oh wow oh wow oh wow. Saw this 3 times back in 71. Can't beat the original cast and what a cast! Alexis Smith surprised us all. I'm jumping up and down watching this!
I saw a production of "Follies" at the Boston Conservatory Theatre in my teens, and this was my favorite number. Too bad my favorite part of it, the spoken part, was left off the original cast album, along with "Loveland." Alexis Smith really made this song come alive. Wish I'd seen the original show, which was playing on Broadway when I was a kid. I vividly remember its promotional poster of a cracked bust (made by the artist of the "Godspell" poster). Thanks for bringing this musical back to life!
THANK YOU. To me, this is the show, and not because it's the original, really. The new version is amateur-night, in terms of choreography and staging, compared to this, because Bennett and Prince knew how a STAR should move. It also doesn't hurt, that Smith has a class and voltage no one can touch.
I'm in heaven!! Never thought I'd get to see the fabulous Alexis Smith in Follies again. Having seen it twice at the Winter Garden in 1971 with the original cast, it was then and still is my most memorable musical theater experience. What a show. And this was without doubt, the hottest number in it.
This is awesome! I saw the show but only once, and I was 13 at the time. I remember the Winter Garden and waiting to see Yvonne DeCarlo because I was a kid and a Munsters fan. I feel so lucky to have seen this great original cast!!
When I was a kid I went with my mother to see this show. She was a fan of Alexis Smith. Seeing this video makes me appreciate what a talent she was, , ,amazing choreography.
I just saw Follies for the first time and loved it, but this number far surpasses what played at the Ahmanson this season. Alexis slayed in this number. Wow! Thank you for posting that.
@Merkin4pres64 I agree. What made this choreography so unique and fantastic was that the dozen or more dancers never turned and faced the audience. The focus was entirely on Alexis and she was dazzling. You'll notice none of the other clips of this number in various revivals duplicate Michael Bennett's genius.
the dancers representing the past faced upstage, Also I think in the "past" they would have been all men but the actual group of dancers included women.
Thank you!!! Fantastic job of synching and thanks for the early generation video. I've never seen it looking so great. Now if they'd just give Jan Maxwell such great choreography.
what a wonderful record of a lost treasure. I have been reading Ted Chapin's book about Follies which documents the multiple attempts to get the dress for this number right. They really nailed it (and what legs!).
I went to Boston to see the show on early 1971, and it blew me away. Saw it again on one of the three "opening nights" and thanks to Hal Prince had a standing room ticket for the final performance on July 1,1972. The audience went wild and the show probably ran an extra half hour. No revival can match the original, although the Encores production came pretty close; Donna Murphy and Victoria Clark were amazing.
@@fledee I do not, naturally. But the show ran from April'71 to June '72. Given that Alexis SMith was born in June, '21... simple math shows she was between 49 years and 10 months and 52 years. I mean...
And wouldn't you have loved to be there when they played a joke on her and created a god-awful hideous dress and told her that's what she would be wearing for her big number? Trouper that she was, she went along with it and put it on. Love her!!!
@jjarndyce I 1000% agree. Jan Maxwell just looks awkward when she dances. I actually prefer Juliet Prowse. There was more movement in the LA revival. The original isn't my favorite (which is weird cuz i idolize Michael Bennett) but it sure is a hell of a lot better than the revival that is playing right now.
@@TheMrchuck2000 I just wish they’d have given her choreography that worked with her strengths and flattered what she *could* do, as opposed to highlighting her shortcomings. She was still a wonderful Phyllis. And fabulous overall. She is missed to be sure.
oh wow oh wow oh wow. Saw this 3 times back in 71. Can't beat the original cast and what a cast! Alexis Smith surprised us all. I'm jumping up and down watching this!
This is absolutely the best version of this song. That choreography !
I saw a production of "Follies" at the Boston Conservatory Theatre in my teens, and this was my favorite number. Too bad my favorite part of it, the spoken part, was left off the original cast album, along with "Loveland." Alexis Smith really made this song come alive. Wish I'd seen the original show, which was playing on Broadway when I was a kid. I vividly remember its promotional poster of a cracked bust (made by the artist of the "Godspell" poster). Thanks for bringing this musical back to life!
THANK YOU. To me, this is the show, and not because it's the original, really. The new version is amateur-night, in terms of choreography and staging, compared to this, because Bennett and Prince knew how a STAR should move. It also doesn't hurt, that Smith has a class and voltage no one can touch.
I'm in heaven!! Never thought I'd get to see the fabulous Alexis Smith in Follies again. Having seen it twice at the Winter Garden in 1971 with the original cast, it was then and still is my most memorable musical theater experience. What a show. And this was without doubt, the hottest number in it.
