haines his way

07/18/2002:
"BLEARY-EYED AND VAGUELY DISCONTENTED"

Well, dear readers, I was up until the wee small hours of the morning answering all of your excellent questions. I realized quite some time ago that I had to answer them the night before because it usually takes a good two hours and when I used to do it in the morning the notes wouldn’t go up until eleven and that was totally unseemly and has anyone but me noticed that this has turned into one of those confounded run-on sentences I hate when that happens when a sentence should have ended long ago and then just goes on and on and on with no end in sight because the punctuation police have taken a page from haineshisway.com and are off having donuts krispy kremes I think and my word it just keeps going on and on and on with no end in sight and I really must try to get a period or a colon or a semi-colon in here to stop the madness or these entire fershluganah notes will all be one long paragraph and will make no sense at all because there is no order without punctuation there is only chaos notes-wise there is only madness with words tumbling one after another like one of those ridiculous acts from the Ed Sullivan Show and wait I see a period lying off to the side of the page let me just grab it right here and now and also right now and here and. Whew, that was a bit of luck, wasn’t it?
Well, we’re off to a fine start this fine Thursday which, by the way (BTW, in Internet lingo) is the day I answer your excellent questions. Therefore, I like to keep this section of the notes short and sweet rather than long and sour. Soon I must be off to have breakfast with our very own Mr. Jason Graae.
I did hear from one of the people I wrote from classmates.com, one out of the four. At least she had the good taste to respond unlike the other three great flying oafs. I’ll tell you a bit more about that in tomorrow’s notes. Last night I had dinner at the Geissman’s. Their lovely daughter is doing a summer production of Annie at her school. It’s a scaled down version which is licensed to schools, called Annie, Jr. And would you like to know who she’s playing? Well, I’ll tell you who she’s playing because it will shock you, dear readers, as surely as it shocked me. She is playing Olivia Warbucks. Yes, Virginia, you read that right – not enough boys tried out for the play so they had to change Daddy Warbucks to Mommy Warbucks. I feel this will be a very interesting production to see and I will be there with bells on. I asked her if Mommy Warbucks was bald like Daddy Warbucks and got a resounding no. We had steak and for dessert, a lovely lemon cake.
Well, perhaps we should all click on the Unseemly Button below, because the next section is quite quite long. I will tell you here and now and also now and here that if there are spelling or grammatical errors it is because I was up until the wee small hours of the morning and by the end of it I was bleary-eyed and vaguely discontend. Oh, yes, I was bleary-eyed and vaguely discontented.

Well, I better get directly to your excellent questions; because there they sit, like so much fish, and we must never keep excellent questions waiting.
William E. Lurie asks this excellent question: At our New York signing, will people who’ve already purchased signed copies of the DVD and/or book be able to participate, or will they have to buy duplicates? If by participate you mean can you just come and partake of ham chunks and cheese slices, of course you can and the more the merrier. I think the store would preclude someone from bringing the DVD in, unsigned, for a signature.
Kerry asks why I don’t put together an all-star cast recording of Promises, Promises? Well, I must tell you, that it was always in the back of my head to try to do just that? I actually had made a deal to record the Reprise! Concert version with Jason Alexander, but the publisher of the score would not make us our standard show mechanical royalty, and it just became prohibitive because of that. I’ve always wanted to record it with Jason Graae, and in fact we talked about it after we did Drat! The Cat!. But, it’s an expensive album to make and I fear sales would be limited. Kerry also asks when I’m going to do another “what if” parody. My goodness gracious, it has been forever since I’ve done one, hasn’t it? I’ll see if I can come up with one over the weekend, how’s that? Do hot dogs make you lose control? I never lose control around a dog, whether said dog is hot or cold. I think it is not a good idea to show a dog that a human being can lose control. We must be good role models for dogs or they will simply run amok and cause havoc wherever they go.
Ben asks if I saw Mr. Bob Fosse’s musicalization of Big Deal on Madonna Street, entitled Big Deal, and if so what did I think of it? I have about twenty minutes of it on video from one of those reviewer’s reels, and I must say it doesn’t look too wonderful. However, the two dance numbers that are on that reel are spectacular. And since I mentioned 8½ as being one of my favorite Italian films, what do I think of Nine? I haven’t seen Nine on the stage, but I certainly enjoy parts of the album. It’s not a score I’m totally smitten with, however, despite some really excellent things.
Pam asked the same question as Kerry, but added Mr. Graae’s name. See above.
Jed asks what my thoughts are on Man of La Mancha, and what I think about the casting choices for the upcoming revival (Brian Stokes Mitchell, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Ernie Sabella)? And how might I cast it differently? Well, Man of La Mancha is interesting. I saw the original production, here in Los Angeles, with Richard Kiley, Joan Diener and Harvey Lembeck. I think a lot of the show’s flaws were disguised by a wonderfully dynamic production, and brilliant performances. So, I enjoyed it back then. I can barely listen to the album, however, so it would be fascinating to see it on its feet again. The revival casting sounds pretty good to me, except I don’t know that Stokes has the power to sing it as well as Kiley. I know my pal Ron Raines has done it, and my bet is he’d be excellent in it. Jed also asks what a typical day’s traffic is at this here site. How substantial is the weekend drop-off? Well, the weekend drop-off used to be huge, but in the last few months that’s really turned around, and now the drop-off is much less substantial, maybe only 10 to 20% depending on the weekend. I’d say we get about five hundred visits a day from unique visitors. Maybe more on some days. It’s very consistent.
Phil says that we all have heard the stories of how Rodgers and Hammerstein couldn’t figure out how to make a musical of Pygmalion – are there any shows I can think of that might have been more successful had they been done by other authors? I don’t know about more successful, but they certainly might have been more interesting. La Strada comes to mind, or Paper Moon.
Ron Pulliam felt I should have an outrageous question, so has queried the following: Have I ever had a bikini wax? If so, did it hurt? And if so, why did I do it? And if not, have I at least wondered about it? Well, I had wondered about it, so I bought some wax and waxed a bikini. The bikini seemed to like it okay, but I felt it then looked like the bikini had waxy buildup. Seriously, I have never had a bikini wax, because I have never worn a bikini, not even an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini. Ron also asks if I’ve produced a CD since leaving the company I created. No, although I’ve been in discussions to do so – but things have been quite hectic with book and DVD. I’m sure something will come up in the near future; in fact I can guarantee it. Until then, I know my productions of Beyond Therapy and The Alan Jay Lerner Album with Brent Barrett will be coming out at some point. And I have consulted on a couple of albums, for whatever that is worth. What is my favorite memorabilia acquisition? I’m very partial to an original 1950s spud gun I picked up on eBay. What is my opinion of the score to Juno? I like Mr. Blitzstein, and I think it’s a perfectly fine score.

