Posted by Sandra @ 03/10/2003 09:43 AM PST

Sandra - It's about this bird.

I'll be late to chat tonight since we are going to the first reading of Rupert Holmes' musical DORIAN. It's the complete first Act I and selections from Act II. Rupert is very versatile so I don't know what to expect.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/10/2003 09:46 AM PST

Sandra: Hmmmm...don't know about the fancy-dancy "symbolism" stuff, but I always enjoyed all the sleazy sex that's hinted as throughout the film. :)

Favorite Elmer score: Robot Monster.

Posted by Lulu @ 03/10/2003 10:00 AM PST

In the above post, as=at

And seriously...I know I'll be made fun of for this, but I always did like Elmer's Ghostbusters score, synthesizer-heavy though it is.

Posted by Lulu @ 03/10/2003 10:01 AM PST

Thanks, William E. Lurie. I must have missed that.

Some git from my history class followed me into the library today because he wanted to borrow my notes from class. This was the same git who said he only signed up for Women's History because he wanted to meet chicks. He is most unseemly.

Posted by Sandra @ 03/10/2003 10:02 AM PST

Sam says the bird is "the stuff that dreams are made of." Start there, I guess.

BK, what funny lyrics....hehehe. Now I will have those A CHORUS LINE songs in my head all day.

Elmer Bernstein will hopefully get the Oscar, yes. Favorite scores...those you mentioned of course, especially TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.

I would like to add the following, all available on LP, remember those? And none of them lay far from my new turntable.

TRUE GRIT, WHERE'S JACK (a Stanley Baker film about a Robin-Hood type guy in England), THE CARPETBAGGERS, and WALK ON THE WILD SIDE. Really fine scores, IMHO.

BK, did you know that there were lyrics to "Girl Talk" one of the tracks of Neal Hefti's "Harlow" score? I was checking out some of my LP's, and there on Joanie Sommers 'Come Alive' - well, there it was! Interesting song! Did Sommers ever get her songs from THE LIVELY SET released?

Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/10/2003 10:04 AM PST

Lulu, if you are going to mention ROBOT MONSTER, you have to also mention CAT WOMEN OF THE MOON, with his named spelled "Bernstien" in the credits.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/10/2003 10:06 AM PST

Jrand: Gaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!

You HAD to mention "Come Alive!" This morning I woke up and for some ungodly reason, the following was going around and around and around in my head 'til I went nearly insane:

Come Alive
Come Alive
You're in the Pepsi Generation!

It went away for awhile, and now you've brougnt it all back. Why? WhyyyYYY?!?!?!?

Posted by Lulu @ 03/10/2003 10:07 AM PST

Pepsi Cola hits the spot
Twelve full ounces, that's a lot!

LOL...soft drink jingles are supposed to wake you up screaming, Lulu...even YEARS later.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/10/2003 10:09 AM PST

But what about Royal Crown?

It's a mad, mad, mad, mad cola!

With a nod to our very own (truant and errant from lst year's benefit) Nancy Sinatra.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 03/10/2003 10:37 AM PST

..uh last year's

Posted by William F. Orr @ 03/10/2003 10:38 AM PST

Bernstein's amazing Sweet Smell of Success score cast a shadow over the Broadway musical: It was HIS work I hummed on my way out of the theatre.
He's done so well with macho dramas, it was very nice to hear him bring life to an otherwise lacklustre romantic comedy, Legal Eagles.

Posted by Noel @ 03/10/2003 10:53 AM PST

Oh, yeah...I really like Elmer's Airplane score, too.

Posted by Lulu @ 03/10/2003 10:55 AM PST

While on the subject of soda pop (to take in the name this product is referred to in different areas of the country), let's not forget:

Pepsi Cola hits the spot
12 full ounces that's a lot

Also Coke's "I'd like to teach the world to sing" and Pepi's "Music To Watch Girls By".

Re Elmer Bernstein: I'd have to see a whole list to make my choices as he's done so much. However one score that would not be on my list is his Broadway musical HOW NOW DOW JONES. That title steps to the rear in the E Bernstein ouvre.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/10/2003 10:59 AM PST

LOL...Bill, that entire musical was so weird. Wasn't it something about some man not wanting to marry his girlfriend until the Dow Average reached 1000?

And - I HAVE to add Bernstein's score for THE TEN COMMANDMENTS and didn't he also do THE RAT RACE - which was the subject of a recent trivia question?

Has anyone else ever noticed in Max Steiner's scores particularly, that there is a great flourish or fanfare in the credits when HIS card comes up?

Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/10/2003 11:04 AM PST

JRand: how could you not know "Girl Talk" had a lyric? :) It's by Mr. Bobby Troup (Julie London's hubby), who also did "Route 66" (the Nat King Cole one, not the t.v. theme).

My fave Elmer Bernstein is "Hawaii," and, by coincidence, I have been listening quite a bit to Percy Faith's haunting arrangement of "My Wishing Doll" from that score just the last couple of days.

