Replies: 62 Unseemly Comments
Comments on yesterday's Trading Spaces episode with Hildy and Kia.
I must say I do not like Kia's designs. She is nice enough. And there are elements to her ideas that I like. But on the whole she has never done a room that I liked.
On last night's episode she did a master bedroom with a Moroccan theme. She did a really nice headboard. But the walls were horrid. She painted them bright green. They were really really bad. I'm not sure if I could have painted them that color (had i been there). They were obviously going to be horrible.
Now Hildy is a mixed bag. She didn't really have much to work with. She had a studio apartment for a single man, who has his daugther every other weekend.
She did a decent job. She painted the walls a yellowy mango color. And did the ceiling brown. And painted the carpet the same brown. She had a sitting area and created a wall in front of the bed and split the bed in 2 with a blind, so the guy could have a king size when he's alone, and the blind would make his daughter a bed when she was there.
It was nice enough. I guess for what she had to work with, it was quite nice. Although I'm not sure I would like to have a mini wall built in at the foot of my bed. I'm a bit too claustrophic for that.
Jennifer
Posted by Jennifer @ 05/04/2003 10:12 AM PST
It's a beautiful day, in Delray, USA (oh, a pseudo Li'l Abner reference)
Let's get the conversation jiggy and happenin'!
Here's are some questions to ponder..
1. Who are your picks for the Outer Critic Circle awards which will be given out tomorrow?
2. Who are your Drama Desk picks
3. Who are your picks for Tony Nominations? and Winners?
4. What songs ALWAYS can put a smile on your face, a spring in your step or just plain put you in a good mood no matter what?
I'll post my answers in a little bit..
Posted by Craig @ 05/04/2003 10:22 AM PST
I went to the dollar store and found a 6 foot silk ficus tree for only $16! Only $16. And I need silk trees for my set for SOUTH PACIFIC. So bought 4 of them - 4 of them!!! Why did I buy 4? Because they only had 4!
So now I can buy 5 of the bigger silk palm trees at the WalMart store for $49.99 and I will have all my trees.
Awards.....hmmmm....I will have to think. Since I didn't see any of the shows, it is hard to decide.
Songs that make me smile? Almost everything from JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT and CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/04/2003 10:30 AM PST
TS Jennifer - I agree....except for the color Kia's room was okay....and Hildy, okay - I usually hate what she does, but it was OKAY. BTW, that is the least complimentary word I can use....it is the word above no good.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/04/2003 10:32 AM PST
What songs ALWAYS can put a smile on my face, a spring in my step or just plain puts me in a good mood no matter what?
"Walking On Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves!
I LOVE this song. When I was in college I bought the choral (SATB) arrangement and found out that it only has three, count 'em three, chords: I, IV and V. It harkens back to the Fifties/Elvis rock and roll songs that also only had three chords. And it's a great song!
Posted by George @ 05/04/2003 10:40 AM PST
OK.. here are some songs that always get me a-goin'
1. Build Me Up Buttercup
2. You Can't Stop The Beat (from Hairspray)
3. Banjos (from Meet Me in St. Louis)
4. Walkin on Sunshine also...
5. You're Nothing Without Me (City of Angels)
6. Centerfield (John Fogarty)
7. You're 16
Well I'll just say that there are SO many 50s and 60s songs that never cease to put a smile on my face, but the songs about are high up on the list...
Posted by Craig @ 05/04/2003 10:59 AM PST
All right, where in tarnation IS everyone? There will be bitch-slapping aplenty. Six posts, while they are excellent posts, is wholly and even halfly unacceptable. I'm afraid the weekend notes are about to be a thing of the past if we can't do better than six count them six posts.
Posted by bk @ 05/04/2003 12:10 PM PST
Re: You Can't Stop The Beat. I
recently saw the Seattle Men's
Chorus, an all-gay all-men
group based in Seattle, do
some selections from
Hairspray, including Beat,
staged entirely in drag. Let me
tell you, that brought a big ol'
smile to my face...
For anyone who likes the male
choir sound (think Chanticleer)
they should check out Seattle
Men's Chorus CD's...the group
is wonderful
Posted by Ann @ 05/04/2003 01:00 PM PST
Summer - time
and the postin' is easy.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/04/2003 01:27 PM PST
Songs that make me grin (STMMG in Internet lingo):
Gimmed Dat Ding
Motherhood (from "Hello Dolly")
Rubber Duckie (by Ernie)
Kia's room -- LOVED the emerald green paint! Truly, I did. But I wasn't wild about the rest of it.
There was also another episode last night -- Vern and Genevieve -- both doing leather headboards -- both big disappointments to me. I expect more from Vern...
