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re: BETTE MIDLER in DOLLY EARLIEST VACATION EVER?
Last Edit: T.B._Admin. 08:09 am EDT 06/30/17
Posted by: makeupman 07:35 am EDT 06/30/17
In reply to: BETTE MIDLER in DOLLY EARLIEST VACATION EVER? - Jax 04:48 am EDT 06/30/17

I haven't posted in, probably 5 years or so, but the Donna Murphy posts piqued my interest...as well as my memory. Many years ago, stars had standbys/understudies as talented as Ms. Murphy. Gwen Verdon had Helen Gallagher in SWEET CHARITY and Angela Lansury had Sheila Smith in MAME. While I saw the original stars, of course, as well as every MAME replacement, my best friend, Marc and I used to "catch a Helen" or "catch a Sheila" whenever we could. In truth (and here it comes, the sacrilege) I actually preferred Gallagher and Smith to Verdon and Lansbury. Gallagher had the pipes (if a tad sharp on occasion. Oh alright, MORE than on occasion) but sang the score in its entirety. Verdon used to excise a number or two depending on how she felt that matinee (ALWAYS at a matinee, it seems) and Smith had a mixture of pathos and sincerity along w/comic chops that, IMHO Lansbury could have used more of. Living in SoFla now, I have not had the opportunity to see the revival of DOLLY. I'm a huge Midler fan, but, as a professional actor myself, not fond of watching someone make unnecessary adlibs to the audience. While it might tickle the 1000 who are in attendance, I think it's unfair to the fellow performers. Yes, I am "old school" but nothing beats out professionalism and class. Murphy was wonderful in KING and I, as she was in SONG OF SINGAPORE, she was astounding in PASSION. If I were in NYC right now, I'd be at the Shubert to cheer her on. Just my 2 cents. If I knew what I was doing I'd be teaching at Harvard!
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