Broadway/US Grizabella Compilation (1982-2012)

[@davidpayne697]

Kim, Loni and Laurie... damn. Always love Betty too although I think Laurie wins for me. She was literally dying of breast cancer when she did it and you could hear that 'final plea' in her performance. All were breathtaking though and deserved to be up there. Thank you so much for posting

[@tomgallowitz]

Love touch me, it's really her final plea. Even though she is one chosen, all she really wants is love and acceptance

[@MrSpunky2935]

Beautiful singing from everyone, thanks for the compilation!

[@gordyCA]

Betty Buckley is untouchable in this role, but, dear lord, I wish there was a recording of Lillias White doing it.

[@NickiraFierce]

gordyCA SAME...I really hope there’s something out there

[@matthewshapiro4072]

So do I...but Lillias herself said she was not happy during her run in "Cats".

[@Broadwayriah]

@@matthewshapiro4072 I remember seeing on an old online platform that Lillias was riffing and running everywhere (which was her natural style of singing)

[@matthewshapiro4072]

@@Broadwayriah And that's part of why she's so awesome.

[@brettewilson]

Anastasia Lange was the Grizabella when I was ten or eleven and first saw Cats on stage. Her beautiful performance made me want to hear the original Grizabella (Elaine Paige for London and Betty Buckley for Broadway). Like them, she has a voice and character that stays with you. Thank you for these samples.

[@Broadwayriah]

2:28 TOOOUCH meeeeeeeee, its so eeeeeeeEEEEEasssyyy to leeeaaaveee meeeeeeeee AAAAALLL alooooooOoOoOoooooOOONE WITH a memoryyy of my days in the sun

[@levitabusman]

That first one holy crap

[@pamspurgers3578]

Betty Buckley originated the role on Broadway and won a Tony for this performance. Her version gives me chills.

[@annagalati34]

Betty was wonderful. Saw her live. Gives me chills everytime.

[@rossmandell8734]

Elaine Paige was the original in the west end A few months later an identical production opened on Broadway with Betty Buckley Both were and are sensational I believe that the key to the show’s longevity is the brilliance that they brought to it from the start

[@phillgreenland2390]

@@rossmandell8734 Not identical, exactly. A few numbers were rewritten, it was edited, and the costumes and set were changed a bit.

[@rossmandell8734]

Laurie and Elaine Paige are my favorites They really evoke the sadness in the song Betty Buckley is also way up there

[@brettewilson]

May Linda Balgord and Laurie Beechman, two splendid ladies with unforgettable voices, rest in peace 💙

[@grannysgonerabid7425]

Nearly impossible to follow Betty in that, but some of these ladies did a fine job, particularly Kathryn Holtkamp. Some seemed to be struggling or were over-reaching. I don't know what Natalie Toro was trying to do. Good god.

[@matthewshapiro4072]

Natalie definitely played the "insane" angle some folks give Griz up!

[@danstoblame]

This is great. Thanks for putting it together!

[@dianastandefer3172]

I wonder where the Liz Callaway and Natalie Toro clips came from.

[@ialwayslikeblue1592]

Im laughing at Natalie Toro's version of Memory

[@purrkittycatman6496]

I saw Kathryn live. She was amazing!

[@ialwayslikeblue1592]

RIP Laurie Beechman

[@sohoboy506]

Loni and Betty all the way!

[@disneydanny2]

I think it's interesting how on the 5th National Tour (2001-2012) they could take a (normally) 5 piece band (10 in bigger cities) and make it sound as big as the 4th National had (what DID Tour IV use 15 piece?)

[@CaseyBlizzard]

4th National had 13 musicians, 5th national had 5 and to me it very much sounded like 5 aside from a few well executed moments. I saw that tour 3 times and the majority of the songs sounded almost like midi files. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the show very much, but it was definitely a budget tour in many ways. 4th national had a much better, fuller sound in my opinion.

[@ialwayslikeblue1592]

where can I find the other Memory version of Angie Smith on 3:47

[@ValtronW]

Look up "Cats Musical Boston 2007 Part 2"

[@ialwayslikeblue1592]

Wait Kim Criswell didn't perform Cats on US nor Broadway, she performed Cats on Los Angeles

[@matthewshapiro4072]

No Lillias White? Oh well...she's said that she didn't like playing Griz.

[@commentaccount9763]

I love Kim Criswell's (LA Production) version but holy hell with that make-up! What was the artist thinking when doing her make-up?!? It was a production of Cats, not Zebras!

[@tomgallowitz]

Comment Account think the actors do their own make up

[@betseydufour6671]

jeri sager was my favorite tour grizabella but donna lee marshall not bad but natilie on the other hand not so great

[@betseydufour6671]

in my opinion