I HATE painted rugs...I wish Hildy would STOP DOING THAT!!!! I watched her paint an overstuffed sofa once and it made me gag.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/04/2003 01:31 PM PST
I am watching THUNDERBALL and the captain of a ship just said: "Man the wenches."
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/04/2003 01:38 PM PST
Craig I love that song by John Fogerty as well....
Centerfield....LOL....Put me in coach, I'm ready to play!
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/04/2003 01:39 PM PST
And might I add "In the Summertime" by Mungo Jerry!
Posted by Craig @ 05/04/2003 01:45 PM PST
I drank a pina colada out of a coconut today.
Posted by Lulu @ 05/04/2003 01:52 PM PST
Lulu - how did you fit into the cocoanut?
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/04/2003 01:57 PM PST
First a couple of comments re yesterday's posts:
Lulu - I was being perfectly serious regarding Wal-Mart censoring what they consider "objectionable" material out of CDs. Although they don't indicate it on the CD it is common knowledge that they do so. It's mostly certain words in Rap songs. That's why I asked if they do it to DVDs as well. I know there are video stores that specialize in that (its legality is in the hands of the lawyers and judges) so I was wondering if Wal-Mart also does this as well.
Regarding sound mixing of orchestras, am I the only one who wants to hear the orchestra as it actually sounds live and not as some technician thinks it should sound? I can understand mixing vocals with orchestras to bring out the vocal, but I like to hear the orchestrations as the arranger and composer planned.
BK - You'll be happy to know I got the last copy of the Sherman Brothers CD at Footlight. It means it is selling and not just at you know where.
We’ve been attending shows at “Musicals Tonight” --- revivals of mostly older musicals with Equity actors, no sets, very little costumes and the ubiquitous black books --- for about three years and many have them have been very entertaining, but on a scale on 1 to 10 nothing would have ever rated higher than about a 7. At last a perfect 10: MY FAVORITE YEAR, the 1992 flop musical version of the 1982 hit film with an Ahrens/Flaherty score. First of all, I don’t see how this show could have flopped so badly that it had such a short run and was almost ignored at the Tonys (the score was passed over but something called “The Song of Jacob Zulu” got nominated). MY FAVORITE YEAR got only 3 nominations, all acting, and 1 award (Andrea Martin). This is a show that is totally faithful to the film with a score equal to be best 50s and 60s musical comedies. And with such great material to work with, Musicals Tonight did it better than anything they have done before. Their casting was strong throughout, and while earlier shows had many chorus members who could sing but had no stage presence, that was not the case here. In case you aren’t familiar with the film it involves a young writer working on a Sid Caesar type variety show in 1954 and what happens when an Erroll Flynn-type alcoholic actor is the guest for the week. In the “Flynn” role David Staller, always wonderful (why isn’t he a big star?), is perfection. He gets every laugh written in (“I’m not an actor, I’m a movie star”) and more plus sings his songs in his glorious baritone. An actor previously unknown to me co-stars as the writer. I think you’ll be seeing lots of David Ranson in the future. He was in the reading of Donald’s musical FLYER which I missed. The role Andrea Martin won her Tony for is played by an actress named Donna Coney Island (that’s what the program says) and it’s hard to imagine Andrea any better. The only paper that reviews shows at Musicals Tonight is the Post and they also raved and called it the best show they have done. Let’s hope they keep the momentum going in their next production: The Gershwin’s LADY BE GOOD.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/04/2003 02:15 PM PST
HILDY PAINTED A RUG!?!?!?! Why (and how) would anyone paint a rug?? I saw the painted couch fiasco episode also (it was in the Seattle area) and was horrified! You'd think that she'd learn from her mistakes!
Posted by George @ 05/04/2003 02:18 PM PST
It's a lovely day here in Arizona, and DR Sandra and I just returned from a church picnic. Now she is back in her room, finishing up her term paper.
Posted by Laura @ 05/04/2003 02:22 PM PST
Inspired by our posts the other
night, I've downloaded all the
songs from BUGSY MALONE
and am listening to them now.
They certainly bring a smile to
my face.
Posted by Jed @ 05/04/2003 02:23 PM PST
All that "Come September" is remembered for here is "Multiplication" and the theme by Santo & Johnny - both major hits here. The film really is not memorable at all.
Katrina & the Waves. - they all had a song that won the Eurovision song contest "Love Shine A Light", a few years back. The song contest is in Latvia this year on May 24. It produces the worst in Europop and is somewhat addictive in a strange way. Well known songs from Eurovision: "Waterloo", "Congratulations". "Volare","Love Is Blue", "Puppet On A String", "Say Wonderful Things" and "Knock Knock Who's There". Artists have included Mary Hopkin, Celine Dion, Cliff Richard, Olivia Newton John and Sandie Shaw. "Riverdance" also came from Eurovision.
