard this song performed by many. I just didn't think it was over the top to even near one of the best performances of this song. I have heard her do much better. I'll give Terri this much - she did WOW me but carefully reviewing why? The song she had was a big part of it. The ensemble dancing with her brought a little more. The audience are suckers for a tap number that is flashy. Did Terri actually get the standing ovation or ride the coat tails of everything that went with her number? Now for Jayne... I felt her aches and pains from the moment she walked on the stage. She maintained that role. When I saw her enter my eyes darted to her and I wanted to see what crazy 'old lady' remark would haphazardly escape past the filter. She had a great whine. She brought a new and exciting rendition to the song which to me at this point is tired and boring because EVERYONE and their mother has sung it or is going to sing it. However, Jayne pulled a bit out of the old lady whine and perked up to deliver a song that brought us a bit to the youthful energy that perhaps her piss and vinegar character had. In her mind at that moment she was young and pulling for the past just one more time which Elaine's song should have delivered but fell short and so did Linda's in Washington. I felt empathy for Jayne and wished her that one last great big Broadway show!
Saw Paige three times, once in DC, twice on Broadway and she was stellar, letter-perfect and stopped the show. It's a wonderful performance, whatever her erratic tendencies and now somewhat tarnished rep about blowing lyrics. I'm sorry she wasn't nominated, but in a way not surprised.
OBC of FOLLIES: De Carlo, Shutta and McCarty, all well-remembered performances as Carlotta, Hattie and Stella, and some would argue their performances were definitive and or classic.
The nominees for best featured actress that year:
Linda Hopkins, INNER CITY (won) Adrienne Barbeau, GREASE Beatrice Winde, AIN'T SUPPOSED TO DIE A NATURAL DEATH Bernadette Peters, ON THE TOWN
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joined:12/9/11
Posted: 5/7/12 at 10:48am