Posted by Michael Shayne @ 03/30/2003 08:51 AM PST

How come paperBACKS get all the shows. What ever happened to the paperFRONTS?

Posted by Craig @ 03/30/2003 08:54 AM PST

Regarding yesterday's late posts, I'd like to say that XANADU is better on dvd than it was in the theaters, while CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG was better (not by much) in theaters.
Of course, M-G-M in all their infinite wisdom only issued a dire pan-and-scanned CCBB on dvd. If you ever get the chance, watch for it on TCM, where you'll be treated to all of its widescreen glory. I have a soft spot in my heart for CCBB, and with minor exception, love the score. BUT, boy oh boy, does CCBB have script problems! And some truly hideous rear projection photography (which is all the more noticeable in pan and scan).
Gert Frobe and Anna Quayle are delightful, and Sally Ann Howes is truly scrumptious.
BK can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that the young boy was also in a cult film classic: MARK OF THE DEVIL with Herbert Lom.
i'm looking forward to a full report from Jrand on CLIFF RICHARD.

Posted by td @ 03/30/2003 09:01 AM PST

Read/red: Oops (spoo, spelled backwards), a mere slip of a finger in the early morning hours. I've fixed it and now people will think Michael Shayne is CRAZY because no such misspelling occurs in these here notes. Hahahahahahahaha, I am drunk with power!

Posted by bk @ 03/30/2003 09:34 AM PST

Warning --- long post ---

Operetta dated? Any show that can be totally stopped by wild applause with one line of dialogue is far from dated. Actually that line – “It’s possible to love one’s country and still despise it’s ruler” – was referring to The French Revolution and probably was not even noticed in 1928 when NEW MOON was first produced, and in actuality the show was nearly stopped several times by the glorious music. I can think of only a handful of shows that have as many hit songs as NEW MOON and they were all wonderfully performed by a cast ranging from opera stars (Rodney Gilfry, Brandon Jovanovich), musical stars (Lauren Ward, Alix Korey, Burke Moses) and a singer whose prior work (particularly her BK-produced CD “A Broadway Love Story) is totally varied, Christiane Noll plus a full orchestra and a chorus so large some of them were seated behind the orchestra. Add two fine actors in non-singing roles (F. Murray Abraham and Simon Jones) and you have a wonderful evening. The show was played straight, yet what would be considered camp today got the laughs, only the audience was laughing with the show, not at it. It reminded me of how a good production of LITTLE MARY SUNSHINE should be played.

As for the material, of course there were reprises and reprises in the second act, and all major songs except one were first sung in Act I (something Hammerstein would do to a lesser degree in many of his following shows). There was the serious lead couple, the comic second couple and the villain… again things Hammerstein would carry over. There was even a character named Julie, a name Hammerstein would use again in two of his masterpieces. This is one Encores show that should be recorded as the only available recordings are mere selections. While the selections include “Stout-Hearted Men,” “Lover, Come Back To Me”, “One Kiss,” “Wanting You”, “Softly As In A Morning Sunrise” et. al., there are several lesser gems that do need to be saved for posterity.

There’ll probably never be anything like it again on Broadway, and I thank Encores for proving that operetta need not be a dead art. Incidentally as a preparation for this I watched the PBS video of NYCO’s NEW MOON and the Encores was better in every way.

As an added note, NEW MOON was in keeping with my theory the better the show at Encores or Mufti the less interesting the discussion group. Robert Kimbal’s history had stories about other shows from 1928 (including a W. C. Fields lawsuit over the mistreatment of a parakeet) that were interesting but had nothing to do with the topic. And Oscar Hammerstein’s daughter spent at least half of the group’s allotted time telling of a trip she took with Sigmund Romberg and a letter “Rommy” wrote her father, neither having anyhing to do with the topic at hand. After the group ended, Mr. Abraham grabbed the mike and chastised the New York Times for sending “a minor critic to review a major show”.

(I just realized that this is probably the only show in history to feature both Abraham and Moses.]

* * * * * * * * *

We also hade time to watch 2 DVDs yesterday, both with giant bugs. First came "Godzilla Versus Mothra". What can I say? Then we watched "Beginning of the End" twice: with and without the commentary track. As regulars to this here site know, this film was directed by Bert I. Gordon, father of our very own Aura - Miss Susan (must use middle name) Gordon. The film itself is a lot of fun and I loved seeing the shots of Chicago in the late 50s which is to me what Los Angeles in the same period is to Benjamin Kritzer (yes BK, there is still a corner of State and Wacker). But what makes this DVD a must is the commentary hosted by our very own Bruce Kimmell and featuring the aforementioned Aura and her mother. BK should do commentary on more videos as it was as entertaining as the film.