Craig has his usual barrel-full of questions: What are my thoughts on Mr. Steven Spielberg’s film of Empire of the Sun? I enjoyed it – I didn’t think it was a masterpiece, but it was a good movie, with a lovely John Williams score. Are there any movies I’ve seen the first time and thought brilliant (or horrible) and then on second viewing changed my mind completely? Not really on second viewing. Sometimes the years change one’s perspective. For example, I loved Modesty Blaise when I was a teenager – saw it twenty times – and I could barely make it through the DVD. Conversely, when I first saw Lawrence of Arabia and El Cid, I really hated them – and I’ve grown to really love them both in subsequent years. What is the best executed DVD box set I own and the worst. First of all, why would anyone execute a DVD box set? It was guilty of a heinous (heinous, do you hear me?) crime? And that crime warranted capital punishment? Anyway, I’m not sure what you mean by box set – but the Toy Story box set is wonderful, and so is the Cliff Richard box set, and so are the Bond sets, even with their occasional screwups. The worst? Well, there’s a pretty terrible cheap box of Hercules movies – I don’t think I own worse than that. Did I have a nickname while I was growing up and if so how did I feel about it? I didn’t really have a nickname, although my brother did call me “Bugs” for reasons that only he knew. It didn’t bother me one or even two whits. Name my five favorite “Bobs” in the world, living or dead. Bob Hope, Bob Merrill, Bob Newhart, Bob Crowley, and Bob . I limited myself to only people who really used the name “Bob” – no Bobby or Robert. I could barely think of five – although I’m sure fifty more will come to me as soon as I put the notes up. What is my favorite room in the house, and why? Well, probably my den, because that’s where I sit on my couch like so much fish, and listen to music, read or watch DVDs. Do I collect autographs or other types of star memorabilia? Not really – I collect lots of arcane stuff, but I’ve never been all that interested in autographs. I have lots of signed books, however. In terms of signed books, I especially like all my Ira Levin first editions, each volume of which is inscribed to me. I also have inscribed to me, Gypsy and Anyone Can Whistle (by Sondheim), and The Fantasticks first edition, with wonderful inscriptions from Tom and Harvey. I prize all of those. Am I still in touch with David Levy? Yes – he’s moved back to Boston and is working there, but we’re still in touch. What is a hobby, skill, activity that I have not tried that I would like to? Hmmm. I don’t like hobbies, skills or activities really, at least new ones. I pretty much do what I like to do and there isn’t anything else that really interests me right now. Does my daughter ever visit this site? I don’t think she has – she only has access to a computer at work. I’m quite certain she’d find it amusing. What adorns the walls of my abode? Paintings – original illustration art, as well as a gallery of unbelievable black and white photos of Los Angeles in the past. Finally (finally!) is the Unseemly Interview Section really going up on Friday? Yes, it is and I’m hoping that each and every one of you will go visit it and enjoy our very first interview with Miss Kerry Butler. It is beautifully designed by our very own Mr. Mark Bakalor and is maintained by our very own constant querier, Mr. Craig Brockman.
Sandra asks if I’ve ever tried the triple chocolate Krispy Kreme donut? I haven’t, I’ve only had their glazed donut.
David Burrows asks: In addition to Promises, Promises, what other cast recordings would I like to “revisit” to give them all-star recordings? I don’t know about all-star, but I tried and tried to do a recording of A Chorus Line, totally complete, with all the dialogue. We couldn’t get the rights because they kept saying they were doing a major 25th anniversary production. Oops, didn’t happen. And sadly, neither did the recording.
Laura asks the following: When she buys a CD that I produced, do I still get a cut of the purchase price, or did I get paid once for producing it and that’s that? Well, shockingly, I don’t get a cut. And it depends how you look at it as to if I got paid once for producing it. Because I took a yearly salary, I never took a producing fee – my salary (this will astonish you) included producing, conceiving, running either a division of a company or the entire company, being the A&R person, doing arrangements, and getting the donuts. Had I known then what I know now, things would have been different, but one lives and learns, doesn’t one? To say that I was severely under compensated would be the understatement of all-time.
Donna asks (ala Comden and Green’s Wonderful Town) what do I think of the Native Squaws? Charles G. Dawes? Warden Lawes? What’s my opinion of Santa Claus? And the conga? She helpfully provided links for each name. Unfortunately I had no time to peruse the links and so I take the fifth. Although I’ve always believed in Mr. Claus and the Conga.
Tom from Oz asks which is my favorite recording of Man of La Mancha. The only one I can get through at all is the OBC with Richard Kiley. I think the only other one I heard all the way through was the French one with Jacques Brel. I think Jim Nabors recorded one, didn’t he? Or was that Placido Domingo? Did I see Ilya Darling? Yes, Sweetheart, I saw her yesterday and she was fine and dandy. No, I didn’t see Ilya Darling, except for the endless twenty minutes which was presented on the Ed Sullivan Show. It was dreadful.
Michael Shayne has some excellent questions about the Jason Graae live album. First, was the bonus song, Just Where It Should Be, in the show and then edited out to be a bonus track, or was it recorded separately? It was recorded directly after his show finished. We asked the audience to stay, which they graciously did. There were several shows performed and recorded and then edited together – can it really be considered a live recorded performance if one chooses the best moments, line interpretations, jokes and laughter and singing? First of all, we only recorded two performances – back to back. Second of all, I think one does what one must to make a good album – one that is seamless, of course, but one that is the best listening experience one can provide. That said, the bulk of what is on the live album, fully 85%, is from the first show. Did Jason have any input on what the final product would be? Yes. I put it together, mixed it, and then he came in and we listened together and he made a couple of comments and I did a couple of adjustments. Whose idea was it to do the album? Mine – I saw the show and it was just a no-brainer – I went back to see him and I simply said, “Let’s do it” and that was that. Did I have a chance to see the show or was I stuck in the truck all day. I was in the truck, but we had a nice video feed – plus I’d already seen it five times.
