Replies: 125 Unseemly Comments
You got new glasses on Sunday? Good thing you didn't try to get a drink as well.
Hmmmmmmmm.....
PIPPIN -
Well first of all, they would call it PIP!
Pippin - 50 Cent
Fastrada - LaToya Jackson
Leading Player - LL Cool J
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 08:40 AM PST
First post. Huzzah!
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 08:41 AM PST
Pippin: Lil Romeo
Fastrada: Lil Kim
Leading Player: Little Richard
(Ohmigosh! It...Could...WORK!!!)
We could call it "Pippin Little"
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/05/2003 08:45 AM PST
Pippin: Emmanuel Lewis ( I could have said Jack Noseworthy, but PMP already did that!)
Fastrada: Elaine Stritch
Leading Player: Rosie Perez
Louis: Macauley Culkin
Charles: Michael Crawford
Berthe: Rosie O'Donnell
Catherine: Lea Delaria
Theo: Mickey Rooney
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 08:49 AM PST
This is a carryover from the early morning posts regarding the Roundabout and their box office...
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 08:49 AM PST
Disclaimer: My last post does not, in any way, excuse box office staff members for their bad behavior. Its just a little insight into why they may be so grumpy. :-)
Posted by Jason @ 05/05/2003 08:53 AM PST
Oh, Jason, I agree. I only work the box office in the summertime and people are terrible.
My late rant was about the box office staff treating people badly. Of course, you have to deal with the situations you described differently than with someone who has a question or a real ticket problem...those do exist.
I once tried to call a theatre to release a couple of comps to a sold out opening night, but couldn't even finish my sentence before the guy said: "No refunds, no exchanges." So they could have sold those tickets, but no.... Had a couple of bad experiences there and decided to never see anything at that theatre again!
Theatre managers, call your box office and find out exactly how the public is being dealt with. Some of you are in for a nasty shock! If you care. But after all it is called show BUSINESS!
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 08:54 AM PST
Well.. for those that do not want to cast Pippin (for whatever reason) - I have something else we could do for fun. The idea is based on Peter Filichia's latest column about Tom Swifty. Click on my name and read the article. Then lets come up with our own.. Here are my two additions
---------------------------
"Dance of the Vampires never had a chance" said the critic bitingly
"I adored doing Amour" Melissa Errico said lovingly
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 09:00 AM PST
"I loved playing a witch in Stephen's show," said Bernadette Peters, woodenly.
"What mountain?" asked Mary Martin, soundlessly and musically.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 09:06 AM PST
Here's another "fun" box office story...hehe...this one nearly got me fired!
A lady called and wanted to exchange her Weds. night tickets for WEST SIDE STORY for Saturday night tickets and stated that she wanted a center aisle seat in the orchestra. Now, WEST SIDE STORY was the first show of the season, it was a recognizable name, and it sold like hot cakes. I told her we didn't have any aisle seats left for the Sat. night performance (which was true--we only had one aisle seat left, and it was a house seat house left that I had been told not to sell.) She argued with me for twenty minutes, telling me that she KNEW that we had aisle seats left and that I just didn't want to give her one. I got her the best exchange that I could get her, we ended the conversation and I thought nothing more of it. The next day, the General Manager and Artistic Director of the theatre called me into a meeting. This old hag of a woman had called the G.M. and complained about me, saying that I had refused to give her an aisle seat and that she had to have one because she was on OXYGEN! She never told me she was on oxygen! I explained the situation to the G.M. and A.D., and the G.M. gave me instructions to do whatever I needed to do to make the customers happy...even if that meant selling house seats, which went against everything that the box office manager had instructed me to do re. house seats. Then (!) the G.M. gave me the phone number for the old lady and told me to call her and let her know that we would be giving (yes, GIVING her) house seats, on the left aisle, to that Saturday's performance of WEST SIDE STORY and to apologize to her for not giving her the seat earlier. Then she told me that I needed to adjust my attitude. Yet another reason I'll never work in the box office again.
Posted by Jason @ 05/05/2003 09:08 AM PST
"I loved doing the role of Charles in Craig's version of Pippin" Michael Crawford said royally
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 09:08 AM PST
Jason - the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Posted by Sally Brown @ 05/05/2003 09:11 AM PST
Sally - the squeaky wheel gets replaced.
Posted by Faye Dunaway @ 05/05/2003 09:12 AM PST
Tell me about it, Faye.
Posted by Patti LuPone @ 05/05/2003 09:13 AM PST
I'm ready for my close-up, Sir Andrew!
Posted by Glenn Close @ 05/05/2003 09:27 AM PST
Bitch stole my act!
Posted by Bette Davis @ 05/05/2003 09:36 AM PST
Bette - your act?
Posted by Gloria Swanson @ 05/05/2003 09:38 AM PST
Please, girls, can't we all just get along? God Bless.
Posted by Joan Crawford @ 05/05/2003 09:39 AM PST
"You're a tub of guts," she exlaimed heftily!
Posted by See A Nim Oh Knee @ 05/05/2003 09:49 AM PST
Good Day All! Ron - your "Pippin Little" are hilarious! I love today's topic-as Pippin is my all time favorite. My worst casting choices are (drumroll please):
Pippin: David Hasselhoff
Fastrada: Pamela Anderson
Leading Player: RuPaul
or
Pippin: Antonio Banderas
Fastrada: Roseanne Barr
Leading Player: Gilbert Gottfried
FRIGHTENING, Isn't it?!?! I actually think RuPaul would be hilarious as the Leading Player.
Posted by JB aka JK @ 05/05/2003 09:52 AM PST
Oops - insert "cast" between "Pippin Little" and "are". Then replace "are" with "is". Should read: Your "Pippin Little" cast is hilarious. OK-There! It's definitely Monday!
