Product Details

• Actors: Various Artists
• Format: Color, Compilation, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Kultur Video
• DVD Release Date: May 30, 2006
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000FC2HHC
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #141,046 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This star studded spectacular was taped live at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1983 and is hosted by acting veterans Diahann Carroll and Richard Kiley, with Broadway stars Patti LuPone, Steve Allen the founder of the Tonight Show, stage actress and author Jayne Meadows, master mimic Rich Little, American Opera diva Roberta Peters and the comedic duo Shields & Yarnell. This exciting musical variety special features classic Broadway and Tin Pan Alley songs, including Ms. LuPone’s rendition of Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, direct from her Tony Award® winning role as Evita. Another showstopper is Richard Kiley’s performance of The Impossible Dream, the song that made his name synonymous with Man Of La Mancha. The performances are supported by a 36-piece orchestra led by renowned bandleader Charles Raymond Offenberg aka "The Other Ray Charles", and include original production numbers with an array of talented dancers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars diahann carroll at her best!, June 2, 2006

By	Leandro Reggiani "lreggiani" (jamaica, ny United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

this is a great chance to get a dvd w/ the GREAT DIAHANN CARROLL.rare rare!

she is so wonderful.

buy it now

lreggiani

2.0 out of 5 stars Love PBS Beg-A-Thons? You'll Love This, December 10, 2007

By	Stephanie DePue (Carolina Beach, NC USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"Starfest" was recorded live at the Tropicana Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada in 1983: it stars Broadway veterans Richard Kiley and Diahann Carroll, and Patti Lu Pone, then a newcomer fresh from her triumph in "Evita."

Kiley gives us his deeply felt signature song from "The Impossible Dream;" and the entertaining monologue "Gus: The Theatre Cat," from "Cats." Carroll gives us medleys Of "Give My Regards to Broadway," and "New York, New York;" and "My Ship/ The Bilbao Song." The two of them give us their Broadway duet, "The Sweetest Sounds." Most people who buy this DVD, I expect, will be buying it for these performances. However, Patti LuPone gives us a "Don't Cry for Me Argentina," her signature song from "Evita," and manages to shed real tears as she does so. And this, folks, is why I bought this DVD. LuPone also gives us "Squeeze Me," and "Rio."

But somebody evidently thought a variety show was what was needed, so we also have opera star Roberta Peters, wearing a variety of 1950's prom dresses, wandering disconsolately around, wondering what she's doing. We have the Starfest Dancers, jumping all over Mozart -- don't ask. And we have Rich Little, Shields and Yarnell, and Steve Allen & Jayne Meadows, dispensing comedy that might have been dated even then. Somebody also, apparently, thought that the numerous, long intermissions the PBS channels take to beg when they present something like this weren't enough; so the artists all also beg for money for PBS throughout the 90 minutes running time of this DVD. Well, if you particularly love one of its stars, you might want this production no matter what; only you can decide that.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Commercial for PBS;Good spots if you are a fan, June 27, 2006

By	Janet Collins "Broadway Musical Lover" (Ewing, NJ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

I am a fan of Richard Kiley and Diahnn Carroll so I ordered this DVD. Patti Lupone and Roberta Peters also sing on it. Shields and Yarnell, Rich Little, and a brief scene with Jayne Meadows and Steve Allen are also on it. I am not exactly sorry I ordered it, but I was disappointed that it is mostly an advertisement for PBS. If you really like any of the performers who do at most three numbers each, then you may enjoy this DVD. There is no story that goes through the DVD. I enjoyed Richard Kiley singing THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM, and Diahnn and Richard singing NO STRINGS from the show that Richard Rodgers wrote alone after Oscar Hammerstein died. It was probably novel at the time to have an interracial couple. So if you really like any of these performers, you may not mind the pleas for PBS. If you like PBS, you may enjoy them.