She does a good job. There’s some pretty poor versions of this song on this channel. I’ll never understand why some people think Glenn Close is the best Norma. For me, it’s BETTY BUCKLEY. I hope that the movie will be made sometime soon - but PLEASE not with Glenn.
@chrisjacobs74173 ай бұрын
My favorite Norma is Linda Balgord. Paula Scrofano (first regional production) a close second. I saw Glenn Close in both Broadway productions and I think she's absolutely incredible. Norma is past her prime so Glenn's struggle with the score was forgivable because it wasn't egregious.
@dorothyflanagan95354 ай бұрын
Beautiful voice but the sound not the best
@chrisjacobs74174 ай бұрын
Given that it was recorded from the audience almost 30 years on analog cassette tapes, I'm not sure exactly what you're disappointed about. The audio is on par, if not better, than the majority of bootlegs recorded during that time.
@MichaelHammond5 ай бұрын
I had the PLEASURE of seeing this live. WOW! Stephanie J. Block is a revelation. Her choices are unique and dynamic. I was so worried about her characther's well being throughout the performance. She seemed like she was having a nervous breakdown. It was remarkable!
@chrisjacobs74175 ай бұрын
I thought Stephanie was absolutely incredible. Sunset is my favorite show and I have been dreaming about her in this role since I saw her in The Boy From Oz. I thought the production had some very questionable choices but that was at the hands of the director not stephanie. Overall it was definitely worth the drive from Detroit to DC and I'm glad I was able to capture the show on audio
@user-gg7vn4cz5y6 ай бұрын
I got to see her in one of her first parts. Playing Rosie in Bye Bye Birdie in the spring of 1970. She was in 8th grade.I was in 9th. You could tell , even then , That she was something special.
@allanmiller49727 ай бұрын
She looks MORE like the ingenue than an ageing, washed-up film star of the bygone silent film era! 🤔🥴👎
@chrisjacobs74176 ай бұрын
I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say you didn't see the Kennedy center production
@allanmiller49727 ай бұрын
Magnificent voice!!!❤ Not as dramatically nuanced as Close❤, but VERY powerful!!! 👍💐
@chrisjacobs74177 ай бұрын
Her take on the role was vastly different from how Glenn Close approached. I saw closed in both the original Broadway production and the revival. She was absolutely brilliant. To attempt to compare them is very difficult for me to do since the Productions were so strikingly different as to the way the director approached them. The Kennedy Center production chose to play up any comic moment that was in the show or could even be perceived as one. The Broadway production allowed for the comedic moments but it did nothing to play them up and went with a much more straightforward approach to the material
@scottmiller77797 ай бұрын
Something about this rendition feels closer to Gloria Swansons original interpretation of the character. There are moments when she starts to break and devolve into madness, yet she is able to right the ship back to her delusional version of reality. Truly a gifted performer.
@chrisjacobs74177 ай бұрын
Seeing her in this role has literally been my dream for almost 20 years. It is my favorite show and she is easily my favorite musical theater actress. It was absolutely worth the drive from Detroit to DC.
@iAncientOne8 ай бұрын
I love SJB. She was my Elphaba on Broadway. I think she does a superb job with this song. Wish I had seen this in person. Are there any videos of this show out there?
@chrisjacobs74178 ай бұрын
I know for a fact there is a bootleg video of the final performance and there are quite a few audios
@sandyyoung95828 ай бұрын
Nothing beats Glenn Close in this tole
@eugenelaw52948 ай бұрын
Dianne carrol did a wonderful job in this role as well.
@gillesfleuriot71918 ай бұрын
Elaine Paige
@victordunson7195 ай бұрын
Betty Buckley. Betty Buckley. Betty Buckley. Glenn Close didn’t remotely have the vocal chops for that role. 🤷🏽♂️
@officialmichaelcarrasco2 ай бұрын
@@victordunson719 Her Drama Desk and Tony Award for the role disagree with you. 🤷♂
@victordunson7192 ай бұрын
@@officialmichaelcarrasco Betty Buckley is my gold standard for that role and nothing you can say is going to make think otherwise. Sorry, not Sorry.
@Macrogue659 ай бұрын
Quite possibly the best I've heard. And I've seen many "Norma" actors.
@chrisjacobs74179 ай бұрын
I have been obsessed with this show since I saw Glenn Close in the original Broadway. I have crisscrossed the US seeing the show since the very first Regional production at the Marriott Theater in Illinois in 2004. I have dreamed of Stephanie J block eventually doing this role since she was in The Boy From Oz. She absolutely did not disappoint
@mrbroadwaydork9 ай бұрын
I love SJB, but I really do not like how she sounds on this score. Some of these belters trying to sing a score that sits lower in the range doesn't always translate well.