Posted by JMK @ 03/10/2003 11:10 AM PST

JMK- back from the land of Cabaret!

I know....how could I NOT know? LOL...

OMG I forgot about HAWAII!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/10/2003 11:13 AM PST

JMK, shame on you...Bobby Troup isn't merely "Julie London's hubby." He's the affable Dr. Joe Early on Emergency! Let's put things in their proper perspective. ;)

I can't believe nobody's yet mentioned "I'm a pepper, he's a pepper, she's a pepper...we're all peppers! Wouldn't ya like to be a pepper, too? Be a pepper, drink Dr. Pepper!

Well...I guess now somebody has. :)

Posted by Lulu @ 03/10/2003 11:14 AM PST

My favorite Elmer Bernstein is

Dr. Pepper is the friendly pepper upper...

Oh, that's not Elmer. Uh, okay, will everyone here kindly step to the rear...

Posted by William F. Orr @ 03/10/2003 11:14 AM PST

Oooh! Ooh! Actually, when it comes to soda jingles that take hold of your brain and simply WILL NOT LET GO, possibly the all-time worst in that regard is:

Light
Sprite

accompanied by copious sparkly vibraphone-ish music. I actually really like this, but it has the darnedest way of repeating itself in your head until you just want to drown yourself in that light, refreshing, clear beverage...

Posted by Lulu @ 03/10/2003 11:17 AM PST

Favorite 5 Bernstein (West) scores:

To Kill A Mockingbird
Hawaii
Sons of Katie Elder
The Ten Commandments
Summer and Smoke

I didn't see where all the Pepsi/soda stuff began, but don't forget:

Pepsi beats the others cold
Pepsi pours it on....

Yeah, right. I took part in a taste test and correctly selected Coca-Cola every time.

I don't like the sweet Pepsi taste -- I'm a Coke man all the way!

I don't drink Rum and Pepsi or (Southern) Comfort 'n Pepsi.

It's rum 'n Coke and Comfort 'n Coke!

Plus, you can use Coke to clean glass!

: )

Bon appetit!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 03/10/2003 11:33 AM PST

Jrand - Yes that's one of the show's many plots, each more stupid than the other. There are a few decent songs, but it's not a great score. Musicals in Mufti (whose credo is "If we don't keep these old shows alive, who will) did this last fall. Although it was a lot of fun, a great cast couldn't hide just how bad the material was, and I imagine that in the mid-60s when it wasn't a period piece it probably seemed even worse.

And speaking of Dr. Pepper, wasn't that theme written by Barely Manenough in his jingle writing days?

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/10/2003 11:35 AM PST

I've taken those "Pepsi Challenge" things, too, and can always correctly identify the different cola brands. If given the choice, I suppose I would choose Pepsi, though I'm not fussy. I'm actually a Dr. Pepper man, myself.

And if cleaning glass is a criteria for choosing a beverage, why not just pour yourself a nice, tall glass of Windex and be done with it?

Posted by Dave @ 03/10/2003 11:37 AM PST

You forgot Elmer's other Broadway musical, Merlin. Equally as bad as How Now, Dow Jones. Oh, and given that I was just talking about it, how could I have forgotten Love with the Proper Stranger, a great Elmer score. I do like The Ten Commandments very much, and I LOVE Sons of Katie Elder. One that hasn't been mentioned, but one that started an entire trend in film scoring was Man with a Golden Arm.

Posted by bk @ 03/10/2003 12:00 PM PST

I'm back from my two auditions today. Let me just say, I don't ever want to see that many people in one room EVER AGAIN IN MY LIFE! I got to the GREASE! audition at 7:00, so I was lucky and was No. 18 in what turned out to be nearly 400 auditionees. I don't want to get my hopes up too high, but I do have a callback tomorrow to dance, read, and sing from the score.

After the GREASE audition, I went to sing for the Prather Family of Theatres, with theatres in Pennsylvania, Florida and Arizona. I did not get called back for this one. However, before I walked out, the audition monitor pulled me aside and said, "Don't worry...they don't need to see you today, but that's just because they already know they want to use you." !!!!!! Sounds like I've got a job!! It ain't official 'til I sign something, but I'm pretty sure I've got something lined up for the summer. Isn't that exciting? Isn't it too too??

I have an audition for the non-Eq. nat'l tour of OKLAHOMA! tomorrow and then my callback for GREASE! at 2:30. Keep those Hainesie/Kimlet good vibes a-comin', cause they're WORKING!

And now I'm off to collapse on my bed before work.

Posted by Jason @ 03/10/2003 12:19 PM PST

Congratulations, Jason! :)

Posted by Lulu @ 03/10/2003 12:23 PM PST

WARNING: LONG POST AHEAD!

-Catching up from the weekend...