A question that Ray had (and I'm sure most of us are way too young to remeber but might know anyway): before electricity ice was delivered to people in large blocks to keep their food cold. However if there was no electricity, how was the ice made?

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/30/2003 09:39 AM PST

Good morning! Just got back from the cooking that Tyler Florence (from FoodTV) did this morning here in Richmond. It was a fun hour - I didn't hang out for the book-signing since I'll be going to the one at another store in about an hour. He made two simple recipes: an Italian bread salad (panzanella), and a "kicked up" grilled cheese (camembert, pumpkin butter and fresh basil on grilled caraway rye). -His appearance this morning was at a Panera Bread place - they're sponsoring the book tour. The only drawback to the whole set up was all the ambient noise from the regular customers, the kitchen (lots of frothy cappucinos were being made), and he was just speaking from behind a small table and a hot plate with no amplification. But everyone seemed to have a good time, and he announced that his series, Food 911, just finished taping a new season, and got picked up for at least one more.

-And it doesn't hurt that he's rather easy on the eyes.

Jason: I'm due for a big DVD watching party soon - which I will most likely do during my off days between the two week of Hair. Just remember that it's time to head outside if you notice your eyes are glowing.

-And I'm still blown away by the "Six Feet Under" episode I watched last night. I'll have to watch it again on tape. When David came home from work, and started crying... and...

-Excuse me... talk amongst yourselves...

I'll check in later after the book-signing.

OH - It's SNOWING!

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/30/2003 10:13 AM PST

I left out the word "demo" after cooking in my first sentence.

AND I just booked a week or two of Beauty & The Beast on tour, and the final two weeks of 1776 up at Ford's Theatre in DC. Whew! Now I can buy that head of lettuce I've been eyeing at he grocery store. ;-)

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/30/2003 10:16 AM PST

Congratulations, Jose. I couldn't find a tomato in town yesterday. For any money.

Well, td, I enjoyed The Young Ones very much...Summer Holiday less so just because it seemed a bit more forced. The saving grace was of course Miss Lauri Peters. I really hated the mime bit at the court....too much. I have only watched about half of Wonderful Life, but it's okay. Lots more dancing - thanks to Gillian I am sure - but something isn't quite right. I think I liked the story of The Young Ones the best. Although it's great to see Walter Slezak. I have listened to the commentary on Summer Holiday but not the other two.

Sir Cliff sure looked strange at times....sort of a cross between Ricky Nelson and a chipmonk. But he was fearless in jumping into the dancing and fantasy bits of the scripts.

Paperback books....Jacqueline Susann must be thrilled!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/30/2003 10:26 AM PST

Bruce Kimmel is an evil man for making me look bad. I was going to add the mistake to www.brucekimmel.com and now I can't!!

However there is some other new stuff on the site. So if you haven't dropped by in awhile take a look.

1)Cinemax/HBO's Likely Stories

2)Hanna-Barbera's Rappin' n' Rhymin'

3)Excerpt from "Confessions of a Reality TV Bottom-Feeder" By Marc Weingarten (A writer for Totally Hidden Videos) Additional information added to the Totally Hidden Videos Page

4)Michelle Nicastro added to the Bruce Kimmel Repertory Player Page.

5)The Vinnie Cirilli quote page is now complete

6)See the alternate Christiane Noll Ira Gershwin Album Cover

7) A slew of archived interviews by David Levy and others

8) Jennifer Piech writes about how it was recording for Bruce Kimmel

9) The alternate cover for Christiane Noll's Ira Gershwin Album

10) An interview with Bruce by Bruce Jennings about The Bruce Kimmel Repertory Players

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 03/30/2003 10:58 AM PST

Where in tarnation IS everyone? I can pretty much assure you we will be breaking no records this month - the months that end with a weekend are simply lethal, with the exception of last Sunday and its record number of posts. So, unless there's a tremendous rally I'm afraid we shall have to content ourselves with this being only our fourth best month.

Posted by bk @ 03/30/2003 11:51 AM PST

I am working on a report on lavender for my Plants in Society class. (So that means that I'm just sitting here eating junk food and complaining.)

Posted by Sandra @ 03/30/2003 11:58 AM PST

"Urban Cowboy" took down their closing notice. Which is good for the show, I always root for the underdog. However, now I have to take out "Lookin' for Love in All The Wrong Places" from my Broadway flop revue we're doing with my high school musical theatre class. Ah well.

