sing out, louise!
It's been awhile since I've seen legitimate theater so I hightailed it over to the TKTS booth after work to get a ticket for Gypsy. It's closing at the end of the month and there was NO way I was going to miss out on the chance to see the divine Bernadette Peters (all bow) playing the mother of all stage mothers. Oh my God, she did not disappoint.
I scored an orchestra seat and was so close, I saw spit fly out of her mouth. In case there's any confusion, that's a good thing. Well, no, not always... I saw Tommy about 10 years ago and the gentleman playing Tommy sprayed so much when he sang that the theater management really should have issued tarpaulins along with the Playbills. With all that moisture hitting the front rows, I felt like I was at a Gallagher show.
Interesting Gallagher aside: I attended a press event sponsored by Black and Decker last year and Gallagher was the "entertainment." He wasn't even playing with the power tools -- he just walked around and said, "Hi, I'm Gallagher." I found myself face-to-face with him at one point and he shook my hand and gave me a piece of watermelon taffy (which I didn't eat because it was rather soggy thanks to his sweaty palms). It was one of the weirdest moments of my life. I'm guessing it wasn't all that great for Gallagher either. He should take a sledge hammer to his booking agent.
But back to Gypsy... it was thrilling. I don't know if I've ever seen someone pour so much of themselves into a performance. I was exhausted for Peters by the time the show was done. It's even more mind-blowing to think that she does it eight times a week. Shee-it. I'm not an emotional person AT ALL but I felt weak in the knees during "Rose's Turn." She tore through that song with such ferocity and her voice was totally raw by the end. I could actually feel the anticipation in the theater build as the audience waited to applaud. As much as I dig film, it's just not the same. Not that I ever fell out of love with the theater, but I rediscovered my passion for it tonight. Good stuff.
I scored an orchestra seat and was so close, I saw spit fly out of her mouth. In case there's any confusion, that's a good thing. Well, no, not always... I saw Tommy about 10 years ago and the gentleman playing Tommy sprayed so much when he sang that the theater management really should have issued tarpaulins along with the Playbills. With all that moisture hitting the front rows, I felt like I was at a Gallagher show.
Interesting Gallagher aside: I attended a press event sponsored by Black and Decker last year and Gallagher was the "entertainment." He wasn't even playing with the power tools -- he just walked around and said, "Hi, I'm Gallagher." I found myself face-to-face with him at one point and he shook my hand and gave me a piece of watermelon taffy (which I didn't eat because it was rather soggy thanks to his sweaty palms). It was one of the weirdest moments of my life. I'm guessing it wasn't all that great for Gallagher either. He should take a sledge hammer to his booking agent.
But back to Gypsy... it was thrilling. I don't know if I've ever seen someone pour so much of themselves into a performance. I was exhausted for Peters by the time the show was done. It's even more mind-blowing to think that she does it eight times a week. Shee-it. I'm not an emotional person AT ALL but I felt weak in the knees during "Rose's Turn." She tore through that song with such ferocity and her voice was totally raw by the end. I could actually feel the anticipation in the theater build as the audience waited to applaud. As much as I dig film, it's just not the same. Not that I ever fell out of love with the theater, but I rediscovered my passion for it tonight. Good stuff.
Labels: bernadette peters, theater
posted by curly mcdimple @ 1:16 AM :: permalink :: ::
