Replies: 51 Unseemly Comments
The chat with Melissa was fun. It seems she was a little slow at first, but once she caught on it was great and by the end she was as crazy as the rest of us... especially when she discovered the chat graphics. I'd love to have her join in a regular chat sometime. My only complaint is that it was so last minute. We had to change other plans to participate, and a little more notice the next time would be better. I assume the short notice was to keep out the interlopers, but I did notice some names I did not recognize (and most of them had no questions).
Speaking of questions, here are two unrelated ones for Ask BK Day.
1) You are probably more familiar with show leasing contracts than I am and I wonder if you can tell me if it generally part of a contract that if there are program bios, all authors must have bios? I am still surprised that New York City Opera's Playbill for A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC had a bio of Sondheim but no bio of Wheeler (he was credited on the title page). Wheeler's work was every bit as important to the show as Sondheim's (it is probably the best book Sondheim ever scored excluding his lyrics only shows). Just wondering. And BK, if you can't answer this, maybe Jason can since he works for MTI, the leasing agents for this show.
2) Since San Francisco is known as "The City By The Bay", I always assumed Bay City Recordings was located there, but according to both Michael's site and the Nick Redman inteview it was in the Los Angeles area. In that case, how did it get its name?
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/12/2003 09:12 AM PST
BK-
I have often wondered why people walk out of stage presentations(if they do not like them) but sit thru the worst movies(even if they don't like them)Do you have a theory(if you agree with moi) about this strange entertainment phenomena?
Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 03/12/2003 09:26 AM PST
What was your loneliest moment?
(and I don't even know WHY I'm asking it)
Posted by Kerry @ 03/12/2003 10:06 AM PST
Dear BK,
What is your favorite comic strip?
Posted by Sandra @ 03/12/2003 10:07 AM PST
I heard something on our News on the radio in the UK this morning which said that, due to France's refusal to back the USA in its planned war against Iraq, the House of Representatives restaurant has taken any reference to 'French' off its menus, so 'french fries' are now called 'freedom fries' and 'french toast' is called 'freedom toast'. My question to you (or indeed to anyone) is: has the world gone mad?
Posted by Allan @ 03/12/2003 10:08 AM PST
On a lighter and saner note, you may have already answered this in the past but I forget (it's an age thing): of all the albums you've produced, which is your favourite?
Posted by Allan @ 03/12/2003 10:11 AM PST
Allan,
There was one owner of a diner in someplace like New Jersey who changed his menu and got a lot of publicity. There's always one like that. Most people I know have not reacted like that.
And even though you posed the question to Bruce, I feel compelled to answer it:
Yes, the world has gone mad.
Posted by Kerry @ 03/12/2003 10:27 AM PST
It's a mad, mad, mad, mad world!
Posted by Dorothy Provine @ 03/12/2003 10:32 AM PST
Allan:
Has the world gone mad? In my book, it's always been mad and will continue to be so.
Regarding "freedom fries" and "freedom toast" on the HOR restaurant menu: this was entirely the action of ONE man, Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, the House Administration Committee leader, who unilaterally made the decision to change the names of french fries and french toast as his way of telling US troops "we're behind ya." In my opinion (and I'm sure others' as well), this transcends "silly" and goes all the way to downright ludicrous and embarassing. It takes a deadly serious situation and reduces it to a cartoon. What a mockery.
All I can tell you is that in my personal experience, more Americans are anxious and frightened about the possibility of war than they are concerned about the burning issue of what new names to assign food items. I continue to hope against hope that not everyone in the world confuses the asinine actions of some members of our gov't or talking heads in our media with everyone else in our large and very heterogenous population. Most of "the unwashed masses" -- regardless of whether they are in favor of war with Iraq or against it -- at the very least apprehend that it is a matter to be treated with the utmost seriousness. A fact which at least one member of our House of Representatives fails to comprehend.
Posted by Lulu @ 03/12/2003 10:34 AM PST
Dear BK: How many dogs have shared your life? Do you have a favorite breed, size of pooch? Do you favor pure-breds to mutts, or the other way around (tail-to-nose, as it were)?
Posted by S. Woody White @ 03/12/2003 10:44 AM PST
Although the song is persuasive, I just cannot join a gym. I have exercise equipment at home that I do not use, although some is quite effective (Thank you, Thighmaster).
My question for as BK Day:
What (if any) are your favorite episodes of:
I Love Lucy
My Little Margie
I Married Joan
This Is Your Life
My other question NOT for Ask BK day: Did you get the FF/Edsel scan?
Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/12/2003 11:00 AM PST
As I type this, I'm reliving my childhood listening to "We Are the World" and wondering how appropriate it would be today with a few lyric changes. Anyhow...
Question for BK... It's interesting how composers used to write for certain people, like Mary Martin or Ethel Merman, why do you think that is not the case today and we are seeing and hearing unknowns in musicals when there are people like Emily Skinner, Alice Ripley, Liz Callaway and even Brent Barrett (who is usually called to replace someone) and other people that seem to be overlooked that certainly have established themselves as seasoned performers, to "star" in new musicals?
Posted by Matthew @ 03/12/2003 11:15 AM PST
Here's a question for anyone who was at the chat last night. Since I'm also obcessed with the chatroom graphics, what exactly did Melissa do when she found them? I'm assuming she didn't do what I always do, and lay them out one by one ;)
Posted by Jennifer @ 03/12/2003 11:25 AM PST
Regarding Jason's comment last night about people bickering. Were my comments yesterday considered bickering (just so I'll know)?
Also, did anyone make a transcript of the Q&A (chat)? I'd be very interested to hear the comments.
Thanks, jennifer
Posted by Jennifer @ 03/12/2003 11:28 AM PST
Jennifer---
She kept posting several mugs of beer. I think 11 in one post was the maximum.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/12/2003 11:29 AM PST
Yes, it was very funny. The graphic was:
MelissaE followed by a row of beer glasses 8-D
Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/12/2003 11:34 AM PST
The discussion of freedom fries reminded me of WWII foods like "victory cabbage." There must be other examples, which I can't remember right now, of such anal-retentive culinary "patriotism."
Posted by Sigerson Holmes @ 03/12/2003 11:52 AM PST
SH: Hamburgers became "liberty steak."
Posted by Lulu @ 03/12/2003 11:55 AM PST
Since they already look like idiots, why not just go all the way?
french kissing = liberty licking
french bread = sovereignty starch
french dressing = autonomy topping
Posted by Lulu @ 03/12/2003 12:00 PM PST
Has anyone seen Lesley Gore, Brenda Lee, or Connie Francis in concert (recently or years ago)?
How was the show....
Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/12/2003 12:01 PM PST
Re: Melissa and the chatroom graphics
She kept posting several mugs of beer. I think 11 in one post was the maximum.
But was it as funny as me saying, I'm thirsty five times followed by the beer mugs :)
Btw, those are amazing graphics. I especially love the punk guy whose hair goes from straight to punkish (and back and forth). Very cool.
Posted by Jennifer @ 03/12/2003 12:46 PM PST
Jennifer, BK used the punk guy several times last night LOL.
LULU - Children's Hour is on TCM right now. Some terrific performances by McClaine and Hepburn and perfectly photographed in b/w.... Miriam Hopkins playing an older part in a film she had done in a leading part years earlier....
Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/12/2003 01:11 PM PST
Jrand: Yeah, These Three was played right before The Children's Hour. :) Thought about taping it, but I already had to forego taping Dynasty to get Camille...could I deal with missing Knots Landing and Falcon Crest, too? Cesar Romero's just been kidnapped at gunpoint, for pity's sake, I think not! ;)
Posted by Lulu @ 03/12/2003 01:17 PM PST
I've been thinking actually...now that I've got the digital cable, I guess I'll just quit my job and stay home watching the box all day. Let's Make a Deal, Hollywood Squares, Match Game and Press Your Luck in the Morning; '80s primetime soaps in the afternoon; TCM all night long.
It's a plan!
Posted by Lulu @ 03/12/2003 01:18 PM PST
bk, do you have a favorite movie musical (no fair picking THE FIRST NUDIE MUSICAL) and a favorite stage musical? Just curious. Thanks.
Posted by Matt H. @ 03/12/2003 01:55 PM PST
Well.. I don't think I will have a plethora of questions this evening as I have spent the majority of today recouping from what I believe was food poisoning. And let me tell you kiddies....this is the exact opposite of fun.
So here is a question for BK:
If you could ask any person out for a date (living or dead - assume you have a time machine)- who would it be and why, and what would you do?
Posted by Craig @ 03/12/2003 03:15 PM PST
Lulu, I just got digital cable a couple of months ago and I, too, love watching the Game Show network and BBC America. I especially love "So Graham Norton" on BBC. It's amazing what they get away with saying and showing on British TV!
Posted by George @ 03/12/2003 03:21 PM PST
for BK: Will the stage version of The First Nudie Musical include that classice song "Touch Me, I'm You"? And if so, will Alan Abelew at long last receive credit for his immortal lyric?