Posted by JB aka JK @ 05/05/2003 09:58 AM PST
JB aka JK-
I just had "words" with your father online because Pippin is one of my dear faves (and the first show I ever saw on Broadway) and to desecrate it with this horrid casting is almost painful to even see...
I'd love to see RuPaul do Berthe ;)
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 10:00 AM PST
Thanks, "JB aka JK"! : )
"There's...no...oxygen," he wheezed, breathlessly!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/05/2003 10:00 AM PST
Here's a scary thought -- William Katt at Pippin!
(Picture a Dame Edna grimace)!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/05/2003 10:02 AM PST
Hey! Don't knock the Greatest American Hero!
Posted by William Katt @ 05/05/2003 10:04 AM PST
Speaking of Pippin - I recently saw a deal online for Pippin and Fosse (package deal) on VHS. Does anyone know if it is available on DVD or how the quality is? Also, who plays Pippin? Thanks in advance. Anyone who can answer WILL get a cookie! :)
Posted by JB aka JK @ 05/05/2003 10:06 AM PST
JB aka JK - if it's the video of PIPPIN that has been around awhile, William Katt does indeed play the title role. Believe it or not!!
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 10:11 AM PST
OMG I lied...OMG...my memory banks are failing...
It was John Rubenstein.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 10:12 AM PST
Since I was away yesterday, I'm play ketchup...er, catsup....uh, catch-up.
Jason, I would love to get a copy of MOBY DICK and DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES. Do you still have my address?
Oh, and Jason, I feel your pain with regard to your box office stories. Sometimes people can be outright idiots. I do try to be as courteous and patient as I can be when dealing with the box office agents, though I have been treated with considerably less courtesy by some of them. I wonder if the phone lines are monitored, as they often are with telemarketing agencies? That way, theatre owners can hear exactly how the operators speak to the customers.
re: MY FAVOURITE YEAR (note Canadian spelling), I have yet to see a staged production of this show, but the script reads very well, and the score is loaded with gems. I don't even mind "Manhattan" as much as some of the rest of you. If someone feels it is the worst theatre song ever written, then someone doesn't know enough theatre songs. ;-) I don't believe that Stephen Flaherty is capable of writing a truly bad song.
re: SEUSSICAL
Since somebody mentioned it, I can say that I saw the show on the National Tour on Friday night, and my whole family enjoyed it immensely. Cathy Rigby is delightful in her role, and the principals are all ideally cast (and in some cases, sing better than their OBC counterparts). The show has been trimmed in places (and could probably stand a bit more trimming), and the narrative has been made clearer and more engaging. And, of course, there is that Flaherty/Ahrens score, full of enjoyable tunes.
Someone mentioned a while back about the grammatical error of the opening lines...
"After all of those years being stuck on a page,
Did you ever imagine you'd see me on stage?"
Well, this line has been changed, and for the better.
All in all, a very enjoyable evening - especially for parents of young children, and those who grew up with the Seuss stories (which is all of us, isn't it?)
As for LOOK OF LOVE, when I first heard the announcement of this show, I felt that they had to be kidding. I mean, Bacharach has some nice songs, but as almost every review has said, a little Bacharach goes a long way. Not to mention that most of his songs are not particularly "theatrical" or inherently dramatic. The reviews are not at all surprising, though I feel bad for the cast, which features some very talented performers, being wasted in a lounge revue.
Casting a nightmare revival cast for PIPPIN is redundant. Reviving the show at all is suitably ludicrous.
Posted by Dave @ 05/05/2003 10:13 AM PST
William Katt is on the DVD.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 10:15 AM PST
I vote for a combination Pippin revival and Brady Bunch reunion.
Posted by Lulu @ 05/05/2003 10:16 AM PST
They did that, lulu - 'cept the Weissler's called it GREASE.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 10:17 AM PST
OMG...Barry Williams as Pippin!
Posted by Dave @ 05/05/2003 10:17 AM PST
Thanks Jrand52. You get a cookie! Any idea of the quality? I have seen some shows on VHS that are simply unbearable to watch. Half of the time, you can't even see what is going on, although those may have been some kind of bootleg tapes. So sorry you feel that way, Dave. I love Pippin enough for both of us :)
Posted by JB aka JK @ 05/05/2003 10:25 AM PST
How 'bout Barry White!
Posted by JB aka JK @ 05/05/2003 10:26 AM PST
Jason, your defense of box office staff is noble and necessary and I agree with you that dealing with the public can make you HATE aforementioned public. I actually wish I was dealing with box office (or as my Theatre Management teacher used to say in college, "It's a ticket office, people! We don't sell boxes, we sell tickets"). I'm dealing with Subscription Services, which with Roundabout is a whole different animal. Oh, well. They do, almost across the board, mediocre revivals of plays and musicals, even destroying some of them in the process, and their subscription base is certainly large enough that when I don't renew I won't be missed and I'll save $300 and change. So if I do decide I want to see one of their shows, I can just pick up one ticket on my own.
OK, enough about Roundabout. I see an Osmond Family Production happening with Pippin
Pippin-Jimmy Osmond
Leading Player-Donny Osmond
Berthe-Marie Osmond
Fastrada-(non-Osmond)Anna Nicole Smith
Catherine-(non-Osmond)Melanie Griffth
My favorite Gwen Verdon performance is her Charity Hope Valentine, Tom said charitably
Posted by Ben @ 05/05/2003 10:30 AM PST
Ooooooooh, baby...
Every man has his season,
(oh yes he has, baby, uh-huh)
Every man has his time...
If you show me your reason
(Oooooooh, yeah, baby...talkin' 'bout...it's so goooooood)
I'll show you my rhyme...
Posted by Barry White @ 05/05/2003 10:32 AM PST
Jennifer,
It isn't that I don't like PIPPIN; in fact, I enjoy much of the score quite a bit. The point is that the show is very much of its time, and would play very quaint in today's climate.
