Posted by bk @ 05/10/2003 09:08 AM PST

Good morning...

I shall post later about my favorite Movie Themes and Songs, BP's absences from Gypsy, the price of tea in China, etc...

However, I just wanted to send my thoughts and prayers to our DRs in the mid-West who have had to deal with the unfortunate weather patterns the past few days - and continuing right now. So, JRand, Lulu, JB aka JK (is that right?), and whoever I may have left off... I hope you are all safe and sound, high and dry, and out of harm's way.

And now... Time for Blueberry Muffins! Yes, DRs, you have been warned... Jose may be on the verge of another baking jag... Start loosening your belts now!

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/10/2003 09:28 AM PST

Interesting Bruce... you may be on to something about Bernie and the producers of Gypsy.. check out the latest..

http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm?int_news_id=3499

Posted by Craig @ 05/10/2003 09:33 AM PST

It's Saturday, BK--isn't this the day the cleaning lady gives you the Evil Eye?

Definitely the Godfather music; I love Nino Rota's compositions--and a theme for each character.

I also love the theme from Exodus.

Posted by KT @ 05/10/2003 09:40 AM PST

DR Tome from Oz: THE DIARY OF A MAD HOUSEWIFE (long OOP)is a dark satiric comedy, made in 1970, directed by Richard Benjamin (I believe) and starring Richard Benjamin, Carrie Snodgress, and Frank Langella. Great film, especially the Thanksgiving dinner scene. Very disturbing, too.

Posted by KT @ 05/10/2003 09:51 AM PST

Sorry, that's TOM from Oz....

Posted by KT @ 05/10/2003 09:51 AM PST

Speaking of Mr. Bacharach, I
heard a wonderful interview
that he and Mr. Costello did
back in '98 that ran again last
night on NPR. One wonderful
quote, when asked why he
decided to go into pop music
instead of composing
classical .. "Well the truth is, I
like a nice place to live...I like
comfort and security, and
classical composers don't
have that. Also the instant
gratification...I like to write a
song, go into the studio,
record it, then hear it on the
radio on the way home.."
Maybe it's just me coming
from a classical background,
but I was highly amused by it.
Equally amusing was the
woman conducting the
interview, when talking about
various time signatures in
Promises Promises, she
refferd to them as "three
quarters, two fourths, one
whole (4/4) etc.." It was just
too funny

I'll post on the topic o' the day
later

Posted by Ann @ 05/10/2003 10:56 AM PST

Hmm...she's doing Friday and Saturday night performances when the Tony nominators are coming.

Now, I have as much sympathy as anyone else does for an ailing performer, and I do hope Bernadette recovers fully, but this is getting to be ridiculous. She's going to get a Tony nomination for what? The two or three strong performances she was able to muster up? And then there's her poor standby, who apparently gets better and better every night, and she gets nothing? I don't think that's right. And the thing is, there's no foreseeable end in sight for Ms. Peters' absences...once the nominations come out, will she have to take nights off to save up for the Tony performance? And according to something I read the other day, she already has scheduled days off in June and July!

I realize that many other "stars" have done the very same thing--Nathan and Matthew were notorious for never going on together (though Mr. Lane did have an excuse--he was developing vocal nodes). Audra McDonald has a very specific schedule (and has a tendency to be ill, as well). If you're sick, you're sick. Get well and come back. BUT! When your show has just opened and Tony nominations are coming up and you send your standby on for 65% of the shows in the two weeks following your opening (not including the four previews you missed PRIOR to your opening), that's not right. Its not fair to the audiences and its not fair to Ms. Moore. And now I'll get off of my soapbox.

Posted by Jason @ 05/10/2003 10:58 AM PST

I was errant and truant yesterday. I was out of town and did a lot (and I mean a lot) of walking in Seattle so I had no CD playing at all, no DVD playing, but I did have some blank tapes in the VCR to tape stuff. Stuff I'll try to watch today. After all the walking yesterday, I did some CD shopping! I went to the Seattle Tower Records and bought:

* Janis Siegel's brand new CD "Friday Night Special." I love Janis and she just gets better and better. I now have the complete Janis Siegel Solo CD Collection!

* Believe: The Songs of the Sherman Brothers ("Conceived by Bruce Kimmel")

* Copenhagen written by Michael Frayn (Original Broadway Cast Recording -- Produced by Bruce Kimmel)

* Beyond Therapy written by Christopher Durang (Studio cast recording -- Produced by Bruce Kimmel)

I've always wanted them and now, with my birthday money, I have them without having to pay for them or even shipping (from ANY website)!

