The winner of a record-breaking six Tony Awards as well as two Grammy awards and an Emmy, Audra McDonald performs a repertoire of classic Broadway songs, including “I Am What I Am,” “Summertime,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” and many more.
♪♪ -Next on "Great Performances"... -♪ I am gorgeous ♪ -...six-time Tony Award winner and two-time Grammy Award winner Audra McDonald dazzles audiences at the London Palladium.
-♪ Summertime ♪ ♪ And the livin' is easy ♪ ♪ Fish are jumpin' ♪ ♪ And the cotton is high ♪ -Star of stage and screen, Audra McDonald performs songs from her iconic roles and selections from renowned composers.
-♪ So count your sheep ♪ ♪ Mama's singing you to sleep ♪ ♪ With a moonshine lullaby ♪ -Get up close and personal as McDonald shares why these songs are so special to her.
-Be who you are.
Be proud of who you are.
Be loud about who you are.
♪ I am ♪ ♪ What I am ♪ -Accompanied by the London Musical Theatre Orchestra, conducted by Andy Einhorn, Audra McDonald at the London Palladium is next.
[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ Major funding for "Great Performances" is provided by... ...and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.
Thank you.
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -I am what I am.
[ Indistinct conversations ] Be who you are.
Be proud of who you are.
Be loud about who you are.
And never apologize for who you are.
[ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continues ] ♪♪ [ Chuckles ] Thank you.
Thank you.
♪♪ ♪ I am what I am ♪ ♪ I am my own ♪ ♪ Special creation ♪ ♪ So come take a look ♪ ♪ Give me the hook ♪ ♪ Or the ovation ♪ ♪ It's my world ♪ ♪ That I want to have a little pride in ♪ ♪ My world ♪ ♪ And it's not a place I have to hide in ♪ ♪ Life's not worth a damn ♪ ♪ Till you can say ♪ ♪ "Hey, world, I am what I am" ♪ ♪ I am what I am ♪ ♪ I don't want praise ♪ ♪ I don't want pity ♪ ♪ I bang my own drum ♪ ♪ Some think it's noise ♪ ♪ I think it's pretty ♪ ♪ And so what if I love each feather and each bangle?
♪ ♪ Why not try to see things from a different angle?
♪ ♪ Your life is a sham ♪ ♪ Till you can shout out loud ♪ ♪ "I am what I am" ♪ ♪ I am what I am ♪ ♪ And what I am needs no excuses ♪ ♪ I deal my own deck ♪ ♪ Sometimes the ace ♪ ♪ Sometimes the deuces ♪ ♪ It's one life ♪ ♪ And there's no return and no deposit ♪ ♪ One life, so it's time to open up your closet ♪ ♪ Life's not worth a damn ♪ ♪ Till you can say ♪ ♪ "Hey, world ♪ ♪ I am ♪ ♪ What ♪ ♪ I a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-m" ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Good night.
Thank you all so much.
Thank you.
Hello, London.
How's everybody?
Thank you.
I'm -- I'm so excited to be here, to be here at the Palladium.
I'm standing on the stage where Judy Garland once stood.
Are you kidding me?
I mean, a lot of other people, too, but Judy Garland.
Oh, my God.
No, I'm so thrilled to be here and to be here with the London Musical Theatre Orchestra and my incredible music director, Mr. Andy Einhorn.
[ Cheers and applause ] And to be singing some of my favorite songs and maybe some of your favorite songs.
That first song, "I Am What I Am," written by Jerry Herman from the musical "La Cage aux Folles."
And I love what that song says.
It says, be who you are.
Be proud of who you are.
Be loud about who you are.
And never apologize for who you are.
So that's why I sang that song for all of us.
[ Applause ] [ "Gorgeous" plays ] ♪♪ ♪ Look at me ♪ ♪ I am gorgeous ♪ ♪ I am absolutely gorgeous ♪ ♪ Here this avalanche of beauty in one woman and I'm it ♪ ♪ Look at the way all of the parts fit together ♪ ♪ Stunning ♪ ♪ See the way my nose stopped running ♪ ♪ I was positive this creature was there inside the old me ♪ ♪ All bottled up waiting to be free ♪ ♪ Now I see the real me ♪ Look at this, look at that, look at those.
♪ Let me just feel me ♪ ♪ Beautiful, glamorous, radiant, ravishing ♪ ♪ Look at the hair, look at the face ♪ ♪ Look everywhere ♪ ♪ I am such a divine me ♪ ♪ Every studio will sign me ♪ ♪ My cup runneth over ♪ ♪ Whoever saw such a complete wow ♪ ♪ Nobody can say no to me now ♪ ♪ No one ♪ ♪ Is as ♪ ♪ Gorgeous ♪ ♪ As I ♪ ♪ A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-Am ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Ohh.
[ Laughs ] Thank you.
This is a song that represents a lot of my childhood.
I'm sure a lot of yours, as well.
Sing along if you feel like it.
I mean, not too loudly, but sing, [ Laughter ] [ "Pure Imagination" plays ] ♪♪ ♪ Come with me ♪ ♪ And we'll be ♪ ♪ In a world of pure imagination ♪ ♪ Take a look ♪ ♪ And you'll see ♪ ♪ Into your imagination ♪ ♪ We'll begin with a spin ♪ ♪ Traveling in the world of my creation ♪ ♪ What you'll see ♪ ♪ Will defy ♪ ♪ Explanation ♪ ♪ If you want to view paradise ♪ ♪ Simply look around and view it ♪ ♪ Anything you want to, do it ♪ ♪ Want to change the world?