I say this because I was asked to direct a production of it next year, and upon re-listening to the CD, I was struck by just how dated all the material is. And if you do the show as a "period piece" doesn't that rob it of its teeth?
Posted by Dave @ 05/05/2003 10:33 AM PST
A lull. (Not to be confused with a Lulu.)
JB/JK, do you think you will make the chat tonight?
Posted by Lulu @ 05/05/2003 11:16 AM PST
Oh my - Barry White! I can't wipe the grin off my face with that post!! Well Dave, perhaps you are right about today's climate. It has been SO long since I have see anything, I have no idea what the "climate" is out there. All I know is that with choreography like that, you can't go wrong! Fosse=genius, in my humble opinion. FYI - I just purchased Pippin on DVD for $18.95 including shipping. Not too shabby - can't wait for its arrival!
Posted by JB aka JK @ 05/05/2003 11:18 AM PST
Dave --
Barry Williams DID play Pippin on one of its national tours. I know this because I saw it. (He was actually quite good, as he was in the tour of City of Angels.)
Posted by Philip Crosby @ 05/05/2003 11:19 AM PST
I'm not JB/JK (obviously) but I won't be at chat tonight. I'm going to the Lambda Legal Defense Fund 30th Anniversary Fundraiser. A friend works for Deloitte and they are a major sponsor with many tables which need warm bodies so I agreed to attend. And I get to see Ms. Cherry Jones and Ms. Kate Clinton.
Posted by Ben @ 05/05/2003 11:21 AM PST
Some of you may think it was a joke, but the bus-and-truck company of PIPPIN actually did star Barry Williams shortly after the BB stopped making new episodes and became the biggest hit in syndication. This was an Equity tour before they kicked Barry out. He also did the tour of CITY OF ANGELS. I saw them both. He was not good but not bad enough to be really fun.
Regarding the Roundabout subscription services, last year when I was a subscriber (I no longer am) I needed to change my tickets so I followed their instructions, returning the tickets with the form and self-addressed, stamped envelope. Weeks later as the run of the show was coming to an end and I still did not have my tickets I called them. They were able to tell me the new date and said they had not had the chance to mail the tickets. The day before the date they gave me when I still did not have the tickets I called again and they said just to ask at the box office. Fortunately the tickets were there and they gave me back my self-addressed, stamped envelope! Why did they ask for the envelope if they were not going to use it?
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/05/2003 11:22 AM PST
JB aka JK
Can you cancel your order?
I found it for you for $13.50 and no shipping charges.. click my name for the link!
I order from DeepDiscountDVD all the time.. great prices - no shipping.
As for the pippin video - it's not the best. The audio is wacky and the camera work isn't the best. And they've done some wacky editing and cut a number or two... but I still find it fun to watch... even with Katt as the lead.
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 11:27 AM PST
Good morning/afternoon. Well, I let myself sleep in - even though I did have a few incoming phone calls this morning - and I'm feeling a bit better, but I gotta feeling I'm going to have to take another Zytec-D soon...
As for casting Pippin, I'll go for the opera cast:
Leading Player: Luciano Pavarotti (prompter, please!)
Pippin: Roberta Alagna
Catherine: Angela Gheorghiu (of course)
Louis: Bryn Terfel
Berthe: Jessye Norman alternating with Jane Eaglen
OF COURSE, they will be re-creating the original choreography!
And for a Pippin story... Which Michael Rupert relayed to me. When Michael had started playing PIPPIN in the original Broadway run, he came out one night for his entrance, and a loud voice from the audience sounded, "Oh my god, he's Jewish?!?"
So... how did that person know he was Jewish? Huh? ;-)
-Is there really innuendo in that.. hmm...
-I'm off to DC to attend the Helen Hayes Awards. Sorry, I won't be able to be at the chat tonight, but I'll be sure to pass on all the good H/K vibes to all the nominees - including the wonderful Melissa Errico.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/05/2003 11:28 AM PST
Lulu - I am certainly going to try to be there for the chat tonight. I lost $200 playing poker last night, so I have been looking around for BINGO games tonight. I've got to find one with a big jackpot so I can recover my losses. Last time I played BINGO, I won the jackpot, which was $450. I know - 1800BETS-OFF :)
Posted by JB aka JK @ 05/05/2003 11:30 AM PST
Hey - Thanks Craig - You are "The Man"! I am ordering from DeepDiscountDVD right now.
Posted by JB aka JK @ 05/05/2003 11:35 AM PST
I will miss the Unseemly Chat this evening as well. 8-(
SOUTH PACIFIC - working on Act One Scenes 1-6.
Sets coming along, costumes lovely, a couple of cast problems...but we have some time.
Glad you found the DVD JB/JK...but as Craig suggested, always check deepdiscountdvd first. The shipping is free, I have never had a problem with them. Thanks to DR JMK who pointed me to the link a year ago.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 11:39 AM PST
Jose, I forgot to mention this before, but you had listed among your crushes a gentleman named Joseph Kolinski. If this is the same fellow I think it is, his sister Jeanne is a good friend of mine. (In fact, she played Marguerite in my production of SCARLET PIMPERNEL.) I recently met the rest of the family at a birthday party, and there is a quite a bit of talent in that brood.
Jeanne and her sister Patti just opened in a production of SIDE SHOW, playing the Hilton sisters. I will be catching the show on Saturday, and can post my thoughts.
And Joe just might be there, too... ;-)
Posted by Dave @ 05/05/2003 11:42 AM PST
JB aka JK
Well.. seeing as you took that poker hit the other night - it seems only right you should save some green today!
Hope to see you and everyone else at our sparkling chat later this fine evening..
