Jerry Herman's Broadway (1993) - Star of the month... Angela Lansbury

'Jerry Herman's Broadway at the Hollywood Bowl' is a 1993 filmed recording of a special concert paying tribute to the great musical legacy of composer Jerry Herman. The concert event features performances by Bea Arthur, Carol Channing, Michael Feinstein, Davis Gaines, George Hearn, Florence Lacey, Lorna Lift, Rita Moreno, Karen Morrow, Lee Roy Reams & Leslie Uggams. Special video messages from Angela Lansbury, Liza Minnelli & Paul and Linda McCartney are also featured.

After a filmed introduction message from Liza Minnelli & a hilarious opening address by the great Carol Channing, the opening number is "It's Today" from Mame, performed by Leslie Uggams.

Other musical highlights include:

• "Movies Were Movies" (from 'Mack & Mabel') - George Hearn
• "Put On Your Sunday Clothes / Before the Parade Passes By" (from 'Hello Dolly') - Lee Roy Reams
• "Wherever He Ain't" (from 'Mack & Mabel') - Lorna Luft, Karen Morrow & Florence Lacey
• "Take It All Off" (from 'Jerry's Girls') - Lorna Luft & chorus... Lorna wears a burlesque fat suit
• "We Need a Little Xmas" (from 'Mame') - Karen Morrow
• "If He Walked Into My Life" (from 'Mame') - Leslie Uggams
• "Hello Dolly (Medley)" (from 'Hello Dolly) is the Act I finale featuring:
• impressions of Carol Channing, Sammy Davis Jr, Ethel Merman & Louis Armstrong
• Leslie Uggams "Deli Taste"
• Lorna Luft singing it
• international ballet (Brazilian, Chinese, Viking woman, French can can
• finally the original & best Dolly Levi, Miss Carol Channing
• An appearance from Bea Arthur, who made her debut as Vera in 'Mame', and she sings "The Man in the Moon" from 'Mame'
• "Bosom Buddies" (from 'Mame') - Rita Moreno & Leslie Uggams
• "Time Heals Everything" (from 'Mack & Mabel') - Lorna Luft (I got goosebumps during this performance as it is obvious Lorna is singing this about her mother, Judy Garland)
• A video message from Angela Lansbury in Ireland taking about 'Mame'
• An instrumental of the song "Mame" with a photo montage of Angela Lansbury on broadway & Lucille ball In the movie
• "I Won't Send Roses" (from 'Mack & Mabel') - Michael Feinstein
• "Tap Your Troubles Away" (from 'Mack & Mabel') - Rita Moreno (showing us she's still got it)
• "Kiss Her Now" - Leslie Uggams & Florence Lacey
• "I Am What I Am" (from 'La Cage aux Folles') - George Hearn
• "The Best of Times" (from 'La Cage aux Folles') - Jerry Herman and the entire cast

Sweeney Todd (1982) - Star of the month... Angela Lansbury

"Seems an awful waste, I mean with the price of meat, what it is when you get it, if you get it... Good, you got it!" - Angela Lansbury (as Mrs Lovett in 'Sweeney Todd')

'Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street' is a 1982 filmed recording of the Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical thriller. Directed by Terry Hughes and starring Angela Lansbury, George Hearne, Cris Groenendaal, Sara Woods, Edmund Lyndeck, Calvin Remsberg, Betsy Joslyn, Sal Mistretta & Kenneth Jennings.

 this was filmed live in Los Angeles.

'Sweeney Todd' is the macabre story of barber, Sweeney Todd, who murders his clients and Nellie, Lovett, his accomplice who minces the victim's bodies and bakes them into pies. 

Here is a montage of memorable clips from the recording:

Musical highlights

• "The Worst Pies in London" - Angela Lansbury
• "My Friends" - George Hearne & Angela Lansbury
• "Green Finch & Linnet Bird" - Betsy Joslyn
• "Johanna" - Cris Groenendaal
• "Pretty Women" - George Hearne & Edmund Lyndeck
• "Epiphany" - Angela Lansbury & George Hearne
• "A Little Priest" - Angela Lansbury & George Hearne
• "Not While I'm Around" - Angela Lansbury & Kenneth Jennings

Song: "The Worst Pies in London" - Angela Lansbury

Song: "A Little Priest" - Angela Lansbury & George Hearne

Song: "Not While I'm Around" - Angela Lansbury & Kenneth Jennings

Closing remarks

'Sweeney Todd' is 1983 ultimate tale of revenge with a dark comedic twist with one of the most sinister looking characters you'll ever see on the stage or screen.

Angela Lansbury is brilliant in this! In my opinion this was the greatest role of her career. It really pleases me to hear Lansbury's singing voice in this recording, as she was always dubbed in her early MGM film roles as her voice was not considered good enough. In Sweeney Todd, Lansbury proves she can sing, and quite well at that.

This is a production with high quality performances all round, and one of my favourite live filmings of a stage musical.

Watching this film reminds me of why I don't eat meat pies. You really don't know what is put into them. ;)   For those of you who enjoy meat pies, I would not recommend watching this film.