A TALL ACHIEVEMENT
Seeing Tommy Tune on CBS reminded me of one of my Broadway obsessions. I saw GRAND HOTEL 4x in New York and to this day I regard it as the greatest directorial achievement I have witnessed among several hundred Broadway productions.
This Wright & Forrest score, with huge contributions from Maury Yeston, proved to be mesmerizing, but it was the staging by director/choreographer Tommy Tune that was the real star at the MARTIN BECK THEATRE (today it is the AL HIRSCHFELD).
Impressive performances by David Carroll, Michael Jeter, Brent Barrett, Liliane Montevecchi, Karen Akers and Jane Krakowski glistened on that stage. An unfortunate casualty during the show’s three year run was Mr. Carroll, who died of AIDS, and was succeeded by Mr. Barrett ( later, Rex Smith). The sterling ensemble radiated professionalism.
So many rich memories surround this production. I doubt that another could ever penetrate this bubble for me.
Looking Back Is Looking Forward…Snapshots of People, Performances et cetera (etc.) about the Way We Were
