Ann Morrison just recently breezed through town on a moonbeam of brilliance, and this Sunday, Jessie Mueller is getting ready to be the Toast Of Broadway, in addition to blowing the roof off the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, as she has been doing each night, since "Beautiful--The Carole King Musical" began preview performances. I am telling you, darlings, if Ben Brantley's review does not make reference to Jessie winning herself a TONY Award for this role, I will bitch slap him to kingdom come! On the other hand, he might like it, so how I do torment a masochist?????? Maybe some of you out there can help me??????
So, why am I writing about "Miss Saigon?" It does not even qualify as one of my favorite shows. When it landed her on Broadway, back in 1991--can you believe that was 23 years ago, loves??????--you couldn't get near it to get a ticket. Plus, I had issues with spending a $100 to see a "Madame Butterfly" redo, (Puccini's score is better, and I am not even a Vicious Opera Queen!!!!!!!!!) whose highlight is a helicopter, stage right, rising straight up into the rafters! I mean, big deal!!!!!!!!!
By the time I was curious, Lea, Jonathan Pryce, and the Original Cast had left. So, what was the point???????? I began telling myself that if Lea Salonga ever came back to do Kim, I would see the show. Well, never expecting this to happen, it did, so, late in the run, I saw Lea Salonga as Kim in "Miss Saigon."
I can never forget that night. Not because the show was so memorable--it was not!!!!--but because, as soon as the lights went down, the first musical number began, and Lea made her entrance, the lights went black on stage, and I could see the actors looking at each other. Something was wrong.
There was some sort of technical glitch, which had to be fixed, but took 45 minutes--so long they opened the theater doors, offered free drinks at the bar, anything to keep the audience they had. Then they started again from the top, which meant the show, a long one to begin with, ran 45 minutes over, so those musicians must have made some great overtime, that night! And this was before the days of "Spider Man--Turn Off The Dark!!!!!!!!"
Now, why am I writing about "Miss Saigon?????" Yes, I know there have been rumored plans afoot--for years!!!!!!!--to make it into a film, but who would want to go, at this point??????/
What got me thinking about the show, surprisingly, is when I was at Ann Morrison's show the other night, and Liz Callaway stepped out of the audience, to join her in "Our Time," from 'Merrily.' As they sang, I thought about "Baby," which I had seen Liz in, and I recalled she appeared in the Original Cast of "Miss Saigon." I wished I had seen her. She played the thankless role of Ellen, Chris' (this show's Lt. Pinkerton!!!!!) American wife, who has what is probably the most gorgeous song in the score, even though it is almost a throwaway number---"Now That I've Seen Her."
The history of this character and the number are fascinating. As written and performed in London, the song was titled "It's Her Or Me," painting Ellen as a one dimensional, adversarial bitch!!!!!!!!! The American reworking gave Ellen more sympathy and some dimension--she still loves her husband, but feels for Kim's plight, her child's, and wishes there were some way she could make it all right.
Which is what Liz brought to it--listen to her, on the album. Of course, she can't make it right; this is, after all, a prescribed romantic tragedy, and even those who do not know "Madame Butterfly," but are rooting for Kim, have a sense of this, by the time this moment arrives.
Several years ago, I was listening to various renditions of this song, and I came across a rendition done by a girl in a high school production that just blew me away! I actually had tears, listening to it! Yes, she was young, yes she lacked technique, but the voice and expression were just SO there, that I wondered who on earth she was!!!!!!!!! At the time, I thought she should be in NYC developing her artistry.
Well, girls, I think I have found out who she is, and that she is here! Her name--correct if I am wrong, girls!!--is Elizabeth Judd, and she has done a 2010 tour of "Spring Awakening," and a stint on Broadway in "Spider Man, Turn Off The Dark." If "Miss Saigon" is revived on stage, maybe she should do Ellen, because she would be powerful.
So, here, I think, is Elizabeth Judd doing "Now That I've Seen Her" in the J. J. Pearce High School production of "Miss Saigon." And if I have got the wrong girl, then find me this one immediately!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Another star awaits to be born! Just listen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment