Sunday, November 07, 2004

I'm Still Here Too

Enjoyed seeing "Side by Side by Sondheim" last night at the Pasadena Playhouse. Listening to this compilation of pre-1977 Stephen Sondheim songs I couldn't help but think about the great productions of Sondheim shows I've seen over the years.

"Follies" a couple of years ago in New York with Blythe Danner crushing my heart as "Sally." Bernadette Peters last year as Mama Rose in "Gypsy" reminding us all to "sing out, Louise." A really wonderful production earlier this year of "Company" by Reprise. Carol Burnett singing "Getting Married Today" in "Putting It Together" at the Mark Taper Forum. Sitting in the Founders Circle at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to see "A Little Night Music" this past summer. The troubled "Bounce" at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC that never did make it to Broadway -- so far, anyway.

And how many great renditions of "I'm Still Here" have I heard over the years? Polly Bergan in "Follies" in NYC. Elaine Stritch in her one-woman show both in NYC and here in LA. Teri Ralston, who appeared in the original productions of both "Company" and "A Little Night Music" belted it out last night. I only wish I could have seen Yvonne de Carlo sing it in the original production of "Follies." I used to only know of her as Lily from "The Munsters" but now I've learned there was so much to her career (and much more to be proud of).

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