The song contest is very much a European "institution". I wonder if it is telecast in Northern America. We get it here and it now has quite a "cult" following.
Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/04/2003 02:55 PM PST
Joel Grey had his nose bobbed? What would happen if he chose to play Cyrano de Bergerac?
(Too obvious, let's move on.)
I spent part of last night watching Rob Reiner's film of William Goldman's THE PRINCESS BRIDE, screenplay adaptation by Goldman. Having been a long-time fan of Goldman's novel, I have to admit being disappointed. The film plays like a "good parts" summarization, jumping in too fast and ignoring character development. This is particularly strange, since the novel itself is supposed to be the "good parts" version of an earlier book. Mind, the parts are very nice, but somehow it all seems stripped. (There's a "making of" piece made specially for the DVD re-release, however, which is very nice and includes a genuinely loving tribute to Andre the Giant, who plays Fezzik in the film.)
Posted by S. Woody White @ 05/04/2003 02:58 PM PST
But what about the great fencing, S. Woody White? Do you know how much talent it takes to fence with one hand and keep your guts in with the other?
Posted by Sandra @ 05/04/2003 03:09 PM PST
More trivia to relate my last post to the interests of this site: Colm Wilkinsson, Michael Ball, Frances Ruffelle and Tommy Korberg - all Les Mis stars - have represented their respective countries - Ireland UK & Sweden - at Eurovision.
Another topic. I watched the DVD of "Lawrence Of Arabia" over the past two nights. BRILLIANT. 40 years on and the film is still stunning. Extras are very interesting as well.
Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/04/2003 03:42 PM PST
Just read Steven Suskin's column at PLAYBILL ONLINE, and he mentioned that absolutely none of Stephen Flaherty's musicals has been a commercial success (mentioned this in praising the score for A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE). I don't care; the man is a sensational composer. I loved the score for MY FAVORITE YEAR, and I still think RAGTIME is probably the second of third best score of the 1990s (duking it out with KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN and ASSASSINS.)
I went to see a friend in VERONICA'S ROOM last night. I'd never seen this play before, so the twists and turns of Ira "DEATHTRAP" Levin's script did take me by surprise. No surprise it wasn't a hit on Broadway, though: all intellectual surprise and no physical shock. Put this kind of talky melodramatic suspense tale on the stage, and you need something to really shock you out of your seat (a la DEATHTRAP or WAIT UNTIL DARK). This didn't have it. Creepy but not scary. Might have made a good hour version of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS or THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
Posted by Matt H. @ 05/04/2003 03:46 PM PST
I'm working on getting all the copies of MOBY DICK and VAMPIRES put together. The labels are made, the addresses on the envelopes, and they will soon be shipped out. If anyone wants one who hasn't requested one yet, let me know ASAP!!
George, I need your mailing address, please.
Thanks!!
Posted by Jason @ 05/04/2003 03:56 PM PST
WEL-
I saw My Favorite Year at Lincoln Center and will tell you - it plays MUCH better on cd and perhaps in concert than it was directed, staged and executed. Also, for me, the big err on behlaf of the book was the total removal of any theaterical tension that was inherent in the film. Removing the gangsters from the plot removed the very necessity of having Swann swoop in the end. Having him save an already unfunny sketch wasn't enough on stage.
Also - the song about New York is perhaps the worst theater song ever written - and I have been told that A&F had written 3 before that which were scrapped.
But - like I said - it plays better on cd. I love some of the songs (Shut up and dance, 20 million people, etc) - but felt that A&F used the phrase "bigger and larger than life" way too many times in too many songs.
Anyway - the short run of the show had nothing to do with its success or failure - it was a show that was had a closed run. Granted - if it was a smash, it would have transfered.. .but it was originally a subscriber series production...
Posted by Craig @ 05/04/2003 04:42 PM PST
WEL
I need to add now that I read your post again that I have to respectfully disagree with you. While I think that MUCH of the plot was lifted from the movie, I think (as stated in my earlier post) that the omission of the gangster subplot removed much of the humor and tension.
The way you saw it was probably best - just the bare essentials. When it was staged it was very messy....
I never saw Seussical staged (only have the recording) and will say it probably was the same scenario....
Posted by Craig @ 05/04/2003 04:51 PM PST
Wow.. three posts in a row.. do I get a cookie?
Just wanted to ask where in tarnation Donald is... the new radio show isn't up..
