August 8 2017 RIP

[Gordonb]

I think we've all been expecting it, but how terribly sad to hear the news of the death of Barbara Cook. 

Such wonderful memories of a singular talent. 

[Vera Charles]

Agreed, Gordon. 
I'm going to spending the evening revisiting her finer moments (which, let's face it they all were!).

[Gordonb]

Agreed, Gordon.  
I'm going to spending the evening revisiting her finer moments (which, let's face it they all were!).

So you're in for a long evening then  .

[AmyG]

I was just coming here to express my sadness as well. What an amazing artist and while I did not ever meet her, I can tell she must have been a really nice person. This is very sad, indeed. I hope, and I'm sure, they will dim the lights on Broadway in her honor.

[Gordonb]

I was just coming here to express my sadness as well. What an amazing artist and while I did not ever meet her, I can tell she must have been a really nice person. This is very sad, indeed. I hope, and I'm sure, they will dim the lights on Broadway in her honor.

I did meet her in, I think, 2001 after the Carnegie Hall "Mostly Sondheim" show. I'm sure I have told this story before but let's hear it again . Through the old FTC board I met Steph and David Dyer from Clayton GA, who were going to the concert with Steph's parents - her mother was an old school-friend of Barbara and I think that she may have been Steph's god-mother (although I may have made that), but in any event they were close family friends. They arranged for us all to go backstage to join the queue of admirers in her dressing room and Steph explained to Barbara that I had come from London for the show ( I was unable to speak other than to mumble something along the lines of  "it's a thrill to meet you ..."). Long story short there were shrieks of delight, hugs and kisses all round and eventually we went back to the parent's somewhat ritzy hotel suite where I proceeded to get totally drunk.

So @AmyG I can confirm that, from my very limited experience, she was "a really nice person"!

[Chris L]

@AmyG and I were fortunate enough to see her in concert at UCLA a few years ago in a relatively intimate theater space. She was already in her 80s, but still at the top of her game. It's starting to seem like 89 is almost too young to die. Sondheim is 87 and I don't wake up every day terrified that I'll see his obituary, though it has to happen inevitably.