How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
#1How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 2:13pmJust wondering, It doesn't seem like the type of role she ussually does, even in concert.
BrodyFosse123
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/27/06
#2re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 2:20pm
Audra never played the role on stage -- only for the Actor's Fund Concert.
It was always a pipedream of hers to play Deena Jones (she always knew she wasn't a right fit), and since Seth Rudetsky is a very good friend, he allowed her that dream for the 20th Anniversary Concert/Recording.
MovieGuy1031
Broadway Star Joined: 11/13/06
#2re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 2:43pmBut was it good?
"The nice thing about the rain is that it always stops... eventually."
- Eeyore
- Eeyore
#4re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 2:51pmShe did the best she possibly could considering her miscast. It was a wonderful recording.
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Kringas
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/05
#5re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 2:57pmWoo and MovieGuy, the concert recording is readily available. Why not give it a listen yourselves and form your own opinion?
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MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#6re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 2:58pmShe was miscast. Much as she tried to tone it down, her "legit" trained sound (with way too much vibrato) came through in all of Deena's music, which simply is all wrong for the character. Deena needs cool, sleek, unaffected 60s pop sound a la Diana Ross in order for it to make sense that the Dreams became a major mainstream success during that era. Audra's Broadway/classical voice -- while ideal for many other roles -- simply doesn't have the pop sound that Deena requires.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
MovieGuy1031
Broadway Star Joined: 11/13/06
#7re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 3:03pmKringas, i'd gladly give it a listen, but I don't exactly have the money "readily available" to purchase the entire recording from iTunes or amazon, considering they're both asking about $20 for it. I can live with the movie recording for now...
"The nice thing about the rain is that it always stops... eventually."
- Eeyore
- Eeyore
Mattbrain
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/23/05
#8re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 3:35pmI thought she was absolutely phenomenal.
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#9re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 4:26pm
Agreed Margo.
*I think she has been fabulous in everything else she's done, this was just miscast, but hell, it was a concert and for charity, so no biggie.
If Lincoln were alive today, do you think he'd be pleased with his tunnel?
#10re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 4:30pm
Not to be negative... but
she also wasn't the best fit for Dot in Sunday, for many reasons (her voice, etc) But that was also concert style, so it worked.
But I don't mind how she sounds with Deena, the vibrato just doesn't work though.
Updated On: 12/30/06 at 04:30 PM
gustof777
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/8/04
#11re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 4:54pmwow actually thought she was an amazing dot and her voice sounded great with the score...her "children and art" and marie was so poignant and hilarious and her " We Do Not Belong Together" was chilling!
RIP Natasha Richardson. ~You were a light on this earth ~
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#13re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 5:41pmRace doesn't matter in a concert staging -- only in a fully mounted show.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
#14re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 5:58pmUmmm, Dot is a fictional character that Sondheim and Lapine created, she was not a real person therefore any argument discussing Dot's real race is pointless.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
gustof777
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/8/04
#16re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 9:03pmyeah and it really didn't take anything away from the show
RIP Natasha Richardson. ~You were a light on this earth ~
#17re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 9:03pmMis. Cast.
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#18re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 9:04pmI think when she is with the 2 other girls she is fine...when she is alone it just does not work. The woman has a great voice...but not for Deena.
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#19re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 9:34pmShe is such a gifted performer that she was wonderful in the role despite being completely miscast. I mean Shoshana Bean would have been less miscast as Deena than Audra.
Fenchurch
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/16/06
#20re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 9:47pm
Um, dot was not even real,
So calm your racist a@sdown.
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual."
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"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
#21re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 10:13pmShoshana would have been good.
for fierce, fabulous and fun times visit eric mathew's world.
http://ericmathew.blogspot.com/
#22re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 10:14pmActually, if you look at the painting, Dot's face is purple. I don't know what race is purple.
sondhead
Broadway Star Joined: 10/25/06
#23re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 11:30pmI don't know what "wonderful" recording ya'll are referring to, but my concert CD is terrible. Audra McDonald, for all her talents, is terribly mis cast. White sounds a mere echo of the brilliant Effie in her past and Heather Headley is so terrible that her "Ain't No Party" is easily one of the most embarassingly-terrible recordings I've ever heard.
Fenchurch
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/16/06
#24re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/30/06 at 11:33pmI have to admit that I hate the concert recording too, I think just about everyone is miscast, even Audra, but she does a better job than any of the other women, but its nice to have the whole show on record.
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual."
-Keen on Kean
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
"Fenchurch is correct, as usual." - muscle23ftl
#25re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/31/06 at 12:40am
I actually really love the concert recording, warts and all. Even if you hate the three girls, which I know may make for a painful show, I think Billy Porter defines Jimmy Early.
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CurtainPullDowner
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/4/04
#26re: How was Audra Mcdonald as Deena?
Posted: 12/31/06 at 1:49am
Wonderful, what can I say but, Wonderful
She sings the sh*t out of it
Better than anyone, including that Beyonce thing,
who's voice is so weak
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