Alonso Quijana asks if I’ve ever dreamed the impossible dream? Yes, always. Fight the unbeatable foe? Endlessly. Bear with unbearable sorrow? I had a bear, but the fershluganah thing was always happy – he simply had no unbearable sorrow, the great flying twit. Run where the brave dare not go? I did run where the brave dare not go, and then the brave followed me there because they didn’t want to get left in the dust and be thought of as the cowardly sots they are. Right the unrightable wrong? Trying, baby, trying. Love pure and chaste from afar? Afar has never shown much interest in me – certainly afar has never shown me love pure and chaste, the great flying wanker. Try when your arms are to weary? I always try when my arms are too weary and it never works because my arms are too weary. Funny that. Reach the unreachable star? Yes, I’ve been trying to reach Clint Eastwood, but the great flying git won’t return my calls. Did I ever have a quest to follow that star no matter how hopeless or no matter how far, and fight for the right without question or pause and be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause? I have followed Clint Eastwood for miles – a lot of good it did me. I would fight for the right without question although I might pause and fight for the left for a few minutes. As to marching into hell for a heavenly cause – most definitely.
Vincent’s mother asks if Vincent Cirilli sings, and if he does did I ever consider making a solo album with him? If I did who would be the engineer? Who thought of giving Vinnie all his alias names? Vinnie has many talents, but I don’t think singing is one of them. He is, however, an excellent drummer. I am afraid I came up with the alias names – let me tell you it became an albatross after awhile.
Freedunit asks if it is inappropriate to ask questions about Mr. Guy Haines on Ask BK Day? We’re going to have a separate special Ask Guy Day. Stay tuned. Do I play tennis? Never, not once. I used to play racquetball, that was as close as I got. Where was I born and when and what sign am I. I was born right here in Los Angeles, California, in 1947. I am a Saggitarian. Do I have any anecdotes about Joan Diener? I’m fresh out of anecdotes about Joan Diener. Yesterday, I had plenty, but someone bought the whole lot of them, lock, stock and barrel. What do I think of cheese fries? Never had them – they sound bogus. Apple pie or chocolate cake? The latter, always. Liza Minelli and David Gest – am I as appalled as Freedunit? Well, having met Mr. Gest on several occasions, it is rather appalling on some level. Whatever happened to itsdlevy.com? dlevy is alive and well and back in Boston. Do I sight read music fluently? No – I can read a bit, but I’m mostly self-taught and play mostly by ear. Have you ever played the piano with your ear? It’s very painful but also very rewarding. Any thoughts on singers and weight? Yes. Have I ever encountered a voice that could belt but not croon, or vice versa? Not really. If a singer is good, then they can pretty much do anything that’s needed. Have I ever worked as a vocal coach to bring out the potential I heard in a singer? Well, as most of you know, I used lots of newcomers on my recordings. I don’t think I’d use the words vocal coach, but I of course worked with them closely, as a director would with an actor. Would I respond to the recent New York Times article by Barry Singer about hard times for cast albums? Sure. First of all, Mr. Singer makes one little error in the piece, which I’m sure you’re all aware of, and which I found most amusing. I wonder if others found it most amusing? The article doesn’t surprise me at all. These things go in cycles. When I began doing albums in 1993 it was exactly as it is now, only worse. But I jumped into the field with such strength, that other labels took note after a year or two. After three years, everyone started jumping on the bandwagon again – after four years, it began to get difficult to get cast albums and after five years, big companies were actually having bidding wars. I just sat back and laughed, because I knew it would all end up right back where it was ten years ago. Remember back in 1993 – how many theater singers had solo albums. Less than a handful. I began doing them regularly, and suddenly everyone was doing them, every label. The difference however, is that I was able to do them in a cost effective manner. For example, the Kristen Chenoweth album on Sony cost over two hundred thousand dollars (much more if you add in promotion), as compared to one of my solo albums, which routinely cost anywhere from 30 to 50 thousand dollars to record (most around 35K). When I did The King and I, it cost one hundred thousand dollars less than the budget I was shown when a major label was considering doing it. That is because I don’t spend three weeks mixing an album that I can mix in three or four days. It’s not brain surgery and there’s an awful lot of waste that goes on.
Td asks me to rate the following James Bond films on a scale of one to five, five being best: Dr. No (3), From Russia With Love (5), Goldfinger (5), You Only Live Twice (3), Thunderball (4), Diamonds are Forever (2), Never Say Never Again (1) and Casino Royale (1 – but it’s a five-star guilty pleasure). Other than the Bond Theme, what are my favorite Bond songs? Goldfinger, From Russia With Love, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Nobody Does It Better, and The Look of Love. Which singer has his/her finest moments when singing a Bond song? Shirley Bassey, Nancy Sinatra and Matt Monro. Is Sean Connery the only acceptable Bond? Well, he was the best, through You Only Live Twice. If the Bond films had been started in the early 50s, who would have been my choice to play him? Hard one. I haven’t a clue. Would I ever compose a Bond song? I did, believe it or not, for a cable comedy show I wrote and directed for, called Likely Stories. They did a Bond parody for the opening credits, and I wrote a Bond-like song called Heartbreaker.
Well, it is quite late now, and I am bleary-eyed and vaguely discontented and must be off to sleep. If anyone posted questions after ten Eastern, I’ll answer them tomorrow in the posts.
That is where I left off, and I’m now writing the end of these here notes having awakened refreshed and cleary-eyed and not discontented at all. Don’t forget, our brand spanking new The Unseemly Interview Section premieres tomorrow, so be sure to check it out – and while you’re at it tell all your friends and neighbors and your neighbor’s neighbors. Today’s topic of discussion: We’ve been talking about cinema and donuts recently, so today let’s talk musicals again – what is your favorite British musical? I’ll start: Oliver, Stop the World, I Want to Get Off, Passion Flower Hotel (guilty pleasure), The Boy Friend, Blitz, The Card and on and on. Your turn.

