Yes! Just saw this in NYC, and tears were streaming down her face as she sang. It was the most beautiful rendition. The original production owns Suddenly Seymour, but Joy Woods made this song her own!
The adoration with which Alan looks at her is SO deserved - WHAT A STAR. As a theatre teacher I will be showing this performance to my students for ages to come as a masterclass in how to act a song!!!
THATS HOW YOU DO IT!!!! Not only has she made this song her own but she got to the true core of this song. It’s not just a cute wanting song, it truly is heartbreaking because Audrey doesn’t only think she can’t obtain this dream but she doesn’t believe she deserves it and Joy PERFECTLY displays that. It shows the hurt behind Audreys quirkiness. THANK YOU
Ellen Green will forever haunt this song. And I’ve seen any number of great performers try to pull off this role - and song - but somehow still not be able to escape Ellen Green’s indelible imprint. But I think Joy Woods has done it here. Really simple, uncomplicated, specific, honest, and just plain beautiful. First person outside of Ellen Green who made me weep at the end. Wow.
Joy embodies Audrey perfectly; she's caught up in the wonder of her fantasy, then realises it is just that - a fantasy. You can feel every emotion through the screen. The excitement, the hopefulness, the despair and the vulnerability. She captures everything that makes Audrey the captivating character that Audrey is,
Joy Woods is stunning and incomparable as Audrey. She is perfection the entire show. RUN to see her in the Shop! I'm so glad I did, and I'm dying to go back 💚
She’s the best since Ellen Greene. I said it. Her innocence and youthful spirit are so refreshing with a character that’s usually played super rough around the edges. I love it.
This made me cry. Actors of color finally getting a chance to play all kinds of roles. Quirky, neurotic, witty … thrilling to see. It wasn’t always that way and to see this is so gratifying. And what a beautiful performance! This expansive vision makes for better plays and musicals. Better theatre! BRAVO!✌🏾💛👏🏾
To have a genius like Alan Menkin this enraptured with her singing is beyond. I saw Joy and Jeremy this past week and it was absolute perfection. Run to see this cast.
She takes such a silly little song that’s half one liners and made it such an entire lovely little world. By far my favorite rendition I’ve ever heard.
@@nathanfogg5918 me oh my you took that personally. I wasn’t saying it’s a bad song or poorly written. Silly little song in that it’s a funny song. And most renditions you come across are played quite silly. I agreed it’s a great tune. No need to be bitter online.
@@nathanfogg5918 Um, maybe YOU didn't get it? Half of it is satire of the 1950's version of the American Dream. It is an important song, but don't forget that it's not a fully serious song either.
Absolutely stunning performance on top of her vocals here: She cried two lines of tears exactly at "better home," which is the summary phrase of the entire song. The tears reveal to us that Audrey knows she's only day-dreaming. That the sweet, manicured middle-class suburban life will never come true for her. While Greene's version brilliantly tows the line between campy and dark, this one solidly sits in the realism realm, which I believe is closer to Howard Ashman's original vision given his other I Want songs. Heartbreaking performance, devinely executed.
I'll sing Joy Woods praises as much as anyone else, but it should be noted how much passion Alan Menkens puts into the piano on Somewhere That's Green. Every time I hear him play it, I can tell he's playing it for Howard Ashman.
I'm obsessed with this interpretation. I've had it on loop all week. Perfect vocal technique aside, Joy has filled this performance with such incredible complexity. It's vulnerable, innocent, hopeful, oozing with pain, and above all sincere.
Alan Menken can play anything from his huge compositional output at any time. He is purely following her and is rarely looking down. That is phenomenal. He is a modern day Mozart.
has to be one of the most sincere musical theatre performers of the last 20-25 years. none of the put-on generalized sentimentality bullshit that constitutes 98% of acting through song, so refreshing.
Just saw her tonight for the second time. Tears streaming down her face while she sang this. I cannot get over how she has completely reinterpreted this role, and this song in particular, and made it her own. What a talent!
In answer to Mr. Menken's question, no, she could not be any more adorable. I was so blessed to see her in the show a few weeks ago and she captured my heart from the very first moment. Her interpretation of the role was fresh and new and absolutely true to the character. Loved, loved, LOVED her (and the entire company) so much!
We had tickets for last week.. saw her.. and loved the show so much.. we saw it again two days later.. fantastic!!!! RUN.. don't walk to see this show.. and Matt Boyle is great too!!!
So excited to see her this summer. It seriously warms my heart to see this show getting so much love and care after all of these years. Not a half-baked, mediocre revival but a true labor of love to retell the original story in such a beautiful way. You can see it on Alan's face - she did the role and the song such perfect justice.
Joy is the personification of magic, what a gift she is to the industry, little shop, future artists of colour and to the bloody world! Absolutely obsessed
What makes Joy and Ellen so good in this role is that they play it so real that you believe what they are singing about. This is the first time I’ve seen and heard Joy and she’s incredible. Her acting is perfect and her voice is lovely as lovely could be. Comparing Joy and Ellen in my opinion is wrong. Both were perfect for the role and each actress brings a special uniqueness to Audrey.
Joy Woods, I’m such a fan!! I went to see you two times and still couldn’t get enough of your amazing performance. Beautiful voice and phenomenal acting, truly my favorite Audrey! ❤️
Alan Menken is an inspiration!!! Love his music! And Joy made me tear up singing! I’d love to see her on Broadway!!!! She put her heart into this! A true actress!!!
I see Little Shop in a week and I am so excited to see her live, she sounds absolutely amazing here! I saw Lena Hall in December, and she was phenomenal, and I know Joy will be great too!!
She's got amazing pipes. And an unique point of view that is refreshing. She made Audrey her own. And I gotta figure out how to fly to New York to see the show!
One of the best if not THE best version I've ever seen. That song is heartbreaking when it is done well, but it needs to be so full of hope--while knowing it will never happen and you're life will never be one you're hoping for. People always just play her dumb and sexy. This girl played her sweet and trusting and tragic, which was SPOT ON.
Best rendition of this song I've ever heard! Her ability to capture so many different emotions and bring us on an emotional journey is really special! Her voice is absolutely incredible, but her emotional range and depth set her apart from many of her counterparts!
