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DIVA TALK: A Chat with Stage and Screen Star Dixie Carter Plus the Hair-Raising Benefit Concert
By Andrew Gans
24 Sep 2004
Q: Did the experience live up to what you had hoped?
DC: More than. I can't even talk to you about it. [Laughs.] For that woman, that particular woman's voice to come out, roll out over me into the audience. And it was me — for two hours it was my voice. So all my dreams, all my longings that had had to be tamped down and dealt with. All those enormous yearnings and longings to have a great career in this particular field. If I had had an operatic career, maybe I would have been a Grace Moore . . . I would never ever, ever achieved the one and only [Callas]. I could never ever have had that, and for six months I was she. So, there's no way to thank Terrence McNally or anybody else involved enough for that experience. It nearly killed me. I would come off stage at the end of the first act and literally be unable to climb the stairs to get to my dressing room without leaning against the wall and just breathing. But it was glorious.
Q: Do you have any other theatre projects in the works?
DC: Hal Holbrook and I have two — and now a third — play that we are going to try, want, hope to do together. These plays would be Broadway bound. They're new plays — the first play, I don't think I'm allowed to say anything about it. The first one is not a two-character play, but play number two and three are two-character plays. It's very exciting. This play that we will be able to talk about in another month will tour, and if it tours well, it will come into town, and Hal and I will be thrilled to be onstage together. . . This spring Keith Baxter's coming back over from London to direct Lady Windermere's Fan, and I'm doing the great role of Mrs. Erlynne for Michael Kahn down at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C. That will open in June, playing June into July.
Q: Final question. When people hear the name Dixie Carter, what would you like them to think?
DC: I would like them to think that I'm a good girl. [Laughs.]
[Dixie Carter is currently offering shows Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:45 PM with late shows on Fridays and Saturdays at 10:45 PM. There is a $55-$65 cover charge but no minimum. Café Carlyle is located in Manhattan at Madison Avenue and 76th Street. Call (212) 744-1600 for reservations or visit www.thecarlyle.com.]
HAIR
Seth Rudetsky and the Actors' Fund of America is four for four. After spearheading the all-star concerts of Dreamgirls, Funny Girl and Chess, the Rudetsky/Fund team put together a star-studded concert of the famed sixties musical Hair, which was presented Monday night at the New Amsterdam Theatre. The Sept. 20 evening began with remarks by Actors' Fund Executive Director Joseph Benincasa and new Actors' Fund President Brian Stokes Mitchell. Tony winner Mitchell joked to the sold-out crowd, "We all know why we're here tonight — to see naked people onstage! And to help the Actors' Fund," he continued, "and to see Hair." Mitchell also acknowledged some of Hair's original Broadway and film cast members, who were in attendance.
The curtain then rose on the likeable Harris Doran (as Claude), standing centerstage clad in white T-shirt and jeans. While he burned his draft card, the stage also revealed the small onstage orchestra, which was divided into sections by three staircases. As Lillias White, decked out in a large afro and sixties-era attire, began belting out "Aquarius," members of the chorus — standing on chairs in the audience — rushed to the stage in a burst of energy. Two large screens were also part of the stage design and projected various timely images throughout the concert.
Lea DeLaria, who bemoaned having to follow the vocals of White, offered a few off-the-cuff remarks to the audience before launching into "Donna." "Queer Eye" co-star Jai Rodriguez, sporting a long wig, sang about the pleasures of "Sodomy" and was followed by Taboo's Euan Morton, who delivered a somewhat lyrically revised "Manchester, England." Chuck Cooper's "Colored Spade" preceded Ana Gasteyer's belty "Dead End," one of the many highlights of the first half of the evening. Other Act I high points included Harvey Fierstein, who drew cheers with his raspy-voiced version of "Air"; Laura Benanti, who morphed from a prim-and-proper teacher into an LSD induced free spirit while she wrapped her glorious soprano around "Initials"; John Tartaglia and Christopher Sieber, who had some fun with an American flag and "Don't Put It Down"; Adam Pascal, who sported a shirtless open vest and let his rock-flavored tenor soar on "I Got Life"; Raul Esparza, who scored with the title tune; former "American Idol" contestant Jennifer Hudson, who raised the roof with a thrilling "Easy to Be Hard"; and Julia Murney, who managed to dazzle even with a cold, as she brought down the first-act curtain with "Where Do I Go," which began with a touching sincerity and climaxed in a Janis Joplin-style crescendo.