Donald? Donald can you hear me (oh, a WHO reference)
Posted by Craig @ 05/04/2003 05:01 PM PST
I've MD'd (that's musical directed for those out of the "know") "My Favorite Year" with high school students, who of course, eat up the material much better than adults, and had an ok time with it. It's very hard to stage. I can't comment on the movie because I haven't seen it, but I can say I HATE the Manhatten song with a passion. All the other songs are great. I must say, it was a bear for me and the director seeing as though our Allen Swan didn't "show up" until preview night. I guess that's always the drawback to working with kids, but most of the time much more rewarding than adults.
Posted by Matthew @ 05/04/2003 05:21 PM PST
Hey I'm assuming the first Trading Spaces episode last night was a repeat? What did the rooms look like?
Re: Hildy painting the rug. Yep, she did it. She took a paint roller and just painted the rug. Not sure what it looked like up close. But from far it looked okay. Although I would never paint a rug (or a floor). But i guess if you can't afford to buy new carpets, then your choices are limited. She was afraid to take off the existing carpet because she wasn't sure what disaster was underneath.
And as for Kia's "emerald green". That is not what it looked like to me. It looked like that ugly bright green grass that you put in your backyard. Too bright for walls!
Hey guys, make sure you watch Alias tonight. It was on here at 7pm and it is so good and so confusing. Love that show!
Posted by Jennifer @ 05/04/2003 06:00 PM PST
Now, this is more like it.
Love Stephen Flaherty
WEL: Have no idea if I'm happy or not happy regarding anything concerning the SB album, having been too nervous to listen to it.
I had a very intersting afternoon, which I shall talk about in tomorrow's notes.
Re Come September - the cast is fine, the locations are lovely, it's the script - just awful. Darin and Dee are cute as can be, Hudson and Lollobrigida don't have the Hudson and Day chemistry.
Currently replaying Mulholland Drive, which just gets better and better, as does Kiki's Delivery Service (in Japanese with subtitles ONLY).
Posted by bk @ 05/04/2003 06:02 PM PST
Talking of the Stephen Flaherty scores. I may recommend Lucky Stiff which Bruce recorded. I enjoyed it to listen to and when it played here regionally I saw it and enjoyed the score even more. Also to just hear how good the score to Ragtime time listen to The Brad Ellis Little Band's instrumental album produced by BK.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 05/04/2003 06:10 PM PST
I found COME SEPTEMBER slow going because Lollobrigida was hard to understand at times.
The Alfred Hitchcock Presents one-hour episodes are now on HALLMARK channel on Saturday night at I think 10 pm. Maybe they have a website and we can watch for that Unlocked Window.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/04/2003 06:19 PM PST
OUTER CRITICS awards were posted early on a website.. so if you are interested, click on my name...
Posted by Craig @ 05/04/2003 06:21 PM PST
BK---What is good about the SB album is that YOU picked the songs, YOU matched the songs to the artists and YOU supervised the initial recordings. And we know that if people don't buy it from that website they don't make any money from it. In most respects --- and especially to those us us in the know --- it is a BK CD.
Craig - I forgot about the gangster subplot in the MFY movie. The only change I noticed from film to musical was that instead of Swann and Benji driving off to Connecticut to see his daughter, she comes looking for Swann and then is at the broadcast. In fact I think that the fact that his daughter is there motivates him to come swooping in at the end. The song "Manhattan" is all wrong for its place in the show; it's exactally the kind of number that would have been on a variety show like the one depicted and might have worked there with different lyrics but it should not be a book song.
And if the show were better received Lincoln Center would have kept it going like they did with ANYTHING GOES, SIX DEGREES OF SEPERATION and CONTACT. During the long run of those shows Lincoln Center rented out Broadway Theatres to present their shows.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/04/2003 07:12 PM PST
Jennifer, I can hardly wait for Alias! Unfortunately, I still have over an hour to wait. I'm sure I'll be sitting on the edge of the seat, again!
Posted by Angela @ 05/04/2003 07:32 PM PST
Today, the song that makes me smile is "Pomp and Circumstance."
I am the mother of a college graduate!
Posted by Pam @ 05/04/2003 07:54 PM PST
Congratulations to Mother & Daughter from the land of OZ.
Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/04/2003 08:05 PM PST
WEL: Thank you.
Well, we're havin' a wee rally aren't we? Oh, yes, we're havin' a wee rally.
Posted by bk @ 05/04/2003 08:18 PM PST
Apparently the wee rally was over the minute I posted two and a half hours ago.
Posted by bk @ 05/04/2003 10:20 PM PST
Sorry for being so E and T this weekend. Work and friends and sleep seem to have wiped away the time.
Songs that always make me smile?
