| Constantly Revised: The Actress in Hello Again--Michele Pawk, Rachel Bay Jones, and Audra McDonald | |
| Last Edit: GabbyGerard 12:17 am EST 11/25/17 | |
| Posted by: GabbyGerard 12:13 am EST 11/25/17 | |
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| I am quite a fan of Hello Again. Despite the mixed reception the film has received (from those lucky enough to even see it!), I felt that the Audra/Cheyenne sequence and the addition of "Beyond the Moon" represented LaChuisa's most successful writing of the first scene for the character called "Sally" in the movie and "the Actress" in the stage production. Though I didn't see the original Lincoln Center production, I've seen two amateur productions of Hello Again, the Transport Group's revival, and the film. The first scene with the Actress has always struck me as the musical's most problematic (which is interesting since the character's second scene, which includes "Mistress of the Senator," has always struck me as one of its strongest). From what I recall of the amateur productions, the "silent film" sequence in the original libretto seems to call for broad comedy. Neither production memorably pulled it off. I remember longing for something funnier, more profound, or both. Can anyone who saw the production at Lincoln Center comment on it? Did it work? Did Michele Pawk--who is such a fascinating and quirky actress--work some magic on it that disguised weaknesses in the writing or conception of it? When the Transport Group revived Hello Again in 2011, I was happy to hear that a new song had been added for the character, then played by Rachel Bay Jones. Unfortunately, my recollection of it is pretty fuzzy. I recall liking it, but feeling like LaChuisa still hadn't "cracked" the scene. But I also recall wondering if, since LaChuisa's writing is so complex, I would discover more in it after the production was recorded. Unfortunately, it wasn't. It's kind of funny: what I remember most clearly about the number is Jones, looking incredibly fetching in a sort of red negligee, writhing over her scene parter and thinking, "This sex kitten covered Patti in Women on the Verge?!?!?!? She is definitely NOT 'Invisible!'" Any clearer recollections of the song? Audra definitely seems to have been given the meatiest material to work with (and, no!, that is not a comment on Cheyenne!). I look forward to watching the scene again once the film is released on home video. A mildly amusing moment "took me out of it" when I saw the movie in the theaters: Audra's character is pleading with Cheyenne's to stop autotuning her voice; she says something like, "Why are you doing that when you know I can sing anything?"; and, a man in the audience of the theater called out, "Yes, you can honey!" Nearly everyone in the house erupted into laugher. There was quite a bit of applause. As I said, mildly amusing...but I would've preferred to stay with the film. Does anyone know if the Transport version of the musical can be leased for amateur and regional productions? |
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