Posted by William F. Orr @ 03/12/2003 04:01 PM PST
Hapgood: I agree. The Maury Yeston “Phantom” is great. IMHO so are all his other scores. The Maury Yeston Songbook is to be released early April I think. If you get the chance check out the Ken Hill version of Phantom. It is fun. With the BK recorded Phantom song by Rupert Holmes there should be plenty of material to record a “Phantom” along the lines of “Peter Pan” and “Cinderella”.
BK question: Is there any chance of you going back to producing more wonderful CDs in the near future? Please give us some good news.
Posted by Tom from Oz @ 03/12/2003 04:13 PM PST
So Graham Norton...I love his game Remain Standing!
Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/12/2003 05:27 PM PST
This isn't a BK question, it's a Jason question.
Jason: Are you Doody (judging from the youthful look of your picture, I imagine you would be a Doody type in Grease)or maybe Will Parker? Or will you be working with the Prather family this summer? What's the story, Morning Glory? (a Lee Adams and Charles Strouse reference). And if you don't know anything, that's OK too.
Posted by Ben @ 03/12/2003 06:16 PM PST
Are there any roles in the musical or non-musical theater that you would love to play? (Any age, race, or gender.)
What was the best production of 1776 that you have ever seen?
What was your favorite subject in school? Your best?
What is your favorite Noel Coward play?
Do you keep potted plants?
When was the last time you got flowers? From whom? Why?
Are there any theater critics, past or present that you love? Hate?
I think that that's all.
Posted by Hapgood @ 03/12/2003 06:19 PM PST
Did you know french fries actually come from Belgium? (no, that wasn't my "ask BK" question). So I guess that makes Rep. Ney look like a REAL idiot! I just hope the idiocy being displayed by most of our elected officials at this time of crisis doesn't put us common folk in a bad light to others around the globe!
Now for my BK question - If you could ONLY have 5 CDs to listen to for the rest of your life, which would they be, and why? Now notice this isn't the same as asking you to pick your 5 fave CDs (although the answer could be the same) because these would have to be the ONLY 5 CDs you could listen to over and over and over again and NEVER grow tired of!
Posted by Ray @ 03/12/2003 06:37 PM PST
A couple of ask-BK's:
[1] My favorite BK song is "I'd Like to Eat Your Face" from "The Creature Wasn't Nice." Do you, BK, have a favorite song of your own? Or are there more than one which you like for different reasons, such as melodic inspiration, lyric cleverness, originality, hit-potential, function in its show's context, etc.?
[2] Is there an officially recognized Hainesian alternative to the ham chunks in the "cheese slices and ham chunks" for those of us who have dietary restrictions?
Where, for instance, do you stand on the issue of Hebrew National cocktail weenies?
And what about those of us who don't eat any animal products at all? First of all, what's WITH those people? Secondly, what are they called again -- I forgot. Thirdly, what OFFICIALLY should they eat instead of cheese, not to mention ham, on festive occasions?
Posted by Sigerson Holmes @ 03/12/2003 07:13 PM PST
Greetings from NYC! No question for ASK BK Day today.. Hopefully next week.
It is sooooo nice being up here again. And the train ride up was both relaxing and productive.
Hopefully, I'll see some of you H/Ks at Night Music on Friday.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/12/2003 07:30 PM PST
Whoops!
The actual title of my favorite BK song would be: "I Want to Eat Your Face."
I may have been thinking of the third line, "I'd like to have your face in my tummy." Sorry.
Posted by Sigerson Holmes @ 03/12/2003 08:01 PM PST
Hey, while I'm at it:
[3] Who dubbed for the creature on that number?
Posted by Sigerson Holmes @ 03/12/2003 08:02 PM PST
Ben: Thanks for asking! I got cut from the GREASE! callback after my reading (I read for Doody, Roger and Kenickie [what was THAT about?]), but I looked much older than the middle-schoolers they seemed to have kept. Oh, well...I felt like I had a good audition/reading, so I'm OK with it. I feel I represented myself very well for the Phoenix Production folks, so hopefully they'll keep me in mind for other gigs in the future.
No callbacks for the OKLAHOMA! tour yet. That show doesn't go out until November, so they're taking their time. I'm supposed to hear something from them later on, I suppose.
The Prather Family of Theatres group told me that they didn't need to call me back because they already knew what they wanted me for (!). Isn't that exciting? Isn't it too too? I think they might have me in mind for (funnily enough) Yeston's PHANTOM, but I don't know that for sure. I know for sure, though, that I would not be playing the Phantom himself. The guy they called back for that was HUGE (a very Gaston-type).
