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From: wiggum075
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  • I looooooooooove this. Might learn it like I learned the Single Ladies dance.

  • I was fortunate enough to have seen Ms. McKechnie and her castmates in the original. Even after over 40 years, this remains one of my all-time favorite ensemble numbers. It's just joyous.

  • As others have said I'm exhausted just watching it. Good lord. Fantastic.

  • like if you looked this up after watching Camp

  • In looking at the various videos of this AMAZING performance, I feel compelled to clear up the mistaken identity of the woman in the purple dress. That is not Margo Sappington. It is her replacement, Julane Stites. By the time of the Tony Awards (this performance), Margo was in another show.

    I just wanted to clarify. I think Julane should receive her due credit for being a part of HISTORIC performance. :)

  • The one in the blue defadently is one of my teachers WOW

  • I've seen this 7 times since Micheal Buckley sent me here....I think I'll favorite it..

  • My Gosh musical was rockin back in the day

    the coregraphy is insane so technical and synchronised

    love it !!!!

  • @nighthappens - Because, Nighthappens, ... no one has. this unequivocally the classic rendition of this number.

    BTW, it is a chiropractors wet dream! Donna and her troupe are a choreographer's blank canvas. I've watched this scene countless times since it originally aired 43 years ago and I enjoy the same exhilaration and wonder as I did then...

  • The most pointless number ever. Yes, so friggin' infectious.

  • This reminds me of the single ladys lol

  • As amazing as this is, I get tired just watching them!

  • This is fantastic to see--yes, not effects, just phenomenal dancing. And, with no offense to the other two ladies, isn't it incredible how much better Donna McKechnie is? Every movement that the other two do just seems to be more precise, more musical and more physically brilliant with McKechnie. It's the difference between excellence and genius.

  • Donna McKechnie and company looking very happy to be performing and it is nice to see men's suits that aren't retro. Saw the original and it was a great show.

  • I remember seeing this back then in Chicago...great show!

  • Donna McKechnie's dancing here is BEYOND fabulous. Gave me chills to see this kind of artistry.

  • Omigod! Seth's right. Donna does have a crazy neck/back!

  • Hell yeah!! Makes me wanna bust out the go-go boots and white lipstick!

  • Man the timeing of the dancers is so sick! Its amazing

  • Originality is always key!!! That's why the original casts for Fosse are legendary!!

  • Donna and Michael were an incredible team!

  • Apparently the revival was made to stay true to the original. In no way does it. This is sooooo much better. The energy in this is nowhere to be seen in the revival

  • it starts out SOO simply but then they sneak in these little impssible things and by the end my mouth is gaping open because I don't know how anybody can move their body so far so fast and then whip it back again...I'm agog! they sure didn't tell her not to pop her head in this one! She' amazing!

  • WHO ARE THE EIGHT BITCHES WHO DISLIKED THIS.

  • The figure 8 that starts around 2:56 has to rank as one of the best group dance moves in Broadway history. It doesn't even seem like it should be possible, yet there it is.

  • @WesternActor I know, it amazed me how they didnt miss one person and how perfect it was!

  • @WesternActor That is the most amazing thing I have seen in my entire life awesome XD

  • Donna is like freakin' Gumby.

  • I wish I could have seen this electrifying moment in Broadway history in person. I have chills watching this. Donna Mckechnie is a legend. No one can compare.

  • Having just seen the 2010 revival, all I can say is watch this version of Turkey Lurkey over and over again. The revival doesn't even come close to this, since the number is cut in half and all the dancing is from the waist up. I wish I could get my money back from the revival, it was so bad. If you haven't seen it, don't. Please don't waste your money. Just watch this. 1000 times better.

  • this clip is so damn old you can hardly see their faces, but they are very good

  • Of mimeograph? What a suck ass job that must have been.

  • Just saw Promises Promises on Broadway. This and "A Fact Can be a Beautiful Thing" were my favorite songs. :D

  • @doctorturkleton I just saw it too and though I loved the show, this number disappointed me :/

  • Damn, musicals just aren't as good these days...