I'm pretty sure if there is a heaven, it's just a theater where we watch Alexis Smith perform this number over and over again.
My heaven would be the ability to see the original productions of all of Sondheims musicals
This is awesome! I saw the show but only once, and I was 13 at the time. I remember the Winter Garden and waiting to see Yvonne DeCarlo because I was a kid and a Munsters fan. I feel so lucky to have seen this great original cast!!
I am in tears because I was really there! How I loved this show. BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT! A million thanks for posting.
WOW! What a treasure to see this (again, after fifty years)! Thank you!
I WILL NEVER TIRE OF SEEING THIS. ALEXIS. HEAVEN.
No wonder she won the Tony Award.
When I was a kid I went with my mother to see this show. She was a fan of Alexis Smith. Seeing this video makes me appreciate what a talent she was, , ,amazing choreography.
I just saw Follies for the first time and loved it, but this number far surpasses what played at the Ahmanson this season. Alexis slayed in this number. Wow! Thank you for posting that.
@Merkin4pres64 I agree. What made this choreography so unique and fantastic was that the dozen or more dancers never turned and faced the audience. The focus was entirely on Alexis and she was dazzling. You'll notice none of the other clips of this number in various revivals duplicate Michael Bennett's genius.
the dancers representing the past faced upstage, Also I think in the "past" they would have been all men but the actual group of dancers included women.
Thank you!!! Fantastic job of synching and thanks for the early generation video. I've never seen it looking so great. Now if they'd just give Jan Maxwell such great choreography.
Alexis Smith burned that stage up in 1972. I know because I was there.
Alexis was GREAT saw her do the show twice
this is freakin awesome!! Go Alexis Go!
WATCHING ALEXIS SMITH DO THIS NUMBER MAKES YOU WONDER WHY WARNERS NEVER USED HER MUSICAL TALENTS BACK IN THE FORTIES>>>>
what a wonderful record of a lost treasure. I have been reading Ted Chapin's book about Follies which documents the multiple attempts to get the dress for this number right. They really nailed it (and what legs!).
My favorite Sondheim show.
me too
Wow, wow, WOW! Thanks so much for posting!
I’m very grateful for these clips. I just missed seeing it by a couple weeks. It closed just before I got to NYC.
Alexis Smith was 49 at the time of this video.
And somewhat semi-retired from movies...This show singlehandedly revived her acting career
49? And still ambulatory? Incredible.
49 was far from being old.
Perfection
Amazing. She sure deserved her Tony.
Phillip Pacheco
Amazing for a “failed” BW musical!
Alexis is perfect.
I went to Boston to see the show on early 1971, and it blew me away. Saw it again on one of the three "opening nights" and thanks to Hal Prince had a standing room ticket for the final performance on July 1,1972. The audience went wild and the show probably ran an extra half hour. No revival can match the original, although the Encores production came pretty close; Donna Murphy and Victoria Clark were amazing.
She got one line wrong, but I love her!!
She was 51 during that performance...
How do you know which performance this is?
@@fledee I do not, naturally. But the show ran from April'71 to June '72. Given that Alexis SMith was born in June, '21... simple math shows she was between 49 years and 10 months and 52 years.
I mean...
And wouldn't you have loved to be there when they played a joke on her and created a god-awful hideous dress and told her that's what she would be wearing for her big number? Trouper that she was, she went along with it and put it on. Love her!!!
God yes.
Nuff said 😍
Dam for 62 years old Alexis is dam fine!!!!!
Amen.
Where did you find this?? Thanks so much!
@llcooljay1887 Juliet Prowse....Lord she was divine!
Directors have a sickness of needing to do things their own way.
@jjarndyce I 1000% agree. Jan Maxwell just looks awkward when she dances. I actually prefer Juliet Prowse. There was more movement in the LA revival. The original isn't my favorite (which is weird cuz i idolize Michael Bennett) but it sure is a hell of a lot better than the revival that is playing right now.
Correct! I loved Jan Maxwell, and she put all she had into this number... A total trouper. But a dancer? She just isn't.
@@TheMrchuck2000 I just wish they’d have given her choreography that worked with her strengths and flattered what she *could* do, as opposed to highlighting her shortcomings. She was still a wonderful Phyllis. And fabulous overall. She is missed to be sure.
PS What MikeyG said.
@ah123abc No shame at all. Michael Bennet was a genius. But who could afford to stage it?
My belief is this song always sounds like the singer is screwing up the lyrics even when they’re not : (
I guess growing up on Gilbert and Sullivan I am used to fast patter lyrics