Replies: 49 Unseemly Comments

Co-inky-dink time again. I just listened to a very poor live recording of La Strada (with Bernadette Peters and Larry Kert) last night, so poor that I may not even transfer it over to CD. I do think the story would make an interesting musical, but Lionel Bart wasn't able to pull it off. Supposedly, most of Bart's score was jettisoned anyway, with Martin Charnin providing some of the better material.
Posted by Robert Armin @ 07/18/2002 10:07 AM PST

Based on CDs (I've never seen them) my three favorite British musicals are BILLY with a pre-Phantom Michael Crawford, Jule Styne's BAR MITZVA BOY and WINDY CITY. Maybe it's because they sound like the good Broadway Musicals from the Golden Age... the kind that nobody produces anymore. I'll take these three shows over 90% of the new shows from the last 25 years.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 07/18/2002 10:07 AM PST

Although it's not really a musical, it's a revue, I love Cowardy Custard, the Coward piece from the 70s. I have the two-record cast album and need figure out how to hook up my turntable to the computer so I can burn it to CD for preservation. CC has the ever wonderful Patricia Routledge from Keeping Up Appearances. Though I'm not a big fan of that BritCom, I do love her and she even won a Tony here in NYC for Darling of the Day if memory serves me correctly. If memory mis-serves me, I'm sure I'll find out from subsequent posts.
I also enjoy The Boy Friend and Stop the World. I have both the London and Broadway recordings. Interesting changes in language between the two. Has anyone heard the Sammy Davis, Jr. album of Stop the World? (not to go off topic, just wondering). I've seen it but never heard it and wondered if it would be worth having in my collection (perhaps for the kitsch value)?
Posted by Ben @ 07/18/2002 10:21 AM PST

Now that I've actually finished reading the column, here's my discussion input: I love all of the London shows BK mentioned (except Blitz, which I haven't heard yet). Passion Flower Hotel is a GREAT album! I also like Our Man Crichton, Roar of the Greasepaint (which, I believe, never actually played London), The Good Old Bad Old Days, Tell Me On A Sunday (seen on stage as Part One of Song and Dance) and Half A Sixpence (the US version was very different). My favorite British performers are Anthony Newley, Marti Webb, Gemma Craven and Ruthie Henshall.
Posted by Robert Armin @ 07/18/2002 10:29 AM PST

Yes, Cowardy Custard (and Cole) are great revues. They're on my short list of albums to be transferred to CD.
Posted by Robert Armin @ 07/18/2002 10:30 AM PST

Robert.. Gemma Craven in both Slipper and the Rose and also in the BBC TV production of She Loves Me...
more later...
Posted by Craig @ 07/18/2002 10:50 AM PST

To Robert Armin: in the past almost-30 years, you are only the second person (besides myself) to even know of The Good Old Bad Old Days. Nice to be reassured it was not just a bad dream....
Posted by Pam @ 07/18/2002 10:55 AM PST

Just bought the CD and the DVD of Slipper and the Rose! I also have a Beta tape of She Loves Me which I'm hoping to transfer over to DVD one of these years. Incidentally, I'm the guy who suggested Sammy Davis Jr. for the revival of Stop The World. A friend of mine -- Jerry Gordon -- had directed the first Los Angeles production of Stop The World, which ran for about five years. In the mid 70s he wanted to do a new L.A. production and asked me for suggestions. He wanted Bill Bixby. I said, why not get Sammy Davis, Jr. since he's noted for singing many of Newley's songs. Gordon contacted Davis's manager and was told a few days later that Davis wasn't interested. About a month later, we read in the Hollywood Reporter that Davis was at a dinner and one of the people at the table (can't remember who) said, "Say, Sammy, have you ever thought of doing a stage revival of Stop The World I Want To Get Off?" Sammy loved the idea.
Posted by Robert Armin @ 07/18/2002 10:58 AM PST