  • Who IS that going for the crazy high Cs at the end?

  • @Selendomono the high C's probably weren't coming from any of the dnacer on stage. Promises Promises was the first show to use "pit singers" - there were four girls in the orchetra pit with microphones. They sang a lot of background harmonies throughout the show.

  • @ITCJon I figured it was either that or pre-recorded. I dont think they would have had the heart to make the dancers dance AND go for those high Cs

  • does she have bones? the way she moves is like whoa!

  • That is just CRAZY!!!!!!!!!

  • miss the big explotion at the end !! damn !!!

  • choreography is very similar to new b/way prodn

  • @alanbweaver, i disagree.... i love Rob Ashford, but i think Michael Bennetts much better!!!

  • I just watched the promo clip for the Promises Promises revival, and it really highlights the joy and immediacy of this production. What energy! And of course Donna M is incomparable. Bravo!

  • When you look up "Show Stopper" in the dictionary, it should immediately play this clip. Unlike many of today's shows, you get the feeling that this is being performed by living, breathing people, not falling chandeliers or green girls "Defying Gravity."

  • Apparently, they cheaped out for the Tony telecast. The scow was scored for 4 "Orchestra Voices" who handled most of the heavy lifting vocally for "Turkry Lurkey Time." It should come as no surprise that you can't dance like that and sing at the same time (ask Britney Spears). Outstanding clip...brought back a lot of memories. Michael Bennett, RIP

  • @ Dudufrias

    Margo Sappington is in the purple, Baayork Lee in the green and Donna McKechnie in the red.

  • Whenever I have a lousy day I watch this clip and feel better.

  • I have been to many an office Xmas party where, if they could really dance, they would dance like this

  • Flawless

  • It's amazing how their pitch doesn't falter at all when they're swinging their heads back and forth like that

    Really great choreography

  • I hope the revival lives up to this... I just wish they still did musicals like this... Nowadays it's flying green belting bitches and other glitz and whatnot... But this here is a true showstopper! No belting demons and no special effects! Just some amazing fucking dancers and singers putting on an amazing fucking number. Bravo.

  • AMEN !!!

  • @Jarrod005 Sorry to say the choreography for Turkey Lurkey Time in the revival doesn't even come close to this. Not even close. That being said, it is still a remarkably fun scene. Perhaps one of my favorites in the revival. This is just too fun a song NOT to do right. Hell, even when it appears sung by young teens in the movie CAMP it;s still a crapload of fun. Seeing it live in a Broadway theater (actually THE Broadway Theater) just makes it so much better.

  • @Jarrod005

    the choreography in the revival definitely doesn't live us to this!

  • @Jarrod005 I have got to disagree. Nowadays they have even better dancers and even better singers. I don't know if belting on broadway was ever discouraged, but if it was, it shouldn't have been.

  • @thewzrdofoz Broadway has changed so much over the decades. Back then, it was more focused on the show itself, and a lot less focused on the stars. Most of these musicals during the 60s and the 70s had a lot of great dancers, and the producers & creators of these shows were awesome at showcasing them. These days, it's just belting numbers and less flashy numbers. I wish Broadway hadn't changed so much...

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  • @thewzrdofoz Obviously he watches alot of the videos on youtube for comparison.

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  • @thewzrdofoz But that's like saying you can't have an opinion on history because you weren't there.

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  • @thewzrdofoz that reasoning is completely wrong... you can listen to, and watch videos of the old broadway shows. not only that but you can listen to the stories from old producers, dancers, actors, directors and just get that there was a BIG difference between now and then.. I personally believe that the evolution is good. I'm in love with Old Broadway, but I love the new one as well.

  • @NeaNuBobbyChang I understand that reasoning is confusing, but it is very hard to explain, and I was in a rush.

    I know that Broawday used to be different, but I'm saying that he can't know for sure whether they were flashier back then without seeing them himself.

  • @thewzrdofoz I value his opinion more than yours. Go beat your old timer gong somewhere else.