Posted by Matthew @ 03/30/2003 12:14 PM PST

Check out this BB interview

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/30/2003 12:31 PM PST

Oops... I didn't know posting the url would make this a CinenaScope site.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/30/2003 12:32 PM PST

If you cut and paste the URL you want us to use and put it in the "Homepage" cell....then when you click on your name....you will be at the site in question.

Posted by AnNETte @ 03/30/2003 12:40 PM PST

Before there was electricity, ice was harvested in blocks during the winter, from lakes and ponds that had frozen over. It was then stored in ice houses, until it was sold during the hottest months to people who could afford it. There are still houses that can be found today with built-in ice boxes, with a metal-lined section for holding the goods that needed to be kept cold, and another metal-lined section below for holding the ice itself.

This, of course, took place in an era when there was little pollution in the lake and pond water to worry about.

Posted by S. Woody White @ 03/30/2003 12:43 PM PST

Wow...Playbill.com just posted an article re. the prolonging of URBAN COWBOY soley based on an "independent internet posting on Talkin' Broadway [a.k.a. All That Chat]." Is that their idea of posting facts?

Posted by Jason @ 03/30/2003 12:45 PM PST

Just checked out Broadway.com. They at least interviewed cast members and the producers. I wonder why Playbill didn't do the same?

Posted by Jason @ 03/30/2003 12:49 PM PST

Watched a laserdisc today I've had for years and never gotten to, and it's a movie I had only seen once before and had no memory of: THREE FOR THE SHOW with Betty Grable (her last musical).

I remember reading Marge Champion interviewed by Rex Reed decades ago as she laughed that she and Gower had the world record of putting people out of business. They were in Esther Williams' last movie at MGM (JUPITER'S DARLING) and Grable's last movie musical, too.

I also hadn't realized that Columbia was trying to build Jack Lemmon into a musical star at their studio. He filmed three musicals in the space of a year: MY SISTER EILEEN, YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM IT, and THREE FOR THE SHOW. None of them made money, so I guess that cured Columbia of wanting to become another MGM in the mid-1950s.

Posted by Matt H. @ 03/30/2003 12:54 PM PST

Der Brucer and I had a wonderful time last night, joining a wonderful group from Sondheim.com at the Matrix theater in Hollywood, where a new production of Anyone Can Whistle is currently running. Being Sondheim.com people, we all of course enjoyed the show greatly. This isn't to say that the musical isn't still flawed; it's just good to see a decent staging of the piece.

The book for ACW remains the show's major flaw. The script was reorganized, reducing the show from three acts to two, but there is still much that doesn't work, mostly in Act One, and mostly because Nurse Fay Apple really doesn't have much to do for too much of the first act. She is the show's protagonist, but after a brief (if stunning) appearance early on she disappears until what was the beginning of Act Two (and is now the final third of Act One). This skews everything terribly. Fortunately, she centers the second act very well.

(For those in the wondering state of mind, the first act now ends with the title song, and the second act begins with Mayoress Cora Hoover Hoople getting her massage and singing with her stooges "I've Got You to Lean On.")

The play is now firmly set "about fifty years ago," according to the narration, supplied here in voice-over by Ed Asner, who does the disembodied voice thing very well. Still, there's a lot of humor that doesn't quite connect due to it's datedness.

There's also a few problems with the physical production. The Matrix has a very wide stage in front of only three rows of seats, which makes focusing the audience's attention difficult when there's more than one group on stage. I'd also like to know why designers insist on putting people in garish costumes in front of garishly painted sets. Don't they know by now that the two cancel each other out?

HOWEVER, this is all cancelled out by a very good cast, particularly with the leads (two of whom were understudies last night). The show was well sung, well played, with few missed notes, metaphorically and otherwise. I can highly recommend to anyone who has never seen a production of this early Sondheim piece that they get to the Matrix as quickly as they can.

Posted by S. Woody White @ 03/30/2003 01:08 PM PST

S. Woody, has "There Won't Be Trumpets" been permanently put back into the show? It's such a great song, and I wondered if this is now a permanent part of ANYONE CAN WHISTLE. I hope so!

