SPIDER WOMAN Vanessa Williams

[@Mr17051963]

Aurora Spiderwoman is the “Indiana Jones” of Broadway! Always discovering lost treasures! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@t.e.burgos3263]

In 1994, twenty-five-year-old me finally moved to New York City after many years of dreaming about living there, and one of the first things I did immediately after moving was buying a ticket to a Broadway show. I don't exactly remember the circumstances around why I chose the particular day I chose to go and buy the ticket, but I distinctly remember that the only two shows for which I found decent available tickets that day were "Blood Brothers" and "Kiss of The Spider-Woman." After thinking about which one of the two shows I would see, I decided on the Kander and Ebb show because at that point I was not familiar with BB and because I was well aware of Vanessa Williams due to her Miss America infamy and her pop music stardom at the time. To be honest, I was not crazy about Vanessa's radio hits back then (I did not hate her, but I was not a huge fan or anything), so I went into the theatre not expecting much. Well, I am glad that I went in with low expectations, because I was all kinds of blown away by her performance. I was literally enthralled by her voice, her dancing, her stage presence, and her incandescent charisma. She was, as far as I was concerned, a star, and I have been a fan of hers since that day. What a woman!!

[@remyfacade]

That's literally how I felt, now feel about her. She is everything

[@niclesnyc]

I had the same experience that you did, but I was 14yo...in the closet, bullied, etc...this changed my life.

[@patboywalton2277]

@@niclesnyc Why bullied??? I bet you were cute, still are!!

[@strykertool]

How much were the tickets ?

[@donnetteholloway1555]

I saw this show on thanksgiving day. I came to New York to visit family. They were late picking us up and I ended up meeting Vanessa Williams as she got in her limo to go home. Wonderful show wonderful memories

[@jc22358]

I was fortunate to see this cast and it was absolutely riveting. This show was everything for me - the best of what America Musical Theater could be. Great performers, great production, great libretto, great score. Two leading men who were well-suited for their roles and a star who clawed her way back with grit, a work ethic and talent - pure magic. This number gives you musical, psychological, dramaturgic and razzle-dazzle in one scene. Masters of the craft (the entire creative team) at their peak.

[@thanakomyospolsakul]

Kiss of the Spider Woman is my all time favorite musical. Although I love the legend Chita Rivera in this, I also enjoy the singing of the cast in this version, especially Vanessa and Howard. Still listening to OBC of this cast. Thanks for always posting great clips.

[@NickyMay16]

You can enjoy both. I am a huge Williams fan but she was too boring in the acting department, her singing was forced but her dancing was sensational

[@danromero]

Seeing Vanessa in this show as a teenager was such a game changer for in really wanting to pursue my interests in theatre. Thanks for posting this, it brings back a lot of great memories.

[@wickedwizard5377]

I keep coming back to this lovely clip. It's one of those rare occasions where I think the show's most popular song is actually the best.

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

I dearly love the entire score, but this is the key song and arguably the best.

[@davidpacheco7124]

She was very good. You go Vanessa Williams. I saw her in the revival of "Into the Woods" playing the witch. She was also good in that show. 💕😊💃

[@GiannaFregosi]

this is great i saw this production and loved it

[@paulcanaday-elliott9834]

I saw this cast, but with Chita, just about a month or two before she left. I love Vanessa Williams, but watching this performance makes me appreciate Chita’s performance more. In this role, and in this number in particular, Chita was both cool as a cucumber and dazzlingly electric. Every movement, every gesture, every moment was fully alive and invested with energy. I feel like Vanessa is cool, smooth, and seductive here, but the energy level is noticeably not the same. With Chita, everything popped. Not much pops here. Not for me, anyway. Truth be told, I felt similarly about Williams’s performance as the Witch in the early 2000s revival of Into the Woods. Too cool, almost blasé. I was so looking forward to seeing her in that role, and instead I felt disappointed.

[@denis65]

Wow, I saw her in this back in the day. Years later I did a live Radio Shack show with her in SanDiego and told her how much I enjoyed her in the production

[@shannonboldman]

OMG how have I not seen this until now?! :O thank you soo much! I love Vanessa Williams & considering you released on May 1st back in 2018(my birthday), Im calling this a magical musical birthday gift :)

[@darrenlumby7091]

Wow she’s really great. Loving this!!

[@tonyf170]

Thank you for this! Have wanted to see footage of this since I was a teenager and borrowed her cast album from the library...and never returned it. 😂👑❤️

[@dannyvincent7831]

I cannot overstate the joy this clip brings me. I know I may be asking for the moon, but do you happen to have any footage of Maria Conchita Alonso in Spider Woman? (Hey! You had Cheryl Ladd in Annie Get Your Gun!!!)

