LGBTQ news and entertainment
Excited!
Betty Buckley on The Candi & Randy Show tonight talking about her fab new CD “Ah Men – the Boys of Broadway” & her upcoming starring role in the United Kingdom premiere of Jerry Herman’s DEAR WORLD.
Tonight at 9pmEST/6pmPST – click here to listen.
Available today, new music from Tony Award-winning Broadway star Betty Buckley: AH MEN – THE BOYS OF BROADWAY, based on her critically acclaimed concert of the same name.
Like Betty, I’m from Fort Worth, Texas, and we both attended the same high school – although not at the same time. But in the 1970s – with successes on Broadway and TV already – she made a stop by Arlington Heights High School and spoke to our drama class. She spoke about acting and then, in an impromptu moment, sang for us unaccompanied. I was transfixed, and a fan of her voice (and acting) from that moment on.
When I was appearing on Broadway in Hello, Dolly!, Betty was giving her breathtaking performance as “Norma Desmond” in Sunset Boulevard. During the run of Dolly! many stars came backstage to say ‘hello’ to Carol Channing. I’d see them meet her on the stage after the curtain came down after the show as I had to cross the stage from my dressing room to the stage door. The only time I ever stopped and stuttered a ‘hello’ to anyone was when Betty Buckley came backstage. It was my chance and I took it. And she was as gracious then as she is today.
I recently discovered that Tennessee Williams admired Betty’s work. On the blog “Follies of God,” James Grissom shared with his readers that Tennessee had this to say about Betty Buckley:
Her singing voice is a wonderful example of that intercourse that exists only with a singer: When a singer is in possession of a great talent and an honest intensity of purpose, nothing can prevent the relationship between song and singer from taking place, with all of us voyeurs to the consummation.
She owns her material, but she doesn’t grasp it so tightly that we can’t also share in it, love it, feel to it. I find her a radiantly pure singer.
She helps me to the fog. I feel she belongs to me now.
I recently had the chance to interview Betty about her new CD, her current appearances around the country and her upcoming UK premiere of Jerry Herman’s Dear World at Charing Cross Theatre.
You can listen to the interview tomorrow night on The Candi & Randy Show, but here are just a few of Betty’s thoughts on the new CD:
• The inspiration for the new CD goes back to her young crush on Russ Tamblyn in the movie of West Side Story: “When I first saw the movie of West Side Story, I was about 14 and I was just in love with Russ Tamblyn who played “Riff.” Everything about him as “Riff” – I thought he was the coolest guy ever. And it went way beyond a crush. I wanted to dance like him, walk like him, talk like him. I wanted to be a Jet.”
• Betty had a short list of songs she knew she wanted to sing in this show/CD: “I knew I wanted to sing “I Can See It” from The Fantasticks, I knew I wanted to sing “Hey There” from The Pajama Game, “Corner of the Sky” from Pippin… I knew I wanted to sing “Venice” from Elegies and “Maria” from West Side Story, and I knew I wanted to sing “I Won’t Dance.”
• When asked if there’s a male role in the music theatre catalog she’d like to do, she doesn’t hesitate: “I think I could be a really dangerous Sweeney Todd.”
• On heading to London to star in the UK premiere of Dear World: “I’m really excited about it. I’ve known about this for about a year and a half. It will be a revised/new version of the show. It’s going to be really beautiful, I think. I’m really excited.”
I reached out to Broadway legend Jerry Herman for his thoughts on Betty starring in the new production and Jerry had this to say:
“Dear World requires a superb singer; Dear World requires a superb actor; and Betty Buckley is both. I so look forward to the London premiere with Gillian Lynne at the helm.”
Betty has been appearing across the country singing songs from the new CD. Find the nearest concert date on her website – www.BettyBuckley.com.
Lucky for me, she’ll be performing at The Smith Center here in Las Vegas November 15-18. Can’t wait to see her sing these great songs.
You can hear the full interview and several of the songs from the new CD by listening tomorrow night on The Candi & Randy Show – 9pmEST/6pmPST.
Playbill, in celebrating the birthday (July 3) of the brilliant Tony Award winner Betty Buckley, has assembled a list of some of Betty’s greatest performances caught on video.
If you love music theater you have to take a look. I watched every one.
I’ve loved Betty’s talent for as long as I can remember. I actually attended the same high school as I’m from the same hometown, Fort Worth, Texas.
I think she’s a thrilling talent. The first time I actually met her she came to see Carol Channing in “Hello, Dolly!” on Broadway which I was lucky to be a part of. Then our cast went to go see her in “Sunset Boulevard.” She was heart-stopping. Some the “Sunset” songs are in this collection.
Hit the link and go watch some fabulous theater by a great artist.
Recently, Betty Buckley tweeted in defense of singers that American Idol judge Randy Jackson deemed “too Broadway.” For many, the label appeared to diss singers who sounded like they would be at home on a Broadway stage.
