by Nathaniel R
Twas very depressed last night scrolling through social media (rarely a good idea) when I chanced upon this reshare of a video from 2015 that I'd never seen. At some point just before The Color Purple' started its previews on Broadway a pre-fame (at last in regards to the US) Cynthia Erivo showed up at Marie's Crisis (for non New Yorkers, that's a very famous basement piano bar near Stonewall). She sang "I Can Do Better" in full (eagle eyes will spot her co-star Danielle Brooks right behind her). As a fan of Erivo and a crazy-obsessive Last Five Years stan (I went to the original Off Broadway run and listened to the cast recording on loop for a full year) this was pure heaven for five minutes...
...and five minutes of joy is nothing to underappreciate.
So if you also love Cynthia Erivo and/or The Last Five Years and/or Marie's Crisis, give this a watch. If you've never seen it (like myself) it's brand new to you!
P.S. The video is extra fun if you've ever been to Marie's Crisis because if you have you'll know that practically any of the strangers surrounding Erivo could totally pick it up and finish the song if Erivo were to quit mid-song; they wouldn't sound as good but the song is memorized!
P.P.S. In related news, am hardcore rooting for Cynthia Erivo to get Emmy-nominated for The Outsider. I didn't even love the show but she was phenomenal, totally specific and fascinating. (It's true I wasn't rooting for her Oscar nomination last season, but have loved her in everything else!)
P.P.P.S. Okay, now I'm depressed again because can't imagine when everyone will be singing their hearts out at a crowded piano bar again in our post COVID-19 world.