One thing you might not be aware of, Lisa. Audra really sings to some extent in a technical manner somewhat more suited to opera, even though she does have the Broadway style down too. I've no problem with her diction for the most part. But usually casting directors get scared nowadays when someone sings with a very big voice and with vibrato. Until more recent years when he'll allow questionable actors, didn't Sondheim go on record as not liking to cast very operatic voices? So Audra sang Beggar Woman in "Sweeney"; I bet she was great. Of course, she's a big star and no one is going to mess with what is clearly working for her. But when I hear Audra singing very full-bodied, I find it interesting that most other singers out there have either been coached or directed to tone down the vibrato.
There are some big voices out there that can sing opera and musical theater. Judy Kaye springs to mind - though I think Kaye is even more flexible in use of stylistically sometimes not using as much vibrato. I think Kaye has even done stuff like "Jesus Christ Superstar" where a more straight tone would be appropriate. Marin Mazzie also has a big, sumptuous voice - she was fantastic in "Ragtime" along with Audra - but Mazzie can also belt like the Dickens when required, like in "I Hate Men" in "Kiss Me, Kate".
I sometimes hear some Broadway voices that sound like Carrie Underwood - smallish, almost Minnie Mouse-ish as someone else called it here on this board, certainly as she approached the higher part of her range, very belty otherwise. A nice belt-mix like Mary Martin or more head voice like Julie Andrews would have been ideal. With Patricia Neway, an opera singer who created Mother Abbess, Audra's performance was very definitely the right style for her performance.
She was quite good on the tv "A Raisin in the Sun", one of her Tony winning performances, though I felt Sanna Lathan really deserved as much acclaim. I'm not sure if Audra is smug; it just seems confident.
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