My Favorite Broadway - The Love Songs | 
| Directors: David Horn, Eve Adair
Actors: Julie Andrews, Michael Crawford, Linda Eder, Peter Gallagher, Robert Goulet
Studio: Image Entertainment
Category: DVD
Buy New: $24.90
New (7) Used (7) from $15.78
Rating:  25 reviews
Sales Rank: 31323
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Compilation, Dolby, Dvd, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 104 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: 595
UPC: 014381059526
EAN: 0014381059526
ASIN: B000059H81
Theatrical Release Date: March 6, 2001
Release Date: March 13, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
This October 2000 follow-up to 1998's My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies allows the gentlemen in, but that's not always an advantage. Sure, Michael Crawford developed a great following as the Phantom and Nathan Lane is a comedian nonpareil, but Tom Wopat, Brent Spiner, Peter Gallagher, Adam Pascal, and Ron Raines, while all fine performers with good resumes, simply can't match the marquee power of the original's Liza Minnelli, Audra McDonald, Jennifer Holliday, Nell Carter, and many others. And even when old vets appear, Robert Goulet seems closer to Las Vegas than Lancelot, and Barry Manilow (mostly making his name as a composer these days) looks pretty awkward. That said, this is still an enjoyable live show from New York's City Center (also available on CD). Among the ladies returning, Rebecca Luker and Marin Mazzie shine in songs from the revivals they star in, and super diva Linda Eder raises the roof with a three-song medley. And there are other additions to the roster, one legend, Chita Rivera (reprising her "English Teacher" from Bye Bye Birdie), and one up-and-comer, Heather Headley (sharing her "Elaborate Lives" duet with Aida costar Pascal). But the first 100 minutes is all prologue, anyway. The real star is the host, Julie Andrews, who also hosted the original show and conspicuously did not sing in it, following her infamous, lawsuit-laden vocal-cord surgery that effectively ended her music career. Throughout the evening she teases the audience, reciting lyrics and making references to My Fair Lady. So when Crawford begins the finale, "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," and Andrews enters, the audience holds its breath: Will she or won't she? It's an electric moment, and perfect theater. --David Horiuchi
Description
Julie Andrews returns to host the second installment of the "My Favorite Broadway" series. "My Favorite Broadway: The Love Songs" is a magical one-night-only concert extravaganza featuring Broadway's brightest stars. Celebrated performances from many of the most beloved musicals ever including "Guys and Dolls," "Drat, the Cat," "Camelot," "Sweet Charity," "My Fair Lady" and more. Songs: Love Is Sweeping the Country/ Till There Was You/ Lover/ So in Love (Adam Pascal, Brent Spiner, Rebecca Luker, Peter Gallagher & Marin Mazzie), Lullaby of Broadway (Tom Wopat & Dancers), Sue Me (Nathan Lane & Doo Wop Trio), He Touched Me (Heather Headley), Operatic Intro/ Standing on the Corner/ Let the Good Times Roll (Three Mo' Tenors), Gigi (Ron Raines), Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (Jeffrey Denman & Joan Hess), When I Fall in Love (Marin Mazzie), English Teacher/ Rosie (Chita Rivera & Brent Spiner), If Ever I Would Leave You (Robert Goulet), Come Rain or Come Shine/ I Don't Know How to Love Him/ What Kind of Fool Am I? (Linda Eder), Music of the Night (Michael Crawford), Seasons of Love (Adam Pascal & Broadway Inspirational Voices), Elaborate Lives (Adam Pascal & Heather Headley), Every Single Day (Barry Manilow), Not a Day Goes By/ Too Late Now/ Sometimes a Day Goes By (Rebecca Luker, Peter Gallagher & Marin Mazzie), I'm a Brass Band (Bebe Neuwirth), This Nearly Was Mine (Robert Goulet), Brush Up Your Shakespeare (Michael McCormick & Michael Mulheren), How Lucky Can You Get (Chita Rivera), I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face/ The Rain in Spain (Michael Crawford & Julie Andrews).
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| Customer Reviews: Read 20 more reviews...
 This is a wonderful DVD. October 2, 2007
Michele S. Techman (IL USA)
My Favorite Broadway - The Love Songs
This is a wonderful DVD and it came very fast from the shipper and I
am looking forward to watching this as I originally had it on VHS and
now have changed formats to DVD.
 A BROADWAY GRAB BAG: WATCH IT JUST FOR CHITA AND JULIE August 22, 2007
DEWEY MEE (ELLENSBURG, WA,)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
From October, 2000: Approximately 19 performers participate in "MY FAVORITE BROADWAY: THE LOVE SONGS."
The results range from the sublime to the absurdly ridiculous. The show is a wildly uneven grab bag of Broadway songs. You'll have to take what you get, and either suffer through, or skip, several mediocre selections of song and perrformer, as I did. The title is rather mis-leading: A few songs aren't love songs, two songs are from musical films, not Broadway musicals -- and the descriptive phrase "my favorite broadway" is used rather loosely, abused, and
put to the test, here. A few songs and performers, in fact, represented my least favorite Broadway musicals.