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 11:42 AM PST
Jrand52-
I've been ordering from them for a few years now. They are darn fine - although, on some days, BEST BUY and Circuit City beats them with new releases.
Also... I often check www.dvdpricesearch.com for comparisons (and they always have new release info, "just announced" info, etc. Also check out www.dvdfile.com
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 11:46 AM PST
By the way.. Happy notes #550!!!
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 11:48 AM PST
"I still have fond memories of my breakthrough role," Jennifer Holliday said dreamily.
"I never want to hear Patti Lupone sing the role of Eva Duarte again," Tom said inevitably.
"I caught Flaherty & Ahrens' first show in its original run," Tom said luckily.
"Me, too, but I didn't like it," his friend said stiffly.
"I adore that Sondheim musical about Fosca and Georgio," Tom said passionately.
"I do so love an F. Murray Abraham musical!" Tom said triumpantly.
Posted by Dave @ 05/05/2003 12:04 PM PST
Ooh, Dave, good stuff, esp. the Flaherty & Ahrens' reference.
Posted by Ben @ 05/05/2003 12:15 PM PST
Oh, except for my typo, which I just noticed. That should read "triumphantly".
Posted by Dave @ 05/05/2003 12:17 PM PST
Happy Cinco de Mayo! Break out the salsa!
I was hoping that the lyrics to the Meltz and Ernest song about Cinco de Mayo would be posted today.
Posted by Laura @ 05/05/2003 12:22 PM PST
I EAT MAYO ON CINCO DE MAYO
Oh, I eat mayo on Cinco de Mayo
I eat mustard on the 4th of July.
I like jelly and jam on Halloween,
Although I really cannot even tell you why.
Oh, I eat mayo on Cinco de Mayo
I sing Day-O when I visit Ohio.
Every holiday I'm wacky
And they think that I'm on cracky
Eating mayo on Cinco
They may think that I am stinko
Eating mayo on Cinco
de Mayo.
Oh, I eat mayo on Cinco de Mayo
I eat margerine when it's Labor Day.
I like butter on scones on Christmas Eve
I am zany that’s the only thing to say.
Oh, I eat mayo on Cinco de Mayo,
I am a-okay whenever I fly-o
Every holiday I'm kookie
And they think that I am spooky
Eating mayo on Cinco
They may say that I'm a Pinko
Eating mayo on Cinco
de Mayo...
Every holiday I'm loony
I eat ice cream with a spoony
You can have a lot of Cincos
If you copy them at Kinko’s
Eating mayo on Cinco
de Mayo
Posted by Laura's Fairy Godmother @ 05/05/2003 12:42 PM PST
Rodgers and Hammerstein have NOTHING on these guys.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 12:46 PM PST
Why, oh why, oh why-o
Did you ask about Cinco de Mayo?
Posted by Dave @ 05/05/2003 12:47 PM PST
In fact - I think I will interpolate this and have the sailors and Seabees sing it between "Bloody Mary" and "There Is Nothing Like a Dame."
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 12:47 PM PST
Three more for the pot...
"Hi.. I'm George Michael" he whispered carelessly
"I loves ya Daisy Mae" spouted Earthquake half wittingly
"I am uncouth" said the interloper unseemingly
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 12:56 PM PST
"These are my parents," said Lizzie, sharply.
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 01:00 PM PST
"I'm Walking" said Katrina sunshiningly
or is that pushing it Jr? ;)
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 01:03 PM PST
What are the fershluganah STAKES in that poker game???
Glad you found the DVD of Pippin, which I showed you the case of when you were here at xmas. It is fun, and you get to see the staging, but it's ineptly directed for TV by, wait for it, David Sheehan, and the editing is appalling. I'd love to get a hold of the unedited masters and redo it from scratch.
Too many people are missing these chats - hopefully, we will still have an exciting roomful of people, and I know Craig is trying to find a guest who might drop in.
Posted by bk @ 05/05/2003 01:08 PM PST
"I adore Jonathan Larson's last musical!" Tom said reverently.
"Now and Forever this!" Tom said cattily.
Posted by Dave @ 05/05/2003 01:12 PM PST
"Did you like the show?" mused Millie thoroughly
"Ready and able" he said willingly
"You got principle kid" said the banker interestingly
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 01:31 PM PST
"I'm sorry I never got to read Treasure Island" John Silver said longingly
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 01:44 PM PST
On the line, Craig. LOL
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 01:53 PM PST
"Presenting: SEX!" said the leading player pastorally
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 01:59 PM PST
Ironically, that last post was #69
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 02:00 PM PST
Very exciting news - Mr. Mark Bakalor has the order page for Kritzerland finally available. We need a guinea pig - so someone who is intending to order the book should go order the book so we can make certain the paypal link is working properly. If you click on the handy dandy links to new sections icon on our home page, then click on Kritzerland, then click on "Buy this book" it will take you directly to the order page. I'll reiterate all this in tomorrow's notes.
Posted by bk @ 05/05/2003 02:17 PM PST
It seems to work quite well!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/05/2003 02:36 PM PST
"Your syn'tax is dri'ving me cra'zy!" he said diacritically.
Posted by N. Cincytive Lout @ 05/05/2003 02:38 PM PST
Sin Tax? They're taxing that now? she purred seductively.
Posted by George @ 05/05/2003 02:48 PM PST
"plug plug plug" he said shamelessly
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 02:55 PM PST
Yes, the video/DVD of PIPPIN is not well directed for TV, but I'm glad to have the show in some of its original glory with Ben Vereen doing his original part and some priceless glimpses of the wonderful, late and great Chris Chadman as Lewis.
I still love "On the Right Track," my favorite number in the show. And Martha Raye mugs outrageously as Berte in "No Time at All."
The DVD reinstates some footage not on the original VHS release ("War Is a Science" as I recall), so it's much preferred to the VHS version.
