Customer Reviews

Starfest - Stars Salute Public TV / Diahann Carroll, Richard Kiley, Patti LuPone, Rich Little

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"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.

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

she is so wonderful.

buy it now

lreggiani

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.