sup_fan
05-24-2018, 03:37 PM
I ran across a wonderful summary of how Diana incorporated the Leading Lady medley into her initial solo live shows. great reading this!! big credit goes to Paul for his wonderful Diana Ross Project site. A fan added some comments to the site's review and summary of On Broadway. Link is at the bottom
Several notes on the Leading Lady medley:
First, the transition into “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair” borrowed the introduction from “Spooky,” the then-current Classics IV song later covered by Dusty Springfield; this hook was a nod to younger viewers who may not have been familiar with the Broadway classics, and it made the segment accessible, fresh and of the times; it was not stale old material, by any means, and Diana Ross was gorgeous and gorgeously attired and photographed.
Second, when Diana Ross performed this medley in her initial nightclub/concert appearances as a solo artist, it was the centerpiece of her show. She wore a pink long-sleeved minidress, and her two male singer/dancers changed its accessories on stage in a series of quick blackouts as she proceeded from song to song. The pink and white add-ons, presumably designed by Bob Mackie, based on those from this special, included, for instance, a white cowboy hat and gun-and-holster belt for “Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly” and a ruffled floor-length skirt and dainty parasol for “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly.” She wore a flouncy white pinafore and a over-size bow in her hair for “People” and then she, herself, removed these in a teasingly slow, sexy bump-and-grind manner while she vamped through “Let Me Entertain You,” also from Gypsy; this extra routine may have been deemed too suggestive for television, but its presence in her ongoing show may have anticipated and addressed your concern that “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” the song belonging to Mother Rose was an odd choice. She slipped off stage briefly before returning in a pink crushed velvet/white feather outfit similar to that she wore on the TV special for her “Mame” segment finale. This medley received rousing applause and gasps of recognition throughout, so the TV show and soundtrack, in the context of the times, had great impact and memorability.
For those who missed her initial concerts, Diana Ross wore a long lemon yellow gown with white embroidery on its bell-shaped sleeves when she took the stage, singing “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “Reflections” and “The Nitty Gritty” among other songs. [[The shade of yellow was slightly lighter and brighter than the hue of her “Lady Sings The Blues” Billie-meets-Louis outfit; seemingly Diana and/or Bob Mackie thought it was a very good color for her, and the improvised dialog in the nightclub scene found Billy Dee Williams commenting that the color of the dress was effective in bringing out the tones of her skin.) Then, after a quick off-stage change, she reappeared in the “Rhythm Of Life” black and orange costume — again, drawing recognition, whether from the TV airing or from the soundtrack album jacket photos — as she and the male singer/dancers performed that song, after which she sang “Reach Out & Touch.” The Leading Lady Medley was the third part of the show, and she re-emerged for her final numbers, including “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” in a long red sequined gown.
So, while the Funny Girl and On Broadway albums may have been dismissed by some critics then or now, they served Diana Ross quite well back in the day. They seemed to be parts of a coordinated, well thought-through effort to make her transition from lead singer of the Supremes to solo status seamless and natural. It was a daring, dazzling package, one none of her contemporaries would conceptualize or could be capable of pulling off so precisely, perfectly and completely, night after night, and it represented an astonishing progression from the Talk Of The Town-era Supremes’ concerts through the Funny Girl and On Broadway albums to her solo debut, Lady Sings The Blues, Mahogany and her two lush, elaborate, scripted shows, An Evening With Diana Ross [[still available on CD) and the Down-the-Staircase Entrance show [[still available on DVD, in its Las Vegas iteration). Throughout, there was a feeling of optimism, triumph and celebration! And people of all colors and generations came together for that positive message.
https://dianarossproject.wordpress.com/2016/05/14/on-broadway-1969/
Several notes on the Leading Lady medley:
First, the transition into “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair” borrowed the introduction from “Spooky,” the then-current Classics IV song later covered by Dusty Springfield; this hook was a nod to younger viewers who may not have been familiar with the Broadway classics, and it made the segment accessible, fresh and of the times; it was not stale old material, by any means, and Diana Ross was gorgeous and gorgeously attired and photographed.
Second, when Diana Ross performed this medley in her initial nightclub/concert appearances as a solo artist, it was the centerpiece of her show. She wore a pink long-sleeved minidress, and her two male singer/dancers changed its accessories on stage in a series of quick blackouts as she proceeded from song to song. The pink and white add-ons, presumably designed by Bob Mackie, based on those from this special, included, for instance, a white cowboy hat and gun-and-holster belt for “Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly” and a ruffled floor-length skirt and dainty parasol for “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly.” She wore a flouncy white pinafore and a over-size bow in her hair for “People” and then she, herself, removed these in a teasingly slow, sexy bump-and-grind manner while she vamped through “Let Me Entertain You,” also from Gypsy; this extra routine may have been deemed too suggestive for television, but its presence in her ongoing show may have anticipated and addressed your concern that “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” the song belonging to Mother Rose was an odd choice. She slipped off stage briefly before returning in a pink crushed velvet/white feather outfit similar to that she wore on the TV special for her “Mame” segment finale. This medley received rousing applause and gasps of recognition throughout, so the TV show and soundtrack, in the context of the times, had great impact and memorability.
For those who missed her initial concerts, Diana Ross wore a long lemon yellow gown with white embroidery on its bell-shaped sleeves when she took the stage, singing “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “Reflections” and “The Nitty Gritty” among other songs. [[The shade of yellow was slightly lighter and brighter than the hue of her “Lady Sings The Blues” Billie-meets-Louis outfit; seemingly Diana and/or Bob Mackie thought it was a very good color for her, and the improvised dialog in the nightclub scene found Billy Dee Williams commenting that the color of the dress was effective in bringing out the tones of her skin.) Then, after a quick off-stage change, she reappeared in the “Rhythm Of Life” black and orange costume — again, drawing recognition, whether from the TV airing or from the soundtrack album jacket photos — as she and the male singer/dancers performed that song, after which she sang “Reach Out & Touch.” The Leading Lady Medley was the third part of the show, and she re-emerged for her final numbers, including “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” in a long red sequined gown.
So, while the Funny Girl and On Broadway albums may have been dismissed by some critics then or now, they served Diana Ross quite well back in the day. They seemed to be parts of a coordinated, well thought-through effort to make her transition from lead singer of the Supremes to solo status seamless and natural. It was a daring, dazzling package, one none of her contemporaries would conceptualize or could be capable of pulling off so precisely, perfectly and completely, night after night, and it represented an astonishing progression from the Talk Of The Town-era Supremes’ concerts through the Funny Girl and On Broadway albums to her solo debut, Lady Sings The Blues, Mahogany and her two lush, elaborate, scripted shows, An Evening With Diana Ross [[still available on CD) and the Down-the-Staircase Entrance show [[still available on DVD, in its Las Vegas iteration). Throughout, there was a feeling of optimism, triumph and celebration! And people of all colors and generations came together for that positive message.
https://dianarossproject.wordpress.com/2016/05/14/on-broadway-1969/