"My first song is ready to do, "said Ben Vereen magically.
Posted by Matt H. @ 05/05/2003 03:13 PM PST
"I find the petty complaints to be jejune," he yawned.
Posted by Aloysius Love @ 05/05/2003 03:45 PM PST
LOL -- Matt H. wrote, "And Martha Raye mugs outrageously..."
When did she NOT mug outrageously?
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/05/2003 03:47 PM PST
Thank you Ron Pulliam, Guinea Pig - everything works fine, so I'll make the "official" order announcement tomorrow. Chat in one hour and forty-five minutes.
Posted by bk @ 05/05/2003 04:02 PM PST
To tell the truth (a Goodson/Todman reference), Martha Raye was quite capable of non-mugging in person. Oompityfratz years ago, when I was a scorekeeper for the Gay Softball League in West Hollywood, Ms. Raye had taken a shine to one of the teams and was their biggest cheerer at as many games as she could attend. She was always very nice, checking with me as to what the score was and making sure she had the player's name right before yelling his name out in encouragement. It may not have been the classiest way to meet someone like her, but I thought she was a wonderful dame!
Posted by S. Woody White @ 05/05/2003 04:20 PM PST
Diana Ross - Berthe
Britney - Catherine
Michael Jackson - Leading Player
Prince - Pippin
Lionel Richie - The King
Janet Jackson - Fastrada
Thanks for those mentioning the DVD version of "Pippin". I assumed it was just a cheap transfer. If they have added cut songs then I shall investigate further. It may have been far from perfect but at least the show was filmed in some way. If only there were more.
I am hoping the BBC will tape-film the July 4 production of "Pacific Overtures" at the Donmar in London. It is a one night only performance but they at least recorded "Ragtime" in concert so there is a chance.
Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/05/2003 04:21 PM PST
Hi...I'm back from LA, and I had a wonderful time...except getting very drenched in that downpour Friday night.
The only PIPPIN, recorded commercially on VHS, LD, and DVD, was a live performance filmed in Toronto in 1981, indeed with William Katt, Chita Rivera, Martha Raye, Christopher Chadman, Ben Vereen, Benjamin Rayson, and Leslie Denniston as Catherine. It was staged and choreographed by Katheryn Doby; Tony Walton: sets; Patricia Zipprodt: costumes; Lighting: Jules Fisher; Musical Director: Stanley Lebowsky. What's not to like?
Posted by KT @ 05/05/2003 04:32 PM PST
KT: You were here and you didn't CALL? Shame, or as Ingmar Bergman would say, Skammen. Skammen, do you hear me? We could have supped and supped well. Damn them, damn them all to hell. Oh, well, I shall be in Las Vegas in July.
Chat in a mere fifty-five minutes.
Posted by bk @ 05/05/2003 04:53 PM PST
I have little to say, except to reiterate
the idea, which I've expressed
previously, that a revival of Pippin is
pointless if you aren't a genius like
Fosse. The material simply can't
hold up if it isn't done by a
vompletely brilliant director and an
extraordinary cast. Has anyone
noticed that I just typed "vompletely"
when I meant "completely"?
I hope to come to tonight's chat, but I
do have homework. We shall see.
If you live in my area, vote yes on the
school levy and Issue 15, which
maintains health and human
services in Ohio, in election day
tomorrow!
Speaking of "The Look of Love," has
anyone else noticed that they used
the exact same picture style as
"Nine" for that ad campaign?
Strange, no?
To put fear into you all, they say that
Jackie Mason is developing a
musical, to be produced at the Helen
Hayes Center in Nyack NY this fall.
Shudder.
Do you know what is a very Jerry
Lewis word? Mulch. Let's all say
mulch. "Mulch." Fabulous.
Posted by Hapgood @ 05/05/2003 04:56 PM PST
I do think that The Look of Love will go down as the season's worst reviewed show - worse than DOTV and worse than Urban Cowboy. I did find it amusing that the one decent review I read was from Elyse Gardner of USA Today, the world's stupidest most inept theater critic.
Posted by bk @ 05/05/2003 05:17 PM PST
Howard Kissel (NY DAILY NEWS) seemed to like it, too, BK... I think its weird that he really liked LOOK OF LOVE but trashed GYPSY. I dunno.
Posted by Jason @ 05/05/2003 05:32 PM PST
Chat in a mere ten minutes. A mere ten minutes, do you hear me? I have the feeling that tonight the dish will be flying fast and furious.
Posted by bk @ 05/05/2003 05:36 PM PST
"No.. I really liked the musical BIG" he said Joshingly
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 05:37 PM PST
"What is it, Fish?" he asked coyly
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 05:38 PM PST
I renewed my season tickets for the Broadway touring series. Oh, joy. The revival of Starlight Express is coming. I didn't know it had been revived. It's already been here on the Broadway series once.
Posted by Laura @ 05/05/2003 05:39 PM PST
Laura.. cool.. never saw it, but love the song "There's Me"
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 05:40 PM PST
CHAT IS OPEN!
Posted by Craig @ 05/05/2003 05:50 PM PST
Chat is too too much fun. You are missing out on a whole lot of dirt. And no one will tell you what we're talking about if you don't come in. So there.
Posted by bk @ 05/05/2003 06:29 PM PST
Oh, what a sparkling chat we
had! All y'all who were errant
and truant missed out!!!
Posted by Jed @ 05/05/2003 08:14 PM PST
PIPPIN 2003 - Washington D. C. Now!
