Unless you are a theater nerd (guilty) or above a "certain age" (ahem, also guilty), you may not know that before they were global mega-stars, Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett were Broadway babies—shuffling off their tired feet toward leading roles that eventually made them household names. And along their paths toward stardom, before a TV series (for Burnett) and before Mary Poppins (for Andrews), they stopped off at Carnegie Hall in 1962 for a legendary concert and TV broadcast.
The pairing (and the resulting friendship) proved so successful that Andrews and Burnett did it twice more (in '71 and '89) and created an act that is / was, well... too hard to follow, maybe? Maybe not. Because here comes Sutton Foster and Kelli O'Hara, certified Broadway babes if ever there were, channeling the spirit of Andrews' and Burnett's iconic concerts for an enthusiastic audience at Ravinia's CSO Women's Board gala Sunday night. Joined by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Marin Alsop, Foster and O'Hara's powerhouse pairing showed that they were more than ready to step into those formidable shoes with grace, wit and vocal fireworks that earned more than one standing ovation.
The evening began with a winking overture from Girl Crazy (get it? two "girls" on stage) and then a medley of songs in a similar vein: "Forget about the Boy" (from Foster's Thoroughly Modern Millie), "Real Live Girl" from Little Me, and so on.
Foster and O'Hara's onstage chemistry mirrors Burnett and Andrews more than a little. O'Hara, like Andrews, has achieved fame thanks to a crystalline soprano not out of place at the Metropolitan Opera (where she has, in fact, performed several times). And Foster, like Burnett, is a charismatic comedienne with a powerful belt and an electric connection with the audience.
So, part of the evening's fun was when they traded roles, with O'Hara delivering a comic turn in "They Don't Let You in the Opera (If You're a Country Star)," a cheeky genre-bending number that showcased her underused comic talent. And Foster showed her sensitive side by performing a lovely, plaintive rendition of Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You." There was also plenty of opportunity for each singer to do what they are best known for: O'Hara hit plenty of high notes in Sondheim's early work "What More Do I Need" and Foster tapped up a storm with her indelible version of "Anything Goes"—a performance that earned her a second Tony Award.
But the most fun, the best part, was when the two performed together, in the "Big D" duet from The Most Happy Fella (another homage to Burnett and Andrews' first concert), in the custom-written number "How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall," and, above all, in what was billed as a "9-minute '90s Medley"... with nods to Mariah... to TLC... to Wilson Philips... to Nirvana? (You haven't lived until you've heard Kelli O'Hara rock out to "Teen Spirit.") And to cap it all, a deeply soulful duet of Dylan's "Make You Feel My Love."
If Andrews and Burnett once seemed too hard to follow, at Ravinia last Sunday night, Foster and O’Hara proved they’re more than up to the task. And on a beautiful summer evening, they celebrated friendship, artistry, and the enduring joy of live theater. Ravinia’s season continues with more stars to come (Cynthia Erivo arrives in August). Tickets are available at www.ravinia.org.
All photos courtesy of Ravinia Festival/Patrick Gipson.
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