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My Favorite Broadway - The Leading Ladies

My Favorite Broadway - The Leading Ladies

List Price: $19.99
Your Price: $17.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: WOW!
Review: If you like Broadway and want to hear some great singing, you are cheating yourself if you don't get this DVD into your hands as quickly as possible. Yes, there are the inevitable ommissions. But there are also many outstanding performances here. I am loathe to single out any of them for fear of giving the impression the others aren't as good. But if I were tied down and forced to pick one, I might pick Linda Eder's extraordinary performance of "Man of LaMancha". But that would not be meant to diminish in any way the contributions of some of the greatest stars Broadway has given us in the last thirty years. Just look at the cast. Another standout is the rather unorthodox performance of "Life Upon the Wicked Stage" from "Show Boat", as performed by Anna Kendricks and the Kit Kat Girls from "Cabaret". You won't believe their interpretation of this old chestnut until you see it. And Jennifer Holliday is still great. Any disappointments? Well, not everyone I love was up there on the Carnegie Hall stage, and Nell Carter, in my opinion, added little to the evening. But these are small complaints indeed when weighed against the overwhelming amount of talent displayed. Wow, what a night!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Incredible!
Review: If you like musicals, run out and buy this now. So many brilliant moments...chief among these is Linda Eder's "Man of La Mancha". Despite someone's comment that she did not play this role previously (DUH!), she delivers a performance that is sure to cause goosebumps. Also, don't miss Nell Carter's "Mean to Me", Jennifer Holliday's "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going", Audra McDonald's "Down With Love", and Elaine Stritch brilliantly screeching her way through "Ladies Who Lunch" (she may not have a great voice, but DAMN, she can perform!).

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Some great performances, others not so much...
Review: It's a sad day when the term "Broadway's leading ladies" include people with only one or two roles on the great white way. I adore Lea Delaria and Anna Kendricks, but can they by any stretch of the imagination be called "Leading Ladies" along the lines of Liza Minelli, Audra McDonald, or Julie Andrews?

The material here varies all over the map in terms of quality. There are several thrilling moments as stars recreate their show-stoppers (Jennifer Holliday, doing her legendary "And I'm Telling You..." gets a massive ovation; Priscilla Lopez and Elaine Strich demonstrate that they could step into new productions of Chorus Line or Company and still blow them out of the water; and Andrea McCardle looks and sounds lovely doing two songs from "Annie"). Then there are several wincing performances. The opening number, with Tony Roberts and Robert Morse in drag, is abysmal; Audra McDonald has to try to make something out of "Love Changes Everything" (one of the most vapid Lloyd Webber songs ever written), while Marrin Mazzie and Judy Kuhn counterpoint with two other Webber pieces (Kuhn doesn't even get a separate solo, unlike the other two). The most terrifying moment, much as it pains me to say it, is watching Liza Minneli's much-diminished (and I believe overdubbed) voice struggle through "Some People," a song she could've rocked through a few years ago, and now barely croaks out. Maybe she sounded better live, but on the video, she creaks.

Karen Ziemba, as always, looks and sounds great, and Dorothy Loudon performs "Fifty Percent" wonderfully. The remaining material is competently, if blandly, done.

If you are a major fan of any of the performers here, or if you're looking to familiarize yourself with some of the names of today's theater personalities, you may want to give this video a look-see. I personally cannot recommend it for the true theater fan who knows and loves these songs and performers, and has seen them better.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Jennifer Holliday reigns supreme
Review: Like a previous reviewer I bought this DVD simply for Jennifer Holliday's rendition of her signature song from Dreamgirls.
Ever since I first heard 'And I am telling you'I have been captivated by the awesome emotion she manages to emanate through her voice and since then it has remained my favourite record/song of all time.
I must say I was not dissapointed on playing this DVD.In my opinion she wiped the floor with the rest of the Leading Ladies.
It seems the live audience agreed with this as she was the only singer to receive a standing ovation for her singing abilities as opposed to receiving one for simply being who she was.
Having said that the Lloyd Webber Love Trio was very good and well put together but for singing naturally from the heart Jennifer takes the prize and she is why I rate this with 5 stars.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great viewing/listening on a home theatre system...
Review: One of the great things are the recommendations that come my way.

"My Favorite Broadway, The Leading Ladies: Live At Carnegie Hall" was originally produced in conjunction with the excellent "Great Peformances" PBS series. I think I've seen this concert telecasted twice on our state educational network, usually shown as part of the periodic fund raising.

I viewed this DVD on a new 32" Sony Wega with a modest home theatre system -- great spectacle and sound reproduction -- thus I'm a pretty excited puppy dog.

I'm a Julie Andrews fan and wish she could have sung a couple of songs for this concert, but it was good to see her and I enjoyed her introductions.