As for movie songs and themes, I don't know too much, but I do like "The Days of Wine and Roses," the main themes from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "Star Wars" (the original movie), the Sondheim songs from "Dick Tracy" and "Over You" from "Tender Mercies."

Posted by George @ 05/10/2003 11:39 AM PST

Hi All,
The Cabaret West Calendar is up for May. Click on my name to take a look. Check out the Spotlight section too.

Some favorite MOVIE THEMES...
Maurice Jarre's themes for the David Lean movies - DR. ZHIVAGO, LAWARENCE OF ARABIA, A PASSAGE TO INDIA and (one of my favorites), IS PARIS BURNING?

Bernard Herrmann's score for TENDER IS THE NIGHT and Richard Rodney Bennett's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS.

And maybe one you can help me identify. It was a black and white film with a harmonica score. It was about two boys (or one who meets up with another) who are lost on the beach (Coney Island?). I'm reaching way back in the memory bank for this one!

Posted by Donna - Cabaret West @ 05/10/2003 11:45 AM PST

Every time I hear Star Wars I think of the excitement I felt from the moment the movie began. Other favorites are:
Casablanca, As Time Goes By
James Bond, main theme, Goldfinger and The Spy Who Loved Me
Raiders of the Lost Ark
The Magnificent Seven
Dr. Zhivago, Lara
Superman
Days of Wine and Roses
Two for the Road

Bruce, I remember how much you loved What's New, Pussycat. What I can't remember is if you saw it the first time with me, or just thought it was so funny I had to go with you immediately to see it.

Now I'm waiting for the rest of you to remind me of all the movies I forgot to mention.

Posted by Jane @ 05/10/2003 11:49 AM PST

Jason..

I agree. And what is sad is that she is every bit eligible for her few performances as those in other shows that have been busting their hindquarters for up to a year doing their roles (whether they are AS demanding or not is irrelevant)...

I know if I was working for some company for a year busting my butt and some new "star" came in and worked 4 days and got a promotion before I did.. I wouldn't be to happy about it.

While I may be somewhat biased, I do hope that the TONY voters take everything into consideration when deciding who they think SHOULD win in each category

Posted by Craig @ 05/10/2003 11:56 AM PST

My take-

It doesn't matter if a performer has performed an entire year in a show or if ONE performance( in line with the TONY cut-off date).Best Actress is Best Actress.No time restraints. What do you think?

Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 05/10/2003 12:02 PM PST

I am going to have to respectfully disagree with my father on this one. The TONY award category is BEST ACTRESS, not BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS. While I know this isn't a contention based on Tony rulings and policies.. like I stated above.. I do think that it should be part of the consideration....

Posted by Craig @ 05/10/2003 12:04 PM PST

Start the "And How Could I Forget..." additions:

The Spy Who Loved Me
For Your Eyes Only

Posted by George @ 05/10/2003 12:08 PM PST

Jose, I appreciate your kind wishes, but I'm actually in South Florida. I was born and lived the first 20 years of my life in Indiana, though. :) I'm sure my reminiscing with Jrand has led more than one DR to conclude I'm still in the midwest.

Favorite movie themes: Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back (yes, they actually are quite different; Empire has a number of new and distinct pieces of music in it; probably the most notable and memorable is the Imperial March), Raiders of the Lost Ark, Psycho, North by Northwest, and Vertigo.

We went to see A Mighty Wind today at an insanely early showing (10:20 a.m. ...the nice part of that was that we could go out to lunch afterwards :) ). While I think it was definitely the lesser of the other Chris Guest / Eugene Levy efforts, it's still head and shoulders above most of the other films out there right now, and I recommend it. Sitting through the commercials and the trailers was excruciating. They ratchet the sound system up to DefCon 4 levels, and at this time of year, the trailers are always for movies I would NEVER want to go see -- Terminator 3, 2 Fast 2 Furious (the sequel to The Fast and the Furious...it looks like Gran Turismo: The Movie (Gran Turismo is a Playstation game)), and some truly horrific-looking upcoming chick flick starring Kate Hudson in a dowdy brown wig (and other wigs...she plays multiple roles, oh how clever) that has, if I counted correctly, six producers and five writers. Or maybe it was the other way around. Either way, this thing has TURKEY written all over it.

So there's the scoop from Lululand.

Posted by Lulu @ 05/10/2003 12:09 PM PST

The article I read said 3 Tony members of the Tony nominating committee were there last night and that they had had to reschedule from earlier in the week when Bernadette was out. That said, I wish it had been a stronger season so that they wouldn't HAVE to nominate her to fill out the category.

I saw THE PRODUCERS on a Thursday night at least a month after it won all 12 of its Tonys, and both Nathan and Matthew were there. I do think Nathan's attendance got worse as his vocal condition worsened.