SETCs: Well, I survived the three days of the Southeastern Theatre Conference auditions. The grand total was something like 860 people over the three days, and the no-show ratio was way down this year - which is actually a good thing - but it made for some longer than expected days. Not everyone chooses to sing, but it truly seemed like the number of singers was way up this year.

As usual, the "professionals" were the most interesting set of auditions. There were some truly wonderful auditions, and some truly atrocious auditions. My one general comment from the past three days would be: Please sing your songs for someone with a pianist before trying them out in an audition. Seems like common sense, but, boy was it evident that were a few instances of "I've never heard this with piano before".

One "story" from the auditions - and there are MANY: A women brought in "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes". She was singing first, and I gave her starting pitch. She started singing, I started playing. Something didn't seem right. About three measures in, I called, "Hold." I made some excuse about being the piano sticking, and then we started again, and this time everything went smoothly.

The Real Story: In order to be efficient, the woman had cut and pasted the section of the song she was going to do in order to get the title page and to put everything on one page. Normally, that would be a good thing. However, since the verse of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" is in A-flat/C-minor, and the main part of the song is in C-major... She had cut out the refrain of the song without the key signature, and then pasted it over the verse portion of the song with the key signature - which would be the wrong key signature at this point.

It was truly a very weird moment. In the span of those two or three seconds, I was thinking that I was messing her up totally, that it was just the fatigue of the long days, that I had just made some finger slips, but... Alas, I was not in the wrong. But, as I said, I called a hold, and then we started again. *And I did make sure she knew what had happened after she was done - and I did it very discreetly and tactfully.

-Oh, and there were a few other instances where someone had someone else tranpsose their music for them. However, in two cases, they had transposed the melody line, but NOT the piano accompaniment. Boy did that take some mental work!

The final day of auditions found me with no callbacks to play in the evening, and, as luck would have it, a dear friend of mine was coming through town, and was wondering if I was free for dinner. And I was! *And we had both met at our first SETC ten years ago in Savannah, GA. We had a wonderful dinner, and ended up seeing Chicago - my second time, his first. After getting back to the hotel, I made the rounds at the bar to say goodbye and thanks, and then headed up to my room and collapsed. Who knew playing for almost 11 hours a day could be so tiring?!?!?!? ;-)

As for film scores: I appreciate them while I'm seeing the movie, but I've never been one to listen - or buy - them separately. However, I do like John Williams' scores Superman and the Star Wars movies. And, as for Elmer Bernstein, I'm afraid I'm not really that familiar with his body of work. I've undoubtedly heard his scores in the movies I've seen, but I just can't place a particular film and score with his name at this time. Oh, except for Far From Heaven

Marx Brothers Movies: I haven't seen one in ages, but I remember them being shown late night on TV when I lived in Connecticut.

Musicians, money and the strike... Hmmm.. I think I'll put this in a separate post.

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/10/2003 12:32 PM PST

Thank you for mentioning "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing",I told the rest of the New Seekers that "It Oughta Sell A Million" - and it did.

Posted by Lyn Paul @ 03/10/2003 12:47 PM PST

A million Cokes?

Posted by Joan Crawford @ 03/10/2003 12:50 PM PST

JMK: On which album of Percy Faith's is "My Wishing Doll" and does it have a vocal at all? It is one of my missing oscar nominated songs. I have nearly all of them from about 1950.
My favourite EB score "Walk On The Wild Side".
Ron: Is "Summer And Smoke" on CD. It was my sister's first husband's (He being the father of my niece and nephew) favourite film score of all time

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 03/10/2003 12:53 PM PST

What do you mean, you don't like Pepsi? It's light and refreshing; the taste for those who "think young."

Even if you don't want to drink it, the bottles are just the perfect size for rolling underneath your feet. The exercise keeps your calves slim, and it perks up tired tootsies!

Posted by Joanie C. @ 03/10/2003 01:17 PM PST

Just found this website a few days ago. Sarted reading ll the back stuff from the month of February which took hours!
Is it just me but I hated the film of Chicago. Same with the New Music Man- everyone acts as if they are shy about being in a musical. Both these films are very odd.
I did love the video of a broadcast a friend sent of Oklahomea with Hugh Jackman. I understand this will be released on tape in the states - does anyoneknow if a DVD is planned.
Bruce, you seemed to have some prblems with HOW it was taped.
they are trying to give you the feel of a live performance, hence all that footage from the stage looking out at the audience. However, I've been told this was shot without an audience over several days - also the numbers are prerecorded and sound it! You can also see on the vid a few times where voice are not lypsynched properly during the songs.
I also kep hearing rumors there is to be a new Guys and Dolls withNicole Kidman and Tom Cruise. Is this for real?

Posted by Joe Caporiccio @ 03/10/2003 01:47 PM PST

Welcome, Joe.

The Unseemly Interview with Nick Redman is up and running and you simply must go read it and post your excellent thoughts.

Tom from Oz, Summer and Smoke is available on a wonderful RCA import from Spain. You should be able to find it at any of the online specialty soundtrack retailers, such as Footlight, or Intrada.