♪ ♪ There's nothing to it ♪ ♪ There is no life I know ♪ ♪ Can compare with pure imagination ♪ ♪ Living there, you'll be free ♪ ♪ If you truly ♪ ♪ Wish to be ♪ ♪ You will find in your mind ♪ ♪ There's a world of endless fascination ♪ ♪ No more fun place to be ♪ ♪ Than in your imagination ♪ ♪ You can dream any dream ♪ ♪ You can savor any situation ♪ ♪ Living there's a sensational sensation ♪ ♪ If you want to view magic lands ♪ ♪ Close your eyes and you will see one ♪ ♪ Want to be a dreamer?
♪ ♪ Be one ♪ ♪ Anytime you please ♪ ♪ And please, save me one ♪ ♪ There is no place to go ♪ ♪ Can compare with pure imagination ♪ ♪ So go there to be free ♪ ♪ If you truly ♪ ♪ Wish to ♪ ♪ B-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e ♪ ♪ B-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you so much.
How many of you sang along?
Alright?
That's right.
Yeah, you did!
Yeah, you sang along!
That's right.
Now you've now had your Palladium debut.
Congratulations.
[ Laughter ] When I first started singing this next song, it was a song that, you know, no one had really ever heard of or not a lot of people knew about this song, and it was written by a composer who was kind of just starting out in the business and really, you know, had a special voice and was, you know, trying to get well-known.
And so I used to call him a new young musical theater composer.
Well, we're both middle-aged now, but you absolutely know who this man is.
He's won many Tony Awards, Mr. Jason Robert Brown.
[ Cheers and applause ] And this is a song from one of the very first musicals he ever wrote called "Songs for a New World."
And the song is called "Stars and the"... [ Cheers and applause ] And the whoo.
"Stars and the Moon."
[ Chuckles ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I met a man without a dollar to his name ♪ ♪ Who had no traits of any value but his smile ♪ ♪ I met a man who had no yearn or claim to fame ♪ ♪ Who was content to let life pass him for a while ♪ ♪ And I was sure that all I ever wanted ♪ ♪ Was a life like the movie stars led ♪ ♪ And he kissed me right here, and he said ♪ ♪ "I'll give you stars and the moon ♪ ♪ And a soul to guide you ♪ ♪ And a promise I'll never go ♪ ♪ I'll give you hope to bring out all the life inside you ♪ ♪ And the strength that'll help you grow ♪ ♪ I'll give you truth and a future ♪ ♪ That's twenty times better than ♪ ♪ Any Hollywood plot" ♪ ♪ And I thought, "You know ♪ ♪ I'd rather have a yacht" ♪ [ Laughter ] ♪ I met a man who lived his life out on the road ♪ ♪ Who left a wife and kids in Portland, on a whim ♪ ♪ I met a man whose fire and passion always showed ♪ ♪ Who asked if I could spare a week to ride with him ♪ ♪ But I was sure that all I ever wanted ♪ ♪ Was a life that was scripted and planned ♪ ♪ And he said, "But you don't understand ♪ ♪ I'll give you stars and the moon and the open highway ♪ ♪ And a river beneath your feet ♪ ♪ I'll give you days full of dreams if you travel my way ♪ ♪ And a summer you can't repeat ♪ ♪ I'll give you nights full of passion and days of adventure ♪ ♪ No strings, just warm summer rain" ♪ ♪ And I thought, "You know ♪ ♪ I'd rather have champagne" ♪ ♪ I met a man who had a fortune in the bank ♪ ♪ Who had retired at age 30, set for life ♪ ♪ I met a man and didn't know which stars to thank ♪ ♪ And then he asked one day if I would be his wife ♪ ♪ And I looked up, and all I could think of ♪ ♪ Was the life I had dreamt I would live ♪ ♪ And I said to him ♪ ♪ "What will you give?"
♪ ♪ "I'll give you cars and a townhouse in Turtle Bay ♪ ♪ And a fur and a diamond ring ♪ ♪ And we'll get married in Spain on my yacht today ♪ ♪ And we'll honeymoon in Beijing ♪ ♪ And you'll meet stars at the parties I throw at my villas ♪ ♪ In Nice and Paris in June" ♪ ♪ And I thought, okay ♪ ♪ And I took a breath ♪ ♪ And I got my yacht ♪ ♪ And the years went by ♪ ♪ And it never changed ♪ ♪ And it never grew ♪ ♪ And I never dreamed ♪ ♪ And I woke one day ♪ ♪ And I looked around ♪ ♪ And I thought ♪ ♪ My God ♪ ♪ I'll never have ♪ ♪ The mo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-on ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Thank you.
A composer who I realized some years ago that, you know, I wasn't singing any of his music.
This is one of the greatest musical composers that we ever had.
I'm speaking of Irving Berlin.
I mean, I wasn't singing -- Yeah, Irving Berlin.
What was wrong with me?
I wasn't singing any of his music.
You know, he'd give us incredible shows, incredible movie musicals.
He even wrote the song "God Bless America."
And he was an immigrant.
An immigrant wrote "God Bless America."
Just think about that.
Hey.
Immigrant.
So anyway, I realized I needed to add something to my repertoire.
So I decided, you know what?
How about "Annie Get Your Gun"?
'Cause that's a role that I'm perfect for, right?
[ Laughter ] No.
But I'm going to do it tonight.
♪ You can't get a -- ♪ No, I'm not singing that song.
Not singing that song.
Not going to sing that song.
But there is another song in that musical that I really love.
And I decided I wanted to do it because it gives me the opportunity to feature my very special trio that came over with me and my music director in a special way.