@crazyguy984569789 ай бұрын
I have never been more disappointed than seeing Stephanie as Norma. It was this awful caricature of a woman and she made some absolutely terrible choices. She also put on this weird voice while singing all these songs. I don't know if she was trying to sound grander or more old Hollywood, but it sounded terrible and made everything into a joke.
@chrisjacobs74179 ай бұрын
I vehemently disagree. Thankfully the critics did as well, almost unanimously.
@crazyguy984569789 ай бұрын
@@chrisjacobs7417 You can vehemently disagree all you want as can the critics. Stephanie let me down big time. She was my dream Norma, but about halfway through "Surrender" she became a nightmare.
@chrisjacobs74179 ай бұрын
@@crazyguy98456978 she was my dream Norma as well. I've been waiting for this since I saw her in The Boy From Oz. There was some horrible directing choices but Stephanie was amazing
@kevinwilson36099 ай бұрын
"I'll beeeeeee.......maaaaaayyyyyyy!"
@isthisryan78999 ай бұрын
SJB seems to be doing a bad impression of herself the last few years.
@chrisjacobs74179 ай бұрын
I guess you had to be there. She was absolutely electrifying. There were some questionable choices made by the director, but all four of the leads were absolutely incredible.
@topherv42299 ай бұрын
On the whole, a very good performance! I like that she started quieter than usual and built nicely to the end. She drop a few words here and there but nothing that made a huge difference.
@DistantCousin9 ай бұрын
Why is the audience laughing after the "don't blame me, I'm just a writer" line?
@chrisjacobs74179 ай бұрын
Because she tells him that Hollywood has ruined movies by making talking pictures. He jokingly tells her not to blame him, he's just a scriptwriter. Basically she was inadvertently bashing him and he was pointing it out
@DistantCousin8 ай бұрын
OK. but it's not a funny line. It's never got a laugh any of the times I've seen it in the UK. I thought some "business" might have been going on, on stage at the same time to make people laugh. The audience here don't laugh until a few seconds after the line anyway. @@chrisjacobs7417
@mmellon79215 ай бұрын
I know this comment is old, but...when Joe says "I'm just a writer" Norma slowly turns and looks at him and approaches him like "oh now I'm interested in you" (because she needs a writer for her script). The exaggerated way she suddenly fixates on him is what people are laughing at.
@robertmwoodley150210 ай бұрын
I wish I had seen it. When they performed the anniversary Les Mis, Debra was chosen over all the other Fantines on Broadway and the West End. No-one can sing it as she did, because her legato is perfect and she had lived the hell. kzread.info/dash/bejne/rGVtz8uuZqWnnZM.html
@josephorlando524410 ай бұрын
Lovely, exquisite!
@rosegarceau184410 ай бұрын
Impressive! ❤
@bookemdano756711 ай бұрын
I didn’t know that Susan played Norma! I saw her as Fantine in Les Mis in Boston back in 1989 and again on Broadway in 1992 when Debbie Gibson played Eponine. Wonderful! Thank you for posting!
@chrisjacobs741710 ай бұрын
She was the Norma understudy in the original Broadway production. This was recorded while Betty Buckley was Norma
@bookemdano756710 ай бұрын
@@chrisjacobs7417…. That is so cool! I thought Karen Mason was the original understudy! I’ll have to look at my playbills again to see Susan’s name! I saw the original London cast with Patti (twice) and then on Broadway with Betty and Elaine Paige ( I refused to see Glenn. I wasn’t paying all that money to see someone in a musical who singing was subpar). Susan looks great in the photos shown with this, so thank you, again, for posting!
@bookemdano756710 ай бұрын
@@chrisjacobs7417 … do you happen to have a recording of Susan as Fantine singing I Dreamed A Dream?
@chrisjacobs741710 ай бұрын
@@bookemdano7567 Karen Mason was the standby for Glenn Close and Susan Dawn Carson was the understudy. Karen only appeared in the shower of Glenn Close without while Susan had an actual role outside of covering Norma Desmond
@chrisjacobs741710 ай бұрын
@@bookemdano7567 I thought Glenn Close was spectacular. I saw her in the original Los Angeles production and again in the Broadway Revival. Her singing may not have been perfect but it fit in with the character of Norma. Remember Norma faded Into Obscurity because she couldn't cut it with the onset of talkies. I did not see Patti LuPone in the role but I did see Buckley and Paige in NY, Balgord on tour, and Carroll in Toronto. All of them brought something unique to the role
@hefinrosser868511 ай бұрын
When I hear the first few lines sound like Glenn close I stop listening!
@Macrogue6511 ай бұрын
This is a terribly difficult role and this piece is as tough as it gets. There's no hiding. On this piece, I believe she serves Norma, and gives it her own lift. Brava!
@rosegarceau184411 ай бұрын
Never heard of this FABULOUS DIVA! Is she Australian??