"Deadwood Stage" from "Calamity Jane"
"Twin Soliloquies" from "South Pacific
"Gotta Have A Gimmick" from "Gypsy"
Theme from "A Summer Place" (Percy Faith version only)
"Moonglow/Picnic theme"
"Shaking the Blues Away" (Doris Day's version")
"An Occasional Man" by Jeri Southern
"Why Do the Wrong People Travel?" by Ms. Stritch
Posted by Kerry @ 05/04/2003 10:23 PM PST
Just ordered my USED copy of the SB CD. Always avoid buying anything NEW from the label, always used. You can imagine how much used stuff is out there!
Posted by Matthew @ 05/04/2003 10:56 PM PST
Is there a "new CD"? On a "new label"?
Posted by Laura @ 05/04/2003 11:36 PM PST
I'm here! Sorry, I've been errant and truant all day... I hosted a brunch - and cooked it too (blueberry pecan french toast, a.k.a. Freedom toast, a.k.a. "pain perdu"). Then we headed out to Arts in the Park which is exactly what it means: a bunch of artists and craftsmen set up booths in Byrd Park, and TONS of people come and browse and buy. They had a lot of new vendors this year, and it was also just bigger. Thankfully, the weather cooperated with a beautiful blue sky - although it did get a little cool in the shade. -Definitely not 110.
After making the rounds through Arts in the Park, we headed over to Carytown and walked around some more.
Then the usual Sunday night TV line-up, sans QAF... Then a friend of mine called me with computer trauma, so I went over there for a while and troubleshooted. I got two of his three problems fixed. Hopefully, the last one will be remedied later this week.
So... I'm a bit tired, and my allergies just don't want to back down this season so far... At least the doc gave me a ton of Zyrtec-D samples.
OH! I did want to relate one story from my New York City trip this past Friday. I drove up, and got lucky finding a great all day parking spot - I always hate thinking I have a space, and then looking up and seeing the sign that it's a street cleaning day. Well, once I got back from the auditions, I looked at my car, and noticed that I had left the rear driver's side window DOWN! All day! And it was far enough down where someone could have easily stuck their hand in and unlocked the car. Thankfully, everything was in place - I don't keep anything of value in the car anyway. I even checked to see if anyone might have thrown some garbage or something else in the car. Nothing. Nada. Zip. I could not believe it!
-Of course, the only thing that did get in the car was some water from the rain that had started about an hour before I got to my car. But, still nothing too bad.
As they say... Only in New York!
Well, I'm off to bed, and will hopefully sleep in tomorrow - I think I just need some rest to get over these allergies right now - I just can't seem to sleep in lately - which is very strange for me. Tomorrow are the Helen Hayes awards at the Kennedy Center, so if I happen to be errant and truant tomorrow, you know why...
Goodnight.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/04/2003 11:53 PM PST
Oh, and for Trading Spaces...
UGH!!! Kia's room was just plain not good, almost ugly - imho. And Hildy's room was OK, just not really suitable for a father who will have his kid over every now and then - just not practical - even though she devised that shade divider.
-And I just want to know what it feels like to step onto a painted carpet?!?!??!!?!!?!?!?
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/04/2003 11:57 PM PST
Oh, and for songs...
As have been previously mentioned:
"Walking On Sunshine"
"You Can't Stop the Beat"
And...
"Stepping Out" - Joe Jackson(hmmm, if that really the title?)
"Knock On Wood" - The disco version by Amy ???? - It was ony my first K-Tel album.
"The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" - Lea Delaria's swingin' version
Almost any of the Schoolhouse Rock songs.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/05/2003 12:03 AM PST
-Nothing like making up for lost time... And now... Again...
Goodnight.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/05/2003 12:03 AM PST
Still working on that research paper. This time for real.
Posted by Sandra @ 05/05/2003 02:34 AM PST
I think it was Ami Stewart, Jose. I had the same album....great mixes from one song into the other...
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 03:07 AM PST
Hi, Gang,
Errant and truant I was, all weekend. Friday I went to the theatre and saw Last Sunday in June. My friends liked it more than I did. The show started off-off Broadway and got good notices so it moved to a small Off-Broadway space (The Century, which is actually a nice place to do a show, I think). It's about a group of gay friends who watch the Pride Parade from an apartment on Christopher Street. It's loosely modeled after Boys in the Band (it keeps making sly references to it throughout). It was written by Jonathan Tolins who wrote Twilight of the Golds about a couple who (through the miracle of genetic science) have found out that their yet-to-be-born child will be gay. Should they abort? Add to the mix the fact that the brother of the pregnant woman is gay. Anyway, I thought the play was full of the same kind of stereotypes Tolin was complaining about. There were some witty lines throughout, but witty lines do not a deep play make.