Charles (the current king) - George W. Bush
Grandmother Berthe - Barbara Bush
Lewis - Al Gore
Fastrada - Hillary Clinton
Catherine - Condoleeza Rice
Leading Player - Bill Maher
and as Pippin - Colin Powell
Posted by The Washington Gang @ 05/05/2003 08:15 PM PST
Martha Raye was quite wonderful in Billy Rose's JUMBO. Funny, I read an interview with Doris Day once, and she was asked who her favorite female co-star was. I figured she'd pick Thelma Ritter or Martha or Lauren Bacall, but Doris said, "You know, I haven't made many movies with women, so I don't really have an answer to that." I wondered all these years if she thought the interviewer meant a female star with a role of equal size to hers. There weren't many of those, but there were certainly female co-stars in many of her movies.
Posted by Matt H. @ 05/05/2003 08:39 PM PST
Martha Raye to Bob Burns in RHYTHM ON THE RANGE:
"And you keep wearing that suit...no matter what anyone says."
Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/05/2003 08:52 PM PST
"Ain't gonna find no shade in these parts," said David Dukes, hooding his eyes.
Posted by Another Tom @ 05/05/2003 09:16 PM PST
Sorry, I napped right through another chat...I'm on-call tonight anyway, and that always makes me edgy.
Accept my apologies, BK...I had mentioned my trip the week B4, but you had made no comment, so I figured you were busy, and I didn't want to bother you. I would have loved to have hooked up with you; actually, Jillian and I were looking for something to do Saturday and Saturday night. We ended up staying in her little village of Los Feliz and going to the movies and dinner at the nabe Palermo, which was great. I stayed at the Sunset Hyatt.
Damn it, I just got a call to go into work for an emergency bleeder...oh, hell, it's going to be a VERY long night. Bye!
Posted by KT @ 05/05/2003 10:13 PM PST
I'm so glad I came... (Yes, a Follies reference.)
Just got back in from the Helen Hayes Awards - DC's version of the Tony Awards. Quite the evening, and it was nice being back in the Kennedy Center again - even if the Terrace is not the most streamlined place to hold "DC's biggest cast party".
There were some suprises and some non-surprises as far as the awards went. And the awards seemed to be distributed nicely among the area theatres. I won't go into details, but I'm sure you can check the results on washingtonpost.com as well as the usual theatre websites.
As always, the reception is one big reunion. It was great seeing everyone again from Sweeney Todd, Aida, and South Pacific, as well as the other shows that ran last year. And it was especially nice seeing people I haven't seen in years - "Oh, you have kids now?", "So when did you get back from Europe?", etc.
On a personal note, I was very flattered tonight when my name was mentioned in an acceptance speech. Lori Tan Chinn won the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Resident Musical, and not only mentioned my role as assistant conductor, but also my skills as "resident origami folder". It was very nice, and she was truly excited, generous, thankful and surprised as she accepted her award.
I tried my best to catch up with Melissa Errico, but we just kept missing each other. However, I was able to catch up with Stokes and his wife Allyson, Raul Esparza, and Mark Price (that was for you Jason).
On a fun note, for the dessert buffet this year, they hadBen & Jerry's stations set up. You could get a nice scoop of one of the six flavors, and then could top it off with chocolate jimmies, whip cream, nuts, chocolate sauce, etc. YUM!
Well, I'm off to bed. Again, I'm sorry for missing the chat, but I'm sure you all had a splendid and dishy time.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/05/2003 10:23 PM PST
COOL! I was post 100!!!
Now it truly has been a perfect evening!
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/05/2003 10:24 PM PST
I missed tonight's chat for good reason. And I will now tell you all what that reason was, for I would never keep such a reason from you (although I should have said something BEFORE today) because today, Monday (actually yesterday, since it's after midnight), was my birthday. Yes, I (with friends and family) celebrated the 37th anniversary of my birth.
It was a day of eating! At work we had a bake sale for the Relay for Life team that I'm on (which started the day of eating), then my co-worker (and close friend) Margo and my non-co-worker (and close friend) Misi took me out to lunch at a Mexican place called Plaza Jalisco. If you've heard of it, I had the Expresso Burrito. If you haven't, it's a huge burrito with ground beef, refried beans, rice, cheese, onions, lettuce, and a touch of salsa. Mmmmm.
After work (and the main reason that I couldn't make it to the chat) was the volunteer recognition dinner (in a Mexican fiesta setting) at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts where I frequently usher and less frequently work load-in/ backstage/ load-out for traveling shows. It was very good, although I had to leave early from that so that I could meet my family at Applebee's Restaurant for the dinner that they took me out to.
I was still full from lunch when I went to the WCPA and was really full when I went to Applebee's. However, I still managed to eat the low-fat blackened chicken salad. Very good. For presents I got money from my parents, sister and niece. Very, very, VERY (that's three verys) good!! My sister's boyfriend gave me a scanner last weekend for my birthday (he said he got a great deal on it). Afterwards, we all went to my sister's house for dessert: a cherry-filled Black Forest cake from Fred Meyer (not bad, but not absolutely fabulous--the filling was still a little frozen).
I got home (after 10:00 p.m.) and when I checked my mail, I found that my order of the brand spankin' new original cast recording of "A Man of No Importance" had arrived! I then did a couple of loads of laundry, watched a bit of TV and am just now posting.
Anyway, I hope everyone had a great Cinco de Mayo. Bruce, I love the Meltz and Ernest song! I wish I had the sheet music.
Posted by George @ 05/06/2003 12:36 AM PST
Darn! I planned to attend chat, then I got so involved in a book I started reading at around 8:30 that when I next looked up, it was past 10. I knew BK would bitch-slap me from here to eternity if I dared to peek my head in so late, so I went to bed instead.
Happy Birthday, DR George! I'm not entirely sure that the Cinco de Mayo song posted here yesterday was a Meltz and Ernest original. Perhaps BK can clear up that question.