Posted by Matt H. @ 03/30/2003 01:23 PM PST

Thank you fans of "Six Feet Under". We have yet to start the new series. Glad to hear it is still so strong.
I am still astounded at the good press you guys are giving the Cliff Richard movies. They bombed here when first releases because they were so BAD. As kids we didn't like them but at least we bought the songs by Cliff and The Shadows. Of course if you really want to watch more of Cliff you could check out "Expresso Bongo" and "Heathcliff". It also seems odd to see the movies and songs praised when Cliff did not get to have a top 10 hit in the USA until the mid seventies. His pop music was IMHO good and had the backing of Norrie Paramor &/OR The Shadows - a group which certainly outsold any instrumental group ever in Australia and the UK.
Will there now be a new appraisal and fondness for the Elvis movies now I wonder.

I am finding the "cinemascope" screen difficult William. I could get back further from the screen but my arms are not that long.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 03/30/2003 01:36 PM PST

This snow is crazy! I actually like snow, but considering we were in the 70s just a few days ago, and it looks like we'll back up there at the end of this week... It's just a little crazy. Thankfully, it's a wet snow - with nice big snowflakes - so no major road problems.

The book signing was fun. The author, Tyler Florence, was running about a half hour late, but I only waited about an hour total which is what I had planned on originally anyway.

The bookstore had a numbering system in order to keep things in order, but it turned out that there were two numbering systems, and depending upon who you talked to, you were either going to go sooner or later. There were a few agitated partrons, but after it was explained that the two numbering systems were actually the same BUT with a big skip in numbers after the first twenty five, people seemed to calm down. *It also helped that the person calling the numbers finally started speaking up so everyone in the store could hear her - and it's a nice, small independent bookstore. (I scoped out a few future purchases while I was waiting.) I was lucky to be in the second group, and the reps from the publisher were very friendly, and allowed for personalizations and pictures. And since we were basically called in groups of 25 to their "events room", we could all just hang out until the next group was called in.

So, I got an autographed copy and a pic with him. He's sooo dreamy... ;-)

Well, time for me to get ready for Hair rehearsal.

Let It Snow!
Let It Snow!
Let It Snow???

-And the movie version of On the Town is on the local PBS station right now. I know there are some people who don't like the movie since it's a different animal from the stage version, but I actually like it. A nice diversion for a snowy afternoon.

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/30/2003 01:40 PM PST

I like the Cliff Richard films better than most all Elvis, except perhaps Viva Las Vegas. Cliff and his cohorts are just clearly having so much fun, and the films are so well crafted that they're just infectious. I understand why they might have bombed where you are, Tom from Oz, but you should give them a whirl now - I think you'll be delighted and properly amazed.

Is this the first enhanced for widescreen website?

Posted by bk @ 03/30/2003 01:45 PM PST

Whew, we're back to Academy ratio. Chat in a mere four hours. Now, let's get a volley of posts going, shall we? If we don't have a volley of posts I shall have to take some DOLLS, and then perhaps we can have a volley of the dolls. We don't allow groaning here at haineshisway.com. Now, c'mon people, smile on each other, post your innermost thoughts or you outermost non-thoughts. Post as if your very life depended on it. Post as if there were no tomorrow.

Posted by bk @ 03/30/2003 01:52 PM PST

"There Won't Be Trumpets" is indeed in the show, immediately after Fay runs away from the police after she gives her "scientific" monologue. It was done in a pin-spot (the Matrix isn't built for follow spots), with the rest of the stage in blackout. Sadly, although it's a great song on it's own, it doesn't quite work. It's something of an "I want" song, after all, and doesn't follow logically with what has preceeded it. Why, at this point, is Fay telling us about heros? Why is she, frankly, telling us what she would like in a man? We've had too little time to get to know her, all of it with Fay in command and none about her softer side, for this information to connect. And then Fay disappears for most of the rest of the act. It's a construction flaw that ACW is still stuck with, and there's no getting around it. Drat.

Posted by S. Woody White @ 03/30/2003 02:06 PM PST

When the h*ll are producers going to wake up and smell the reviews and stop trying to make broadway musicals out of schlocky mid '80's movies? What's next, "Flashdance"?!

Posted by Ray @ 03/30/2003 02:20 PM PST

How about "Godzilla, The Musical"?

Posted by The President of Toho Productions @ 03/30/2003 02:23 PM PST

My musical Stages was done at the Matrix and most assuredly had two count them two followspots.

I find the whole Urban Cowboy thing shameless and disgusting. That last minute "David Merrick-like" reprieve is so calculated and bogus. Especially given the fact that even if they were to keep it open for a year it would still lose its entire investment. It's all about saving face these days - no matter what the cost. When they posted their notice I didn't believe it, it smelled like a big piece of whitefish to me - I think they planned this and hoped for a "miracle" - a sudden influx of ticket sales. I mean, at some point doesn't fiscal responsibility kick in?