[ "Moonshine Lullaby" plays ] ♪♪ ♪ Behind the hill there's a busy little still ♪ ♪ Where your pappy's workin' in the moonlight ♪ ♪ Your lovin' pa isn't quite within the law ♪ ♪So he's hidin' there behind the hill ♪ ♪ Bye-bye, baby ♪ ♪ Stop your yawnin' ♪ ♪ Don't cry, baby ♪ ♪ Day will be dawning ♪ ♪ And when it does, from the mountain where he was ♪ ♪ He'll be coming with a jug of moonshine ♪ ♪ So count your sheep ♪ ♪ Mama's singing you to sleep ♪ ♪ With the moonshine lullaby ♪ ♪ Oooh ♪ ♪ Oooooooooh ♪ ♪ Do-do-do-do-do-do-do ♪ -♪ Oh, bye-bye, baby ♪ ♪ Stop your ♪ -♪ Yawnin' ♪ -♪ Ooh ♪ -♪ Don't cry, baby ♪ -♪ Day will be dawning ♪ -♪ Day is dawning ♪ -♪ And when it does, from the mountain where he was ♪ ♪ He'll be coming with a jug of moonshine ♪ ♪ So count your sheep ♪ ♪ Mama's singing you to sleep ♪ ♪ With the moonshine lullaby ♪ -♪ Dream of Pappy ♪ ♪ Very happy ♪ ♪ With his jug of mountain rye ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ -♪ So count your sheep ♪ ♪ Mama's singing you to sleep ♪ -♪ Ooh ♪ -♪ With the moonshine ♪ ♪ Lullaby ♪ ♪ Lullaby ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Chuckles ] The message of this song is go out and fight for your dreams.
Follow your dreams, and do it with love.
[ Applause ] [ "Climb Every Mountain" plays ] ♪♪ ♪ Climb every mountain ♪ ♪ Search high and low ♪ ♪ Follow every byway ♪ ♪ Every path you know ♪ ♪ Climb every mountain ♪ ♪ Ford every stream ♪ ♪ Follow every rainbow ♪ ♪ Till you find your dream ♪ ♪ A dream that will need ♪ ♪ All the love you can give ♪ ♪ Every day of your life ♪ ♪ For as long as you live ♪ ♪ Climb every mountain ♪ ♪ Ford every stream ♪ ♪ Follow every rainbow ♪ ♪ Till you find your dream ♪ ♪ A dream that will need ♪ ♪ All the love you can give ♪ ♪ Every day of your life ♪ ♪ For as long as you live ♪ ♪ Climb every mountain ♪ ♪ Ford every stream ♪ ♪ Follow every rainbow ♪ ♪ Till you find ♪ ♪ Your ♪ ♪ Dream ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.
[ Cheers and applause continue ] So I'm going to bring it down for a minute.
[ Laughter ] I have kids.
They're all spectacular.
I have a 21-year-old daughter.
I have a 21-year-old stepson.
I have an 18-year-old stepson.
And I have a 5-year-old daughter.
Yeah, that's a lot.
Three in college.
Which is -- Which is why I'm here tonight, 'cause mama's got to pay them bills.
[ Laughs ] No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
I'm here 'cause I want to be here for sure.
And they're incredible kids.
They're not very impressed with what I do for a living or what my husband, who is also an actor, does for a living.
They're not very impressed with us.
They've kind of never been.
We -- You know, we've -- I've raised my stepkids since they were 3 and 6.
And so Will and I would take them to our concerts, take them to our shows, and they would just be -- You know, in my concerts, I'd look out in the audience and I'd see them, and they'd be like this -- "Ugh!"
Or, like, on their, like -- you know, their iPhone or whatever, just bored out of their mind.
My oldest daughter, Zo, when she was 3 years old, said, "Mommy, your singing makes my ears cry.""
which is -- [ Laughter ] [ Laughs ] I swear to you, she said it.
And my youngest daughter, Sally, I wasn't sure whether she liked my singing or not.
And when she was little, we would give her little, you know, sort of hand signals until she got her words.
You know, like for milk.
And then this was the one for all done.
So one day, I w-- she was -- [ Laughter ] I feel like you're ahead of me.
[ Laughter ] One day she was banging on the piano.
She was about nine months old.
And she's saying, "Twinkle, twinkle, little star."
And I went -- ♪ How I wonder what you are ♪ And she went.
[ Laughter ] And then she closed the piano.
[ Laughter ] And said, "Good night."
[ Laughs ] So I guess that's my review of what she thinks of my singing.
Anyway.
So I try and find moments in my concerts to sing lullabies for my audience 'cause I rarely get a chance to sing them at home.
Four kids, hardly ever get to sing a lullaby.
And I'm a singer.
What's that about, anyway?
So I want to sing one for you right now... that is another song that just sort of absolutely, absolutely represents my childhood for me.
And it's a song probably a lot of you know, and it's a song that speaks to what it feels like to be othered, to be considered less than, not special, and how insidious that can be and how it can really bore into our souls.
And this song sort of talks about finding the beauty in who you are, and it features the great Alan Simpson on the guitar.
[ Cheers and applause ] [ "Bein' Green" plays ] ♪♪ ♪ It's not easy being green ♪ ♪ Having to spend each day the color of the leaves ♪ ♪ When I think it would be nicer ♪ ♪ Being red or yellow or gold ♪ ♪ Something much more colorful like that ♪ ♪ It's not easy being green ♪ ♪ Seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things ♪ ♪ And people tend to pass you over ♪ ♪ 'Cause you're not standing out like sparkles in the water ♪ ♪ Or stars in the sky ♪ ♪ Green is the color of spring ♪ ♪ And green can be cool and tender-like ♪ ♪ And green can be big like an ocean ♪ ♪ Or important like a mountain ♪ ♪ Or tall like a tree ♪ ♪ When green is all there is to be ♪ ♪ It could make you wonder why ♪ ♪ Why wonder ♪ ♪ Why ♪ ♪ I am green ♪ ♪ And it'll do fine ♪ ♪ I think it's what I want to be ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ But green can be big like an ocean ♪ ♪ Or important like a mountain ♪ ♪ Or tall like a tree ♪ ♪ When green is all there is to be ♪ ♪ It could make you wonder why ♪ ♪ Why wonder ♪ ♪ Why ♪ ♪ I am green ♪ ♪ I am green ♪ ♪ I am green ♪ ♪ And it's beautiful ♪ ♪ It's what I want to be ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] I'm sure you all watched The Muppets growing up.
