Hamlisch Tribute on Live from Lincoln Center Tonite (12/31)

[EricMontreal22]

Just a reminder...

[bjh2114]

Beautiful so far. Everyone has been exceptional (save for one). Lilla in particular did a lovely job, and obviously Audra and Kelli are super pros as usual.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

What the F? Maria Friedman singing as the character "Morales" from "A Chorus Line"?? What...they couldn't have gotten Priscilla Lopez? I never knew Morales had a British accent.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Happy New Year!

[bjh2114]

Agreed, Fanatic, but it WAS hilarious haha.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

This is turning out to be an Audra concert. Josh Groban is an intriguing choice. Hey Mr. Producer...what the hey? from RC in AUstin, Texas Oh hey....Raul Esparza...now...Megan Hilty...oh, there's Maria....the T& A girl....Kelli...group song...

wait..Brian D'Arcy too. Did anyone of them work with Marvin Hamlisch?

I liked the last part. They did it right. Is this group from the most recent touring company of ACL? I kind of noticed that their costumes weren't really all that shiny...just saying..

[broadwayjim42]

Came into the show late and am DVRing a later showing.

That said, am I alone in thinking that Audra's voice is ill-suited to Hamlisch's compositions?

[iflip4musicals]

I think "At the Ballet" is officially my favorite song, in case anyone was keeping tabs. I adored Audra/Megan/Kelli's version, tears.

Also confused by a Diana with a British accent, but not as confused as I was by her outfit. Did I miss something or did it look like she was wearing sweatpants under her dress?

[matineeidol2013]

Thought it was lovely! Short, sweet, and very touching. A wonderful way to begin this New Years Eve.

[bjh2114]

Did anyone of them work with Marvin Hamlisch?

Kelli and Brian were in Sweet Smell of Success... so yes. And Audra worked with him for several concerts.

Am I alone in thinking that Audra's voice is ill-suited to Hamlisch's compositions?

Yes, you are. That woman can sing anything.

[iflip4musicals]

Amen bjh, amen

[wonkit]

Esparza worked with Hamlisch on a concert in Toronto a couple of summers ago.

[EricMontreal22]

It hasn't aired West Coast yet, but people on my Facebook are complaining about the performance of One by Paper Mill's Chorus Line...

[Jordan Catalano]

Hilty came off as very "lounge singer". I expected her to go and refill people's glasses while she was singing.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

They were o.k. I mean, they had to be really careful on the limited stage space they had. I do have a beef with the producers. Since A Chorus Line was a musical so closely associated with Marvin Hamlisch, it would have been nice to have had one of the songs sung by someone from the recent ACL revival on Broadway. Even better, Priscilla Lopez or someone from the original cast should have made some sort of appearance. Just saying...from RC in Austin, Texas P.S. Would PBS really have been in trouble if the word "tits" had actually been used? I think that comedy bit was not really necessary.

[matineeidol2013]

you're not alone, broadwayjim. no denying Audras voice is angelic, but I agree that her very head dominant/lyrical tone and the Hamlish song book don't quite gel. (I believe she would have been more successful singing a song from "Sweet Smell..")

[bjh2114]

Yah, the dancers in One were definitely the worst part of the number. The first part with the singers doing the walk-ons and bows was adorable though. Especially Lilla Crawford.

Hilty has definitely sounded better, but I still think her voice is such a natural, easy talent.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

I was surprised when they said Lilla's name because I had been pronouncing it wrong in my head.

[Jordan Catalano]

You pronounce it "Lie-La" don't you? It's ok. Her mom pronounces it "Kash-Kow"

[madbrian]

I believe the One dancers were the A Chorus Line cast from the recent Papermill production.

At the risk of offending Kelli's fans, as wonderful as At The Ballet was, it would have been even better if Audra had sung Maggie's part.

[bjh2114]

I actually disagree. I think Audra should have done the Bebe part and Megan should have done the Sheila part.

[EricMontreal22]

"I believe the One dancers were the A Chorus Line cast from the recent Papermill production. "

I believe I said that.

[luvtheEmcee]

Esparza worked with Hamlisch on a concert in Toronto a couple of summers ago.

Hamlisch also conducted the Phil for Raul when he sang with them and Kristin Chenoweth in 2008. And Raul auditioned for Sweet Smell, there was a really lovely story printed somewhere about that.

At The Ballet, just like that, was the big one I'd been hoping for. They nailed it, I thought.

I had no idea this concert had been planned for tonight even before Marvin passed away. That made me even sadder.

[JayG 2]

Esparza remembered auditioning for "Sweet Smell of Success" as a young actor. He didn't get a part, but Hamlisch stopped him later at a restaurant and told him he wished they had cast him and thought Esparza was going to be huge. "You know what? For a guy who is starting out, to hear that from Marvin Hamlisch at a diner, that's huge."

[PalJoey]

Just to have run into Marvin Hamlisch at a diner would have been a thrill for me.

[ggersten]

I did a phone interview with Mr. Hamlisch around 1981 or 1982. I was working on a college radio station, and he took a good 15 minutes out of his day to speak with me. There were some audio problems and I had to edit the interview by re-recording my questions. But for a person of his stature to do the interview for a 10 Watt college radio station was so gracious and magnanimous and apparently typical. And in a box somewhere should be a cassette with a copy of the aired interview.
I recall several things: (1) that he said "It's not really the Marvin Hamlisch story" with reference to "They're Playing Our Song" (2) He loved playing for Groucho and (3) he fought to keep What I Did For Love in A Chorus Line by telling Michael Bennett that Marvin needed to have one hit song in the show..
So, when they started singing What I Did for Love last night, I smiled broadly.