Posted by bk @ 03/30/2003 02:34 PM PST

My main problem with the current trend is the music which was originally used in these films (Saturday Night Fever, Urban Cowboy, Footloose, et al) was all pop-crap! This music came out of some of the most desolate and barren times in pop music! And the fact that they use most of the original songs and try to foist it off on the unsuspecting general public as a "broadway score" sickens me! And don't even get me started on "Mama Mia"!

Posted by Ray @ 03/30/2003 02:46 PM PST

I'm with you on that Ray.

With "Anyone Can Whistle", the last production I say included both "Trumpets" and "There's Always A Woman" - both worthy additions but the book just does not work.

Not sure about your comment Bk about understanding why .. where I am.. We were a Cliff loving country in the 60's and they would have succeeded had they appealed to us then! They have been shown often on TV here - Sunday early afternoons - over the last 30 years and I still think that are just "silly".
To each his own Dulcinea I guess.
I still have a weakness for the "not around these days" UK film of the same vintage "It's Trad Dad" and that was really bad!
I am not missing the "new look" cinerama!
Back to Cliff! Did you know there is a "Cliff" musical on in London? I suspect it just a selection from his song history. A musical biography or whatever. Maybe Allan can tell us more.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 03/30/2003 03:42 PM PST

Well, as far as Elvis is concerned on screen, I also like FLAMING STAR. (or maybe I just like that title. wouldn't that be a great title for Nathan Lane's bio/autobio? Hey, BK said no groaning here!) The early Elvis are so much better than the stuff he did after VIVA LAS VEGAS (which, as directed by George Sidney, is quite good) spare me please from ROUSTABOUT, TICKLE ME, HARUM SCARUM and KISSIN' COUSINS, but PARADISE HAWAIIAN STYLE and FUN IN ACAPULCO have their own certain charms.
What I really love about the CLIFF RICHARD COLLECTION, is that the Cinemascopic screen is quite well used, and the youthful eagerness to which the casts goes through their paces is refreshing.
Cliff's co-star in THE YOUNG ONES was the original London Luisa in THE FANTASTICKS, and she also worked for the British bastion of horror, Hammer.
Susan Hampshire, his co-star in WONDERFUL LIFE, was in Disney's THE THREE LIVES OF THOMASINA.
Lotsa unsung talent going on in all three films, and the pop songs are quite infectious, too. I, too, would recommend EXPRESSO BONGO - but be forewarned, the print used by Anchor Bay is missing a song or two.

Posted by td @ 03/30/2003 03:45 PM PST

The Cliff musical in London certainly hasn't gotten off to a good start. From what I've read, there are several "Cliffs," one for each of his "periods."
Supposedly, a lot like SHOUT!, only lesser talents are involved with CLIFF.

Posted by td @ 03/30/2003 03:48 PM PST

And wasn't Carole Gray from The Young Ones also in the original London cast of West Side Story?

Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/30/2003 04:32 PM PST

Chat in one hour.

Posted by bk @ 03/30/2003 04:48 PM PST

I'm having a DVD dilemma!! Help me, someone, please!!

For some reason, I'm having these "ghost" lines appearing across my screen that were not there previously. I have switched my RF modulater from channel 3 to channel 4 and it got better, but the lines are driving me batty. They weren't there two days ago...or even yesterday, from what I can remember. Anyone have any ideas??

Posted by Jason @ 03/30/2003 04:52 PM PST

yes, indeed, Jrand, the delectable Miss Gray was in London's WEST SIDE STORY, iirc.

Posted by td @ 03/30/2003 05:20 PM PST

Thanks for the info, Jose, on Tyler Florence and "Food 9-1-1." It's a great show and I never miss it.

I've started having fun in my kitchen again, although this time I'm experimenting with a new pressure cooker -- the results have been scrumptious.

Still, "Food 9-1-1" gives hope to bad cooks everywhere on a huge variety of food preparations.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 03/30/2003 05:29 PM PST

For more of Bruce Kimmel's musical STAGES go to www.brucekimmel.com (another shameless plug)

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 03/30/2003 05:41 PM PST

and chat in 9 minutes

Posted by The Count JR @ 03/30/2003 05:42 PM PST

I was an usher at the Bruin Theater in Westwood when Fahrenheit 451 previewed there. Ray Bradbury use to stop in all the time to watch the movie. He loved it. The first time I saw the movie, I left work and went directly to the bookstore to purchase David Copperfield and read it throughout the night.