The second half of the concert got off to a rousing start with Toxic Audio's solo on "Electric Blues." That was followed by the exciting pairing of "Black Boys" — featuring belters Kathy Brier, Orfeh and Ann Harada — and "White Boys," with the equally belty Ledisi, Brandi Chavonne Massey and Shayna Steele. Annie Golden charmed with the gentle ballad "Frank Mills," and members of the chorus bared all during "Walking in Space." Other second-act notables: Billy Porter's gospel-tinged "Four Score"; Darius de Haas and Paul Castree, whose pure tenors blended beautifully on "What a Piece of Work Is Man"; Liz Callaway, who added class and simple, gorgeous tones on "Good Morning Starshine"; and Norm Lewis, whose rich, vibrato-filled voice echoed throughout the theatre on "The Flesh Failure," which segued into the wonderful finale, "Let the Sun Shine In."
In addition to the evening's stars, the large chorus also impressed with their exuberance and powerful vocals. One of the greatest moments featured tap dancing soldiers during "Three Five Zero Zero," and I was particularly moved by the on-screen projection during the finale that featured a close-up of Claude's name and then opened wide to reveal the scores of others who lost their lives during the Vietnam War.
The lengthy standing ovation that followed brought musical director Rudetsky to the front of the stage, who thanked all involved, including co directors and co-choreographers Devanand Janki and Christopher Gattelli, scenic designer Paul Weimer, lighting designer Jeff Croiter, sound designer Scott Stauffer, costume coordinator Michael Crowler, projection designer Elaine McCarthy and Tim Pinckney, who adapted the musical for this concert version. A visibly moved Rudetsky also brought Hair co creators James Rado and Galt MacDermot, who were in the audience, to the stage.
Although a specific show has not yet been chosen, the all-star concert tradition will thankfully continue next year with a fifth annual evening set for Sept. 19, 2005.
DIVA TIDBITS
"Think Carol and Julie in Carnegie Hall at Christmas, without Carol and Julie, Carnegie Hall or Christ." So reads the teaser for the upcoming series of concerts from two of the theatre's funniest gals, Hairspray's Jackie Hoffman and Forbidden Broadway's Kristine Zbornik. Hoffman, who has been enjoying a lengthy run of Monday nights at Joe's Pub in The Kvetching Continues, will join forces with Zbornik for an all-new holiday show entitled Together Again for the First Time. The duo will kick off their concert series Nov. 22 at Joe's Pub and will also offer performances Nov. 29, Dec. 6, 13, 20 and 27. Show time is 7:30 PM. The show, according to production notes, promises "an unprecedented evening of side-splitting, ear-shattering shtick." Directed by Michael Schiralli, Together Again features musical direction by Dave Brunetti. Joe's Pub is located within the Public Theater at 425 Lafayette Street. Tickets, priced at $25, are available by calling (212) 239-6200. Those wishing to dine before the show should call (212) 539 8778.
There are only about 30 tickets available for this Monday's (Sept. 27) Broadway Unplugged concert. Produced, directed and hosted by cabaret critic Scott Siegel, the evening at Town Hall will feature a host of Broadway stars singing without amplification. As of press time, the starry line-up is set to include Nancy Anderson, Christine Andreas, Stephanie J. Block, Michael Cerveris, Chuck Cooper, B.J. Crosby, Bill Daugherty, Darius de Haas, George Dvorsky, Debbie Gravitte, Ann Harada, Cady Huffman, Ludmilla Ilieva, A.J. Irvin, Alix Korey, Marc Kudisch, Norm Lewis, Euan Morton, Julia Murney, Alice Ripley and Mary Testa. Show time is 8 PM. Tickets for Broadway Unplugged are priced $25 and $50. The Town Hall box office is located at 123 West 43rd Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues. Tickets may also be purchased by calling (212) 307-4100.
Well, that's all for now. Happy diva-watching! E-mail questions or comments to agans@playbill.com.
(Look for a condensed version of "Diva Talk" in the theatre edition of Playbill Magazine.)
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Seth Rudetsky, with microphone, and the cast of Hair
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| photo by Aubrey Reuben |
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