[@alidaylami8073]

Thank you :) I've been asking you for Vanessa Spiderwpman clips for ages

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

I did recall that someone asked for this. Hope you enjoy.

[@dlw1221]

@@auroraspiderwoman5886 A multitude of people THANK YOU!

[@enolamsamoht]

I've always wanted to see this Lady In a production of Chicago as Velma Kelly.

[@zjchaise]

Always astounded by the gems you find... thank you!

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

Thank you so much---glad you're enjoying.

[@robertoayala]

Thank you!!!

[@niclesnyc]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! Any more videos of Vanessa in KISS?

[@brittneywyche2742]

MY FAVORITE GIRL!

[@christopherbush9027]

OMG! I know it’s blasphemy-but she’s my favorite!!! Thank you Spiderwoman!!!!

[@richardmayora6974]

Yes it is blasphemy. She was pretty but so boring and had no idea what the lyrics meant. I do love Williams but she was a big nothing in this role.

[@seonmcdonald304]

I love it too. She is just phenomenal

[@showguyusa]

I was so happy to see her rather that Chita in this role. Chita is a dancer who sings while Vanessa is a singer who dances....and that made all the difference for me. Saw her twice. She was wonderful!

[@brittneywyche2742]

MINE TOO!

[@GalaxyNexus1]

@@richardmayora6974 your comment is boring and a big nothing. Just like your obnoxious belief that YOU know what other people do and don't know.

[@frankiefan2048]

She's Great! (I'm not great at articulating my opinion in text sometimes) she like Chita had that old fantasy actress feeling down pact both are great (to me Chita is still the best out of them) Vanessa has this straight from the screen, you can believe Molina is fantasizing about both, do you got Vanessa performing gimme love? (my favorite song in Spider-Woman)

[@mayadg16]

Ok who tf already disliked this?😒 It’s amazing.

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

Thank you.

[@dlw1221]

Maya Davis-Goodstein probably a slip of the finger🤔

[@crawlbitchcrawl]

an idiot

[@anhw3303]

I saw Vanessa also in addition to the Broadway and tour cast with Chita. Vanessa was surprisingly good and got a rave NYT review and another cast recording. The only thing is I recall they had to adjust the dancing, especially in Gimme Love, since she is not Chita.

[@GalaxyNexus1]

"surprisingly good" always bothers me.

[@jfsatxusa]

National tour was lead by SANDRA GUIDA... Who take over Chita Rivera... Mrs Guida do a excelent job. sometimes you was thinking was Chita Rivera on stage.

[@joshuahenryjenkins]

@@GalaxyNexus1 Same.

[@maxvanhorn]

This is my favorite performance ever

[@ArchieH-w7b]

THANK YOU!! LOVE IT

[@derekheskellderek6037]

I saw the show with both Chita and Vanessa Williams. I loved Chita in the show ---- it was a vehicle written for her talents, but Vanessa Williams transformed the show into a more dynamic musical piece.

[@werenothavingaparty]

is there somewhere i could watch the full show?

[@fergusmurray1828]

Is there anything that exists of Carol Lawrence’s performance as Aurora? If I remember correctly, she took over briefly from Chita on the national tour...

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

Good question. I saw Carol Lawrence in "Spider Woman" on Broadway when she filled in during Chita Rivera's vacation. She also filled in for Chita on the national tour when Chita suffered an injury. But sorry to say I have no video or audio of CL in "KOTSW."

[@fergusmurray1828]

@@auroraspiderwoman5886 That’s a shame, judging by all the roles she performed regionally, I’m sure she was great.

[@dash6385]

Thanks

[@Alex.PC88]

She is amazing.. do you happen to have her performing Gimme Love ?

[@mturkic]

Saw her in it, she was terrific

[@jrwilliams5509]

BRAVA!!!

[@davidgarza131]

I really like to see any video of Maria Conchita playing this role. Btw great videos!!!

[@roylorenzo5821]

i saw to Maria Conchita Alonso playing Aurora was beautiful. but Chita there must be fabulous

[@1993oxicron]

Thanks for post this! Do you have a clip with María Conchita Alonso?

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

I don't believe I have anything, but I will check. Did see her and she was good.

[@1993oxicron]

I was really shocked when i notice that she play Aurora, and since then i've been looking but it's like that never happens!!!