I auditioned for Bucks County Playhouse today and they want to see me again tomorrow at 11:30 for the dreaded dance call. Send me your vibes, everyone...I'll need them. And back to the subject of Maury Yeston, one of the shows that they're doing is his TITANIC, which I would KILL to do. I'm obsessed with all things Titanic, and I love the score to that show. PIMPERNEL, OKLAHOMA! and LIL' ABNER are also on their roster for the summer, not to mention FIDDLER for one of their pre-season shows. I think I'd be right for all of those shows (even if I were chorus boy #89), so I hope it works out.
I've been singing very well this week, I think, and I'm simply amazed by the callbacks so far. I haven't been to a cattle-call in over a year, and now all of a sudden I'm being called back for all kinds of stuff! I better not get too used to that, huh? I'm trying not to get flustered by it, but I will admit, it makes me excited about going to more auditions.
Please keep sending your positive vibes my way--especially around 11:30 tomorrow morning (while I'm dancing). Hopefully we'll get this boy working yet!
Posted by Jason @ 03/12/2003 08:57 PM PST
Forgot to mention: I met Mr. Tommy Tune tonight at the Met. We had a nice 5-minute chat. he was a very kind man--and very, VERY tall.
Posted by Jason @ 03/12/2003 09:02 PM PST
Jason,
You are now the envy of one-and-all!
BTW, who is Tommy Tune?
Posted by A. Proxy @ 03/12/2003 09:19 PM PST
A. Proxy: Mr. Tommy Tune is a very tall singer/dancer from Houston, TX. He was the very tall guy in the movie version of HELLO, DOLLY! and has done several Broadway shows. Wonderful dancer, very kind man, but freakishly tall.
Posted by Jason @ 03/12/2003 09:27 PM PST
Here's some more information on actor/director/choreographer/dancer Mr. Tommy Tune:
http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?ID=16367
Posted by Jason @ 03/12/2003 09:34 PM PST
Tommy Tune and Lucie Arnaz did a tour of SEESAW oh so many seasons ago that was very good.
In fact, Lucie Arnaz was EVEN better than Tune. When the show first started, she reminded me so much of her mother, but as she started to move and sing, she was Desi's daughter all the way.
Although she seems to get mixed personal notices on the internet nowadays, if you can see her in a SHOW rather than her cabaret act, take a chance.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/13/2003 05:54 AM PST
Jason:
Vibes are currently on their way from here, especially the terpsichorian variety.
I also chatted with Tommy Tune for five minutes, but I didn't know about it. Well, not till years later, when my friend Debby made a remark about "when we met Tommy Tune".
"We met Tommy Tune?" I asked in all innocence.
"Yes, you remember, when we were talking to Karen Akers after Nine and he came over?"
"That was Tommy Tune?"
"Yes, Bill [in exasperation], that was Tommy Tune."
Oh, and did I ever tell you about the time Isaac Asimov told me my fly was open...? 'Struth!
Posted by William F. Orr @ 03/13/2003 05:56 AM PST
~~~~~~Sending good vibes Jason's way. I hope that you head west, young man. It would be great to have you in town!!
Posted by Laura @ 03/13/2003 06:03 AM PST
Remember, Jason, it's easy - and NEVER step on the same foot twice in a row.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/13/2003 06:28 AM PST
BEGINNING OF THE END, the giant grasshopper movie DVD featuring a commentary by our own BK, movie star reader Susan Gordon, and Susan Must Use Middle Initial Gordon's mother, Flora, is now on sale with a 25% discount at Amazon.com for shipment on its release on 3/25!
Posted by David O. Selznick @ 03/13/2003 06:31 AM PST
Jrand55,
Love your anonymous postings. They're simply the ginchiest!
Posted by A. Proxy @ 03/13/2003 06:40 AM PST
Jason,
I believe I still have the complete scores of SCARLET PIMPERNEL and TITANIC (I have done both...), so if you are looking for some music, let me know.
"Who is Tommy Tune?" Oy.
Posted by Dave @ 03/13/2003 07:10 AM PST
Dave - you must forgive some people. For them it's not "what have done in theatre?" it's "what have you done since theatre started with 'Rent'?"
Posted by Antoinette Perry @ 03/13/2003 07:43 AM PST
Late question:
Your thoughts on Sandy Duncan as a performer? As Peter Pan? Love her or hate her?
Posted by William F. Orr @ 03/13/2003 08:31 AM PST