Posted by Lulu @ 05/06/2003 05:02 AM PST
Lulu---
Your name was mentioned as being amont the missing, but you were far from the only one. By the way, there was an article in the New York Times this morning about the store's no longer selling certain men's magazines. It also states "The company has refused to sell CDs that carry warning labels about explicit lyrics; instead Wal-Mart Stores sell sanitized versions of albums, with some songs omitted or covers redrawn to pass muster with the chain's buyers." The article also says Wal-Mart sells 15% of all magazine single copies in the country. What I want to know is where are these stores? There are certainly none in NYC. In Chicago I've seen ads but there are no stores in the city, only the far out suburbs. Are these stores only in rural areas?
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/06/2003 06:13 AM PST
Jose - did Lori win for SOUTH PACIFIC?
Posted by Jrand52@comcast.net @ 05/06/2003 06:41 AM PST
Well, I missed the chat and I didn't find a BINGO game either. Not a very productive evening. But, come hell or high water, I WILL be present for the next chat.
Posted by JB aka JK @ 05/06/2003 06:52 AM PST
WEL: Wow...you are really into the Wal-Mart thing, ain'tcha? :)
I have a feeling denizens of NYC think everything outside their hamlet is "rural" (why else would they refer to it as "The City" as if there were no others?), and by such standards, yes...Wal-Mart is only in "rural" areas. However, most of us would consider the areas that Wal-Marts are located in to be "suburban," ie: you won't find a Wal-Mart in downtown Chicago, but you will find 10 of them located a stone's throw away in the outlying suburbs.
I don't think they censor the DVDs they carry (Blockbuster apparently is notorious for doing this with NC-17 films (remember those?)). I've bought a number of DVDs there, have a fairly photographic memory when it comes to certain films, and have yet to bolt upright in the middle of watching one of these movies and cry, "HEY!!!!"
As for the CDs, I agree that it is a deplorable practice, but, as a non-R. Kelly purchasing citizen, one that doesn't particularly affect me on anything but a purely theoretical level. These days I have less and less energy for getting all worked up about violations of civil rights as they relate to hip-hop "artists," as civil rights violations that I deem to be more important seemingly increase daily. But that's a whole kettle of fish for another forum.
Posted by Lulu @ 05/06/2003 07:02 AM PST
Something seems amiss here. If Wal-Mart didn't want to carry objectionable material in their stores, they simply would choose not to. Witness the case of the men's magazines.
If Wal-Mart is carrying a "censored" version of the CDs or DVDs, then it seems reasonable to assume that someone is providing Wal-Mart with the more "family-friendly" product. I would find it hard to believe that Wal-Mart is now in the business of re-mixing or editing CDs, against the will of the artists or the record companies.
Posted by Dave @ 05/06/2003 07:18 AM PST
WEL: Better example: after some checking, I see that there are Wal-Marts in Miami, Philadelphia, and Denver (amongst others) so no...they definitely are not confined to rural areas.
Posted by Lulu @ 05/06/2003 07:20 AM PST
Dave, I don't know if Wal-Mart does this or not, but I know that there do exist other stores that censor the material they sell to make it "family-friendly" and they are in litigation right now because of it.
The thing about Wal-Mart is, they are so HUGE that they have a lot of leverage to pressure, say, the makers of the DVD to come out with an "alternate version" of the product. I know for a fact that a recent "friend of Barbie doll" who was -- horrors! -- pregnant (and married, but that was beside the point) was pulled off Wal-Mart shelves after busybodies complained that surely a pregnant doll would make little girls want to go out and immediately get pregnant (the fact that baby dolls have existed for thousands of years for the sole purpose of allowing little girls to pretend to be mommies eludes these mouth-breathers). Mattel came out with an alternate version with Mommy, Daddy, and Baby (the original doll "gave birth" by the child lifting a flap on the mommy's tummy and extracting the tiny baby...the new one was simply packaged along with the parents...no flap).
So I consider it entirely possible that, if Wal-Mart could compel Mattel (a very large and powerful toy company) to come out with an alternate version to carry on Wal-Mart shelves, they could do the same thing with CD and DVD labels who don't want to lose the very lucrative Wal-Mart concession.
Posted by Lulu @ 05/06/2003 07:26 AM PST
JRand, here's the link for the list of Helen Hayes Award winners...
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/79391.html
Lulu: I, too, think its a bit arrogant to refer to NYC as "the City," but I have to say that I do it now, too. Its just easier than saying "Manhattan." Since there are five boroughs that technically are all New York City(Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island), you refer to Manhattan as "the City" and the other boroughs by their proper names. Its weird, but that's how it it. However, I feel that whenever one is referring to New York City to someone who doesn't live here, one should call it by its full name. Contrary to many of our opinions here in "the City," there are other cities of worth outside Manhattan.
Posted by Jason @ 05/06/2003 07:26 AM PST
...that should read "Its weird, but that's how it IS."
And speaking of Wal-Marts in urban settings, while they're not downtown, there are Wal-Marts located in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Louisville. Several of them, in fact, and all are SuperCenters. La, how I miss those "one stop shopping" experiences.
Posted by Jason @ 05/06/2003 07:30 AM PST
Jason, I didn't really mean it as a rap on the knuckles...but I did find it funny that WEL wondered where on earth this mythical beast called Wal-Mart exists! People in the US who don't live in NYC or (I suspect) LA would probably agree that the damn chain is ubiquitous. Shows you how different The City really is from the rest of the US! :)
Posted by Lulu @ 05/06/2003 07:33 AM PST
Lulu,
Well, if Mattel is willing to create and market an alternate form of their product, it seems to me that the issue is with them, not with Wal-Mart.
If Wal-Mart chooses to operate their stores under their own moral code, or with their own standards, then they should be free to do so. It seems to me that to suggest that they must carry all forms of merchandise, even if it violates their own code of ethics, is a violation of *their* civil rights.