@chrisjacobs741711 ай бұрын
Yes. She is also the original Australian Grizabella in cats and the original Australian Fantine in Les Miserables
@DavidLloydDSL8 ай бұрын
Yes, she is Australian and has had a very storied life. She sounds much, much better in a live performance than on recording - there are some singers whose nuance just doesn't come across quite "right" when recorded, or at least in extant recordings, and Debra Byne -- as well as Patti LuPone -- are both such singers. I've been blessed to hear both sing several of their most well-known songs live, and to be fair Patti is my all-time favourite female show singer from the USA and Debra a very close second. She is very, very approachable too; and is great singing cabaret style as well as the big musicals.
@MANGLE1000Ай бұрын
@@DavidLloydDSL yet another great Young Talent Time "survivor"
@craigbraybrook-zc2ob15 күн бұрын
Yes she's Aussie, and truly incredible
@craigbraybrook-zc2ob15 күн бұрын
@@chrisjacobs7417 She's been beyond brilliant in every role I've seen her in. She was also the bird lady in Mary Poppins
@rosegarceau184411 ай бұрын
Wow!! ❤
@victordunson719 Жыл бұрын
Wow, that ending was EPIC❤
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
And the recording does not even come close to conveying how powerful her voice really is live
@ARReith Жыл бұрын
Ugh - can she just sing it instead of back phrasing? Only a few women can do this role justice and the ones on Broadway and London in the original productions set an extremely high bar... everything else is just a a watered down copy. Elaine Paige remains the gold standard as Norma.
@operaguyny11 ай бұрын
No way. Diahann Carroll is the gold standard. Then Betty. Then Patti. Then Glenn. SJB is fantastic.
@gillestompkins877610 ай бұрын
What do you mean by 'back phrasing'? Genuinely curious
@rosegarceau184410 ай бұрын
Are you flippin' serious?
@kevinwilson36099 ай бұрын
@@operaguyny As wonderful as she might have been, Carroll received poor reviews at the time and the show closed early
@chrisjacobs74179 ай бұрын
@@kevinwilson3609 Carroll recieved mostly positive reviews for the Toronto production. I didn't see any of the Vancouver reviews (I didn't live in the area), but I don't imagine they would have drastically different given the show hadn't changed
@louis-mariedesaintecroix9866 Жыл бұрын
as much as I love SJB, I would have prefered a flashier performance with more belting.
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
I thought she was incredible. This was my dream casting of the role (I'm beyond obsessed with this show). It was worth the drive from Detroit to DC to see it.
@brianives4369 Жыл бұрын
@@chrisjacobs7417I have to agree with you. I thought the way she played this song, almost as an inner monologue that the character was afraid the people around her would hear, was brilliant. That doesn’t come through without the visual, of course - but I was very lucky, as you were, to see her live.
@MT-em1fz Жыл бұрын
Disagree, then she’d just be accused of “shouting her way” through the performance. You have to see the video, acting choices are spot on and really moving.
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
@@MT-em1fz I was sitting front row the closing night of the production. I agree with you completely. Even the video does not do her justice. She got a standing ovation at the end of that number and it was well deserved
@taylormhilliard8 ай бұрын
Wait where else would she have belted more than she already did?
@liuyo8333 Жыл бұрын
Great performances! Even though I think Barbra Streisand version is the bestttt
@louis-mariedesaintecroix9866 Жыл бұрын
Who did she understudy? Glenn?
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
Glenn and Betty
@alexhopkins8359 Жыл бұрын
A beautiful rendition, full of yearning. x
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
She was insanely good especially given the relatively few times she went on in the role during the original Broadway run
@peterreardon8878 Жыл бұрын
My dear friend SUSAN DAWN CARSON ❤❤❤squeezing every last inch out of this song all the way to the end of the road. BRAVA, Mi Amore
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
Seeing her in this role is truly one of the best moments of my Sunset Boulevard obsession. She was superb. It's unfortunate she did not get to go on in the role more often.
@cliffordroberts5783 Жыл бұрын
Wow, this is the best version of this song. Why wasn't it successful in Australia? I remember the casting of Debbie Burn was controversial.
@vintagesaskia1139Ай бұрын
Why was it controversial!?
@cliffordroberts5783Ай бұрын
@vintagesaskia1139 Debra Byrne was considered too young, plus she had a reputation for being unreliable because of her use of drugs. Australians can be very serious about casting decisions. The Australian people wanted the part to be performed by Judi Connelli. Judi is an amazing actor and considered closer in age for the part. She has a very loyal following, especially in the LGBT community. This is not the first time that this has happened. Back in the 70s, they cast a completely unknown actor as Evita. The show flopped badly and couldn't be revived even when they flew Elaine Paige to Australia to fill the role. Elaine hated Melbourne so much she only stayed a week. The show finished when she left. I did see the production and thought it was good but the actor playing Evita didn't have a very strong voice.
