DIVA TALK: Catching up with Bernadette Peters Plus a Q & A with Barbara Cook
By Andrew Gans
09 Jul 2004
BARBARA COOK
I also had the chance to have a very quick chat with the legendary Barbara Cook, who returns to the Mitzi Newhouse Theatre July 12 for another two weeks of Barbara Cook's Broadway. The critically acclaimed show, which also recently played London's Gielgud Theatre, takes audiences on a tour of the golden years of Broadway. Tony winner Cook performs songs from — and reminisces about — this famed period of Broadway history. The brief Q&A with the former Music Man star follows:
Question: How was your stay in London?
Barbara Cook: Oh, it was fun, except I had a throat infection, so I missed some performances. That wasn't fun.
Q: Do you find any difference between London and New York audiences?
BC: I think American audiences are a little freer with their reactions — bigger reactions. London audiences are a bit more reserved, but not much, and I enjoy playing for them a lot. They're very loyal, that's for sure.
Q: After the great success of your Mostly Sondheim show, was it daunting to try to put together another show? How did the idea for Barbara Cook's Broadway come about?
BC: Yes, it was as a matter of fact. Well, you know the Sondheim had been so successful, and I think it's difficult when you have a big success like that, it's hard to figure out what you're going to do next. But we had to just do it. We were trying to think of a theme, and the people at Lincoln Center kept saying, 'Barbara, you've got to give us an answer. We have to advertise this thing.' [Laughs.] I said, 'All I can tell you is that I plan to do theatre songs that are actable,' and they came up with the idea of Barbara Cook's Broadway.
Q: In your show you joke about how you didn't know you were part of a Golden Age while it was happening. What do you think made it a Golden Age?
BC: Just the excellence of the work I think.
Q: If you could go back in time and catch one performance that you missed or one performance that you'd like to see again, do you know what it would be?
BC: Well, I'm sure there are lot of them that I can't think of at the moment. [Laughs.] God, there were so many wonderful things happening of course. And there were always things I missed because I was working so much. It was a wonderful time.
Q: You also talk a bit about Sheldon Harnick rewriting the lyric for "I'll Marry the Very Next Man." Did he rewrite it for your current show?
BC: No, he rewrote it earlier when I wanted to sing the song again.
Q: Who do you think are some of the great songwriters writing today?
BC: Well, Adam Guettel is so talented. . .
Q: How do you prepare before you go out onstage?
BC: I sing little songs while I'm getting ready. I don't like doing exercises, so I sing little songs, whatever comes to me while I'm getting made up.
Q: When did you and Wally Harper meet?
BC: We met a long time ago, but I remember meeting him in 1973 and we started working together. I was doing a concert tour of Gershwin songs with several other people, and [Wally] visited us a couple of times.
Q: How much does he influence your performance?
BC: We do it together. He has a lot of influence and so do I.
Q: I know a lot of people who've taken your master classes sing your praises. I wonder what you've learned from them.
BC: Often when I do these classes, I'm working at the time. Then when I do the show at night I think I really need to follow my own directions, so it keeps me on my toes. [Laughs.]
Q: I know you're a big fan of Hugh Jackman and The Boy From Oz. What other shows have you liked this season?
BC: I haven't seen other shows this season. I went to the Met to see opera, and I went to see Hugh, and that's just about what I did last season. I'm about to see him again next week, that'll be number eleven.
Q: One final question: When people hear the name Barbara Cook, what would you like them to think?
BC: That I'm good — that I'm really good at what I do.
[Barbara Cook's Broadway plays Monday-Saturday evenings at 8 PM. Tickets are priced at $60. Visit www.lct.org for more information.]
DIVA TIDBITS:
Stephanie J. Block, who portrays Liza Minnelli in The Boy From Oz, will make her New York City nightclub debut next month. On Aug. 2 Block will offer her one-woman show, All Smiles, at Birdland. The evening will feature direction by Jim Caruso with musical director Billy Stritch at the piano. Cabaretgoers can expect to hear standards, a tune from Wicked, a duet with Stritch and a tribute to the late Peter Allen. Show time is 8 PM. Birdland is located at 315 West 44th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues. There is a $20 cover and $10 food/drink minimum; call (212) 581-3080 for reservations.
After an out-of-town tryout at San Francisco's Curran Theatre in August, Dame Edna: Back with a Vengeance will settle down at Broadway's Music Box Theatre. Originally announced for the Broadhurst Theatre, where the Dame had planned to put "the broad back in the Broadhurst," that theatre will now house Billy Crystal's solo show 700 Sundays. According to the Dame's spokesperson, Edna will reside at the Music Box — previews begin Nov. 5 prior to an official opening Nov. 21.
And, finally, I was very happy to receive this e-mail mailing from the multi-talented Ellen Greene, who just completed her long-awaited solo debut recording: "Well, we did it. The album is done, and it's beautiful. Christian [Klikovits] arranged and produced the album, and his work is stunning. We couldn't have done it without Bernie Kirsh who engineered and mixed it, Scott Gordon & Doug Tyo (who asstisted), and Steve Hall who mastered it. Everyone was so wonderful to us and we so appreciate it. We did the piano and vocal tracks over two-and-a-half days of 12 hrs. each — one-half day for strings, horn, and background vocals — that day went 13 hours (three days total — ouch!). Then Christian worked for the next three days in his studio, around the clock — sweetening, adding organ, synth, and additional magic. Next, we spent two days — 13 hours the first day, then 22 hours the next — mixing the album. A few hours later we went to have it mastered. I'm exhausted again just telling you . . . even my hair hurts. Now it's in the hands of Rainbo Records. We are proud of the work and we hope you all will like it." Stay tuned for a release date!
Well, that's all for now. Happy diva-watching, and be sure to look out for Diva Talk 'At Sea' next week!
 |
 |
Barbara Cook
|
Contact Us | Advertise | Privacy Policy
Send questions and comments to the Webmaster
Copyright © 2008 Playbill, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|