I find it baffling that some people would call this censorship. That is like saying that because I can't get a Dr. Pepper with my Happy Meal, then McDonald's is practicing censorship.
Posted by Dave @ 05/06/2003 07:43 AM PST
Of course, there is a Wal-Mart where I live. It seems like any small town MUST have a Wal-Mart because there is no where else to shop. I personally do not like going to Wal-Mart because it is always a zoo there, but they do have the widest selection and the cheapest prices in town. It is a shame that other local stores can't compete with Wal-Mart, so they have to close. There are the die hards who refuse to shop at Wal-Mart - they shop at Farm King. I can't believe I live in a place that has a Farm King! :)
Posted by JB aka JK @ 05/06/2003 07:56 AM PST
Lulu...I know what you were saying. Just wanted to let you know that I know there are other cities out there, as do most New Yorkers, since 90% of us CAME from those other cities! Haha! Its funny how a lot of people forget that they have roots elsewhere...
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, GEORGE!!!
Posted by Jason @ 05/06/2003 07:58 AM PST
JB aka JK: I used to live in Paducah (pronounced pah-DOO-kuh), Kentucky, and just down the street from my house was an honest to God Piggly Wiggly. Yes, folks...I used to shop at the Piggly Wiggly and I laughed every time I went there.
And here's a frightening thought: Paducah was a town of about 35,000 people, and there were two--count them--TWO Wal-Mart SuperCenters. Can you imagine?
Posted by Jason @ 05/06/2003 08:00 AM PST
Dave, what I find "baffling" is your simplistic, black-and-white approach to...well...just about everything. Judging from most of your posts, ambiguity does not seem to exist in your world. What a very nice, sunshiney, happy-dappy little world it must be. It has little or no relation to the real world, where blame is usually shared by more than one party and where just having "the right" to do something doesn't automatically equate to it being "the right thing" to do, but I guess that doesn't really matter. It is much easier and tidier to break things down into "good guy" and "bad guy," so by all means continue doing so if it makes you feel better.
By the way...the only person who used the word "censorship" was you.
Posted by Lulu @ 05/06/2003 08:03 AM PST
Lulu, thanks! I re-read the Cinco de Mayo song post and you have a point. Laura had asked, "I was hoping that the lyrics to the Meltz and Ernest song about Cinco de Mayo would be posted today." Then right after that "Laura's Fairy Godmother" posted lyrics to a song, but didn't specify who wrote the lyrics. I just assumed (and we all know what that means) that it was a Meltz and Ernest lyric. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa. Mea maxima, maxima culpa. (A Sweeney Todd reference.)
Posted by George @ 05/06/2003 08:04 AM PST
And Jason, thanks, also! (I can't wait for the CDs!!)
Posted by George @ 05/06/2003 08:06 AM PST
Bruce and/or Mr. Mark Bakalor, I don't know if this means anything, but I posted my last post (which shows as 08:06) but in real life it was approximately 08:18. Does this matter? According www.time.gov I'm posting this post at 08:22 and the preview viewing show 08:10. Hmmm
Posted by George @ 05/06/2003 08:10 AM PST
George - Thank you for addressing the "time" issue. I thought I was the only one to notice the difference between the actual time and the posting time. And a BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!! My mouth was watering when I was reading your post! :)
Posted by JB aka JK @ 05/06/2003 08:19 AM PST
All five boros are part of New York City. I live in Queens, work in Brooklyn and do most of my (non-Grocery) shopping and theatre going in Manhattan. There are no Wal-Marts in any of the 5 boros and I don't think there are any on Long Island either. Manhattan has 2 K-Marts and the other boros have Targets, but for the most part those stores have very little presence here.
Lulu - you know that some show albums have occasional lyrics that some people find objectionable. Would you like to buy a copy of the HAIR CD at Wal-Mart and find out it didn't include the song "Sodomy"? If a store doesn't want to carry a product as the manufacturers made it, they should not carry it at all. They should not demand that a special version be made for them. And are there really enough Wal-Marts in the country to account for 15% of all single copy magazine sales in the United States when you can find magazines at every corner store, bookstore, convenience store and newstand wherever you go? Since magazines are not a profitable item I can't imagine them getting that much shelf space to make this possible.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/06/2003 08:21 AM PST
Wasn't going to get into the Wal-Mart discussion but I thought I would chime in - Long Island is CRAWLING with Wal-Marts. They are all over. I know this for a fact because Ant's parents live on Long Island and we spend time out there. I have been to some of the WMs myself. Some of the suburban LI towns have more than one Wal-Mart so they are certainly in the broadly defined New York metropolitan area (if you include LI in that definition)
Posted by Ben @ 05/06/2003 08:29 AM PST
WHAT THE HECK?!?!?!
WEL blasts me for being in favor of Wal-Mart carrying alternate editions of CDs with "objectionable" lyrics removed or changed. Dave criticizes me for being against the practice.
Do you two want to figure out just which side you want to hurl the explosives from, THEN bombard me? Because at this point, I am more than a little confused.
I would also like to mention that my original post of last Saturday morning simply let people here know that I found DVDs at Wal-Mart for $5.88 -- good stuff like Towering Inferno and Poseidon Adventure with all the bells and whistles (anamorphic, extras), not public domain quickies. That's all my post was about. Why I'm now the center of a firestorm of controversy, I simply do not know.
By the way, WEL also writes "are there really enough Wal-Marts in the country to account for 15% of all single copy magazine sales in the United States when you can find magazines at every corner store, bookstore, convenience store and newstand wherever you go?" So you're trying to turn this around like I said that and you're questioning its veracity? For crying out loud, YOU are the person who wrote that you read an article that claimed Wal-Mart accounts for 15% of all single magazine sales. I didn't say boo about that.
Christ.
Posted by Lulu @ 05/06/2003 08:33 AM PST