@vintagesaskia1139Ай бұрын
@cliffordroberts5783 Ah, okay. Well Debra proved them wrong in the end. I knew that about Evita - but I thought it was Patti who came over to take on the role?! I have the album on vinyl and the actress' voice is absolutely terrible.
@cliffordroberts5783Ай бұрын
I have just seen Patti Lapone being interviewed on the telly. She did come to Australia to do Evita in Sydney. I am not really a fan of Patti I find her voice harsh. However, I saw her in Company in London in 2018 and she was great.
@jamescarrollauАй бұрын
@@cliffordroberts5783 Judi Connelli went on to play Norma in The Production Company's concert staging of Sunset in Melbourne, around 2005 I believe.
@RAREEVITAAUDIOS Жыл бұрын
Amazing as always, thank you my friend ❤
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
You're so welcome🙂
@RAREEVITAAUDIOS Жыл бұрын
I know this audio is rare, so I totally understand if the answer is no, is there any chance you would upload her finale? It’s my favourite scene and I would love to hear her version, but again, totally understand if the answer is no xx
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
@@RAREEVITAAUDIOS I'll do even better than that. My email is listed on my channel. Hmu and I'll send you the full audio with the agreement it does not get posted or shared.
@chernjam Жыл бұрын
I love that she does "and brighter than we knew it" like Karen Mason did. That was such an unexpected and beautiful twist that they brought to their performances. I know at the end of Act One I said "Glenn who" (kidding of course, as Close did give a legendary performance, but these women definitely proved the show still soared without an "A-list" star in the role)
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
The problem was that without an a-lister they were having trouble filling the seats. That was made apparent when Glenn Close when on vacation and the really useful group lied to hide the drop in ticket sales while Karen Mason was on in her place. They also struggled to sell tickets to the first us national tour with Linda Balgord at the helm and she was a vocal powerhouse. It's ashame because these women were stunning in the role and to this day Susan remains one of my favorite Normas. She only went on a handful of times so I can only imagine what her performance would have been like if she had actually had a chance to grow into the character.
@robertamirante9025 Жыл бұрын
Made my day... thanks.
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
My email address is in my profile on here. I have the full audio of the show and I have it uploaded. I can send you the links for it if you would like. Just send me an email and I'll get it to you. Thank you again for helping to put me in contact with Susan.
@robertamirante9025 Жыл бұрын
Ah my dear friend... absolutely thrilling.
@chernjam Жыл бұрын
now these are the gems that they should be releasing on these ALW "essential" collections. The ultra rare things sitting on shelves somewhere that fans would appreciate. I remember how disappointed I was when they decided not to record this cast (and in hindsight with Hugh Jackman, I bet in hindsight they do too). This version is so much more lush than the one on New Ways to Dream. The way she nails the pinacle line and is able to recover to sing the proper notes that follow is perfection. What a gift. Thanks so much for sharing! would love to hear the other tracks
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
The promotional CD only had three tracks and the other two were instrumentals
@prestonnorris9822 Жыл бұрын
Just Beautiful 🙌🏼👏🏼💜💜💜
@robertamirante9025 Жыл бұрын
The great Susan Dawn Carson... my dear friend of more than 4 decades and first NYC roommate. Not only was I in the audience her first night on as Norma Desmond but I also saw her incomparable performance as Fantine in Les Misérables... lucky me. Exceptional human... exceptional talent!
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
She was inspiring as Norma. It's unfortunate she did not get to go on more often
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
I tried reaching out to her on Instagram to see if she would like the full recording. We aren't friends on there though so it is quite possible she never saw the message
@robertamirante9025 Жыл бұрын
@@chrisjacobs7417 I emailed Susan this video link yesterday... hopefully she will see this!
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
@@robertamirante9025 thank you so much. She messaged me on Instagram after getting your message and I sent her the audio of the full show.
@robertamirante9025 Жыл бұрын
@@chrisjacobs7417 That's great... she's one of my dearest friends and favorite people in my life. Bobby A.
@christopherbush9027 Жыл бұрын
Where oh where did you get this??? That promo CD is the Holy Grail of Sunset collectibles!!!
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
I was already obsessed with the show by the start of the Australian production. I did the same thing I did to get a copy of the US tour promo when the show first started touring. I emailed a man named Tom at the really useful group relentlessly until he sent me copies. LMFAO
@chrisjacobs7417Ай бұрын
What I truly consider to be the holy Grail of Sunset Boulevard recordings is the bootleg of Susan Dawn Carson. She was truly amazing in the role
@kaitlynrowena5463Ай бұрын
Did he annoyed by you? Lol
@chrisjacobs74175 сағат бұрын
@@kaitlynrowena5463 most likely. Lol. But I got the promo CD from him both times.
