Monday, May 7

[Bookman George]

Last evening, Connie (Hester Jean) and I were both at an Audra McDonald Concert at the University of Missouri St. Louis theater. What a fabulous evening! She was perfectly relaxed and spontaneous on stage, interacting with the audience, telling funny, or touching stories, explaining the background of the songs she performed. After her first song -- from Fiorello! -- all the lights on the stage, and most of them in the house, went out. They came back on in less than a minute, but she, the band and the whole audience were laughing, and she reacted like the true professional she is.  She performed a mixture of very well known songs --"Summertime" and "I Could Have Danced All Night," in which she invited all of us to sing along -- and some that I did not know at all, from composers whose first shows have not yet appeared on Broadway. Funny, touching, inspirational. She sang three Sondheim songs -- the movie version of "The Glamourous Life," "Being Alive," and "Children will Listen," cleverly interwoven with "Carefully Taught." And "Over the Rainbow" for her encore. A perfect, unforgettable evening.

[DiveMilw]

Sounds like a lovely evening, George!  I hope that someday I can see Audra McDonald perform.