Dolly/Mame Lansbury & Channing Reverse Roles

[+ WilliamM]

[+ WilliamM]

I only saw one S.T.A. G. E. concert. A tribute to Kander and Ebb in 2003. It was held at a college near Pasadena. Many singers performed, but Liza Minnelli sang many songs, not just one. I believe Carol Channing sang also. Too much of a good thing, but Liza made it worthwhile.

[+ Robster]

What a treat! Thank you for sharing this.

 

Rob

[nsguy45]

A friend of mine ushered at that event and he told me at the time that Carol appeared quite frail and was nervous about remembering her lines/lyrics/stage directions.

[nsguy45]

I only saw one S.T.A. G. E. concert. A tribute to Kander and Ebb in 2003. It was held at a college near Pasadena. Many singers performed, but Liza Minnelli sang many songs, not just one. I believe Carol Channing sang also. Too much of a good thing, but Liza made it worthwhile.

Liza was just coming off her parting from David Gest and made light of the fact that he had charged her with physical abuse in the media.

[+ WilliamM]

A friend of mine ushered at that event and he told me at the time that Carol appeared quite frail and was nervous about remembering her lines/lyrics/stage directions.

 

Yes, the only other time I saw Carol Channing in person was in "Legends!" when she was surprisingly better than Mary Martin.

[nsguy45]

Yes, the only other time I saw Carol Channing in person was in "Legends!" when she was surprisingly better than Mary Martin.

If you haven't already, read the book that James Kirkwood wrote of the entire Legends experience . . . it's fascinating.

[+ WilliamM]

If you haven't already, read the book that James Kirkwood wrote of the entire Legends experience . . . it's fascinating.

 

The Saturday afternoon performance of "Legends!" I saw in Boston was sold out. Somehow Kirkwood 'convinced' himself that the writer is always

subject to critics' scorn, not the performers

[nsguy45]

The Saturday afternoon performance of "Legends!" I saw in Boston was sold out. Somehow Kirkwood 'convinced' himself that the writer is always

subject to critics' scorn, not the performers

I have no doubt your performance was sold out, it did tremendous business on the road in previews. Kirkwood's book concentrated on the problems behind the scenes, particularly the problems with Martin and Channing. Hopefully, you did not see the disastrous subsequent production with Joan Collins and Linda Evans.

[+ Robster]

Yes, the only other time I saw Carol Channing in person was in "Legends!" when she was surprisingly better than Mary Martin.

I saw her in San Diego during the mid-90's revival of "Hello, Dolly". She was fantastic, and it was such a thrill seeing her in person!

 

Wayne and I were also there for her 95th (!!) birthday celebration at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert a couple of years ago.

It was a wonderful star-studded tribute, but she only made a brief appearance at the end, from one of the front rows in the audience.

 

Rob

[+ WilliamM]

Kirkwood's book concentrated on the problems behind the scenes, particularly the problems with Martin and Channing.

 

Many others have said or written the following (and I agree too): Martin and Channing had such different public persona and styles of comedy that co-

 

starring was never going to work completely.

[+ sync]

A friend of mine ushered at that event and he told me at the time that Carol appeared quite frail and was nervous about remembering her lines/lyrics/stage directions.

 

I noticed that too, as one of the dancers gingerly assisted her down steps. The only thing I would have changed is to put her into a longer dress. I think it would have made her physical instability less noticeable.

[+ WilliamM]

 

Marty Martin a 1985 charity event, "Our Hearts Belong to Mary. On a Sunday night at the Schubert Theater on Broadway. Nancy Reagan had a small part in "Lute Song" w/ Martin and Yul Brynner.

 

The Tribute to Martin was just before she agreed to perform in "Legends." I remember Helen Hayes, Dorothy Hammerstein, Josh Logan, Robert Preston, Van Johnson, Heller Halliday, Maria von Tramp, Lilian Gish, Sandy Duncan -- all the people I had never seen before or after the concert.

Edited October 29, 2018 by WilliamM

[+ WilliamM]

A friend of mine ushered at that event and he told me at the time that Carol appeared quite frail and was nervous about remembering her lines/lyrics/stage directions.

 

I believe you are writing about a subsequent Carol Channing appearance where she was much less vibrant and did appear confused, perhaps the Kander and Ebb Tribute. The concert was held in a less than ideal theater.