Posted by bk @ 03/10/2003 02:09 PM PST

WARNING: Another long post ahead. This one is truly long.

Musicians making $1350/week: Let me first start off by saying that I'm always grateful to be working for anything more than minimum wage. As long as I can cover my daily/monthly expenses, that's always my main concern when negotiating a contract.

As for the union wage minimums - The weekly salaries are different from city to city. They're based on the local economics, and are adjusted accordingly.

As for whether sitting in a theatre pit for 2 and 1/2 hours, eight times a week is hard work... It is.

I remember when I got my first union job - at union pay - I thought how "easy" the job was. As time has gone by, and as the level of work I've been fortunate to be a part of us has also gone up, I've become aware of the pressure to put on a good, note perfect performance every night, show after show.

Yes, I get to have music in front of me. But that doesn't insure that my finger will not slip, or that my mind may be a bit distracted due to something that happened earlier in the day. Or that I may have to "cover" some other notes if their is a sub in the pit. The effort, energy and concentration is takes to insure a "clam free" performance can be daunting at times - and it gets harder to do as one gets more "comfortable" in a long run. *It's like the classic Far Side cartoon with the crash cymbal player.. "I Will not mess up this time..".. as he's holding only one cymbal.

Yes, I may only work 24 hours a week, but it can be a pretty intense 24 hours. And if it's a pretty intense show - and technically difficult - my energy can be zapped by the time the curtain comes down. -Sweeney Todd and Grand Hotel come to mind. Oh, and Into the Woods! -All those repeated chords.

And if you think making $1350/week is great.... you should check out the salaries of the Metropolitan Opera House Orchestra! -Of course, they do play more, and they play continuously, but it's still quite the wage! And let's not get started on professional athletes..

The strike: As I've said before, we're just at a point where both sides don't want to come across as being weak. It's truly an unfortunate situation, and the ultimate losers are the audiences - new, old and potential - that are being deprived of seeing the shows that they spent a lot of money to see. -And then there are those people who have been coming into NYC from out of town and out of the country only to be turned away at the box office.

I understand both sides of the issue. Ultimately, for the producers, it's money; for the musicians, it's money. I know that may seem rather simplistic, but it's true. I understand the producers wanting to save money wherever they can. And I totally understand the musicians wanting to insure that they will continue to have opportunities to work.

Yes, the whole minimum system can seem out-dated and archaic, but it's a case of "give them an inch, and they'll take a mile". As one of dear reader stated, after the Las Vegas union went on strike, most of the shows went to pre-recorded tracks. And do we ever really hear any complaints from audience members that they didn't hear a live orchestra in Las Vegas? Unfortunatley, Broadway is becoming more like Las Vegas.

The producers are bringing in shows that will guarantee that an audience will come in. They aren't necessarily looking for the next great piece of theatre -drama or comedy. They are looking for the next big box office money maker - the business of show business. It's a matter of money.

Once the "theatre minded" audience has seen the show, the producers need to bring in the more casual theatre-goer. Unfortunately, the casual theatre-goer is usually going to go to a show to see a star, a particular set piece or a flash of nudity. A live orchestra pit of musicians is not high on their list of priorities when selecting a show. The spectaculars in Las Vegas are evidence of this. Even the special appearances here and there by Broadway performers use tracks for those performances. Does anyone really complain that so-and-so was performing to a track on a morning talk show? Or even at Disneyland? Or at a local dinner theatre? Or at a Sunday church service?

More importantly - and unfortunately, the casual theatregoer is used to hearing "canned music" - whether it be on a cast album, on a TV show, or on the latest pop album. They don't see the musicians, they don't feel the musicians. And they most likely don't scour the liner notes to see who played what - or even what instruments are being played. -And, yes, this is more a symptom of the much bigger problem with arts education and awareness in the United States... but I won't go there in this post, except just to state that.

So, if the minimums are done away with, what is to stop a producer from going to a canned orchestra, or one consisting of four keyboard players and a computer? Nothing. It would only take one show with no live orchestra with a good box office to encourage the producers to pursue more shows like that. And, who knows?, we may have already had that show with Contact.

The technology today is astounding. And as a keyboard player, I am very familiar with the current technology. Today's samplers are truly samplers. Programmers record a live musician playing an instrument - different notes, different time values, different attacks, different release, different volumes, etc. It can be downright scary to listen to a string sample nowadays... you can ever hear the "grit" from the bow drawing across the strings. Heck, even guitar samples have fret noise options in order to sound more live. You can even choose to have the tuning not so "perfect" in order to have it sound more "human".

Sidebar 1: - There was a great article in the Washington Post this past weekend about the "electronic sweetening" of pit orchestras.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2974-2003Mar9.html

And, as current shows like Mamma Mia and Hairspray have demonstrated, you can also "sweeten the vocals" - although in Hairspray it's only used in the finale. It's basically a form of lip-syncing... and even Christine's High E's at the end of "The Phantom of the Opera" can be stored on a keyboard sampler.