On Saturday Anthony went to NJ with his cousin to visit an Aunt who just moved to an assisted living facility and I went with my two friends from Friday's theatre to help buy a chair for David (one of the friends). We got a great 60s-style chair in a bright green (looks better than it sounds) to go with his in-progress new living room. Black gloss shelves with bright, bold seating, i.e. the green chair. We need two more pieces to finish the seating arrangements. We're going to ABC Carpets next Sunday to look further.
Yesterday I saw, at Playwrights Horizons, I Am My Own Wife, a very interesting piece about a German man who lived throughout the Nazi and Communist eras in Germany as a cross-dressing woman. It's based on a true story and created and directed by people who worked on Gross Indecencies: The Trials of Oscar Wilde and The Laramie Project. Jefferson Mays gives a beautiful performance as everyone from the cross-dresser to Stasi agents to the writer creating the play. If you're in NY I recommend this piece. It's playing through the first week in June and tickets are $50 (boy that's a lot of money for Off-Broadway).
As to songs that make me smile, I've mentioned this one before, Until I Met You (Corner Pocket) as performed by Manhattan Transfer, on Mecca for Moderns. I LOVE MT as others on this board do. Most of their tunes can pick me up or make me smile or both.
Look of Love (the Bacharach/David musical revue) got a mixed to bad review in the Times. Haven't checked out the other papers but I don't think it will get much better notices. If Roundabout ever gets their act together and gets me my ticket, I'm supposed to see the show sometime this or next month.
Posted by Ben @ 05/05/2003 05:10 AM PST
She tried mightily and her imitations were pretty good but Rachel York is NOT Lucille Ball.
Sorry - and the script didn't help.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 06:01 AM PST
I didn't even renew my Roundabout subscription. Last season they cancelled ASSASSINS, ruined BOYS FROM SYRACUSE, did a very mediocre job on THE WOMEN and then presented Arthur Miller's first play showing why it has never been revived before. Their subscription service is also not the best (try exchanging some time). I'll see the occasional show, but no more subscriptions for me. As for THE LOOK OF LOVE, without even seeing it I agree with the TIMES review that says "far too much of an O.K. thing". In other words, a little Bacharach/David goes a long way, especially when it's not surrounded by a plot like PROMISES PROMISES.
When a NY Times critic likes a show watch for all the extra publicity. It's started already for GYPSY with a big article today about how the show got unanimous raves. Not true if you've read Newsday or The Daily News. In fact I can't remember the last time a show got reviews that were as widely divergent with some raves, some total pans and most in-between. The article also states that Arthur Laurents had a much bigger hand in fixing the show than anyone had thought, attending once a week and giving Sam Mendes notes.
As a major Lucy fan, I recorded last night's tv movie but haven't watched and may not as I've heard nothing much good about it. I still remember the fiasco about ten years ago with Francis Fisher ("Edge of Night") and Mauricio Morales (also know as Maurice Benard of "General Hospital"). Can't Lucie Jr. and Desi Jr. do anything to stop these abominations?
I watch very little network television and based on the list I saw today (also in the Times) of 12 probable new shows for next season, there's only one that looks remotely interesting (the new David Kelly show). And knowing CBS it will probably either put it on at the same time as one of the few other shows I watch or on Sundays nights when you never know what time it will start because of football games running long.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/05/2003 06:25 AM PST
Bill - I nearly gave up when the teleplay had Lucy & Desi buying RKO in 1953.
Then in a really neat move - in 1953-54, Lucy was being driven around in a 1960 Cadillac limo.
Carole Lombard (it was intimated) was making a movie at MGM just prior to her death - unless she wore one of her costumes all the way over from Paramount to chat with Lucy.
Just strange stuff. If they can't get the details right - what about the BIG stuff?
Lucie and Desi, Jr, probably aren't too happy about it - I remember Lucie being very upset with Frances Fisher's LUCY AND DESI: BEHIND THE LAUGHTER. But then they aren't above doing a little of the same thing: as in last year's 50th Anniversary I LOVE LUCY Special.
Lucille Ball can be imitated, but she can never be matched. She was a true original. And as long as we have the real thing - why keep giving us copies?
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 07:02 AM PST
Jrand - Lombard's last film was TO BE OR NOT TO BE. It not an MGM film but since it was an independent and not from a major studio it could have been filmed anywhere. My guess is that since in was Lubitch it could have been filmed at Paramount. However at the time Lucy was an RKO contract player, so in all likelyhood she would not have been at Paramount at that time.
Did you ever see the episode of "Saturday Night Live" where Desi was the host and he did a Lucy spoof with Gilda as Lucy? It was probably the best Lucy imitation I've ever seen.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/05/2003 07:42 AM PST
Here's what some people thought of LOOK OF LOVE. Somehow I don't think they'll be using THESE quotes for advertising...:
“...an Elevator Music Nightmare...”