@mcurt9 Жыл бұрын
i saw her as norma-she was wonderful!
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
Yes she was!!!
@crazyguy98456978 Жыл бұрын
I had never been more excited to see a show before and I never left a show more disappointed. I love Stephanie, but she portrayed Norma as this weak, fragile, shell of a woman and she made bizarre acting choices. Her "As If We Never Said Goodbye" was just incredible. I wish she had a more competent director though.
@prestonnorris9822 Жыл бұрын
I saw her as Grizabella and Fantine , what a talent 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💙💜💙
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
She is still one of my favorite Normas. She was absolutely captivating to see live. I got very lucky when she went on.
@prestonnorris9822 Жыл бұрын
I can only imagine.... I saw Betty Buckley and Petula Clark as Norma and love them both. Two very different interpretations , but I can imagine Miss Carson was quite a treat 🌞💙
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
@@prestonnorris9822 I have literally been chasing this show around the country since I was a teenager. I loved Betty Buckley. She's still in my top five. I did not see Petula in the London production but I did see her in the national tour and I thought she was awful. I couldn't handle her attempt at an American accent. In fairness the entire scaled down production was bad, from the staircase that looked it belonged on the Titanic to speaking large chunks of the dialog that had previously been sung. However the change to the end of Too Much in Love to Care was beautiful and I thought the actor who played Max was fantastic.
@alexmg3648 Жыл бұрын
Where did she play Grizabella?
@thejoelyoh Жыл бұрын
I am so happy I got to see this! Stephanie was EPIC in this role. Absolutely loved what she brought to the role. And her vocals!
@PapaLynn1 Жыл бұрын
Breathtaking!!!
@lawrencejordan213 Жыл бұрын
I love it, as always Stephanie brings her own twist to the role, she sounds perfectly unhinged
@maxsherman9396 Жыл бұрын
do you have derek klena’s sunset boulevard from this performance?
@chrisjacobs7417 Жыл бұрын
I have the full show
@lilyevans6046 Жыл бұрын
@@chrisjacobs7417 omg can you upload more of it or vaguely points the way to wear you find it pleaseeee I want to hear the rest of the show so badly ;;-;;
Пікірлер
Hugh Jackman! 3:49
Just so beautiful. ❤❤❤
Our Deb. Always amazing x
She does a good job. There’s some pretty poor versions of this song on this channel. I’ll never understand why some people think Glenn Close is the best Norma. For me, it’s BETTY BUCKLEY. I hope that the movie will be made sometime soon - but PLEASE not with Glenn.
My favorite Norma is Linda Balgord. Paula Scrofano (first regional production) a close second. I saw Glenn Close in both Broadway productions and I think she's absolutely incredible. Norma is past her prime so Glenn's struggle with the score was forgivable because it wasn't egregious.
Beautiful voice but the sound not the best
Given that it was recorded from the audience almost 30 years on analog cassette tapes, I'm not sure exactly what you're disappointed about. The audio is on par, if not better, than the majority of bootlegs recorded during that time.
I had the PLEASURE of seeing this live. WOW! Stephanie J. Block is a revelation. Her choices are unique and dynamic. I was so worried about her characther's well being throughout the performance. She seemed like she was having a nervous breakdown. It was remarkable!
I thought Stephanie was absolutely incredible. Sunset is my favorite show and I have been dreaming about her in this role since I saw her in The Boy From Oz. I thought the production had some very questionable choices but that was at the hands of the director not stephanie. Overall it was definitely worth the drive from Detroit to DC and I'm glad I was able to capture the show on audio
I got to see her in one of her first parts. Playing Rosie in Bye Bye Birdie in the spring of 1970. She was in 8th grade.I was in 9th. You could tell , even then , That she was something special.
She looks MORE like the ingenue than an ageing, washed-up film star of the bygone silent film era! 🤔🥴👎
I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say you didn't see the Kennedy center production
Magnificent voice!!!❤ Not as dramatically nuanced as Close❤, but VERY powerful!!! 👍💐
Her take on the role was vastly different from how Glenn Close approached. I saw closed in both the original Broadway production and the revival. She was absolutely brilliant. To attempt to compare them is very difficult for me to do since the Productions were so strikingly different as to the way the director approached them. The Kennedy Center production chose to play up any comic moment that was in the show or could even be perceived as one. The Broadway production allowed for the comedic moments but it did nothing to play them up and went with a much more straightforward approach to the material
Something about this rendition feels closer to Gloria Swansons original interpretation of the character. There are moments when she starts to break and devolve into madness, yet she is able to right the ship back to her delusional version of reality. Truly a gifted performer.
Seeing her in this role has literally been my dream for almost 20 years. It is my favorite show and she is easily my favorite musical theater actress. It was absolutely worth the drive from Detroit to DC.