Today, Randy Jackson responded to Betty through whosay.com:
“Just for the record; @bettybuckley I love you, I also love broadway, I am a huge broadway fan. There are tons of broadway stars that are dear friends of mine. I have the upmost respect for all broadway actors and singers. To me the greatest thing in life is a true thespian. One who can be a great actor, singer, and great dancer. The all around performer. Last I checked, America is land of the free, home of the brave, and freedom of speech is still allowed. But what I was merely saying to the singer, or any singer who wishes to be in popular music is that you have to be able to have control of your vibrato and have amazing talent. A lot of people who sing broadway, do not have control of their vibrato, which does not easily lend itself to singing other styles of music. The wide open vibrato doesn’t work everywhere. Was not dissing anyone, and if you know our show carefully, we have been using the words “Too Broadway” for 11 seasons now, and we have all said it. FYI: If you are a fan of the show, then you would know, we had a giant win with a broadway singer named Adam Lambert. One of our greatest contestants, 4 years ago, And yo Betty the dawg ain’t got nothing but love for you. Ever since eight is enough. I want everyone to realize their dreams.”
My thoughts on this:
1. Thank you Randy for addressing the issue and saying you have respect for Broadway actors and singers.
2. While you and other judges HAVE been saying “too Broadway” for 11 seasons, what you have NOT made clear is that it was not dissing Broadway. Many times on American Idol singers have been dismissed with a simple “too Broadway” and that was it. To many viewers this gave the impression that having a “Broadway” sounding voice was a bad thing.
Perhaps, Randy, if you have the respect you say you have for the talent and discipline of Broadways performers, you could have been been clearer by saying “great voice, and I can see you succeeding on Broadway, but I don’t think your voice is suited for the pop music industry.” While you may have understood in your head that that’s what you MEANT, that’s not what you have been saying.
Here’s to clarity in the future.
On this week’s American Idol, a contestant was called “too Broadway” and was not given a chance to get to the next round of the competition. For years, on American Idol a contestant being “too Broadway” is viewed as someone that has what the judges consider a good voice, talent, but not to be a ‘Pop music’ Idol or superstar. Randy Jackson was last night’s culprit and after all the judges voted, the contestant was sent home.
Broadway icon Betty Buckley, a Tony Award winner and Grammy Award nominee, had a lot to say about the topic on her Twitter account, and she has some very valid points.
“OK, I just have to say this: I am sick & tired of Randy Jackson bashing what they think is Bway singing! It’s soo ludicrous! I have yet to see or hear anyone sound remotely like they are a theatre singer on Idol!!
And, further, theatrical singing encompasses every kind of sound, voice & style. He doesn’t know what he’s talkin’ about!! And by these constant disses he is tellin’ Amer. kids that Bway is some kind of inferior art form. Next to jazz, Broadway is the only indigenous Amer. art form & with respect, “Dog”, your opinion is whack & uninformed! I mean, I respect Randy Jackson & everyone certainly has their own likes & dislikes, but THIS constant diss of “Bway” sounding, to his ear, singers is just so ignorant & stupid that I literally cannot comprehend the producers allowing such mendacity in his remarks! Beyond idiotic !!!
And when Steven Tyler remarked, “They learn that”, I thought I was gonna scream!!
All human voices have vibrato in one form or another! This constant STUPID reference is beneath contempt & I gotta say, too, that all big “rock/pop” shows these days are frickin’ THEATRE! SOOO, Nigel Lithgow & company, in a world that includes an increase in the popularity of musical in general in theatre, film & television America Idol needs to WAKE UP to the truth, voices are voices, singing is singing in all forms, styles & genres. These categories have nothing to do with anything.
The Record business in general is in big trouble & why for frickin’ sake would you the creators of “Idol” risk losing & demeaning any well intended audience. You respond to a singer because you hear their soul or you do not! ENOUGH!! I’VE HAD IT!!
O, while I’m at it. The use of melisma comes outa African American church & made most popular by Mariah Carey & comp. but mindless use of melisma does NOT a great singer make if it is random & without a true emotional intiation! I’ve really had it, people! Someone tell Lithgow!
Thanks for the “Amens”, Tweeties & Dopeys. Spread the word, please. Do not let these poor kids be so propaganized by a pop bass player with some pop recording success be the arbiter of what constitutes a supposed “good” singer! ENOUGH!! Aaaand….”world peace”. ; ) Oh, & one more thing: Broadway is a place, not a style. At one time, in early days of classic Bway, Rodgers, Hamerstein, Hart, Lerner & Loew Gershwin, Tin Pan Alley & company one could say there was a style, a consistency in construct. But not any more.
All kinds of composers and singers and styles on Broadway. And that’s been true since the 60’s. I would venture to say that the “Dog” & powers that be don’t get much. Write them, people, & tell them how absolute off frickin’ base this is! x.”
I have to give props to Betty here. For years, it’s made me cringe when the AI judges speak about a voice as a “too Broadway” – as if it’s a bad thing to have a good, trained, developed voice. I hope in the future they would at least acknowledge the talent even if the judges think the voice isn’t suitable for a pop music recording career. They’ve never really made that clear, and it’s always sounded like a put-down.
To his credit, Nigel Lythgoe tweeted back to Betty saying ” I totally understand your point. The problem goes beyond Randy (Jackson). ‘ Broadway’ has been adopted as a style of singing and dancing. I guess in the UK we we would call it a “show” voice. I agree – GaGa, Freddie Mercury – great show voices. You, Chenoweth, Katherine McPhee. Thank you I will certainly speak with Randy. I had the pleasure of seeing your outstanding performances in “Cats” and “Pippin.”
For those who may not know, Tony Award winner Betty Buckley STARRED in the original Broadway production of CARRIE.
And she was FAB in it!