Yeah, Muppets are deep, man.
[ Laughter ] Am I right?
The Muppets are deep.
They're deep.
They're true.
They're real.
They're deep.
What I like about The Muppets, too, "Sesame Street" especially, they were the first ones to really -- I'm not preaching, but they were the first ones to really look at othered populations and speak directly to them, BIPOC community especially, and give them visibility and say, "I see you, and you're special."
So The Muppets are big in my house still.
And it's mainly because me and my husband are the biggest fans of The Muppets now, but they're big in our house.
The next song I want to sing is a song that I first sang when I was 14 years old, just a hundred years ago.
[ Laughter ] Really?
No.
I grew up in Fresno, California.
Has anybody heard of it?
[ Cheers and applause ] Whoo!
Okay, four of you have heard of it.
Great.
[ Laughter ] While I was in high school, I was in our show choir.
You guys, you have show choirs here, right?
Okay.
Alright.
Our show choir was called All That Jazz.
[ Laughter ] And we were awesome, okay?
This was 1984.
And let me tell you about our outfits.
Let me tell you what we wore.
We wore suspenders.
[ Laughter ] So we were -- I'm telling you, we were hot stuff.
But, you know, we actually were a very good choir.
We got invited to go and sing at the Reno Jazz Festival in Reno, Nevada.
Have any of you heard of that festival?
It's a very famous jazz festival.
And so they invited All That Jazz to be one of the show choirs that came and competed in the high school competition part.
And we won.
We won first place.
Whoo!
[ Laughs ] And they also had solo competitions.
So I competed.
I was 14, and I won.
But wait, wait.
[ Laughter ] Don't be impressed, because I sang the song that I'm going to sing for you now.
And, you know, you get your adjudication sort of sheets afterwards and they tell you what your score is and whatever.
And one of the judges said, "Okay, you're great, but what could you possibly know about the song you're singing?
You're only 14 years old."
And I was so offended because I had known from the time I was 9 years old that I wanted to be on Broadway someday.
So I had studied this character.
I studied the show.
I knew what their objectives were, what their wants, the whole trajectory.
I knew.
So I was very offended.
[ Laughter ] Well, I'm 52 now.
And I have no idea what I was doing singing that song at 14.
[ Applause ] So I'm going to sing it for you now, and perhaps you'll understand why.
Alright, hit it.
[ "Cornet Man" plays ] Well... ♪ I just put the kids to sleep ♪ [ Laughter ] ♪ And swept the shack ♪ ♪ Took my sweet man's satchel down ♪ ♪ And watched him pack ♪ ♪ I said, "Darling ♪ ♪ While the stove still smolders ♪ ♪ Unpin your woman's hair ♪ ♪ And rub her shoulders" ♪ ♪ I threw myself across the doorway ♪ ♪ Beggin', "Stay ♪ ♪ Sweet man, stay" ♪ Why did nobody stop me?
Was -- Was there no adult in my life?
[ Laughter ] But they didn't.
So I kept going.
♪ But there's more in my man's life ♪ ♪ Than this old hag ♪ [ Laughter ] ♪ It's Jelly Roll Morton ♪ ♪ And a shiny cornet ♪ ♪ And jazzin' the rag ♪ ♪ The lady ain't been born ♪ ♪ Can take the place of a horn ♪ ♪ With a cornet man ♪ ♪ A-goin' where there's blowin' ♪ ♪ Travelin' cornet man ♪ ♪ Just anytime they call him ♪ ♪ He'll leave his wife and kiddies ♪ ♪ Sittin' with their tongues out ♪ ♪ To play for peanuts in a dive and blow his lungs out ♪ ♪ He'll hop a choo-choo on a moment's notice ♪ ♪ To play some dates with Billy Bates ♪ ♪ Or Rag-time Otis ♪ ♪ The lady ain't see light ♪ ♪ Can give a horn a fair fight ♪ ♪ With a cornet man ♪ ♪ A rootin', shootin', ever-tootin' Dapper Dan ♪ ♪ Who carries in his satchel a powder-blue Norfolk suit ♪ ♪ A silver-plated wah-wah mute ♪ ♪ There's whiskey, gamblin', each one a curse ♪ ♪ But I'm up against a devil that's worse ♪ ♪ Yes, a horn is my thorn ♪ ♪ My travelin' cornet man ♪ ♪ A powder-blue Norfolk suit ♪ ♪ And a silver-plated wah-wah mute ♪ ♪ Well, he's shy on height ♪ ♪ He's short on weight ♪ ♪ But he's the only man can make my coffee percolate ♪ ♪ A Dapper Dan ♪ ♪ My cornet-playin' ♪ ♪ Ma-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-n ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] What was I doing?
[ Laughs ] Just...
This is another singer who, unfortunately, is no longer with us, but another singer who had a huge influence on me as a performer, another woman who is iconic, who was a friend, a mentor, someone I performed with quite a bit, actually.
We did a lot of concerts together, and so I wanted to sing something to honor her, as well.
I'm speaking of the great Barbara Cook.
[ Cheers and applause ] And, um... Barbara taught me a lot about performing and concertizing.