I know the producers have stated that they do want to continue insure live music on Broadway, but going from the list of the orchestrators and composers and conductors who have signed the Save Live Broadway petition, I do have to wonder about that position. If people like Jonathan Tunick signed, than I do have to defer to his undoubtedly one-on-one experience with the producers.

Sidebar 2: I have checked out the websites of both the AFM and LATP. Good facts on both sites. And the LATP site actually has some info on which shows have been "featherbedded" as well as which shows have been allowed to perform with a modified minimum, as well as shows that have used a number of musicians over the minimum. *I just tried to find that article again, but couldn't track it down. If I find it later, I'll post the link.

As for walkers, there is currently only one walker right now, and that's for Hairspray. *And the AFM got caught in a "lie" when they had stated that there were no walkers currently being hired at the start of this fight. In the past, walkers were prevalent. There was even a walker clause for straight plays - if a play had something like three minutes of pre-recorded music, then the producer was required to hire the minimum number of musicians for that theatre. -Thus all those tales of string quartets serenading audience members at intermission. In the last major round of negotiations, that clause was done away with, and the provision allowing a producer to petition for a lower number of musicians was instituted.

Sidebar 3: -And since I just played a few weeks of this show... Mamma Mia! uses nine musicians. The Winter Garden requires 26. The producers were able to petition to use less than 26 and were granted permission to do so. And for this show it does makes sense - they wanted the songs to sound like the original recordings which were amazingly keyboard and early-synth heavy. To duplicate some of those sounds with live instruments is basically impossible. Now not granting the producer's of Hairspray to use one less musician - thus the walker situation - does make me wonder... but, then again, I was not present at those negotiations.

Of course, being at a theatre conference this past weekend, the whole strike situation was on many people's minds. One interesting conclusion that was come to was: right now, the League of producers have all the power - in both a good way and a bad way. If they are able to get the AFM to discard or downgrade the minimums - which seems highly unlikely, then they will be put in the unenviable position of insuring that the other unions "stay happy" - could they start renegotiating the agreements they have with AEA and IATSE? And if the LATP allows the current situation to stand, then they will have to start making up for all the lost revenue resulting from this strike.

Sidebar 4: I've always wondered if the salaries paid to some "star" performers are truly offset by the ticket sales revenue. I rememeber hearing that Cloris Leachman was being paid $10,000/week when she stepped into Show Boat - this may not be true, but I heard it from many people. And although current pop and movie stars make less on the Great White Way than on the soundstage, they certainly are making more than the AEA minimums of $600-1100/week.

Well, I think I should start wrapping this up, or I'll never to get to the rest of my day off(!)....

I hope the whole situation is resolved soon and amicably. I'm still planning on heading up to NYC later this week, and I was hoping to see a bunch of my friends on stage, and hear a bunch of my friends in the pit. And at this point, it looks like I'll just be seeing them for lunch or dinner. And if the strike is resolved, I know it's going to be next to impossible to get any "extra" tickets since this is spring break week, and the traditional start of the spring theatre season. -All those people trying to get seats for those shows they weren't able to see earlier in the week due to the strike.

Yes, we should Save Live Broadway. But as the conversations and debates at this past weekend's conference came to a conclusion, we just had to put everything in perspective. We are a nation on the brink of war - a world on the brink of war. There truly are larger battles to fight.

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/10/2003 02:30 PM PST

Whew! That was a long post... I hope I didn't take up too much of your bandwidth, BK.

Jason: I've spent some time in Prather-land. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. *And a bunch of the companies went directly from SETC to NYC for their next round of auditions.

See you all at the chat tonight!

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/10/2003 02:34 PM PST

Thanks for your post, Jose. Always nice to hear from someone in the trenches. 8-D

BK what a great Nick Redman interview! Great personal views of Oscar night! And Sound of Music soundtrack info....AND good Bruce Kimmel stories as well!

Thanks for doing the interview, BK!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/10/2003 02:44 PM PST

Favorite Elmer Bernstein:

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (hands down)

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

AIRPLANE

THE GRIFTERS (which I just happened to watch on the new DVD special edition this past weekend).

Posted by Matt H. @ 03/10/2003 02:52 PM PST

I just checked my History list, and here are the links to the League's web-site regaring their stance on the issues:

http://www.livebroadway.com/news_local802-articleB.html

http://www.livebroadway.com/news_local802-articleC.html

http://www.livebroadway.com/news_local802-FactsD.html

http://www.livebroadway.com/news_local802-FactsE.html

For some reason, I can't find the main referring page to those links. Even the League's website has no current links to those articles from their Home page or News page. At least, I couldn't find them

And for the AFM's view point:

http://www.savelivebroadway.com/

http://www.local802afm.org/

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/10/2003 03:02 PM PST

I forgot to mention that I ran into our very own Michelle Nicastro at Gelson's and she sends everyone her love. I, of course, asked her to be the next Unseemly Interview and by gum and by golly she will be. Isn't that exciting? Isn't that just too too?

