The understudy board on this particular day made me very happy, because not only did I finally get to see LaChanze as Sarah, but Leon Williams was on for Booker T. Washington, which I had been hoping to see as well. And they both lived up to my expectations. After seeing Monica Richards as Sarah twice, I didn't really think LaChanze could be much better, but there was just something in the way she acted the role that made Sarah seem a little more innocent or vulnerable...I'm not sure, but it worked. And Leon was great... a little young looking, maybe, but he played it wonderfully. Also new in the cast since the last time was Eric Jordan Young, who was in the Seussical reading, so it was neat to see him again as well.
The show itself was great, as usual. I had brought Anne, as it was her birthday and she hadn't seen it before, and she loved it as well. There was a new little Coalhouse, who was beyond adorable...it's my goal to someday see this show and *not* cry when he runs out on stage. And I actually started to find Sarah Brown Eyes *more* moving each time I saw it! This time I found that Act One dragged a bit again though. Though I did have fun watching Joe Locarro, who I'd just spoken with that afternoon, and he'd told me how he didn't want his daughter to come watch him in the show, because all he did was beat up people. And it's true! :-)
I waited at the stage door with Anne, but it ended up that there was a talkback that night, so everyone was late coming out, and since she had to catch a bus home, we missed most of the people. Still, it was a fun night!
"So did you ever see this show?"
A different girl in the Livent musical theatre store, as Anne bought a Pimpernel matchbox
"I'm going to call you. Really. I will."
"Why don't I believe him?"
Leon Williams, immediately after stepping out the stage door and seeing me,
and me, commenting on it to Anne. :-)
The Pictures:
Another picture of the Ford Center
A scary picture of me and LaChanze after the show :-)
The cast: (in order of appearance)
| The Little Boy | ANTHONY BLAIR HALL |
| Father | JOHN DOSSETT |
| Mother | DONNA BULLOCK |
| Mother's Younger Brother | SCOTT CAROLLO |
| Grandfather | TOM TONER |
| Coalhouse Walker Jr. | ALTON FITZGERALD WHITE |
| Sarah | LaCHANZE |
| Booker T. Washington | LEON WILIAMS |
| Tateh | JOHN RUBINSTEIN |
| The Little Girl | ELIZABETH LUNDBERG |
| Harry Houdini | JIM CORTI |
| J.P. Morgan | ERICK DEVINE |
| Henry Ford | LARRY DAGGETT |
| Emma Goldman | JUDY KAYE |
| Evelyn Nesbit | JANINE LaMANNA |
| Stanford White | KEVIN BOGUE |
| Harry K. Thaw | COLTON GREEN |
| Admiral Peary | ROD CAMPBELL |
| Matthew Henson | DUANE MARTIN FOSTER |
| Judge | ERICK DEVINE |
| Foreman | TOM TONER |
| Reporter | JEFFREY KUHN |
| Kathleen | ANN VAN CLEAVE |
| Policeman | LARRY DAGGETT |
| Doctor | TODD THURSTON |
| Child Buyer | TODD THURSTON |
| Policeman | COLTON GREEN |
| Sarah's Friend | TINA FABRIQUE |
| Trolley Conductor | GORDON STANLEY |
| Willie Conklin | DAVID MUCCI |
| Fireman | JEFFREY KUHN |
| Brigit | ANNE L. NATHAN |
| Conductor | JOE LOCARRO |
| Town Hall Bureaucrat | LARRY DAGGETT |
| 2nd Bureaucrat | ANN VAN CLEAVE |
| Clerk | JEFFREY KUHN |
| Black Lawyer | DUANE MARTIN FOSTER |
| Reporters | ROD CAMPBELL, GORDON STANLEY |
| Welfare Official | ANN VAN CLEAVE |
| Baron's Assistant | ANNE L. NATHAN |
| Gang Member | DUANE MARTIN FOSTER |
| Pas de Deux | MONICA L. RICHARDS, ERIC JORDAN YOUNG |
| Charles S. Whitman | GORDON STANLEY |
| Little Coalhouse | LANDEL THORMAN |
| Ensemble |
JAMES D. BEEKS AMY BODNAR KEVIN BOGUE SONDRA M. BONITTO ROD CAMPBELL ALBERT CHRISTMAS DONNA DUNMIRE DUANE MARTIN FOSTER PATTY GOBLE SEAN GRANT COLTON GREEN JEFF HAIRSTON PAUL HARMAN ROSENA M. HILL ADAM HUNTER KIMERBLEY JaJUAN JEFFREY KUHN JOE LOCARRO RUSTY MOWERY ANNE L. NATHAN PANCHALI NULL MIMI QUILLIN ZOIE QUINDE MONICA L. RICHARDS GORDON STANLEY ANN VAN CLEAVE LEON WILLIAMS LAURIE WILLIAMSON ERIC JORDAN YOUNG |