I think "Oliver!" is brilliant, and "The Boyfriend" is a wonderfully fun show-- both shows have music that transcends the shows themselves. If we're counting revues too, I'd have to go with "Side by Side by Sondheim." And for the arrangements and most of the voices (Cleo Laine among them), I love the recording of the London cast of "Show Boat" from the early 70's. So this went beyond the question a little, but I doubt that surprises anyone.
I didn't know they did a musical version of "Our Man Chrichton." That could very cute. Who did the book and music and lyrics? Was it cute?
With all this talk of classmates and reunions, I think we should have a Haines party, and all fly in get together and eat (well, you know what we'll eat) and dance (and you know the dances we'll do). It would be like a class reunion, except we didn't go to school together (except for the school of life, of course), and we're not reuning. But other than the technicalities, it sounds like a fun idea. Maybe even Guy himself would perform.
Posted by Kerry @ 07/18/2002 11:13 AM PST

Yes, that's a great idea. And maybe BK would accompany him on piano, too, if we ask nicely enough!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/18/2002 11:34 AM PST

BK: Thank you for the answers. They are much appreciated and interesting as always. The idea of a complete recording of A Chorus Line is an excellent one. I have always missed the presence of “And…” from the recording. I could understand its omission from the long-playing album due to space limitations, but I find it an egregious and heinous absence from both compact-disc issues. My understanding is that Goddard Lieberson did record “And…” during the original cast-album session, and that Mister Marvin Hamlisch himself has either the master or a first-generation reel-to-reel transfer from the master, so I do not believe there has ever been a question of a usable master being available. Although I do not advocate tampering with Lieberson’s final work, I do advocate releasing “And…” on CD.
Bob Fosse’s Big Deal remains terribly under-rated. It was a great deal of fun, very entertaining and alive with great energy, and it featured a terrific cast. Loretta Devine’s “Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries” was big and exciting—unlike the strangely phrased version Valarie Pettiford recorded for Fosse the Musical—and Desiree Coleman was a real find. Most memorably, there was “Beat Me Daddy Eight to the Bar,” the huge act-one finale production number, that was exhilarating and thrilling.
Favorite British Musicals: Evita; Lionel Bart’s Oliver!; Sandy Wilson’s The Boy Friend; the original, children’s version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor® Dreamcoat; and if French-British hybrids may be included, then Les Misérables. I really do not know from Stop the World—I Want to Get Off and The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd. Should I?
Least Favorite British Musicals: Starlight depressed; Cats; and The Phantom of the musical… I did not bother to see Aspects of Love—Love, love changes everything—except this melody, which goes on and on and on—or By Jeeves.
Posted by freedunit @ 07/18/2002 11:41 AM PST

I also enjoyed:
Oliver!
The Boyfriend
Billy
Windy City
and sorta Moby Dick
The Brit musical I hate the most:
Cats!
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 07/18/2002 11:47 AM PST

Kerry: Our Man Crichton (1964). David Lee wrote the music and Herbert Kretzmer (of Les Miz fame) wrote the book and lyrics. Millicent Martin and Kenneth More starred.
freedunit: Depends on your feelings about Anthony Newley. If you don't like him, you'll hate Stop The World and Roar of the Greasepaint. I'm one of his biggest admirers, so I love both scores. There were certainly lots of hit songs from them.
Posted by Robert Armin @ 07/18/2002 11:56 AM PST

I wholeheartedly agree. There are even gorgeous Newley songs in "Doctor Doolittle," although they sometimes seem silly within the film. "After Today," cut from the film, is my favorite song in that score.
"Stop the World -- ..." seems to me to be Newley's best musical play, but I hold "Roar of the Greasepaint..." in higher esteem musically. I think it's a fabulous score with not one unmemorable song.
As for British musicals I like:
"Oliver" is up there among the very best musicals regardless of nationality. I love Ken Russell's version of "The Boy Friend" and its score. And there's nice songs in "Half A Sixpence," too!
"The Slipper and the Rose" is definitely a British film musical, but the score is pure U.S. of A. Sherman Brothers and all that goes with them. For the most part, Angela Morley's magnificent orchestrations present much of that score in gorgeous splendor. And it's easy to forget the Shermans wrote it until we're brought back to earth with the thud of such stuff as "Position and Positioning" -- worthy of the thought the lyrics inspire but clunky as a song, IMO. "He/She Danced With Me" is as lovely as anything...ever...of its ilk. And the fairy godmother's "Suddenly" -- restored on the DVD -- is pure enchantment.
I am also a huge fan of Sir Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera" which is the best work he's ever done, IMO, and I think he has done quite a few interesting scores. "Phantom" is filled with wonderful melodies, and the London cast is brilliantly sung. "Prima Donna" is one of the great multiple-voice songs I've ever heard. Lloyd-Webber usually captured some of my fancy with a song or two -- even in "Cats" with "Old Deuteronomy" -- but all of "Phantom..." sounds great to me, and I've spent as many wonderful hours with it as I have with the more PC favorites one sees mentioned on these pages. I may be the only Unseemly "Phantom..." admirer on this here Message Board, but I certainly don't mind admitting it.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/18/2002 12:26 PM PST

