Alexander's Ragtime Band
A week or so ago, I posted a video in which Jason Alexander sang. When I posted it on social media, some people commented that they had no idea he was a singer. I noted that, in fact, he won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, a show that recreated musical numbers that had originally been directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, called Jerome Robbins' Broadway.
For those who were unaware of his background, I thought I'd post this number he performed on a Jerry Lewis MDA telethon in 1991 that showcases him very well. It's a medley of two numbers. The first is a bland, mediocre song called "I Want to Sing a Showtune," but it has the advantage of letting him sing lines from a wide collection of show songs and even do some light dancing. The second, though, lets him show his chops. He gives it a bit of a pretentious introduction, but sings the booming, "This is the Moment" wonderfully. Not a song he introduced, although the introduction somewhat hints at it if you're not paying close attention, but one from the musical Jekyll & Hyde.
One oddity here. When Jerry Lewis introduces him, it's as "Tony-winner Jason Alexander," which is true and a very good introduction. But Seinfeld went on the air the previous year, and there's no mention of it. The show wasn't the smash yet that it would become, but it was a network primetime sitcom.
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