And I'm -- Can I share with you one of the things she taught me?
Is that okay?
I'm so off script right now.
Whatevs.
But she -- she taught me that it's okay to make mistakes up on the stage.
It's okay to be vulnerable in front of an audience.
In fact, they want that.
They don't necessarily want the mistakes, but it's better -- it's better to be vulnerable and open and honest.
And that way, you have true communion.
And when I would watch Barbara perform and I'd be backstage in the wings before I had to go on or after I had already gone on -- First of all, before she would go out on stage, she would just sort of hold everybody's hands, her musicians and whatnot, and she'd say, "Have fun."
And she would go out and she would have fun, and sometimes she'd mess up the words, and she'd be like, "Oh...what were the words?"
But she was who she was offstage and onstage.
And it's something that just -- It -- It's something that I have honored and treasured and tried to emulate.
And in doing so, you feel more comfortable with who you are, and then you can give yourself to the audience.
So there's this little tip from Barbara.
That -- I'm off script.
Okay, on script now.
Anyway, this is from a show that she did written by Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock called "She Loves Me."
[ Cheers and applause ] [ "Will He Like Me" plays ] ♪ Will he like me when we meet ♪ ♪ Will the shy and quiet girl he's going to see ♪ ♪ Be the girl that he imagined me to be?
♪ ♪ Will he like me?
♪ ♪ Will he like the girl he sees?
♪ ♪ If he doesn't, will he know enough to know ♪ ♪ That there's more to me than I may always show?
♪ ♪ Will he like me?
♪ ♪ Will he know that there's a world of love ♪ ♪ Waiting to warm him?
♪ ♪ How I'm hoping that his eyes and ears ♪ ♪ Won't misinform him ♪ ♪ Will he like me?
♪ ♪ Who can say?
♪ ♪ How I wish that we could meet another day ♪ ♪ It's absurd for me to carry on this way ♪ ♪ I'll try not to ♪ ♪ Will he like me?
♪ ♪ He's just got to ♪ ♪ When I am in my room alone and I write ♪ ♪ Thoughts come easily, words come fluently then ♪ ♪ That's how it is when I'm alone ♪ ♪ But tonight ♪ ♪ There's no hiding behind my paper and pen ♪ ♪ Will he know that there's a world of love ♪ ♪ Waiting to warm him?
♪ ♪ How I'm hoping that his eyes and ears ♪ ♪ Won't misinform him ♪ ♪ Will he like me?
♪ ♪ I don't know ♪ ♪ All I know is that I'm tempted not to go ♪ ♪ It's insanity for me to worry so ♪ ♪ I'll try not to ♪ ♪ Will he like me?
♪ ♪ He's just got to ♪ ♪ Will he like me?
♪ ♪ Will he like ♪ ♪ M-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e?
♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.
That's for Barbara.
Thank you.
So, speaking of sopranos, soprani, this next song is a song that I never wanted to sing 'cause I thought it was too popular.
And everybody sings it.
Every single solitary soprano on the planet sings this song.
They don't give you your soprano card unless you sing this song.
I'm just kidding.
There's no soprano card.
People are like, "There's a soprano card?"
No, there's no soprano card, but there is Soprano Island.
And you get kicked off Soprano Island if you don't sing this song.
And so I just didn't want to sing it.
I thought, "Too popular.
Too popular."
And then one day a friend of mine said, "You know, get over yourself.
Go get your card, sing that song."
And again, I never know what song's next.
So Andy gives me my signals.
So this is the next song that I am singing.
[ Laughter ] [ "I Could Have Danced All Night" plays ] ♪ Bed, bed, I couldn't go to bed ♪ ♪ My head's too light to try to set it down ♪ ♪ Sleep, sleep, I couldn't sleep tonight ♪ ♪ Not for all the jewels in the crown ♪ ♪ I could have danced all night ♪ ♪ I could have danced all night ♪ ♪ And still have begged for more ♪ ♪ I could have spread my wings ♪ ♪ And done a thousand things ♪ ♪ I've never done before ♪ ♪ I'll never know what made it so exciting ♪ ♪ Why all at once my heart took flight ♪ ♪ I only know when he ♪ ♪ Began to dance with me ♪ ♪ I could have danced, danced ♪ ♪ It's too damn popular ♪ You all know it, right?
You all know this song.
Alright, sing it with me.
Come on.
Everybody's going to make their debut.
Ready?
Here we go.
♪ I could have ♪ -♪ Danced all night ♪ -♪ I could have ♪ -♪ Danced all night ♪ ♪ And still have begged for more ♪ -It's so nice to hear "dahn-ced."
♪ I could have ♪ -♪ Spread my wings ♪ ♪ And done a thousand things ♪ ♪ I'd never done before ♪ -Alright.
Too many good voices.
Everybody be quiet.
My solo.
♪ I'll never know what made it so exciting ♪ ♪ Why all at once my heart took flight ♪ ♪ I'm just kidding, help me out ♪!
-♪ I only know when he ♪ ♪ Began to dance with me ♪ -I'm hearing some sopranos.
-♪ I could have danced, danced, danced ♪ Ready?
-♪ All night ♪ -♪ Ni-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ght ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] You guys are good!
[ Laughs ] Oh, my goodness.
Thank you.
[ Laughs ] Thank you.
Oh, my goodness.
I got a little competitive there.
[ Laughter ] There's... Was it you?
There's a soprano over here.
You.
You -- Were you singing in that octave?
Oh, Mylanta!
So obviously, are you a countertenor?
-Yeah.
-Yeah.
Well, you're fabulous.
Oh, my gosh.
That was amazing.
Well, thank you.