  • @splendidoyster3 Really???? I mean come on, I was just expressing my opinion, just like you expressing your opinion on how you think I am wrong. But that doesn't mean that the whole world revolved around your opinion, so go beat YOUR old timer gong somewhere else. Just because YOU value his opinion more, doesn't mean anything to me. I was specifically talking to one person(and he hasn't replied to anything yet), not you, or anyone else who has "back-lashed" at me for thinking a certain way.GEEZE

  • @thewzrdofoz I'm sorry, I'm reminding myself now of why I came to this page and it's because of the holidays. Please accept my apology and have happy holidays to come, peace and love, God bless.

  • @splendidoyster3 no problem...

    Happy Holidays to you too!

  • @Jarrod005 belting demons lol shes a witch lol thats hilarious a belting demon.

  • @Jarrod005 no need to cuss so much, kids read these

  • @Jarrod005

    And the "belting green bitch" has just as good a voice as these wonderful performers here. No need to hate.

  • Baayork is the cutest thing I've ever seen lol.

    And Donna is fantastic.

    There are no words.

  • Margo Sappington, Baayork Lee and Donna McKechnie are a AMAZING but c'mon, who are we kidding? Just look at Donna, she ROCKS this. This woman is the embodiment of what dance is and what dancers should be. This is just sick, I love it.

  • @CromTO is she the one in the purple dress?

  • The stupidest song, but the choreography is amazing

  • @moorewjr Michael Bennett is AMAZING!

  • ~~ and the crowd goes wild ~~

  • Lord, Donna sure can bust a move...

  • This is great. Thanks for posting it. Does anyone know if Margo took over the lead spot when it was on Ed Sullivan? It is on Gooogle video. She and the clip itself are terrrific!!

  • I was 16 when I saw the original broadway cast in NYC. I'm 56 now and I can remember the play and this scene in particular as though it was yesterday. Thanks for posting.

  • How incredibly exciting! This number gives me goosebumps. To have been there when it first came out must have been marvelous.

  • I'm playing Angel in Rent in Tacoma and I have a feeling I want to add in the crazy neck single and a double like Seth was talking about in Today 4 You ha ha.

  • So many moments (like the 1:34 mark) feel totally "Single Ladies," but, obviously, pre-date that by four friggin decades.

  • That to me makes choreography from however long ago all the more intriguing today. sometimes it's fun to see how dance has literally been there and back again.

  • donna is going crazy at the end, I love it!

  • Love Donna, but Baayork is no slouch in the dance routine either. Girl has some moves!

  • God bless Hal and Burt

  • I think this song is INCREDIBLE! Sure, it's not Shakespeare set to music, but who cares??? It's Burt Bacharach and Hal David - - 2 songwriting geniuses. The song is catchy, the dancing beyond incredible. We have NOTHING like this anymore, sad to say. Great news: "Promises, Promises" is headed back to Broadway in 2010. First-ever Broadway revival starring Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth! Hooray! :-)

  • Wow! Talk about being a major "Debbie Downer". Why don't we wait and see how they fare before passing judgment. Hayes and Chenoweth are both extremely talented people. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. I'm just thrilled we're getting the show back.

  • oh come on. they are not talented. he's a closet gayqho made a sh*tload of money from anoverrated sitcom and she's a madeline kahn derivation who is perky and bland.

  • Such strong opinions. Well, I completely disagree with your assessment of their talents. So, let's just call it a wash and "agree to disagree".

  • cheno is hotter than most women 20 years her jr

  • Yowzah!  :-)

  • glad at least one person agrees with me

    cheno was on glee...and she was hotter than all those 20 somethings pretending to be teens

  • Missed her on "Glee". Love that show! Will have to "Hulu" that episode.

  • shes great on it...sings two songs and acts like a drunken slut

  • Too funny! Looking forward to seeing it! :-)

  • Donna McKechnie's flexibility is insane. Terrible song, incredible choreography, lifted by legendary dancers.