[@roylorenzo5821]

@@1993oxicron I saw Maria conchita playing Aurora was very good. but dont have video of her on a show. I dont know why.

[@dshan1ww968]

nice rehearsal piece!

[@johndelossantos7678]

She’s good, but seeing this makes me appreciate Chita Rivera’s Incredible skill and talent even more

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

I do not disagree. Chita was never better than in "Spider Woman," and none of the three other Auroras I saw came close. It was mainly some misguided critics who found Williams a better fit for the role.

[@t.e.burgos3263]

@@auroraspiderwoman5886 Misguided? How about art is subective and every critic is only giving an opinion? I feel that Chita was definitely better at dancing (very VERY few people can dominate a stage with their movements like Chita Rivera), but Vanessa was/is a better singer. Also, Vanessa was a smolderingly, stunningly, ridiculously gorgeous woman when she starred in Kiss, and unlike Chita, Vanessa truly made one believe why Molina (or anybody) would be obsessed with her beauty. Not saying that Chita was ugly, but you take one look at Aurora as embodied by Vanessa and you go, "Oh, now I see why Molina wants to be her." Vanessa may not have been as good as Chita overall, but she was mesmerizing in her own way, and her charisma was incandescent. I bet you that, had Vanessa originated this role, she would have gotten a Tony too.

[@niclesnyc]

@@t.e.burgos3263 100% right

[@dlw1221]

@@t.e.burgos3263 thoughtful, very well-written. It's obvious i am a huge Fan of Williams's body of work and couldn't have explained It any better, especially to those with such delicate opinions.

[@jasonmerrin4505]

@@t.e.burgos3263 I totally agree.

[@00000000647]

노래 맛깔스럽게 잘한다.

[@elizabethsigmon2731]

You’re my favorite channel on KZbin ❤️❤️❤️

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

Thank you---that is high praise indeed, much appreciated.

[@jlasf]

This is very good, but lacks....something from Chita. It's not just that Chita is a better dancer, but she is more dangerous, maybe? There is a cynical, hard edge to her performance. She is death and seems to capture that better than the sunny Ms. Williams.

[@madsokay]

WOW IM GAY FOR THIS I DONT KNOW MUCH ABOUT MUSICALS BUT WOW IM GAY FOR WHATEVER THIS IS

[@peacebangyoutube6203]

There's no snap. The vocals are so drab. I cherish having seen Miss Chita Rivera in this role.

[@TheChosen2000]

she’s been successful because of the halo affect- it’s her beauty that persuades people she’s more talented than she’s is

[@mysettingsmysettings2997]

Not chita

[@jasonmerrin4505]

Of course not. She's not playing Chita, she's playing Aurora/Spiderwoman.

[@richardmayora1289]

She looked great and danced superbly but her acting was dull and her singing was remarkably boring, as though she had no regard for the meaning of the lyrics. But I loved this production and the male leads were marvelous.

[@mamadouaziza2536]

It was her first time on Broadway compared to the original lady who had been doing Broadway for 40 years at that point..

[@dlw1221]

@@mamadouaziza2536 Very well researched thought. In addition, Vanessa had only a mere 3 weeks to learn everything from A-Z. Only at that time in which Vanessa took over, did Vanessa and the show go onto receive rave reviews "standing room only". For those who know what that means, it's a huge deal. Given her fan base at the time, it opened up the world of "Broadway" to a much more diverse group of people. Kiss was originally a 13 week gig that turned into a 9 month run for her and It finally gave all her post Ms. America naysayers a solid middle Finger! Sadly Vanessa was forced to leave due to her contractual duties as an platinum selling music artist, left to promote the "Sweetest Days" (CD) and to finish "Eraser" with Arnold. Vanessa unlike her peers, both Dead and Alive, is a REAL triple threat, acclaimed and accomplished across ALL the Arts.

[@mamadouaziza2536]

@@dlw1221 Agree

[@Rex-gu1bu]

Her singing was similar and can't take my eyes off her. Chita was something special however, and at her age it made her even more awesome. But I wanna take this Vanessa home.

[@jasonmerrin4505]

@@dlw1221 Exactly. The show had a closing date before Vanessa Williams stepped in. The critics gave her deserved raves and the box office ticket sales went through the roof. Vanessa was actually contracted for a limited run but kept extending it until she finally had to leave due to prior commitments. It was a career defining moment for her and she delivered. Also of note, she'd just had her third child and was still nursing him when she did Kiss Of The Spiderwoman.

[@elizabethaxler8522]

Anyone here from tik tok?