Both Ben Vereen and William Katt starred in tv shows created by the late great Stephen J. Cannell. Ben was in Tenspeed and Brownshoe (1980) and Katt was in Greatest American Hero (1981).
I worked at the Cadillac Palace theater during the previews for Aida while in Chicago before going to Broadway. This has to be one of my favorite musicals. Only because I got to watch it every single night that I worked the show.
Saw this in August 2001, had no idea what to expect. The entire cast (Adam, Heather, and all the rest of the amazing singers) blew me away. Was a life altering show for me.
There is greatness, and then there is Leslie Uggams singing If He Walked Into My Life. I was lucky enough to meet her once and I got her to sign the sheet music to this song.
For exercise I usually do a dance warm up, then something that Fosse choreographed, then stretch and sometimes do a second Fosse dance to a soundtrack of one of the shows he composed. This is why at age 44, with a torn labrum in my left hip I could still put one foot up on my doctors exam table, above my waist, while I had the other on the floor. I did that to show him that I thought I could do PT instead of surgery.
She starts slowly, takes her time and then builds it up till a climactic and dramatic end! What a stunning performance. We now know that this was probably one of the last (if not, the last) public performance by this gifted and wonderful performer. We also know how much this song meant to her both professionally and personally. She "lived" the song. Thats what made this performance so absolutely remarkable and amazing, and despite her ill health at that time. So much respect for her!
I was bullied pretty bad in middle school. It was rough. I was a theatre and chorus kid, but for the life of me, I can't remember how I found out about this musical. But this was the song that stuck out to me. I used to write the lyrics in my notebooks as a reminder to not allow the assholes to get me down. Sweeney himself as the original Albain was the icing on the cake for fourteen year old me. I've recently fallen back in love with this musical as an adult and found myself still getting emotional over George's performance here. Life truly isn't worth a damn, until you can proudly proclaim you are what you are, without fear. I promised myself I would never let someone make me feel inferior without my consent again. I'm still trying, after ten plus years, but I'm slowly rebuilding that self esteem.
This is one of or the best performances that i have ever seen. I come back every once in awhile just to be Blessed and serenaded with Heather's beautiful voice. This voice is anointed! I wish that I could have seen her perform live on Broadway. Sooo beautiful! 💜
About 20 years ago I saw Gladys Knight in Vegas she shared with the audience how Sammy had schooled her and the Pips when they opened for him as a tribute she sang Bojangles while her brother Bubba in Fred Astaire attire did a slow beautiful tap dance under a blue light it was exquisite and yes I cried
An amazing song sung by an amazing songstress you wanna talk about not a dry eye in the house when Leslie sings this song she made Jerry Herman (the songwriter) cry when she sang this song at a tribute given for him
First time I ever saw this show in its entirety was at the Red Barn in Key West, circa1980. Tom Murtha, Joy Hawkins, John Wells and Mimi McDonald! All neighbors of mine, in the theater commune. Great days.
I don’t know if Jerry Herman or George Hearn ever realized this , but this message also has its roots in Christianity. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church in AD 55 “by the grace of God, I am what I am”. As a child of God, and a Christian first; and a homosexual second, this wonderful song is my own personal anthem - and I thank God for Jerry Herman , and for whoever has preserved this brilliant one-of-a-kind vocal performance by George Hearn.
Beautifully written! I am also Christian and pansexual, and this song means the world to me. The lyrics are gorgeous! I was reading them to my father--who is anti-LGBTQ+--and I cried. I hope that it opens up the path of understanding between my Dad and I.♥
Things were so different then. It captures the way Broadway was at that time. It was a extraordinary period of time when it was at its high point. Ben Vereen is a national treasure.