Posted by bk @ 03/10/2003 03:31 PM PST

Some more Elmer favorites:

Fear Strikes Out
Some Came Running
Cast a Giant Shadow
Devil in a Blue Dress
The Good Son
Hoodlum
Wild, Wild West

(Those last three are examples of good scores that really deserved better movies to go along with them.)

Posted by Sigerson Holmes @ 03/10/2003 03:48 PM PST

Ya know what else ya can do with those bottles, don't cha, Blanche? Don't cha?

I didn't bring yur breakfast yet 'cos ya didn't eat yur dindin!

Posted by Baby Jane Hudson @ 03/10/2003 03:50 PM PST

--Hey! I can't believe we all forgot The Great Escape! That's got to be in my top five!

The main theme is a jaunty, almost silly march, very reminiscent the one the British soldiers whistled in Bridge on the River Kwai. I'll even bet the Great Escape's producers specifically requested it. "Give us something like 'Colonel Bogey.' You know what to do, Elmer."

I was surprised to learn at the Film Score Monthly site that this theme actually had lyrics written to it, although I don't know if they've ever been performed or recorded:

"Mabel,
I love you, Mabel.
Love you as much as I am able . . ."

Bernstein's only Oscar win was for his underscoring in Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Posted by Sigerson Holmes @ 03/10/2003 04:00 PM PST

Sorry to break it to you but it appears Elmer has strong competition in the score to The Hours which currently has a healthy lead in the Best Original Score Oscar category.

For more on the Oscar standings, click on my name...

Mr. Mark Bakalor

Posted by Mr. Mark Bakalor @ 03/10/2003 04:04 PM PST

Philip Glass' score to The Hours is perfectly fine but has nowhere near the sentimental value of Elmer's. Elmer is also eighty years old, and I think he's a real sentimental favorite. It would be a shame if they didn't give it to him, but if not him it should be John Williams for Catch Me if You Can.

Posted by bk @ 03/10/2003 04:07 PM PST

I didn't say who SHOULD get it. Just who it looks like WILL get it. We all know who SHOULD get it is often not who DOES get it. Get it? Good.

Mr. Mark Bakalor

Posted by Mr. Mark Bakalor @ 03/10/2003 04:09 PM PST

Welcome, Joe!! I do hope you'll be brave enough to join us in the live chat tonight. Generally speaking, I have no idea what they are talking about, but I come and watch, anyway. Maybe our resident star, SUSAN GORDON, will even come in!!

Jose, I think it's fascinating to hear things from the musician's point of view -- especially your audition stories.

Jason, glad to hear you have a callback. What's this about a Prather Family of theaters, one of which is in Arizona? Is that the new dinner theater in Mesa?

Posted by Laura @ 03/10/2003 04:15 PM PST

Laura: Since Jason is currently checking coats at the Met...

The Prather Family of theaters is made up of three dinner theaters: Dutch Apple in Lancaster, PA; Broadway Palm in Ft. Myers, FL; and Broadway Palm West in Mesa, AZ. BPW is the newest member of the family.

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/10/2003 04:42 PM PST

The Kirby Stone Four had a vocal version of the Theme From "The Great Escape". It was also sung by England's John Leyton if my memory serves correctly.

Posted by Tom Guest @ 03/10/2003 04:48 PM PST

Wasn't THE ACT the first on Broadway to use pre-recorded music and/or vocals? I seem to recall that fact...or, at least, the first to admit it?

I'm a Pepper too..yes, Barry did write that jingle.

Posted by KT @ 03/10/2003 04:54 PM PST

I meant to say THE ACT incorporated some canned music with the live.

Posted by KT @ 03/10/2003 04:56 PM PST

Thanks, Jose. That's the one I was thinking of. They've gotten good reviews. I haven't been out there yet, though.

Posted by Laura @ 03/10/2003 05:11 PM PST

Thanks, Jose, for posting the articles from the respective websites for AFM and the LATM. Comparing the two, it is abundantly clear that the League has the facts on their side, while the Local 802 is using alarmist rhetoric. Article C is especially informative, as it includes not only instances where Local 802 negotiated against the original intent of the composers, but also has information about which shows have orchestras that *exceed* the minimums. These two pieces of information undermine every argument that the AFM has brought forward in the past month.

Required reading for anyone who wishes to speak intelligently on the subject.

Posted by Dave @ 03/10/2003 05:13 PM PST

The Kirby Stone Four were on Ed Sullivan in June, 1957, on the same show when Miss Frances Farmer made her triumphant return to show business!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/10/2003 05:34 PM PST

Required reading, yes, for anyone who wishes to speak intelligently on the subject, which is why most people on other chat boards won't be reading it.

Chat in fifteen minutes. Be there or be round.