I-I like -- You -- You pushed me to that high note, the high Z, whatever that was.
Okay, this next song -- [ Laughter ] Oh, I know you thought you were getting a classy concert, but it's just me.
It's just me.
Alright, this next song needs no introduction, and if you don't know it, shame on you.
[ Laughter ] [ "Summertime" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Summertime ♪ ♪ And the livin' is easy ♪ ♪ Fish are jumpin' ♪ ♪ And the cotton is high ♪ ♪ Oh, your daddy's rich ♪ ♪ And your ma is good-lookin' ♪ ♪ So hush, little baby ♪ ♪ Don't you ♪ ♪ Cry ♪ ♪ One of these mornings ♪ ♪ You're gonna rise up singin' ♪ ♪ And you'll spread your wings ♪ ♪ And you'll take the sky ♪ ♪ But till that morning ♪ ♪ There's a-nothin' can harm you ♪ ♪ With Daddy and Mama ♪ ♪ Standin' by ♪ ♪ Ah ♪ ♪ Standing ♪ ♪ B-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.
I'm really going off script now.
I want -- I want to show you guys my shoes.
They're very pretty.
[ Laughter, cheers and applause ] They're beautiful.
But they're killing me.
[ Laughter ] [ Cheers and applause ] Sorry.
I literally couldn't feel my toes anymore.
I'm like, I'm not about to sing this song without being able to feel my toes.
So, I'm go-- Huh?
What?
Oh, okay.
[ Laughter, cheers and applause ] Isn't he amazing?
So the next song that I want to sing for you is a song that now that I am in my 50s, I can sing this song.
I'm old enough now.
[ "Before the Parade Passes By" plays ] ♪ Before the parade ♪ ♪ Passes by ♪ ♪ I'm gonna get in step ♪ ♪ While there's still time left ♪ ♪ Before the parade ♪ ♪ Passes by ♪ ♪ I'm gonna go and taste ♪ ♪ Saturday's high life ♪ ♪ Before the parade ♪ ♪ Passes by ♪ ♪ I'm going to get some life ♪ ♪ Back into my life ♪ ♪ I'm ready to move out in front ♪ ♪ I've had enough of just passing by with ♪ ♪ With the rest of them ♪ ♪ With the best of them ♪ ♪ I can hold my head up high ♪ ♪ For I've got a goal again ♪ ♪ I've got a drive again ♪ ♪ I'm gonna feel my heart coming alive again ♪ ♪ Before the parade ♪ ♪ Passes by ♪ ♪ Look at that crowd up ahead ♪ ♪ Listen and hear that brass harmony growing ♪ ♪ Look at that crowd up ahead ♪ ♪ Pardon me if my own spirit is showing ♪ ♪ All of those lights over there ♪ ♪ Seem to keep telling me where I'm going ♪ ♪ When the whistles blow and the cymbals crash ♪ ♪ And the sparklers light the sky ♪ ♪ I'm gonna raise the roof ♪ ♪ I'm gonna carry on ♪ ♪ Give me an old trombone, give me an old baton ♪ ♪ Before the parade ♪ ♪ Passes by ♪ ♪ When the whistles blow and the symbols crash ♪ ♪ And the sparklers light the sky ♪ ♪ I'm gonna raise the roof ♪ ♪ I'm gonna carry on ♪ ♪ Give me an old trombone, give me an old baton ♪ ♪ Before the parade ♪ ♪ Passes b-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.
Thank you.
Isn't that a great song?
No one does it like Jerry Herman.
[ Cheers and applause continue ] Thank you.
♪♪ ♪ What do you leave to your child when you're dead?
♪ ♪ Only whatever you put in its head ♪ ♪ Things that your father and mother had said ♪ ♪ Which were left to them, too ♪ ♪ Careful what you say ♪ ♪ You've got to be taught to hate and fear ♪ ♪ You've got to be taught from year to year ♪ ♪ It's got to be drummed in your dear little ear ♪ ♪ You've got to be carefully taught ♪ ♪ You've got to be taught to be afraid ♪ ♪ Of people whose eyes are oddly made ♪ ♪ And people whose skin is a different shade ♪ ♪ You've got to be carefully taught ♪ ♪ You've got to be taught before it's too late ♪ ♪ Before you are six or seven or eight ♪ ♪ To hate all the people your relatives hate ♪ ♪ You've got to be carefully taught ♪ ♪ You've got to be carefully taught ♪ ♪ Careful the things you say ♪ ♪ Children will listen ♪ ♪ Careful the things you do ♪ ♪ Children will see ♪ ♪ And learn ♪ ♪ Children may not obey ♪ ♪ But children will listen ♪ ♪ Children will look to you ♪ ♪ For which way to turn ♪ ♪ To learn what to be ♪ ♪ Careful before you say ♪ ♪ Listen to me ♪ ♪ Children will listen ♪ ♪ Careful the wish you make ♪ ♪ Wishes are children ♪ ♪ Careful the path they take ♪ ♪ Wishes come true ♪ ♪ Not free ♪ ♪ Careful the spell you cast ♪ ♪ Not just on children ♪ ♪ Sometimes the spell may last ♪ ♪ Past what you can see ♪ ♪ And turn against you ♪ ♪ Careful the tale you tell ♪ ♪ That is the spell ♪ ♪ You've got be taught ♪ ♪ To hate and fear ♪ ♪ You've got to be taught ♪ ♪ From ear to ear ♪ ♪ It's got to drummed in your dear little ear ♪ ♪ You've got to be carefully taught ♪ ♪ Children will listen ♪ ♪ Children will listen ♪ ♪ You've got to be carefully ♪ ♪ Taught ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Obviously, "Carefully Taught" by Rodgers and Hammerstein from the musical "South Pacific" and "Children Will Listen" from the musical "Into the Woods" both by the late great Sondheim.