I have several favorite performances, especially Karen Ziemba and the Rockettes, "I Wanna Be a Rockette." Karen is also marvelous with Bebe Neuwirth in a number from "Chicago."

If you love musicials, live theatre and great performances, don't miss this special concert -- live at Carnegie Hall.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Magnificent!
Review: So many more compliments than criticisms, if I have the right to be critical of these stars at all. But firstly, the picture and sound quality of this DVD are perfect. Also the 'chatper index' is simple if you wish to go straight to a particular performance.
The highlight for me was Jennifer Holliday. The only one who got a standing ovation after her number and it was well deserved. Sure she over-did it a bit, but that's her style. And what a voice! I have watched her number over and over and always get goosebumps. It was a thrill to watch the late Nell Carter in action also. A very moving song. I am not sure why some people have been critical of Elaine Stritch. OK, she doesn't have the most powerful voice and she did go off key a couple of times but she is in her 70s. Give the lady a break! Lea DeLaria, Debra Monk and young Anna Kendricks put in comical and entertaining performances. I thoroughly enjoyed Karen Ziemba and Bebe Neuwirth doing Chicago but Karen and the Rockettes in a later number were great to watch.
Changing the tone a bit...
Lord only knows why they started off with a drag number. Nothing against drag but it didn't fit here and wasn't funny (although they thought they were). Priscilla Lopez sped through Nothing from Chorus Line as though she was dying to get off stage. I think she had something else on her mind as she showed little emotion that I can recall. And poor old Liza. She's had better days. She looked drab. And she was the only one I noticed who was dripping with perspiration. Before her song she had a few words to say. She hardly had any breath even at that stage! Maybe the reason she didn't come out with everyone at the Finale (I couldn't see her) was because of her poor lip-sinking performance (watch closely). Oh...fear not...everyone else sang.
Finally, Julie Andrews, unable to sing, was the perfect hostess. Charming as usual on a very attractive stage.

Definately a good buy for Broadway lovers, showtune lovers, or lovers of great performers. You'll watch it so many times.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: get the DVD
Review: That way you can skip the few parts that are not interesting to you, the 10th or 20th time you watch. Everyone is a star, and to me, Linda Eder shines the brightest. Life upon the wicked stage is the cleverest and most fun. Massie, McDonald and Cohn are overpowering in their Webber renditions. This is a collection of classic broadway material that only will become more precious as time passes, and some of the older performers can't do their magic anymore. My ex-opera star friend was stunned by the performances and felt it was one of the best family evenings they have had in years (his children are 16& 18). You will watch your favorite parts almost as often as teenage girls play N Sync.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good Singing but Dry Presentation
Review: The singing was great. What would one expect from the DIVAs of Broadway. The presentation of these singers, however, was horrible. All they did is come out, sing their songs then go back with someone else just coming out and singing their song. Wished more of the singers had the opportunity to tell us why they choose their particular song like Liza did.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Bad Editing Choices - Great Songs
Review: The women are great. Some are out of this world! Whjoever called the camera shots (probably the director) had no sense of the intimacy of the material. One instance is the beautiful and very touching performance of "Fifty Percent" from the musical Ballroom, with Dorothy Loudon re-creating her performance from the original show. The beginning of the song is very intimate; in fact, the whole song is of an intimate nature. The director kept calling camera angles that take us far too far away from her face. One shot has us looking at a huge bunch of flowers behind her for a very long time. Stll her singing of the song is extraordinarilly moving. Too bad we can't see her for a great deal of the song. To make matter worse, after she finishes the song to a huge ovation from the audience; we see the audience looking to the corner curtain for what must be a curtain call and a standing ovation. Moronically the director edits to Liza Minelli standing in the middle of the stage, right after the audience have clearly been looking to the side curtain. Did he think we were not going to pay attention?

The performances are for the most part great! The editing and camera angles are horrible. Still worth a listen, even though at times we have to interpret what the singer is doing with the song acting wise because the camera is so far away from their faces.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: well worth the price of admission
Review: There are so many wonderful moments, it's hard to pick favorites. This video is a joy, and makes one wish these singers had some original roles to create. Lea DeLaria is a riot, and what pipes! I still have not forgiven the Tony people for not nominating her. (She should have won.) Linda Eder's voice is a gift from the gods, for which we are blessed. Marin Mazzie: when does your next musical open? I'll be there. Tony Roberts and Robert Morse: I saw you when Sugar opened in Toronto. What happened to your figures? Jennifer: I too gave you a standing ovation. But cool it, girl, with the Mae West hairdo. Dorothy: forgive me ... you're 500 percent better than those trite Bregman and Bregman lyrics. Audra: Hurry up and get back to Broadway. And Judy Kuhn: Mamma Mia!


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