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"Souvenir", Broadway Play about Florence Foster Jenkins.

posted 9 years ago by mark.waltz
8 replies | jump to latest

Judy Kaye won a Tony Nomination for her performance as Florence Foster Jenkins, rehearsing for the infamous Carnegie Hall concert. One of the best singers on the stage, Kaye altered her voice to sing off key and was simultaneously heartbreaking and hysterical. When she breaks into "Ave Maria" singing how she thought she sounded, I thought I was going to flood the theater that this played in with my tears.

"Great theater makes you smile. Outstanding theater may make you weep."

[–] misspaddylee 9 years ago

That sounds glorious. Judy Kaye is an artist.

"Ain't it funny how coffee never tastes as good as it smells?"

[–] missspacecase 9 years ago

She truly is talented. It takes a great deal of talent to sing that badly on purpose.

[–] ExitSouth 9 years ago

I saw it twice. It was hysterical And at the end... When she sings in her real voice .... I was crying too .... Out of joy. I hope they bring it back one day. Maybe when Christian Chenowith (sp) is older. She'd be great! I hope the movie does "Souvenir" justice. It would be hard to top. One of my favorite theatre experiences!

[–] BrainGirl78 9 years ago

It sounded as though you had a fabulous experience. Where/when was this?

[–] brockmeeks 9 years ago

It was done on Broadway about 10 years ago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souvenir_%28play%29

[–] mark.waltz 9 years ago

This was one of those little plays "that did". It started off Broadway at the York Theater and got so much attention that a Broadway run was planned. While the play as a whole is rather small (two characters, the piano accompanist providing a narration), it had quite a following, and while not a sell-out, garnered a lot of favorable press which made it "necessary theater going" that Tony season. I'm looking forward to seeing what Meryl can do with it, although I would have loved to have seen "Souvenir" filmed for PBS.

"Great theater makes you smile. Outstanding theater may make you weep."

[–] MuchToBeGratefulFor 9 years ago

My local professional theater put on "Souvenir" last year and my friends and I all enjoyed it. We liked it better than the movie. Both actors did a great job with their roles. It takes a great singer to sing so badly (until of course the final scene where we get to hear how Florence sounds to herself.)

You must be the change you seek in the world. -- Gandhi

[–] Heymjo 9 years ago

I wholeheartedly agree. I saw "Souvenir" on Broadway and again in a regional theatre production and thought it was far superior. The play managed to do with 2 characters what this movie couldn't do with many. Judy Kaye was sensation; Streep merely adequate. I felt her character, along with Cosme, especially as played by Streep and Helberg, we're caricatures. There was no sense they were real people as they were in Souvenir. Wish someone would revive the play.