[ Cheers and applause ] Two different songs written in two different decades and both saying the same thing.
And we need that message now more than ever.
So that's why I sing those songs.
[ Cheers and applause ] Moving on to a little Frank Loesser.
[ "Can't Stop Talking" plays ] ♪ Oh, his eyes, his nose ♪ ♪ His fingers, his toes ♪ ♪ His smile when he says "please" ♪ ♪ And when he sneezes, ah, his sneeze ♪ ♪ His arms, chest, coat, vest ♪ ♪ His everything is sweeter than sweet ♪ ♪ I try and try, but honest to Pete ♪ ♪ I can't stop talking about him ♪ ♪ And talking about him and talking about him ♪ ♪ I can't stop talking about him ♪ ♪ The man that I adore ♪ ♪ I can't stop talking about him ♪ ♪ And talking about him and talking about him ♪ ♪ I can't stop talkin' about him, and though I seem a bore ♪ ♪ I simply can't stop tellin' about him ♪ ♪ And yellin' about him and tellin' about him ♪ ♪ I can't stop hollerin' over the moment that we met ♪ ♪ He had a pinstriped what do you call it ♪ ♪ A beautiful smile, a barrel of money ♪ ♪ I can't stop talkin' about him yet ♪ ♪ He kissed me and a bell went "bong" ♪ ♪ A whistle went "whoo" ♪ ♪ A trapdoor opened and I slipped right through ♪ ♪ And now I can't stop talkin' about him ♪ ♪ And talkin' about him and talkin' about him ♪ ♪ And if he was yours, well, neither would you ♪ -♪ Will you please stop talkin' about him and talkin' about him and talkin' about him ♪ -♪ I can't stop talkin' about him and talkin' about him and talkin' about him ♪ -♪ Then don't stop talkin' about him and talkin' about him and talkin' about him ♪ -♪ Well, I wont stop talkin' about him and talkin' about him and talkin' about him ♪ ♪ I can't stop talkin' about him and talkin' about him and talkin' about him ♪ ♪ I can't stop talkin' about him, the man that I adore ♪ [ Gasping ] ♪ I can't stop talkin' about him, and though I seem a bore ♪ ♪ I simply can't stop tellin' about him ♪ ♪ And yellin' about him and tellin' about him ♪ ♪ I can't stop hollerin' over the moment that we met ♪ ♪ He had a pinstriped what do you call it ♪ ♪ A beautiful smile, a barrel of money ♪ ♪ I can't stop talkin' about him yet ♪ ♪ He kissed me and a bell went "bong" ♪ ♪ A whistle went "whoo" ♪ ♪ A trapdoor opened and I slipped right through ♪ ♪ And now I can't stop talkin' about him ♪ ♪ And talkin' about him and talkin' about him ♪ ♪ And if he was yours, well, neither would you ♪ ♪ Stop talkin' about him and talkin' about him ♪ ♪ And talkin' about him and talkin' about him ♪ ♪ Until your face turned blue ♪ [ Gasps ] ♪ But I'm talkin' about him and talkin' about him ♪ ♪ And talkin' about him and talkin' about him ♪ ♪ All day through ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Whoo!
[ Laughs ] Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
This particular song means a lot to me.
It's from a musical that introduced the world to Leslie Uggams.
The musical is called "Hallelujah, Baby!"
And this song speaks to me so much because it acknowledges something that I grew up hearing all the time, and I would imagine that many people, Black people, heard this from their family growing up, too -- you have to be twice as good to get half as far.
And for me, that there was a song -- that there is a song that literally speaks to that means a lot to me.
And I've been thinking a lot about this song lately because of how we're not as far along as we should be.
Not by a long stretch are we as far as along as we should be.
We should not be having the issues that we're having, the racism that we're all still dealing with today.
It should not be happening.
So I want to sing this song to honor Leslie Uggams and to honor, in a way, what my parents taught me and how to move past that.
[ Cheers and applause ] [ "Being Good Isn't Good Enough" plays ] ♪♪ ♪ Being good ♪ ♪ Isn't good enough ♪ ♪ Being good ♪ ♪ Won't be good enough ♪ ♪ When I fly ♪ ♪ I must fly extra high ♪ ♪ And I'll need special wings ♪ ♪ So far to go ♪ ♪ From so far below ♪ ♪ Should I try?
♪ ♪ Am I strong enough?
♪ ♪ Is there time?
♪ ♪ Have I long enough?
♪ ♪ Got to try ♪ ♪ And if I fall ♪ ♪ That's the way it's gotta be ♪ ♪ There's no other way for me ♪ ♪ Being good ♪ ♪ Just won't be good enough ♪ ♪ I'll be the best ♪ ♪ Or nothing at all ♪ ♪ Yes, I'll try ♪ ♪ Am I strong enough?
♪ ♪ Is there time?
♪ ♪ Have I long enough?
♪ ♪ Gotta fly ♪ ♪ And if I fall ♪ ♪ That's the way it's gotta be ♪ ♪ There's no other way for me ♪ ♪ Being good ♪ ♪ Just won't be good enough ♪ ♪ I'll be the best ♪ ♪ Or nothing ♪ ♪ At a-a-a-a-all ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You've all been such just a fantastic audience.
Thank you so much for coming tonight.
Thank you so much for letting me sort of blow at you and sing at you and take my shoes off in front of you.
Thank you so much.
[ Cheers and applause ] Ladies and gentlemen, the London Musical Theater Orchestra.
[ Cheers and applause ] Yes.
You've been amazing.
You've been such a joy to perform with.
Thank you so much.