Robert - Slipper and the Rose is one of my all time faves - The Sherman Brothers did a fantastic job with the score. It was actually the very 2nd thing I ever taped on one of those new inventions they came out with called a VCR. I snagged a new copy on VHS, DVD and CD as well. For a long time, I listened to the cd-r that I made of all the songs off the VHS before the cd was released. I also LOVED the fact that Bruce recorded a few songs from the score for his CINDERELLA cd. I wish he had done an entire CD with his new arrangements, as I loved hearing the few tracks that he did lay down.
I did the same (extracted the songs and put them on a cd)for "Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure". The songs in that animated oldie are simply wonderful. Joe Raposo, had he not died, I am sure would have added to the Broadway scene.
I remember watching the BBC version of She Loves Me (one of my fav. shows of all) when I was younger. So many people I asked thought I was nuts that this actually aired on PBS.. finally I was able to track down someone who made me a copy. It's fuzzy and hissy.. but still a joy to watch.
I know you are keen on transferring your LP's to cd's...but have you ever done what I did with some movies - -have you ever recorded a cd-r off one of your tapes/dvd's? Just curious.
Posted by Craig @ 07/18/2002 12:31 PM PST

Bruce Kimmel is on EBAY again!
This Original Cast Recording is on the CERBERUS label, record number COC-0301/STEREO. The show was presented by EDMUND GAYNES. Book, Music and Lyrics all by BRUCE KIMMEL. Orchestrations and Musical Direction by Rob Bowers. Bruce also directed the show, and appears in it as well. (Leave it to Bruce to even exceed "triple threat".)
To read more about it http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=894490761
Posted by Ebay lurker @ 07/18/2002 12:45 PM PST

Craig: I SAW that PBS presentation of "She Loves Me" -- way back in the early 1980s. I was totally mesmerized by it and thought it quite fine, never having seen the play or its forebears (Shop Around the Corner or In the Good Old Summertime).
Also, I have done as you -- I've made CD-Rs off tapes and Laserdiscs -- you betcha...one of my favorite recordings is of main titles, including the magnificent "Desiree." Actually, I record onto MiniDisc...then I edit and transfer to CD-R. It's all for my own use only, of course, but it's great fun to have stuff on CD-R -- I've done one on "Best Foot Forward" (off the MGM movie on laser) and "Billy Rose's 'Jumbo'". As to the former, there's nothing livelier than Nancy Walker singing "Alive and Kickin'" -- she was sensational in that movie! There is a lot more I want to do, but there are so many other things to do, too...like listening to CDs and watching DVDs and posting to this message board.
Oh, well.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/18/2002 12:56 PM PST

Ebay lurker: that's the musical I just transferred to CD for BK, so sell it now because it may be reissued one of these days.
Craig: I have reel-to-reel tapes dating back to the early 60s (several from the 50s from my father) and cassettes from the 70s of TV shows and movies. Yes, I made song collections of many of them (including the Busby Berkeley films, Fred Astaire and Yankee Doodle Dandy). I got my first Betamax in 1978 so I didn't miss She Loves Me or The Most Happy Fella when they were on PBS.
Coincidentally, I recently transferred Raggedy Ann and Andy to CD. I also made a 74 minute CD of the songs from the complete laser disc version 1776. Sounds great!
Posted by Robert Armin @ 07/18/2002 01:04 PM PST

Ron, you are not the only Phantom fan on this handy-dandy message board. That's the show that got me hooked on live theater. Sandra was six years old when we saw it in LA. I also like Joseph...Dreamcoat, and I like Les Miserables.
Posted by Laura @ 07/18/2002 01:12 PM PST

Ron -- although I suspect he had his hand in there somewhere, Anthony Newley did not write the score for Dr. Dolittle. Leslie Bricusse did that on his own. Most people make that mistake because Newley was in the film. Every print I've ever seen has him singing "After Today" (also one of my favorites), but it may have been cut for some TV screenings, but I know that "Where Are The Words?" was deleted. Both Bricusse and Newley were responsible for Willy Wonka and the Peter Pan with Mia Farrow (another lost score I think I have on cassette somewhere).
Posted by Robert Armin @ 07/18/2002 01:46 PM PST

Robert: Dang! Thanks! Somewhere in my mind I knew Bricusse wrote those songs -- I very nearly mentioned "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" which is a VERY guilty pleasure of mine -- even when I'm wincing, I'm enjoying it all.
I thank you for the notion that some of the "Dolittle" songs sound like Newley, even if he is singing them.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/18/2002 02:04 PM PST

To Pam and Robert Armin: there are three of us, actually. I SAW "Good Old Bad Old Days" when I was but a kid spending the summer in Europe (I think I may have mentioned this before here, but I could be thinking of RATM, heaven help me). While I love the score, I have to say the physical production was pretty schlocky; having just come from NYC where I had seen "Pippin," "GOBOD" seemed like a B-movie version of Fosse. I remember quite clearly the Times ad saying it was London's "biggest musical smash", but the house was at least 2/3 empty the night I saw it and I was able to move right into an orchestra seat with no one the wiser. Newley was electric, as you may imagine.
Posted by JMK @ 07/18/2002 03:30 PM PST

Albat Ross is the alias I assigned to Diana, that supreme diva freak.
Posted by freedunit @ 07/18/2002 03:33 PM PST