-NEWSDAY
“...an overproduced, undermotivated cheeseball of an easy-listening concert.”
-NEWSDAY
“Boo!”
-THEATREMANIA.com
“...might well make you want to wring your hands and ask out loud: Has it come to this?”
-NEW YORK TIMES
“...breathtakingly uninspired.”
-NEW YORK TIMES
“...plays like a cruise-ship entertainment that has somehow been beached on Broadway.”
-BROADWAY.com
“...an evening of lackluster entertainment.”
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
“...in a few instances, [its] downright embarrassing.”
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
“...too many raindrops [falling on my head] can turn into Chinese water torture.”
-NEW YORK POST
“...maybe that's not quite fair - but after being bored for two hours, must you really be fair?”
-NEW YORK POST
Posted by Jason @ 05/05/2003 08:02 AM PST
Well, Jason, I saw a pic of the three female leads in costume - and if the rest of the show matches that - then the reviews are right.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 08:06 AM PST
WEL: Couldn't agree more about Roundabout's subscription services. I've been waiting two months for my ticket exchange. If you call to inquire, you get attitude and the excuse that "We're busy and it's not at one of our theatres" Well, I'm busy too and your arbitrary choice of dates for me and the attitude that if I don't like them you'll just have to wait until we get around to helping you, has made me realize that in cutting my entertainment budget, I now know exactly where to put the knife.
I'm off my soap box now. Thanks for listening.
Posted by Ben @ 05/05/2003 08:16 AM PST
Bill & Ben - you have struck a chord with me.
Why don't theatre companies realize how important it is to have a good box office staff? These are the people the public deals with.
Of course these are usually the lowest paid employees and the department with the largest turnover.
There are several theatres in town here that I do NOT attend just because I won't deal with the obnoxious box office staff. I miss some shows, sure, but they don't get my money either.
THEATRE PROFESSIONALS PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOUR BOX OFFICE STAFF IS DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC. MAKE A CALL NOW AND THEN AND TRY TO GET SOMETHING DONE....
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 08:20 AM PST
Two months! WOW! That's a ridiculously long time to have to wait for an exchange. Sounds like they're very unorganized. It also sounds like their behavior is uncalled for. I kinda feel like I should say something in defense of Box Office staff, though, as I worked for one summer as an assistant box office manager. It was the worst time of my life. You're stuck in a small--no, TINY--space with the same three or four people for hours on end dealing daily with hundreds of people who:
...have lost their tickets and need replacements; ...don't like where they're sitting and are demanding that you get them a better seat (on the aisle, of course [apparently people believe that there are nothing BUT aisle seats in a theatre]) and then fight with you in the theatre lobby because they don't want to pay for the upgrade; ...think that the box office staff won't notice that they're trying to scalp tickets right in front of the box office; ...call up and ask for tickets to shows that they don't even know the titles for (A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE GROCERY STORE...!?!?!) and then, when they arrive for the show, realize that this wasn't the show they thought they were going to see (i.e.--"WEST SIDE STORY is that hockey show, right?" [I wish I were kidding]) and want refunds at intermission, even though it is clearly stated to them that there are no refunds or exchanges, nevermind the fact that they've already seen half the show. Well, you get the idea. I understand that if you don't like the public, then you shouldn't work with the public, but sometimes (as it was in my case) you start the job LOVING the public and eventually (and quite quickly) you begin to LOATHE people. I can grin and bear it at the Met because I get paid well and usually go home with tips. Working in the box office, though, you get paid peanuts to work long hours (I worked 75 hours a week for $400--and this was a professional theatre!!) and I think if anyone had tipped me, I'd have collapsed in the floor of a heart attack. That's how it was for me, at least. I was a bitter, bitter boy at the end of that four months...I'll never work box office again!