And speaking of joy, I have to mention my trio that I travel everywhere with.
On the bass, Mr. Mark Vanderpoel.
[ Cheers and applause ] On the drums, Mr. Gene Lewin.
Hey, hey.
[ Laughs ] [ Cheers and applause ] And my rock, Mr. Andy Einhorn.
[ Cheers and applause ] So, this song I want to sing for you is a song that I never, ever really wanted to touch because -- of course, it's popular, but more than that, it's iconic.
And I was afraid of it.
I was afraid of this song because it just has such a history and such incredible women have sung this -- people, but certain women in particular that I'm thinking of that have sung this song.
And so I was afraid of it.
And one day I got a call out of the blue from another sort of iconic woman who said, "I want you to come and sing at a party that I am throwing, and I want you to sing this song."
And this is a woman that you really aren't supposed to say no to.
And I thought, "Oh, well, oh, how exciting.
"Yes, I'll come and sing at your party, but, um, let me think of some other songs."
And she was like, "No, no, no.
I want this song."
[ Laughter ] And the reason this woman wanted us to sing this song is because her party was held at a place called the Metropolitan Museum in New York, and her name is Anna Wintour.
[ Laughter ] And this was for the Met Gala last year, last fall, and it was being held right before Broadway shows were opening back up.
And the reason she wanted me to sing this song was to say, "Grab onto life.
"Grab on to living.
"We are back.
"We have survived this, barely.
"We have survived this.
We are here.
Live while you can."
And so she said, "That's why I want you to sing that song."
And so we -- we said, "Okay."
[ Laughter ] But she was right.
And I guess if I could send you out with any message tonight, it would be to live, live with love, but live.
[ "Cabaret" plays ] ♪♪ ♪ What good is sitting alone in your room?
♪ ♪♪ ♪ Come hear the music play ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Life is a cabaret, old chum ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Come to the cabaret ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Put down the knitting, the book, and the broom ♪ ♪ Time for a holiday ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Life is a cabaret, old chum ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Come to the cabaret ♪ ♪ Come taste the wine ♪ ♪ Come hear the band ♪ ♪ Come blow a horn ♪ ♪ Start celebrating ♪ ♪ Right this way ♪ ♪ Your table's waiting ♪ ♪ No use permitting some prophet of doom ♪ ♪ To wipe every smile away ♪ ♪ Life is a cabaret, old chum ♪ ♪ Come to the cabaret ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I used to have a girlfriend known as Elsie ♪ ♪ With whom I shared four sordid rooms in Chelsea ♪ ♪ She wasn't what you'd call a blushing flower ♪ ♪ As a matter of fact, she rented by the hour ♪ ♪ The day she died, the neighbors came to snicker ♪ ♪ "Well, that's what comes from too much pills and liquor" ♪ ♪ But when I saw her laid out like a queen ♪ ♪ She was the happiest corpse I'd ever seen ♪ ♪ I think of Elsie to this very day ♪ ♪ I remember how she'd turn to me and say ♪ ♪ "What good is sitting alone in your room?
♪ ♪ Come hear the music play ♪ ♪ Life is a cabaret, old chum ♪ ♪ Come to the cabaret ♪ ♪ Put down the knitting, the book, and the broom ♪ ♪ Time for a holiday ♪ ♪ Life is a cabaret, old chum ♪ ♪ Come to the cabaret ♪ ♪ And as for me ♪ ♪ As for me ♪ ♪ I made my mind up back in Chelsea ♪ ♪ When I go-o-o-o ♪ ♪ I'm going like Elsie ♪ ♪ Start by admitting from cradle to tomb ♪ ♪ It isn't that long a stay ♪ ♪ Life is a cabaret, old chum ♪ ♪ Only a cabaret, old chum ♪ ♪ And I love ♪ ♪ Oh, I love ♪ ♪ Yes, I love ♪ ♪ A cabare-e-e-e-t ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
[ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Diana Ross' "Home" plays ] ♪♪ ♪ When I think of home ♪ ♪ I think of a place ♪ ♪ Where there's love overflowing ♪ ♪ I wish I was home ♪ ♪ I wish I was back there ♪ ♪ With the things I've been knowing ♪ ♪ Wind that makes the tall grass bend into leaning ♪ ♪ Suddenly the raindrops that fall have a meaning ♪ ♪ Sprinklin' the scene ♪ ♪ Makes it all clean ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Maybe there's a chance for me to look back ♪ ♪ Now that I have some direction ♪ ♪ It sure would be nice to be back home ♪ ♪ Where there's love and affection ♪ ♪ And just maybe I can convince time to slow up ♪ ♪ Giving me enough time in my life to grow up ♪ ♪ Time, be my friend ♪ ♪ Let me start again ♪ ♪ Suddenly my world's gone and changed its place ♪ ♪ But I still know where I'm going ♪ ♪ I have had my mind spun around in space ♪ ♪ And yet I've watched it growing ♪ ♪ And if you're listening, God ♪ ♪ Please don't make it hard to know ♪ ♪ If we should believe the things that we see ♪ ♪ Tell us, should we run away?
♪ ♪ Should we try and stay?
♪ ♪ Or would it be better just to let things be?
♪ ♪ Living here, in this brand-new world ♪ ♪ Might be a fantasy ♪ ♪ But it's taught me to love ♪ ♪ So it's real ♪ ♪ Real to me ♪ ♪ And I've learned we must look inside our hearts ♪ ♪ To find a world full of love ♪ ♪ Like yours, like mine ♪ ♪ Like ho-o-o-o-me ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] -To find out more about this and other "Great Performances" programs, visit pbs.org/greatperformances, find us on Facebook, and follow us on X.
[ Cheers and applause continue ]