  • Okay, I'll say it...I'm waiting for someone to splice 'Single Ladies' to this clip...even if it has NOTHING to do with bob fosse...

  • Or umm...Michael Bennett?

  • 'Or umm', excuse me, I was deliberately referencing Bob Fosse and NOT Michael Bennett BECAUSE this clip, and the choreography (being Bennett's), has NOTHING directly to do with Fosse. Hence my saying 'even if it has NOTHING to do with bob fosse'. I also mentioned Fosse specifically as the single ladies music video directly and specificlally quotes many FOSSE steps and phrases. Please don't come at me like that again when I know what I'm saying. Thank you.

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  • because this number has become legendary. I have heard it described as the greatest dance number in Broadway history...it's certainly up there, it's a terrible piece of music it's true, but Donna McKechnie developed a reputation as the dancer to have in your show from this number alone... and it's well earned :)

    Too bad the quality is so bad, if you really watch, you can see her amazing moves and why the three of them needed to see a chiropractor weekly!

  • This is certainly a casebook example of a choreographer taking what could have been a mediocre song and turning into an incredible showstopping number. Several notable choreographers have done so, as Michael Bennett did right here, and when you have such INCREDIBLE talent to tap into why not run with an idea??

  • This is not the 68 Tonys, it would have to be a year later. This is a good musical but this is one of the two worst numbers. I wonder why they picked this song when there were other, more popular songs.

  • because while being the worst number, it is also the best number in the show at the same time

  • That was my wife who posted that previous comment. Otherwise, awesome video.

  • Baayork Lee better work!!!! This choreography is amazing.

  • You've know idea how badly I've always wanted to see this number...and here it is!!! Bless you!! Just look at the talent on that stage with Donna McKechnie showing off Michael Bennett's incredible choreography. This is Broadway gold!!! You just don't get this caliber of all-round talent anymore. Thanks again!

  • You are so right and I don't don't why. In athletics records keep getting broken but in dance it seems the dancers of today can't touch Donna et. al

  • LOVE THE CHOREOGRAPHY to death

  • this is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the performance quality of the people back then was just soo high! the dancing is truly truly superb

  • Beautiful

  • wow, she has some trick arm...and apparently a trick neck

  • Spectacular dancing! Would love to see a revival with the original correography.

  • This clip, though marvelous, does no justice to the original. I saw this in Spring 1969 before that year's Tony Awards and it was phenominal!!

  • The revival is set for next year!

  • What a great reminder of a lost era. Call me a pessimist but I dont think well ever see dancing like this again. Sorry folks, but todays dancers lack this combination of electrifying passion, strong personality and technical brilliance (that had to meet the high standards of Robbins, Cole, Fosse, Gennaro and Bennett). Of course, theres plenty of talent out there but its drowned in a billion-dollar machinery that treats performers as interchangeable cogs. Nowadays the productions the star.

  • The tall male performer on the right side of the screen IS Jerry Orbach, isn't it? He was a national treasure even before his long tenure on "Law and Order."

  • @gmatusk Yes. He actually had a big musical career before "L and O." He was the original Macheath in "Threepenny Opera," the original El Gallo in "The Fantasticks," and the original Julian Marsh in "42nd Street," all in addition to being the original Chuck Baxter in "Promises." He is truly missed.

  • @TheMaster61964

    Not to mention the original Billy Flynn in Chicago!

  • Go ghost choreographer Fosse!

  • I wish our Christmas party at work was like this, *laugh*.

  • Why to I love this number? In many ways it is a hot mess...yet I am dancing in my chair.

  • Forty years of doing professional musical productions, this remains one of my all-[time favorite numbers... when I saw the recreation of this number in the film CAMP, I was SOOOO jazzed, I got up and started dancing in the theater, remembering every move 25 years after doing the show... never that brazen before, but that's how this song affects me!

    THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS!!!

  • DONNA MCKENCHIE IS AMAAZING

  • 10000000000 thanks for posting this. i always wondered what this number looked like. the promises promises broadway cast album is brilliant!