Ron, I had forgotten that "You and I" was from Goodbye, Mr. Chips until I transferred the album over for a friend of mine. I've been singing that song for years without realizing it was by Bricusse -- I've never even seen the complete movie. Other than his work with Newley, that may be Bricusse's most beautiful song. Of course, Dr. Dolittle and Scrooge also have some great songs.
Posted by Robert Armin @ 07/18/2002 04:03 PM PST

My two favorite British musicals are the two I was involved in:
OLIVER (played Widow Corney) and THE BOY FRIEND (played Nancy and also choreographed). What I find similar in each of them is the underlying sense of fun (in their scores especially)--that same buoyancy I find in The Music Man. I just can't get into Andrew Lloyd Webber's shows (although I did like Sunset Boulevard). I also imagine I might like (if I actually saw them) some of Noel Coward's musicals.
Posted by Donna - Cabaret West @ 07/18/2002 04:13 PM PST

JMK - I never got to see Newley in any of his shows, but I did see him three or four times in concert (including his last NY appearance at Rainbow and Stars). My favorite memory of him was at the Greek Theatre in L.A. in the late 60s. Jennifer Warnes and Mason Williams (both from The Smothers Bros Comedy Hour) opened for him. At the intermission, I knew a lot of the young people (who had come for Warnes and Williams) were planning to leave, but they hung around for a while to see what Newley had to offer. Nobody left after he came on stage. Absolutely mesmerizing. Some years later he performed there again with Burt Bacharach. Same thing again.
Posted by Robert Armin @ 07/18/2002 04:14 PM PST

Slipper and the Rose is a gem
of a movie, and never got the
success it deserved: Richard
Chamberlain was a spirited
prince, and the choreography
was spectacular.....
Gemma Craven seems to
make it big in England; I have
lots of recordings with her, and
one of the great Calamity Jane
score, in which she shines.
The film version of Half a
Sixpence is also one of my
favo(u)rites; i was rather young
when i saw that in London.
The "When the Rain's Got To
Fall" number is a charmer,
and Tommy Steele was one of
my first musical idols....
Wish i could have seen Julie
in "The Boy Friend".
Other favorites; "The Good
Companions", music by André
Previn, lyrics by Johnny Mercer.
It starred John Mills, Judy
Dench and Christopher Gable
who also was in Slipper & the
Rose......; and "Charlie Girl".
Tom from Oz; do you mean to
say that "Mancha" has folded ?
....or just moved to another
town.....
I've already said it here, but I
will repeat myself --- and i
know Michael Shayne will
agree --- Anthony Warlow is
one of the greatest singers of
all time. He's so talented that
it's almost "disgusting"!
Au revoir.
Posted by francois @ 07/18/2002 04:54 PM PST

Oops, when i said town, I
emant to say CITY of course.
Posted by francois @ 07/18/2002 05:02 PM PST

Emant is NOT a French
word.....it's MEANT to you.
Sorry!
Posted by francois @ 07/18/2002 05:04 PM PST

Robert: Mason has lived in Oregon for many years now. He's a good friend of a lawyer/agent friend of mine who used to rent a room from me, and I've had the pleasure of speaking to him several times on the phone. And, I opened for the Smothers Brothers just last year in a benefit for Seattle Children's Hospital. My kind-of joke regarding that experience is that the Brothers' act isn't (an act, that is). Such bickering and tsuris during the soundcheck you've never heard! (But they're very gracious once you get them offstage and apart from each other).
Posted by JMK @ 07/18/2002 05:04 PM PST

I totally meant to put Half a Sixpence on my list, damn them all, damn them all to hell, but I had to run off to breakfast with La Graae and forgot.
I love, love, love (that is three loves, now all I need is a letter) Mason Williams. His Classical Gas album is brilliant. I don't think anyone has had the good taste to put it on CD - or am I mistaken. Wait a moment and I shall see if I have it - I can't find it if I do have it. Let's check amazon, shall we? Yes, how did I not know this was out - unless I have it and it's in a not put away yet pile - it's The Mason Williams Phonograph Record, and if I don't find it tonight, it's off to Tower tomorrow to purchase it. The final track, Sunflower is a stunner.
Posted by bk @ 07/18/2002 05:38 PM PST

The first time Mason called my home to leave a message for our mutual friend, he said "Tell her Mason Williams called." Pregant pause. Me: "The Mason Williams?" Another pregnant pause. Mason: "Well, I think so." I, too, love the Mason Williams Phonograph Album, which I told the Mason Williams that night.
Posted by JMK @ 07/18/2002 05:47 PM PST

To stick to British shows I saw in London I would have to say "Billy" was great. I also enjoyed seeing "The Good Old Bad Old Days." When I saw it Newley came before the show actually started and sang "Overchewer". I have transfered my disc to CD as I really enjoy the score and the song "Overchewer" was easy to add on as a "bonus" fo me. I also saw Cowardy Custard but Julia McKenzie had taken over the Routlidge role by then. She too was great. I saw Hatch & Trent's "The Card". It was just so so. I have seen a production of "Blitz" (amateur) and I loved it. Of the Brit shows I like on record but have not seen, "Andy Capp" is a favourite.
Posted by Tom Guest from OZ @ 07/18/2002 06:10 PM PST

I forgot about The Good Companions. It is the only musical I know that mentions various Canadian cities including Montreal where Benjamin Kritzer's beloved Susan moved to.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 07/18/2002 06:38 PM PST

I also agree Anthony Warlow is a great. I own four of his albums
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 07/18/2002 06:39 PM PST