I love SJB. She was my Elphaba on Broadway. I think she does a superb job with this song. Wish I had seen this in person. Are there any videos of this show out there?
I know for a fact there is a bootleg video of the final performance and there are quite a few audios
Nothing beats Glenn Close in this tole
Dianne carrol did a wonderful job in this role as well.
Elaine Paige
Betty Buckley. Betty Buckley. Betty Buckley. Glenn Close didn’t remotely have the vocal chops for that role. 🤷🏽♂️
@@victordunson719 Her Drama Desk and Tony Award for the role disagree with you. 🤷♂
@@officialmichaelcarrasco Betty Buckley is my gold standard for that role and nothing you can say is going to make think otherwise. Sorry, not Sorry.
Quite possibly the best I've heard. And I've seen many "Norma" actors.
I have been obsessed with this show since I saw Glenn Close in the original Broadway. I have crisscrossed the US seeing the show since the very first Regional production at the Marriott Theater in Illinois in 2004. I have dreamed of Stephanie J block eventually doing this role since she was in The Boy From Oz. She absolutely did not disappoint
I love SJB, but I really do not like how she sounds on this score. Some of these belters trying to sing a score that sits lower in the range doesn't always translate well.
I have never been more disappointed than seeing Stephanie as Norma. It was this awful caricature of a woman and she made some absolutely terrible choices. She also put on this weird voice while singing all these songs. I don't know if she was trying to sound grander or more old Hollywood, but it sounded terrible and made everything into a joke.
I vehemently disagree. Thankfully the critics did as well, almost unanimously.
@@chrisjacobs7417 You can vehemently disagree all you want as can the critics. Stephanie let me down big time. She was my dream Norma, but about halfway through "Surrender" she became a nightmare.
@@crazyguy98456978 she was my dream Norma as well. I've been waiting for this since I saw her in The Boy From Oz. There was some horrible directing choices but Stephanie was amazing
"I'll beeeeeee.......maaaaaayyyyyyy!"
SJB seems to be doing a bad impression of herself the last few years.
I guess you had to be there. She was absolutely electrifying. There were some questionable choices made by the director, but all four of the leads were absolutely incredible.
On the whole, a very good performance! I like that she started quieter than usual and built nicely to the end. She drop a few words here and there but nothing that made a huge difference.
Why is the audience laughing after the "don't blame me, I'm just a writer" line?
Because she tells him that Hollywood has ruined movies by making talking pictures. He jokingly tells her not to blame him, he's just a scriptwriter. Basically she was inadvertently bashing him and he was pointing it out
OK. but it's not a funny line. It's never got a laugh any of the times I've seen it in the UK. I thought some "business" might have been going on, on stage at the same time to make people laugh. The audience here don't laugh until a few seconds after the line anyway. @@chrisjacobs7417
I know this comment is old, but...when Joe says "I'm just a writer" Norma slowly turns and looks at him and approaches him like "oh now I'm interested in you" (because she needs a writer for her script). The exaggerated way she suddenly fixates on him is what people are laughing at.
I wish I had seen it. When they performed the anniversary Les Mis, Debra was chosen over all the other Fantines on Broadway and the West End. No-one can sing it as she did, because her legato is perfect and she had lived the hell. kzread.info/dash/bejne/rGVtz8uuZqWnnZM.html
Lovely, exquisite!
Impressive! ❤
I didn’t know that Susan played Norma! I saw her as Fantine in Les Mis in Boston back in 1989 and again on Broadway in 1992 when Debbie Gibson played Eponine. Wonderful! Thank you for posting!
She was the Norma understudy in the original Broadway production. This was recorded while Betty Buckley was Norma
@@chrisjacobs7417…. That is so cool! I thought Karen Mason was the original understudy! I’ll have to look at my playbills again to see Susan’s name! I saw the original London cast with Patti (twice) and then on Broadway with Betty and Elaine Paige ( I refused to see Glenn. I wasn’t paying all that money to see someone in a musical who singing was subpar). Susan looks great in the photos shown with this, so thank you, again, for posting!
@@chrisjacobs7417 … do you happen to have a recording of Susan as Fantine singing I Dreamed A Dream?
@@bookemdano7567 Karen Mason was the standby for Glenn Close and Susan Dawn Carson was the understudy. Karen only appeared in the shower of Glenn Close without while Susan had an actual role outside of covering Norma Desmond
@@bookemdano7567 I thought Glenn Close was spectacular. I saw her in the original Los Angeles production and again in the Broadway Revival. Her singing may not have been perfect but it fit in with the character of Norma. Remember Norma faded Into Obscurity because she couldn't cut it with the onset of talkies. I did not see Patti LuPone in the role but I did see Buckley and Paige in NY, Balgord on tour, and Carroll in Toronto. All of them brought something unique to the role
When I hear the first few lines sound like Glenn close I stop listening!