Posted by bk @ 03/10/2003 05:34 PM PST

Elmer Bernstein Scores:
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
HAWAII
FAR FROM HEAVEN
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (which if you have the dvd, you can hear some lyrics set to this one).
CAPE FEAR
WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
MY LEFT FOOT
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

I hope that some savvy producer has the foresight to see that a complete soundtrack of HAWAII is in order, this is one haunting, original score; filled with the majesty, pathos and brilliant craftmanship that Elmer is known for.

Anyone else remember The New Hillside Singers? They had an album out there with "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" on it.

Posted by td @ 03/10/2003 05:40 PM PST

The Percy Faith cd containing "The (sic) Wishing Doll" has a mighty fine song list, but, no lyrics to the song.

http://www.oldies.com/product/view.cfm/id/74282.html

Posted by td @ 03/10/2003 05:46 PM PST

When it comes to films featuring Elmer's scores, with one exception, I tend to either be too busy watching the movie to pay attention to the score, or I've never seen the films, and am familiar with the themes but not the film itself. The exception is "The Ten Commandments," which was the one and only score my father had on LP. And he played it. Often. Familiarity has bred a wish for less familiarity. *sigh*

Posted by S. Woody White @ 03/10/2003 05:47 PM PST

Chat's open! C'mon in, everyone!

Posted by Aura @ 03/10/2003 05:52 PM PST

There are 17 people chatting! Come on in, the water's fine!

Posted by George @ 03/10/2003 06:27 PM PST

Well, i've been chatting for over an hour, and it's been an interesting chat. the most memorable one i've been at in quite some time. interpolaters and friends and a great time. . .it's still going on. . .get your typing fingers ready!

Posted by td @ 03/10/2003 07:08 PM PST

Just left chat. It's still going strong. Had a ball. See y'all tomorrow!

Posted by Ben @ 03/10/2003 07:09 PM PST

It was so nice to be able to chat tonight. And to be able to join the chat at the beginning! The hour and 45 minutes just flew by. I need to check on some other stuff right now, but I'll check back in later to see if the chat is still going on.

-And just read the reports that Mayor Bloomberg stepped in, and got the AFM and League talking at Gracie Mansion. And with a mediator this time!

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/10/2003 07:45 PM PST

As far as Elmer Bernstein, I think I'll have to go with "The World of Henry Orient." It is so joyous and innocent. I'll probably add more though.

Posted by Kerry @ 03/10/2003 08:01 PM PST

I really enjoyed my first chat. Thanks to all for being no welcoming and so nice. You folks rank high on the list of, well, good-niks.

Posted by Matt H. @ 03/10/2003 08:10 PM PST

Oops. That was supposed to be SO welcoming and so nice.

That'll teach me to post without previewing!

Posted by Matt H. @ 03/10/2003 08:11 PM PST

Another lively and sparkling
chat as always. Simply grand!
Those who were errant and
truant most certainly missed
out!

Posted by Jed (aka Jed2) @ 03/10/2003 08:30 PM PST

I left early and got back just in time for the chat room to be shut down. That'll teach me to leave to have dinner at my parents' house when they call me out of the blue at the spur of the moment without any warning. Of course, I could have declined the last minute invitation, but that might have seemed unseemly since they're my parents.

Posted by George @ 03/10/2003 08:51 PM PST

Just read the Helen Hayes nominations... A pretty good slate of nominees - and some surprises and omissions as always.

It's just unfortunate that the shows in the second cycle of the Sondheim Celebration (Merrily, Passion, Night Music) weren't eligible for the awards since they didn't play enough performances to be considered. But it's nice to see that all three major productions I was involved with last year have been nominated. Guess I'm going to the awards this year!

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/10/2003 10:31 PM PST

Great and lively chat last night with people popping in and out.

Hmmmmmmm....review in local paper today for HELLO DOLLY production. Reviewer says should be called 'Goodbye, Dolly.' Oh my.... Why cast an operetta singer as Dolly Levi?

Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/11/2003 04:15 AM PST

Well, I might have enjoyed the chat last night, had I been allowed to join in.

I attempted to join the chat using my own name, and was rejected. I then tried using my full name, David, and that name was rejected, too.

Since we had just been discussing Marx brothers movies, and I had just told a story about my wife and I dressing up as Harpo and Groucho for Hallowe'en, I decided to try to log in as Groucho.

Imagine my surprise to find that I was immediately disconnected, and subsequently was unable to connect at all!

For a site that claims to want to be the "most popular site on the internet", this is a strange policy of welcoming newcomers.

I understand that Bruce is terribly paranoid, and he may have believed that I was an "interloper" or "spy", but did it not occur to anybody to just ask me my name?

Posted by Dave @ 03/11/2003 06:26 AM PST

Well Dave.. I was in the chat and I do believe on more than one occasion we asked who you were and got no reply. Perhaps your end of chat was having issues as well. Who knows..

Just read that the strike is over (at least for now) - they reached a bargain last night and are making the official announcement later today...