The sublime aspects feature Rebecca Luker, Chita Rivera, and Julie Andrews. Ron Raines sings a surprisingly touching rendition of Lerner and Loewe's "GIGI" from the film of the same name. And it's a treat to see Chita Rivera and Brent Spiner (Data from "STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION") sing a medley of songs from Chita's 1960 Broadway hit "BYE BYE BIRDIE."
But for every magical performer like Chita Rivera, there's one like Linda Eder. Miss Eder, or "She Who Would Be Barbra Streisand", blasts through her Broadway medley in bombastic style. Also like Barbra Streisand at her very worst. Eder is so in love with herself, she does not need or necessarily want an audience. It gets worse! After Eder mercifully exits, Michael Crawford appears to sing "Music Of The Night" for the UMPTEEMPTH TIME
in his career! He can no longer hit the high notes. This time, Crawford is frightening without his "PHANTOM OF THE OPERA" mask and make-up. Robert Goulet butchers the beautiful "This Nearly Was Mine" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's "SOUTH PACIFIC." Earlier in the show, Goulet ruins his own "If Ever I Would Leave You" Las Vegas style. Hostess Julie Andrews is nevertheless forced to gaze adoringly at her "CAMELOT" co-star from 1960.
What on earth is Barry Manilow doing here? And why is Linda Eder front and center when wonderful Rebecca Luker, Marin Mazzie, and Peter Gallagher are stuck singing song snippets in brief medleys? Tom Wopat, who can't dance a step, barely survives "Lullaby Of Broadway"; even though he is surrounded by dancers.
Michael McCormick and Michael Mulheren sing "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" from "KISS ME, KATE" which, of course, is not a love song, but after Eder and Goulet, it is a joyous relief! Chita Rivera sings Kander and Ebb's "How Lucky Can You Get", from the film musical "FUNNY LADY", the stinker Streisand sequel to the original "FUNNY GIRL." Chita Rivera turns a stinker into a showstopping tour-de-force!
Michael Crawford redeems himself by revisiting "MY FAIR LADY" with Julie Andrews. A radiant Andrews shares several stories about the show's creation. Originally, she sang a song called "Shy." (She recites the lyrics). Lerner and Loewe decided "Shy" was too overt a romantic expression for a show based on George Bernard Shaw. They replaced it a few days later with a song that did stay in the show-- the divine "I Could Have Danced All Night." For a few glorious moments, Julie Andrews returns to Eliza Doolittle's Cockney accent and performs "The Rain In Spain"/I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face/Embassy Waltz." with Crawford. Now that's real Broadway magic, and worth
the price of the DVD. Still, I'm glad I bought a used DVD for around $13.00 instead of a new DVD at full price.
Superb Cast and Mesmerizing Performances March 24, 2007
Classic Movie watcher
A star-studded performance of Broadway love songs. Although I cannot recognise most of these great artists, I am most impressed by their great performances and stage presence. To name a few of the impressive numbers: The elegant Julie Andrews's lyrics reciting was special; The Three Mo' Tenors, singing La Donne E mobile followed by Let the Good Times Roll, mixed fun and serious singing superbly well. Joan Hess's wonderful dancing against the piano accompaniment of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes was graceful, nostalgic as well as modern. Her beautiful stature is like a painting. All in all, this is an eye-opening and highly entertaining experience and the DVD quality, both audio and visual, is excellent.
 Broadway Songs March 24, 2006
Sharon L. Jensen (Concord, CA USA)
I liked the DVD which I basically got for two reasons: Julie Andrews and Michael Crawford. I was introduced to new performers on Broadway, which I do not have the opportunity to visit at all. The quality of the CD is great.
Love Songs? December 10, 2005
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
This is one of those things where you have to have to aquire a taste for it. Sure there are some songs that are definitely a good add to any Broadway collection, but if you're a classical Broadway fan you might be a little...disappointed.
The singers include-
Nathan Lane
Chita Riviera
Michael Crawford
Robert Goulet
Bebe Neuwirth
Marin Mazzie
Barry Manlow
Adam Pascal
Brent Spiner
Rebecca Luker
Peter Gallagher
Tom Wopat
Heather Headley
Ron Raines
Jeffrey Denman
Joan Hess
Brent Spiner
Linda Eder
Michael McCormick
Michael Mulheren
and of course, Julie Andrews, who provides us with some of her memories from "My Fair Lady" and briefly sings in "The Rain in Spain".
It is fun seeing some of the women who were in the Leading Ladies make a return (Linda Eder, Marin Mazzie, Rebecca Luker, Bebe Neworth, Julie Andrews, and anyone I've forgotten) but if you have not gotten the Leading Ladies (though you should!), this is lost on you. Some of the songs have been jazzed up and were better left alone. Other songs too do not really fit into what you'd think of as a "love song" category-do "Lullaby of Broadway" and "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" speak "love" to you?
Though it is definitely worth buying to see such stars as Julie Andrews, Michael Crawford, Chita Riviera, Robert Goulet, and Barry Manlow (if you're a fan) if you're expecting love songs from Rodgers and Hammerstein, West Side Story, or Jule Styne you might be a little disappointed.
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