PAT SUZUKI sings "I ENJOY BEING A GIRL" by Rodgers & Hammerstein

PAT SUZUKI brought down the house eight times a week and earned her star in Broadway Heaven when she introduced the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic "I Enjoy Being a Girl" as nightclub entertainer Linda Lowe in the original 1958 production of "Flower Drum Song," for which she received a Theatre World Award. On Thursday May 23, 2005, she stopped the show once again when she made a rare return to the Broadway stage to reprise her signature song at "The 61st Annual Theatre World Awards" at Studio 54 in New York City, directed by Theatre World Award winner and Tony Award-nominee, Walter Willison. The first awards were a framed certificate -- the beautiful bronze Janus Award, sculpted by internationally recognized sculptor Harry Marinsky, did not make its until 1973 -- so at the climax of the 2006 ceremony, Pat was present with a new Janus Theatre World Award to replace the certificate Gwen Verdon had presented her with at the 1959 event. A best-selling RCA recording artist in the 50s, 60s and 70s, [her LPs "Miss Pony Tail," "Broadway 59," "Looking At You," "The Many Sides of Pat Suzuki" all hit the top of the charts] nicknamed "Miss Pony Tail," she received a Grammy Award nomination for her LP "Broadway 59." She guest starred on many television and radio variety shows of the day, including "Toast of the Town" [aka "The Ed Sullivan Show"], "The Dinah Shore Show," "The George Gobel Show," "The Dick Clark Show," "The Jack Paar Variety Show," "The Jerry Lester Show," "Startime," "The Mike Douglas Show," "The Red Skelton Show" and "The Frank Sinatra Show," as seen in this rare clip. Ms. Suzuki made history on more than one occasion: On December 22, 1958, her portrait, alongside "Flower Drum Song" costar Miyoshi Umeki, with the American Flag as a background, appeared on an iconic "Time Magazine" cover; she sang at President John F. Kennedy's inauguration; and she appeared opposite Pat Morita in the first TV sitcom starring an Asian-American family, "Mr. T. and Tina." Ms. Suzuki costarred with close friend George Takei, "Star Trek's" Mr. Sulu, in Frank Chin's "The Year of The Dragon" on PBS. Ms. Suzuki is active in supporting Asian-American rights. In 2005 she received rave reviews for her moving performance in the Los Angeles premiere of "Manzanar: An American Story," an epic work which commemorated the World War II Japanese American internment camp experience and explored the evolution of civil liberty in America, directed and written by Philip Kan Gotanda, composed by Jean-Pascal Beintus, David Benoit and Naomi Sekiya, narrated by Senator Daniel K. Inouye, in which Ms. Suzuki costarred with Olympic skating gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi, Sab Shimono and John Cho, at UCLA s Royce Hall in 2005. and continues to perform. In recent years, The Legendary Pat Suzuki has also starred in such notable New York events as "Two By Two": The Richard Rodgers Centennial Concert [directed by and costarring original cast member, Tony-nominee and Theatre World Award-winner Walter Willison], as Bloody Mary in "South Pacific" In Concert at Lincoln Center [also on CD] and in "Broadway Originals In Concert at Town Hall.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Pat Suzuki
• Frank Sinatra
• Natalie Wood
• Broadway musicals
• Theatre World Award
• Flower Drum Song
• Johnny Mercer
• Rodgers and Hammerstein
• Grammy Award
• Miss Pony Tail
• Japanese
• Asian-American
• gay interest

[JoeManelli]

Love it!

[BroadwayGoldnAge]

Glad to hear it! She's STILL the Best!

[hiuchituwa]

Outstanding video - thank you very much for posting. (Was it actually in 2005, rather than 2006? John Willis and Ben Hodges, "Theatre World: Volume 61, 2004-2005", New York: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, 2007, pp. 290-291)

[BroadwayGoldnAge]

Glad you enjoyed the clip. And thanks for letting me know about that date/typo in my posting [now corrected]. I directed the show, so I certainly know it was 2005, but sometimes when I'm writing I think one thing and type another, which is why we need proof-readers in this world!

[jakengabataniperla]

trully a legend very nostalgic for those who saw it in 1959.i can see lea salonga will do the same 30 years after.

[BroadwayGoldnAge]

Pat is indeed a Legend -- and still going strong, which is the best part!

[studpup]

Thanks so much for posting this! =)

[chocolatesouljah]

@BroadwayGoldnAge Can't thank you enough for posting. I have longed for recent clips of this one and only Broadway Baby!

[paulostroff99]

Exceptionally performed. Brava!

[BroadwayGoldnAge]

Thanks for letting me know. I'm so glad you appreciated seeing Pat as she is today -- she is, indeed, still going strong and better than ever!