Just a Couple of Broadway Babies

For Christmas Tim gave me theater tickets to see a rare pairing of two legendary performers: Barbara Cook and Audra McDonald. It was also a double treat because the concert was at the new Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, a stunning new concert hall that, after years of planning and construction, finally opened last September. I had been wanting an excuse to go see an event there, and there was no better excuse than seeing Audra and Barbara together.


Barbara Cook and Audra McDonald together in a photo I swiped from the newspaper. (01/05/07)

As you may or may not be aware, I LOVE Audra McDonald, a modern-day Broadway legend who has won four Tony awards for performances in shows like Carousel, Master Class, Ragtime and Raisin in the Sun. When she's not performing on Broadway, you can often find her doing concert performances. You'll also see her pop up in TV and movies every now and then. It was probably my fourth or fifth time seeing an Audra McDonald show.

Barbara Cook, on the other hand, is a Broadway legend from the 1950s and 1960s who later morphed into an acclaimed soloist. Although I wouldn't necessarily call myself a Barbara Cook superfan — like our buddy Scott in Chicago who affectionately refers to Barbara Cook as his "Other Barbra" — I had always wanted to see her perform at least once before she retires.


It was at the new Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall that opened last September. (01/05/07)

The hour-and-a-half concert was neatly divided into solo sets mixed with the duet here and there. Audra sang first, kicking of a set of songs that focused on Broadway's last 20 years, with a few oldies thrown in.

Audra's set included such songs as "Stars and the Moon," "The Light in the Piazza," "The Glamorous Life," (the version from the movie A Little Night Music), "Can't Stop Talking About Him," "I Wish I Were in Love Again" and "When Lola Sings." She also sang two of my favorites: "I Won't Mind" and "When Did I Fall in Love?" The only song I really wished she had done but didn't was "Your Daddy's Son" from Ragtime.

Barbara sang "Surrey With the Fringe on Top," "This Nearly Was Mine," Sondheim's "No More," "I Fall in Love Too Easily," "It Might as Well be Spring," and "Accentuate the Positive." In addition, she performed a hilarious version of "If My Dog Loves Your Dog," which she explained was originally recorded by Cliff Edwards, who was most famous for being the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio. Barbara closed her set with an a capella version of "We'll Be Together Again" that she sang without a microphone. Amazing.


A picture of the stage from our seats on the high ledge. (01/05/07)

They also did a handful of duets, including "Blue Skies," "Sing a Song," and "The Grass is Always Greener." They closed with a stirring version of "God Bless America" which was a great end to a fantastic evening.