  • @captainvontrapp  Yes, but Jerry Orbach, great as he was, sings SO FLAT on nearly every song on the OC album. I've heard him sing numerous times, always in pitch. Must have had a bad day.The orchestrations are outstanding on the original album. Also, one of the best overtures EVER.

  • those bitches are WORKING!!

  • lol thats gotta be the stupidest song in the world but the dancing rocks!

  • OMG this is the funniest show ever.... where did you get this?

  • I know this may be a long shot - but does anyone have a "cleaner" version of this amazingness? Please post if you do - I love it!

  • Choreography=AWESOME

    Vocals... not so much

  • The choreography is incredible. The skinny guy on the left at 3:06 - 3:20 if F'n HILARIOUS - so awful but so much fun!

  • That's probably because they're working their asses off dancing at the same time.

  • OMG!!!! I love it! Why have I NEVER seen this version?

  • I want to be Donna McKechnie when I grow up

  • I seen her unnerpants when she kicked

  • whose that tall girl inthe middul?

  • That's Donna McKechnie in the middle, pre- "A Chorus Line" fame

  • Donna McKechnie.

  • this was the first bway musical to use microphones.

  • What kind of microphones do you mean? Musicals originally used boom microphones that moved throughout the stage. I believe Evita was the first to use body microphones though.

  • cant imagine evita without body mics so i think your right

  • EPIC.

    i would kill to be in this

  • Poor Baayork and Margo. I've seen this countless times over the years and I just realized that I have never watched either of them. I can't take my eyes off of Donna. She's ridiculous.

  • I smirk everytime I hear the announcer say "Ms. De la Hoya, Petty Cash!"

  • Daayummm. Haha. I took a workshop today that was supposed to teach us this dance...and it was like 4 times shorter and Muchh less hectic, YEESH, these are beastly people here. haha ha.

  • I can watch this over and over again.

  • I DO! I DO! How can anybody takes their eyes off Donna? Spectacular from start to finish!!!

  • Lyrics are drivel, dance is infectious.

    I'm going to turn the volume down, it's so fritzy anyway.

  • Now I know why I love this show so much! I've played the CD to death. This is what Broadway is about!

  • Broadway seemed like something so magical back then. this is really cool!

  • Best thing EVER !!!!

  • i love it!

  • i love this song. we have a dance to it for our xmas performance. its so much fun

  • This video brings me so much joy, I can't tell you.

  • I feel so sorry for Donna's poor neck! Ouch but amazing! I can't stop coming back to this very bizarre but fantastic dance!

  • Baayork Lee's hands are always at the same level as Donna and Margo's, even though she's like a solid foot shorter than them! She's a genius.

  • wow this is like the worst song (lyricly) ever written but the best number ever staged in theatre history hahahahaha

  • this was hot!!!

  • I've watched this video sooo many times i think i' turning into a Turkey Lurkey. I love this version as well the the version from "Camp" but what really impresses me is that this is LiVE!!.. Those ladies are not only giving us total Broadway boogie but also singing live, might i add in harmony.hehe. ~loves it~

  • Dance your fool asses off!!!!!!!!

  • The steps are just like from "Camp"...I cried when I watched this...

  • this was WAY before camp... but those kids were still great.

    ...I cried too

  • can someone please tell me the names of the three main dancers?

  • No prob:

    Red dress: Donna McKecknie

    Green dress: Baayork Lee

    Blue dress: Margo Sappington.

    That help?

  • Margo Sappington is Miss Baransky

    Baayork Lee is Miss Wong

    Donna McKechnie is Miss Dela Hoya

  • BEGEEZUS!! This blew my frickin' socks off---I'm nervous, too, that soon I will be rehearsing these steps for two months ---then performing it in a Christmas show---wow....

  • i did this show and i had to go to a chiropractor once a week, its so hard on your neck at the end! but its great, and it was so worth it.

  • My dad played the soundtrack when I was a kid non-stop.....just hearing this brings me back to happy times....I am actually going to have to play this at my November wedding!