Cinderella

[birchie]

Wasn't sure whether I should put this here or in the movie thread smiley-signs002 but since the show is still on Broadway (I think) I decided to put it here.

I finally got the DVD of the original TV production of Cinderella starring Julie Andrews! I'm so thrilled that I just wanted to share my opinion and to recommend that you get a copy. I'm not sure when the vhs came out but I think the DVD was produced about 10yrs ago. It was presented on PBS Great Performances back then too. I've looked for it from time to time and there were times when it was a bit pricy or just hard to find, it is available now at Amazon but I got it much cheaper on Ebay so check there too!

As you know I LOVE special features!! The making of featurette that's included on this DVD makes it worth buying just for that! It includes a clip of the Ed Sullivan show that was on the week before the original 1957 live presentation with none other than Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein Jr themselves introducing the event and asking viewers to tune in! Seeing Mr Rodgers conduct the CBS orchestra while Mr Hammerstein performs the words to Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful (Henry Higgins style) is a rare gem and I'm so glad I have this priceless recording of the event! Hearing all the stars talk about the experience and especially the perils of doing it live on TV was wonderful!

The performances, of course were terrific but, Jon Cypher was a revelation!! He's a pretty familiar face on TV and was mostly a journeyman actor for most of his career, but did have a few long runs on popular shows most notably, Hill Street Blues. Cinderella was his first time on TV. According to his very brief IMDB bio he also:

Played a number of formidable musical roles including the title role in "Sweeney Todd," Thomas Jefferson in "1776" and Dr. Carrasco in "Man of La Mancha".

There are others listed on BWW here: www.broadwayworld.com/people/Jon-Cypher/ Too bad he didn't get to repeat the role in the filmed version of 1776! I really loved his voice and hope I can find something else he's done with it! I'll see if he's listed on the cast albums for those other shows. Did any of you who went to Broadway shows back in the day see him live in anything? Anyway I thought his performance in Cinderella was very good. The acting was perhaps a bit weaker than his singing but I thought he brought a nice bit of vulnerability to the role of the prince...could have been nerves LOL! Of course it goes without saying that Julie was great! All of the supporting actors were just right too, most notably, Kaye Ballard & Edie (Edith) Adams.

Anyone who doesn't have this DVD should get it...as I said the special feature alone is worth the price of the DVD...also I'd love to hear what anyone else who has it thought of it.

Side note: Our local High School is doing R&H's Cinderella this week and I'm taking my granddaughter and DIL to the final performance Sunday afternoon! The HS does a musical every year and they do them very well so I go every year. This will be my granddaughter's first live musical show...do muppets count?? so I'm excited to see her reaction. Plus she's a princess fanatic so I'm anxious to see what she thinks of seeing a live production of a princess story!

I'll be seeing 9 to 5 at our local community theater next month too so I'm a happy camper!
Sue

[carouselkathy]

Sue,

I have that version, and absolutely love it! Julie Andrews is perfect and Edie Adams is a great fairy godmother! Have you noticed Jon Cypher's little blunder in the reprise of "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?" So cute! I love live performances! It's unfortunate, though, that it's from a kinescope instead of a color negative. Before it was available on DVD, i went to see a screening at the Museum of Television in L.A. (in the 80's or 90's). John Cypher was sitting in the row in front of me, and was very charming in the panel discussion after the show.

[jo]

I also got a copy of the Julie Andrews CINDERELLA staging. It is part of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical works, but I got it because there was going to be a staging here in Manila a few years back of an international production (originating in Australia) of the show, but with Lea Salonga as Cinderella. It was such a surprise to see such a Broadway-worthy staging ( production values, the casting, etc).

Although I went to see it because I promised my precocious young female relative to take her to see it ( she was maybe 7-8 years old then -- she even wore her Disney Cinderella costume to see the show -- except for the crown because she said her Mom didn't think she should do it - LOL! But time has passed -- she has seen the movie Les Miserables and she has been promised to see the Les Miz revival on Broadway when she travels to NYC with her grandma ( my sister) this spring. Our Cinderella is growing up -- she is now 12 ( and taller than her Grandma)!

PS: Her current favorite is WICKED, having just seen here an international production on a limited run ( although Stephen Schwartz came over).

Back to the Julie Andrews Cinderella -- I will dig up my copy and watch it again. Promise


Jo

[mamaleh]

Sue, I remember renting that DVD some years ago. So charming (like the prince!) and yes, the extra features add so much. I really miss the days when TV regularly aired live or taped productions of such shows. One of my favorite numbers was done by Kaye Ballard and Alice Ghostley, the "Stepsisters' Lament." Such a hoot. It's still a good number as done on Broadway currently by Ann Harada and company, even though the sisters are less nasty and more just befuddled.

I remember seeing Jon Cypher on stage as the toy company boss in the musical version of BIG back in the mid-'90s. He always had a very stately bearing, didn't he? I think a major reason why he didn't play Jefferson in the "1776" movie was that the producers wanted as many of the original cast as possible (what a concept!), and so the original Jefferson, Ken Howard, reprised his role.

Ellen

[birchie]

Mar 10, 2014 21:19:26 GMT -5 carouselkathy said:

Sue,

I have that version, and absolutely love it! Julie Andrews is perfect and Edie Adams is a great fairy godmother! Have you noticed Jon Cypher's little blunder in the reprise of "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?" So cute! I love live performances! It's unfortunate, though, that it's from a kinescope instead of a color negative. Before it was available on DVD, i went to see a screening at the Museum of Television in L.A. (in the 80's or 90's). John Cypher was sitting in the row in front of me, and was very charming in the panel discussion after the show.

Jon talks about that on the making of feature. He loved Dorothy Stickney & Howard Lindsay so much & they had really taken him under their wing so to speak so he said that when he realized what he'd done he went back stage & cried!

You're so lucky to have been at that screening! Was it shown in color? I remember reading an article about the fact that there had been a color negative...don't remember why it wasn't used, was it lost? Sad if it was.
Sue