Audra McDonald performed the Billie Holdiay Play ' Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill", one of Billie's last performance as imagined by writer Lanie Robertson. Audra won for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for her role as Billie Holiday in "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill" at the 68th annual Tony Awards. This gives McDonald more Tony Awards than veteran Broadway stars Angela Lansbury and Julie Harris, who have five apiece, and has won in all four major female acting categories -- as Best Lead Actress and Best Featured Actress in both plays and musicals. Applause Applause, Audra for a great job.
I listened for a brief second to a couple of her renditions of two of Billie's songs, namely 'Strange Fruit' and 'When a woman loves a man', and it only took that brief second to see that Audra did listen to Billie. I don't know how long she listened to Billie, (she is an actor you know), but she listened enough for me to commend her performance in her mannerism, and her articulation of Strange Fruit. As an actor, it is her job to give the best performance that she could muster based upon what she feels she can realistically give.. without seeming so fake... I could tell that she had studied and she was trying very hard to give us Billie. I could tell that she practiced the songs well enough to beat out other major actors/ singers in the same play, i.e. Ertha Kitt, and Ernestine Jackson and Lonnet McKee to name a few. For the audiences who viewed her it was probably the best live musical performance of Billie's Music that they have seen thus far. So I have to give it to Audra, you did listen to Billie.
She had that blank look in her eyes, as she stared out into the audience presumbably to look ' high' as she felt in character with Billie. Her appearance is flawless, her pose reminded me of Billie. Congratulations Audra for a job well done. You are very popular , and I didn't know you had it in you.
The Soul of Billie is more than looks, mannerism and the like, it is the heart of the music, your understanding of it, that is what comes across to the audience. There are many audiences you know. Audiences that understand the music, who have been there; done that, through their own experiences, then you have musical audiences, real jazz people who hold their breath with every syllable, and you have the musicians who are an audience themselves and they really know what is really going on with the music. Then you have the critics who respond to the audience either complimentary or in direct opposition to them. Thanks for really trying Audra.
Now this chick, Madeline Peyroux probably listened to Billie morning, noon and night to try to copy her voice. Madeline is good with good musicians, but I say shame on you for advertising your April show at Dupage College with the following script, "if you like the smooth jazz sounds of Billie Holiday, give Madeleine Peyroux a try. . In a sense I felt like she was putting herself on equal grounds with Billie Holiday, which no human can do. Instead of giving tribute to Billie in her birthday month, she wants to compare herself with Billie. Shame on you Madeline, no one can do that. How disrespectful of you. It takes more than a sound alike voice and a nasal sound to cop Billie. I commend you on your musicianship, but not to honor her by try to bring attention to yourself? Well you people been doing that all the time. Nuff said.
Back on the ranch...we have a young lady who has been told she sounds like Billie and she does gives Billie some props with her acknowledgement of Billie being the first Negro Protest Singer. Her show is very entertaining , with dancers, taps, Louie and all. That's Entertainment. The great music of Billie Holiday stands alone. Nuff said.
Dee Dee Brigewater I love you.
Signing out , Nancy Ridley Hughes, aka The Real B.H.T.C.
I listened for a brief second to a couple of her renditions of two of Billie's songs, namely 'Strange Fruit' and 'When a woman loves a man', and it only took that brief second to see that Audra did listen to Billie. I don't know how long she listened to Billie, (she is an actor you know), but she listened enough for me to commend her performance in her mannerism, and her articulation of Strange Fruit. As an actor, it is her job to give the best performance that she could muster based upon what she feels she can realistically give.. without seeming so fake... I could tell that she had studied and she was trying very hard to give us Billie. I could tell that she practiced the songs well enough to beat out other major actors/ singers in the same play, i.e. Ertha Kitt, and Ernestine Jackson and Lonnet McKee to name a few. For the audiences who viewed her it was probably the best live musical performance of Billie's Music that they have seen thus far. So I have to give it to Audra, you did listen to Billie.
She had that blank look in her eyes, as she stared out into the audience presumbably to look ' high' as she felt in character with Billie. Her appearance is flawless, her pose reminded me of Billie. Congratulations Audra for a job well done. You are very popular , and I didn't know you had it in you.
The Soul of Billie is more than looks, mannerism and the like, it is the heart of the music, your understanding of it, that is what comes across to the audience. There are many audiences you know. Audiences that understand the music, who have been there; done that, through their own experiences, then you have musical audiences, real jazz people who hold their breath with every syllable, and you have the musicians who are an audience themselves and they really know what is really going on with the music. Then you have the critics who respond to the audience either complimentary or in direct opposition to them. Thanks for really trying Audra.
Now this chick, Madeline Peyroux probably listened to Billie morning, noon and night to try to copy her voice. Madeline is good with good musicians, but I say shame on you for advertising your April show at Dupage College with the following script, "if you like the smooth jazz sounds of Billie Holiday, give Madeleine Peyroux a try. . In a sense I felt like she was putting herself on equal grounds with Billie Holiday, which no human can do. Instead of giving tribute to Billie in her birthday month, she wants to compare herself with Billie. Shame on you Madeline, no one can do that. How disrespectful of you. It takes more than a sound alike voice and a nasal sound to cop Billie. I commend you on your musicianship, but not to honor her by try to bring attention to yourself? Well you people been doing that all the time. Nuff said.
Back on the ranch...we have a young lady who has been told she sounds like Billie and she does gives Billie some props with her acknowledgement of Billie being the first Negro Protest Singer. Her show is very entertaining , with dancers, taps, Louie and all. That's Entertainment. The great music of Billie Holiday stands alone. Nuff said.
Dee Dee Brigewater I love you.
Signing out , Nancy Ridley Hughes, aka The Real B.H.T.C.