And now I'll get down off my soapbox. :-P
Posted by Jason @ 05/05/2003 08:44 AM PST
Two months! WOW! That's a ridiculously long time to have to wait for an exchange. Sounds like they're very unorganized. It also sounds like their behavior is uncalled for. I kinda feel like I should say something in defense of Box Office staff, though, as I worked for one summer as an assistant box office manager. It was the worst time of my life. You're stuck in a small--no, TINY--space with the same three or four people for hours on end dealing daily with hundreds of people who:
...have lost their tickets and need replacements; ...don't like where they're sitting and are demanding that you get them a better seat (on the aisle, of course [apparently people believe that there are nothing BUT aisle seats in a theatre]) and then fight with you in the theatre lobby because they don't want to pay for the upgrade; ...think that the box office staff won't notice that they're trying to scalp tickets right in front of the box office; ...call up and ask for tickets to shows that they don't even know the titles for (A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE GROCERY STORE...!?!?!) and then, when they arrive for the show, realize that this wasn't the show they thought they were going to see (i.e.--"WEST SIDE STORY is that hockey show, right?" [I wish I were kidding]) and want refunds at intermission, even though it is clearly stated to them that there are no refunds or exchanges, nevermind the fact that they've already seen half the show. Well, you get the idea. I understand that if you don't like the public, then you shouldn't work with the public, but sometimes (as it was in my case) you start the job LOVING the public and eventually (and quite quickly) you begin to LOATHE people. I can grin and bear it at the Met because I get paid well and usually go home with tips. Working in the box office, though, you get paid peanuts to work long hours (I worked 75 hours a week for $400--and this was a professional theatre!!) and I think if anyone had tipped me, I'd have collapsed in the floor of a heart attack. That's how it was for me, at least. I was a bitter, bitter boy at the end of that four months...I'll never work box office again!
And now I'll get down off my soapbox. :-P
Posted by Jason @ 05/05/2003 08:45 AM PST
Two months! WOW! That's a ridiculously long time to have to wait for an exchange. Sounds like they're very unorganized. It also sounds like their behavior is uncalled for. I kinda feel like I should say something in defense of Box Office staff, though, as I worked for one summer as an assistant box office manager. It was the worst time of my life. You're stuck in a small--no, TINY--space with the same three or four people for hours on end dealing daily with hundreds of people who:
...have lost their tickets and need replacements; ...don't like where they're sitting and are demanding that you get them a better seat (on the aisle, of course [apparently people believe that there are nothing BUT aisle seats in a theatre]) and then fight with you in the theatre lobby because they don't want to pay for the upgrade; ...think that the box office staff won't notice that they're trying to scalp tickets right in front of the box office; ...call up and ask for tickets to shows that they don't even know the titles for (A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE GROCERY STORE...!?!?!) and then, when they arrive for the show, realize that this wasn't the show they thought they were going to see (i.e.--"WEST SIDE STORY is that hockey show, right?" [I wish I were kidding]) and want refunds at intermission, even though it is clearly stated to them that there are no refunds or exchanges, nevermind the fact that they've already seen half the show. Well, you get the idea. I understand that if you don't like the public, then you shouldn't work with the public, but sometimes (as it was in my case) you start the job LOVING the public and eventually (and quite quickly) you begin to LOATHE people. I can grin and bear it at the Met because I get paid well and usually go home with tips. Working in the box office, though, you get paid peanuts to work long hours (I worked 75 hours a week for $400--and this was a professional theatre!!) and I think if anyone had tipped me, I'd have collapsed in the floor of a heart attack. That's how it was for me, at least. I was a bitter, bitter boy at the end of that four months...I'll never work box office again!
And now I'll get down off my soapbox. :-P
Posted by Jason @ 05/05/2003 08:46 AM PST
Two months! WOW! That's a ridiculously long time to have to wait for an exchange. Sounds like they're very unorganized. It also sounds like their behavior is uncalled for. I kinda feel like I should say something in defense of Box Office staff, though, as I worked for one summer as an assistant box office manager. It was the worst time of my life. You're stuck in a small--no, TINY--space with the same three or four people for hours on end dealing daily with hundreds of people who:
...have lost their tickets and need replacements; ...don't like where they're sitting and are demanding that you get them a better seat (on the aisle, of course [apparently people believe that there are nothing BUT aisle seats in a theatre]) and then fight with you in the theatre lobby because they don't want to pay for the upgrade; ...think that the box office staff won't notice that they're trying to scalp tickets right in front of the box office; ...call up and ask for tickets to shows that they don't even know the titles for (A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE GROCERY STORE...!?!?!) and then, when they arrive for the show, realize that this wasn't the show they thought they were going to see (i.e.--"WEST SIDE STORY is that hockey show, right?" [I wish I were kidding]) and want refunds at intermission, even though it is clearly stated to them that there are no refunds or exchanges, nevermind the fact that they've already seen half the show. Well, you get the idea. I understand that if you don't like the public, then you shouldn't work with the public, but sometimes (as it was in my case) you start the job LOVING the public and eventually (and quite quickly) you begin to LOATHE people. I can grin and bear it at the Met because I get paid well and usually go home with tips. Working in the box office, though, you get paid peanuts to work long hours (I worked 75 hours a week for $400--and this was a professional theatre!!) and I think if anyone had tipped me, I'd have collapsed in the floor of a heart attack. That's how it was for me, at least. I was a bitter, bitter boy at the end of that four months...I'll never work box office again!
And now I'll get down off my soapbox. :-P
Posted by Jason @ 05/05/2003 08:47 AM PST