Posted by Jane @ 03/30/2003 05:42 PM PST

Jason, make sure the connection from your player to your television is secure. I once had all my dvd's suddenly start playing in b/w because the wire had come loose on the television.

Could also be some kind of interference, try changing the plug where the tv and/or VCR is connected. A portable heater or refrigerator could cause it as well.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/30/2003 05:44 PM PST

BTW A great new radio show. Maury Yeston is featured

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 03/30/2003 05:45 PM PST

Chat is now open so get your errant and truant butt cheeks in there.

Posted by bk @ 03/30/2003 05:52 PM PST

Bruce gives great chat! Come join us!

Posted by The Chat Guru @ 03/30/2003 06:40 PM PST

That was so much fun fun fun!

Posted by The Fershluganah Chat @ 03/30/2003 08:09 PM PST

Sorry I had to miss the chat. There is just too much going on on Sunday for me to participate. I hope all enjoyed themselves immensely.

Thanks to the bk produced UNSUNG SONDHEIM, we have a fantastic recording of "There's Always a Woman." I know, it's on the concert ANYONE CAN WHISTLE CD, too, but I prefer the UNSUNG SONDHEIM version. And speaking of that marvelous CD, Debbie Gravitte's "Water Under the Bridge" is perhaps my favorite cut on the entire CD.

Posted by Matt H. @ 03/30/2003 08:24 PM PST

Yes, indeed, what a great chat! BK is always the host with the most! and we even started to make a haineshisway dinner!

Posted by td @ 03/30/2003 08:41 PM PST

I'm on my way to bed, but I'm posting. Sorry I missed yet another great chat!

Posted by Kerry @ 03/30/2003 08:54 PM PST

Just letting you know that I fixed my DVD player. The trouble was actually the way the channels were set up on my television. I dunno...it's too technical for me, but it was certainly a stroke of luck that I fixed it. Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

Chat was fun tonight!!

Posted by Jason @ 03/30/2003 10:54 PM PST

Sorry I missed the chat tonight - and I'll be missing next week's as well since I'll be in tech. Another good band rehearsal tonight. And, as I always forget with rock shows, it's more a matter of finding the grooves than playing the notes. We found some of them tonight, and we have the band five(!) more times before we go in front of audience. I'm gonna get spoiled having all this tech and rehearsal time.

Well, time for a little late night viewing... my tape of tonight's "Six Feet Under" - Guess who's back in town?!?!?

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/30/2003 11:19 PM PST

OH! I keep forgetting to mention that Jason Graae plays the leader of the Gay Men's Chorus on "Six Feet Under"!

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 03/30/2003 11:58 PM PST

However td....you know who played her last big screen role in TICKLE ME.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 03/31/2003 07:50 AM PST

Just to offer another opinion on the re-opening of URBAN COWBOY. By all accounts, the producers did not invite the Tony voters to attend any performances, which would make them ineligible for any awards. With the show staying open, they will now be able to invite the Tony voters, and - given that this isn't exactly a strong season in the musicals category - they might pick up some nominations and even possibly some awards. This will no doubt strengthen the marketing campaign for a potential tour, which seems to be where a show of this type will be more likely to thrive anyway.

All this, plus it keeps a number of actors and musicians employed for a while longer. Who am I to complain?

My bigger question is, will we ever see the "score" recorded? Given the number of country/pop hits that comprise the score, one would imagine that copyrights might make the recording cost-prohibitive. But one would at least like to hear the songs written by Jason Robert Brown and Jeff Blumenkrantz. Well, maybe these songs will be prime candidates for another "Unsung Musicals" recording someday...

Posted by Dave @ 03/31/2003 07:57 AM PST

Jrand: Who made her final big-screen appearance in Tickle Me?

Regardless, Tickle Me is truly dire. It's the Elvis film that John Waters would have made if he and Elvis had ever crossed paths (except with absolutely none of JW's self-awareness).

Posted by Lulu @ 03/31/2003 08:27 AM PST

I don't know if this is a rumor or the truth, but I heard that the reason URBAN COWBOY sold so many tickets on Saturday was that the cast went out on the balcony or fire escape very scantily clad and were tossing out ads to passerbys.

This is a show that should have toured for a year and then come to NY. It's the kind of show that will make money in the boondocks and it could have opened here in the black.

At least Sally Mayes is still working.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 03/31/2003 08:43 AM PST