This is a terribly difficult role and this piece is as tough as it gets. There's no hiding. On this piece, I believe she serves Norma, and gives it her own lift. Brava!
Never heard of this FABULOUS DIVA! Is she Australian??
Yes. She is also the original Australian Grizabella in cats and the original Australian Fantine in Les Miserables
Yes, she is Australian and has had a very storied life. She sounds much, much better in a live performance than on recording - there are some singers whose nuance just doesn't come across quite "right" when recorded, or at least in extant recordings, and Debra Byne -- as well as Patti LuPone -- are both such singers. I've been blessed to hear both sing several of their most well-known songs live, and to be fair Patti is my all-time favourite female show singer from the USA and Debra a very close second. She is very, very approachable too; and is great singing cabaret style as well as the big musicals.
@@DavidLloydDSL yet another great Young Talent Time "survivor"
Yes she's Aussie, and truly incredible
@@chrisjacobs7417 She's been beyond brilliant in every role I've seen her in. She was also the bird lady in Mary Poppins
Wow!! ❤
Wow, that ending was EPIC❤
And the recording does not even come close to conveying how powerful her voice really is live
Ugh - can she just sing it instead of back phrasing? Only a few women can do this role justice and the ones on Broadway and London in the original productions set an extremely high bar... everything else is just a a watered down copy. Elaine Paige remains the gold standard as Norma.
No way. Diahann Carroll is the gold standard. Then Betty. Then Patti. Then Glenn. SJB is fantastic.
What do you mean by 'back phrasing'? Genuinely curious
Are you flippin' serious?
@@operaguyny As wonderful as she might have been, Carroll received poor reviews at the time and the show closed early
@@kevinwilson3609 Carroll recieved mostly positive reviews for the Toronto production. I didn't see any of the Vancouver reviews (I didn't live in the area), but I don't imagine they would have drastically different given the show hadn't changed
as much as I love SJB, I would have prefered a flashier performance with more belting.
I thought she was incredible. This was my dream casting of the role (I'm beyond obsessed with this show). It was worth the drive from Detroit to DC to see it.
@@chrisjacobs7417I have to agree with you. I thought the way she played this song, almost as an inner monologue that the character was afraid the people around her would hear, was brilliant. That doesn’t come through without the visual, of course - but I was very lucky, as you were, to see her live.
Disagree, then she’d just be accused of “shouting her way” through the performance. You have to see the video, acting choices are spot on and really moving.
@@MT-em1fz I was sitting front row the closing night of the production. I agree with you completely. Even the video does not do her justice. She got a standing ovation at the end of that number and it was well deserved
Wait where else would she have belted more than she already did?
Great performances! Even though I think Barbra Streisand version is the bestttt
Who did she understudy? Glenn?
Glenn and Betty
A beautiful rendition, full of yearning. x
She was insanely good especially given the relatively few times she went on in the role during the original Broadway run
My dear friend SUSAN DAWN CARSON ❤❤❤squeezing every last inch out of this song all the way to the end of the road. BRAVA, Mi Amore
Seeing her in this role is truly one of the best moments of my Sunset Boulevard obsession. She was superb. It's unfortunate she did not get to go on in the role more often.
Wow, this is the best version of this song. Why wasn't it successful in Australia? I remember the casting of Debbie Burn was controversial.
Why was it controversial!?
@vintagesaskia1139 Debra Byrne was considered too young, plus she had a reputation for being unreliable because of her use of drugs. Australians can be very serious about casting decisions. The Australian people wanted the part to be performed by Judi Connelli. Judi is an amazing actor and considered closer in age for the part. She has a very loyal following, especially in the LGBT community. This is not the first time that this has happened. Back in the 70s, they cast a completely unknown actor as Evita. The show flopped badly and couldn't be revived even when they flew Elaine Paige to Australia to fill the role. Elaine hated Melbourne so much she only stayed a week. The show finished when she left. I did see the production and thought it was good but the actor playing Evita didn't have a very strong voice.
@cliffordroberts5783 Ah, okay. Well Debra proved them wrong in the end. I knew that about Evita - but I thought it was Patti who came over to take on the role?! I have the album on vinyl and the actress' voice is absolutely terrible.
I have just seen Patti Lapone being interviewed on the telly. She did come to Australia to do Evita in Sydney. I am not really a fan of Patti I find her voice harsh. However, I saw her in Company in London in 2018 and she was great.
@@cliffordroberts5783 Judi Connelli went on to play Norma in The Production Company's concert staging of Sunset in Melbourne, around 2005 I believe.
Amazing as always, thank you my friend ❤
You're so welcome🙂
I know this audio is rare, so I totally understand if the answer is no, is there any chance you would upload her finale? It’s my favourite scene and I would love to hear her version, but again, totally understand if the answer is no xx
@@RAREEVITAAUDIOS I'll do even better than that. My email is listed on my channel. Hmu and I'll send you the full audio with the agreement it does not get posted or shared.