Posted by Craig @ 03/11/2003 06:39 AM PST

Here's the Playbill On-Line link about the strike settlement

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/78349.html

Posted by Ben @ 03/11/2003 07:00 AM PST

Craig,

I assure you that NO ONE said ANYTHING to me. I logged on as Groucho, and there was no discussion going on. I said "a lull..." and still nothing. I posted a couple of silly Groucho-style comments, and then was disconnected. I attempted to reconnect, but got TCP errors. So I reconnected to my ISP, and still got the same errors.

I have never had any trouble connecting in the past, nor have I had any difficulty maintaining a connection, so I doubt that is the cause.

And even if I didn't reply, what sort of excuse is that? Are you saying that it is okay for people to "lurk" in the message boards, but not in the chat room?

I should point out that this isn't the first time this happened - not only to me, but to others as well. Sometimes, the people that are being "banned" from the chat are actually regular readers and posters to the site. And doesn't that raise questions about the existence of BK's "interlopers"?

Posted by Dave @ 03/11/2003 07:01 AM PST

Dave: I'd be very surprised to learn that you were being deliberately excluded from the chat last night. I think it's far more likely that there were technical issues with the chat room. I've had trouble getting into chat rooms before, too -- yes, even when I'd been there previously without incident.

I'm sure you can grasp the irony in the fact that you accuse others of paranoia, then float the theory that you were being deliberately kept out of the chat room for reasons unknown (even when you logged in as "Groucho"...how could anybody have known that Groucho = Dave?).

I think in the end you'll find that there was a simple, non-exclusionary reason for last night's difficulty, so try not to let it ruin your day. :)

Posted by Lulu @ 03/11/2003 07:25 AM PST

Dave, once again I will contend that I saw no replies from you in the room. We saw you enter and then log out with narely (sp?) a word. Sorry you had difficulties last night... Hope to see you at the next one...

Posted by Craig @ 03/11/2003 07:33 AM PST

Lulu,

While I appreciate the irony, I also speak from experience. I know for a fact that Bruce has banned people from the chat rooms before, simply for not identifying themselves. So while it may surprise you, please be aware that it does happen.

And as to your question "how could anybody have known that Groucho = Dave", this is precisely the point. a) If nobody knew who Groucho was, why was he excluded? and b) If somebody wanted to know who I was, why didn't they just ask?

(I am also technically literate enough to know that the administrator can ban an entire subnet or IP address, so it is not necessary to know that Groucho = Dave.)

I hope that you are right, and that there was a simple, technical reason for the problem last night. But either way, rest assured that it will not affect my golf swing. ;-)

Posted by Dave @ 03/11/2003 07:39 AM PST

Chat automatically logs you off if you have not posted for five minutes. This is why sometimes it looks like a person leaves the room and then re-enters.

If this was to be an "exclusive" chat, you would need a password in addition to a user name, and we don't use passwords at HHW.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/11/2003 07:39 AM PST

Dave - I didn't see any remarks from Groucho either.

The chat software is good - but it does have glitches.

I think if you look at the names, we all use our Message Board names just so we know who we are talking to - and sometimes we have specific questions for each other. Just helps identify us.

I don't think the software encourages "lurkers" either because I think you are automatically booted if you don't type something after so many lines or minutes pass.

I guess my question is, why would anyone want to "lurk" on a chat board? On the message board, if you don't want to join in or have anything to say....but on a chat board. To me, it's like making a phone call and then not responding when the other person says hello!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/11/2003 07:40 AM PST

Well, I can say that I most certainly wasn't logged on for five minutes, so I wasn't disconnected for not posting.

If nobody saw any posts coming from Groucho, then perhaps this was just a glitch in the software. I hope that is the case.

But it isn't true to say that everyone uses their message board names in the chat room. Many use different aliases. In my case, I seem to be unable to use the name "Dave" in the chat room, so I have to resort to using some other name.

The last time I tried this, I logged on as "Dude" and was immediately banned for not answering a question from BK. (While I shouldn't need to explain my reasons for not answering immediately, I was called away from my computer to tend to my four-year-old son, who woke from a bad dream. When I returned, I had been disconnected.)

As for why anyone would want to lurk in a chat room, well...why do people watch "Survivor" or any number of so-called "reality" TV shows? Perhaps they are just voyeurs, or perhaps they just want to hear some (witty?) conversation, or any number of other reasons. Regardless of their reasons, why should it bother you or me or BK if someone decides to show up and just watch?

Posted by Dave @ 03/11/2003 07:52 AM PST

BTW, some details of the strike settlement have been posted on Broadway.com:

http://www.broadway.com/template_1.asp?CI=25764&CT=38

Comments from the chief negotiators can be found on Playbill.com:

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/78353.html

Posted by Dave @ 03/11/2003 07:59 AM PST

Ouch.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/11/2003 08:16 AM PST

Ouch. I give up.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/11/2003 08:17 AM PST