BK:
I finally got a hold of your Titanic recording.
A couple of questions that can't wait until next week because I will probably have a brain fart and forget them.
1) Who are the players and soloist on this recording? They are outstanding!
2)Tracks 11, 12, 13 do not follow the tracks as they are listed on the back of the jewel box. Can you explain what happened?
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 07/18/2002 06:42 PM PST

As I recall, I changed the order when I was mastering, and something got screwed up with the designer and the change didn't get in. It was fixed, I believe, for subsequent printings. The piano soloist is Terry Trotter. Was there another soloist you were wondering about? I do love that album a lot, our orchestra was fantastic.
Posted by bk @ 07/18/2002 06:48 PM PST

ahh Terry Trotter of the Trotter Trio.. love his work too. All those ..in jazz albums!
Posted by Craig @ 07/18/2002 07:18 PM PST

Pam: If you are here, I was bad— I mean worse, yesterday.
Posted by freedunit @ 07/18/2002 08:16 PM PST

JMK: I saw GOBOD also, in 1973 when I spent a wonderfully indulgent theatre week (8 shows in 6 days) in London. I saw Ustinov in "The Unknown Soldier and His Wife" that same week, and became convinced that all theatrical histories of the world bog down somewhere in the French Revolution (the big one, not the Les Miz one).
Freedunit: How bad in what way?
Posted by Pam @ 07/18/2002 09:18 PM PST

Just a note to say I have always loved Jacques Brel's version of L'Homme de la Mancha, at least the recording. For those who don't know, Brel translated and starred in it with Joan Diener reprising her rôle in French.
I just discovered on line that the Jacques Brel Society has the entire text available for about $25. Now if I can only brave the U.S. Postal "Service" to get an International Money Order, for which the fee is exhorbitant, I want to get that and the complete text of all his lyrics from them.
Very busy, little time to post. Always time to lurk, and lurk I shall.
Posted by William F. Orr @ 07/18/2002 09:45 PM PST

Robert: After much at-home drama over my PC simply reverting from DSL to dial-up mode and NO ONE at DSL being able to help me, I fumed and fretted and decided to give it up for the night. Two hours later, I sat down and approached it logically the way every idiot with a PC does...I opened everything and read everything and Voila! I found something that shouldn't be there. I deleted it and everything works again. And I don't have a clue why...why the thing that shouldn't have been there was there or why my deleting made it work.
Anyway, yes, "You and I" is gorgeous. And you know, there is an identically titled song that was in "Meet Me in St. Louis" -- not as lovely, but touching in its own way.
And I'm very partial to "Walk Through the World With Me."
My most fun, however, is had with the "London is London" number -- one must never forget that "London is London is England ... is Home".
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/18/2002 10:45 PM PST

Pam: Something punishable, I fear. Did you read it yesterday?
Posted by freedunit @ 07/18/2002 11:33 PM PST

I really like Leslie Bricusse's "Sherlock Holmes: The Musical," maybe because I actually bought the CD in London! "The Challenge" and "The Hired Man" (both 2-CD sets) are different than just about anything you'd find in the US and I like that. Another British favorite is "Moll Flanders" with Josie Lawrence.
I also have been making CDs of my laserdiscs and DVDs. I just did "1776" (except I stretched it out to 78 minutes) and "Scrooge" with Albert Finney (both from laserdisc), and the DVD of "Putting It Together," since that probably will never be released on CD. I really enjoy listening to it without having to actually watch the staging (I was not impressed).
Posted by George @ 07/19/2002 12:29 AM PST

William Orr: Check to see if your local grocery stores sell international money orders. I buy them for a quarter for ebay, and I've never had a problem.
Posted by Laura @ 07/19/2002 12:58 AM PST

La Mancha certainly would have lost money in Melbourne and everyone here loves Warlow. The season was cut short and has moved to Sydney. Other productions of La Mancha have done very well in Melbourne. It has I think been produced at least 4 times here before the Warlow version. It was certainly not his performance that had the crowds staying away. Apart from the guy who played the padre there was too much poor casting of players - particularly O'Connor who had been wonderful in Mack & Mabel and Chicago. Sadly I guess the Warlow version will not be recorded. I really like the double disc (records) with Keith Michell playing the title role.
Must also add that I had forgotten to mention "Good Companions" and "Windy City" as good English shows. It is also pleasing to see the number of Novello recordings that are being released this year. Thank you "Gosford Park". Do the Warlow fans know that he released a mini version of "Secret Garden" which is a gem.
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 07/19/2002 01:01 AM PST

Of course, one couldn't really have a favorite British musical - that's too American. One must have a favourite British musical.
I'd probably go with some of the more recent crop - Hard Times, Spend Spend Spend, The Kissing Game, and Sunset Boulevard.
If I go back before the 90's, I'd have to include the Ken Hill version of Phantom, Blitz, Oliver, Bless the Bride, and King's Rhapsody. I'm always surprised by how forgotten Ivor Novello and Vivian Ellis seem to be these days.
Posted by Stephen Golden @ 07/19/2002 01:16 AM PST

Windy City, based on the classic Broadway comedy The Front Page, in its American premiere at Marriott’s Lincolnshire Theatre, was one of the first productions out of which I walked mid-performance.
Posted by freedunit @ 07/19/2002 08:42 AM PST

Question: Is there a recording of Lionel Bart's original score for La Strada? I know that most of his score was 'removed' before it opened but is there a recording of his original songs. I understand that Julian Gould did one but was this of the performed score or Bart originals? Also, are there any recordings of Bart's other shows 'The Londoners' and 'Costa Packet'? Please help!
Posted by Stuart Reid @ 05/19/2003 09:59 AM PST

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