I love that she does "and brighter than we knew it" like Karen Mason did. That was such an unexpected and beautiful twist that they brought to their performances. I know at the end of Act One I said "Glenn who" (kidding of course, as Close did give a legendary performance, but these women definitely proved the show still soared without an "A-list" star in the role)
The problem was that without an a-lister they were having trouble filling the seats. That was made apparent when Glenn Close when on vacation and the really useful group lied to hide the drop in ticket sales while Karen Mason was on in her place. They also struggled to sell tickets to the first us national tour with Linda Balgord at the helm and she was a vocal powerhouse. It's ashame because these women were stunning in the role and to this day Susan remains one of my favorite Normas. She only went on a handful of times so I can only imagine what her performance would have been like if she had actually had a chance to grow into the character.
Made my day... thanks.
My email address is in my profile on here. I have the full audio of the show and I have it uploaded. I can send you the links for it if you would like. Just send me an email and I'll get it to you. Thank you again for helping to put me in contact with Susan.
Ah my dear friend... absolutely thrilling.
now these are the gems that they should be releasing on these ALW "essential" collections. The ultra rare things sitting on shelves somewhere that fans would appreciate. I remember how disappointed I was when they decided not to record this cast (and in hindsight with Hugh Jackman, I bet in hindsight they do too). This version is so much more lush than the one on New Ways to Dream. The way she nails the pinacle line and is able to recover to sing the proper notes that follow is perfection. What a gift. Thanks so much for sharing! would love to hear the other tracks
The promotional CD only had three tracks and the other two were instrumentals
Just Beautiful 🙌🏼👏🏼💜💜💜
The great Susan Dawn Carson... my dear friend of more than 4 decades and first NYC roommate. Not only was I in the audience her first night on as Norma Desmond but I also saw her incomparable performance as Fantine in Les Misérables... lucky me. Exceptional human... exceptional talent!
She was inspiring as Norma. It's unfortunate she did not get to go on more often
I tried reaching out to her on Instagram to see if she would like the full recording. We aren't friends on there though so it is quite possible she never saw the message
@@chrisjacobs7417 I emailed Susan this video link yesterday... hopefully she will see this!
@@robertamirante9025 thank you so much. She messaged me on Instagram after getting your message and I sent her the audio of the full show.
@@chrisjacobs7417 That's great... she's one of my dearest friends and favorite people in my life. Bobby A.
Where oh where did you get this??? That promo CD is the Holy Grail of Sunset collectibles!!!
I was already obsessed with the show by the start of the Australian production. I did the same thing I did to get a copy of the US tour promo when the show first started touring. I emailed a man named Tom at the really useful group relentlessly until he sent me copies. LMFAO
What I truly consider to be the holy Grail of Sunset Boulevard recordings is the bootleg of Susan Dawn Carson. She was truly amazing in the role
Did he annoyed by you? Lol
@@kaitlynrowena5463 most likely. Lol. But I got the promo CD from him both times.
i saw her as norma-she was wonderful!
Yes she was!!!
I had never been more excited to see a show before and I never left a show more disappointed. I love Stephanie, but she portrayed Norma as this weak, fragile, shell of a woman and she made bizarre acting choices. Her "As If We Never Said Goodbye" was just incredible. I wish she had a more competent director though.
I saw her as Grizabella and Fantine , what a talent 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💙💜💙
She is still one of my favorite Normas. She was absolutely captivating to see live. I got very lucky when she went on.
I can only imagine.... I saw Betty Buckley and Petula Clark as Norma and love them both. Two very different interpretations , but I can imagine Miss Carson was quite a treat 🌞💙
@@prestonnorris9822 I have literally been chasing this show around the country since I was a teenager. I loved Betty Buckley. She's still in my top five. I did not see Petula in the London production but I did see her in the national tour and I thought she was awful. I couldn't handle her attempt at an American accent. In fairness the entire scaled down production was bad, from the staircase that looked it belonged on the Titanic to speaking large chunks of the dialog that had previously been sung. However the change to the end of Too Much in Love to Care was beautiful and I thought the actor who played Max was fantastic.
Where did she play Grizabella?
I am so happy I got to see this! Stephanie was EPIC in this role. Absolutely loved what she brought to the role. And her vocals!
Breathtaking!!!
I love it, as always Stephanie brings her own twist to the role, she sounds perfectly unhinged
do you have derek klena’s sunset boulevard from this performance?
I have the full show
@@chrisjacobs7417 omg can you upload more of it or vaguely points the way to wear you find it pleaseeee I want to hear the rest of the show so badly ;;-;;
kzread.info/dash/bejne/gp-irMl9lsi1qJM.html