There has been tons of buzz about this celebrity re-casting. When Playbill.com first broke the news back in May, it was one of our most-read stories. Ever since then, this news has been the source of countless excited conversations, from the boards of All That Chat, to the line at TKTS, to the cubicles here at Playbill.
Well, last night, the pair finally made their debut! I myself have yet to see it, but I will soon, and will be sure to wear my “I Heart Bernadette” t-shirt when I go. Which leads me to the purpose of this posting. I have a true confession to make. Ever since I was a little theatre geek on Long Island, I’ve been obsessed (in a “I-have-all-your-albums” kinda way, not in a “I-want-to-go-through-your-garbage” kinda way) with the fabulous Miz Peters.
When I was 13 years old, my best friend Ashley asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I told her an autographed picture of Peters would do just fine, thank you very much. She did me one better, and took me to meet her (gasp!) at a taping of “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.” It. Was. Amazing.
Cut to a few (more like "many") years later, and the obsession has stayed with me. In fact, as I’m typing this I’m listening to her wrap her lavish cords (to steal a phrase from our Diva Talk columnist Andrew Gans, a fellow Bernadette-0holic) around “Children and Art.”
So, in honor of the Peters Party I am throwing for myself in my office, here is your WEBway Wednesday: The Best (or so I say) of Bernadette!
Sondheim’s “Not a Day Goes By”: No one does the phrasing of “After Day/After Day/After Day!” like her. (2:16 is where her genius really kicks in)
Sondheim’s “Beans” in the Prologue of Into the Woods: Ah, I think this may be my favorite of the favorites.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Unexpected Song”: From Song & Dance, the show that helped Peters nab her first Tony Award.
Kander & Ebb’s “All That Jazz”: Here we have Bernadette in a black studded jumpsuit singing the classic Chicago tune. I can’t tell what TV appearance this is from (if you know, please tell!), but it’s vintage '70s-style Bernadette, and it’s amazing!
And this one is just for fun because it features another one of my most favorite actresses, the great Carol Burnett!