Favorite theme songs: almost anything by Henry Mancini especially "Moon River," "Charade," "Two for the Road."

Also love LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING, GONE WITH THE WIND, NOW VOYAGER, THE SEA HAWK, LAURA, and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.

Posted by Matt H. @ 05/10/2003 01:00 PM PST

Maybe they should just nominate the standby.

Posted by Laura @ 05/10/2003 01:12 PM PST

The concept of "Best actor" or
"best actress" just seems so
ludicrous to me....

So, why is there no "worst
actor or actress" or "lukewarm
so-so actor" category ?
Humans can be so vain !....

Audiencewise, what is
important is to see a
performance that satisfies a
majority of people, whether the
main part is portrayed by
Bernadette or her standin...

Businesswise..... it's an other
story....

Posted by François @ 05/10/2003 01:57 PM PST

Just back from three (yes, count them--THREE) hours of doing laundry. God, how I hate laundry day. Especially in New York. But, I finally got my comforter laundered--something I've been meaning to do for some time--and I now have all the clean undies and blue jeans I could ask for. Now if I could only be motivated enough to clean this pig-sty of an apartment!

Craig: I agree with you about the new kid on the block coming in and stealing your bike on her first day in town. It sucks. Unfortunately, even though she's only done a handful of performances, Ms. Peters is NOT a new kid on the block--she's "Bernadette Peters" and people love her. Ms. Winokur, however fantastic she may be (and personally, I wholeheartedly believe she should win the Tony this year), is the newbie. I do hope that justice prevails in this situation...that the Tony voters will recognize the hard work that Ms. Winokur has put in for almost a year now and will balance that with the fact that Ms. Peters, recognizable star that she may be, has only done 35% of the performances of GYPSY since opening night. (And *gasp* those performances just happened to be on nights when Tony nominators and critics were going to be present.)

Francois: Salut, mon ami! You are right, my friend...the most important thing is giving the audience a good show. I think it incredibly unfair, though, to promise them Bernadette if she isn't going to be there (and then potentially win an award or two for NOT performing!)

Posted by Jason @ 05/10/2003 02:36 PM PST

Well, we're not going to break any records but we're doing much better than last week. Other themes I love - the already mentioned Exodus, the song The Five Pennies from you-know-what, Life Could Not Better Be from The Court Jester, Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darlin', Friendly Persuasion and yes, Virginia, Tammy.

Posted by bk @ 05/10/2003 02:37 PM PST

Ooh! I forgot the topic of discussion for today...

A Summer Place
Driving Miss Daisy
Somewhere in Time
Pillow Talk
Star Wars
Jaws
Saturday Night Fever
9 to 5 (!!)

Posted by Jason @ 05/10/2003 02:42 PM PST

Jason,

I agree with you too; because
of that "star system" people go
to see a NAME more than a
show, if not both...

Personally, judging from the
reviews, i would be quite upset
not to see the star but I would
not mind seeing the show with
the standin.... since some
standins are the .... stars of
tomorrow.....

To answer the topic du jour;
give me anything by Mancini or
his protégé, Michel Legrand....
Ah, Summer of 42 !

But John Barry is not bad
either......

Posted by François @ 05/10/2003 03:22 PM PST

Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My
Darling...

For those who care, the
French adaptation:

Now, follow the bouncing ball !

Si toi aussi tu m'abandonnes
Ô mon unique amour, toi !
Nul ne pourra plus jamais
rien, non, rien pour moi !
Si tu me quittes plus personne
Ne comprendra mon
désarroi...
Et je garderai ma souffrance
Dans un silence
Sans espérance
Puisque ton cœur ne sera
plus là !

C'est la cruelle incertitude
Qui vient hanter ma solitude !
Que deviendrai-je dans la vie
Si tu me fuis... ?
J'ai tant besoin de ta présence
Tu restes ma dernière
chance...
Si tu t'en vas, j'aurai trop peur...
Peur... de ne plus vivre une
heure !

Si toi aussi tu m'abandonnes
Il ne me restera plus rien
Plus rien au monde et plus
personne
Qui me comprenne
Qui me soutienne
Ou qui me donne simplement
la main !
Attends ! Attends ! Attends !
Demain.

Posted by François @ 05/10/2003 03:29 PM PST

Circus Of Horrors
East Of Eden
Dr Zhivago
Out Of Africa
Dances With Wolves
Lawrence Of Arabia
Ice Castles
Walk On The Wild Side
Never On Sunday
Baby The Rain Must Fall
The April Fools
Reds
The Vikings
Summer of 42

Now I shall read all the posts and see all the ones I should have mentioned!

Thanks Matt. I forgot "Laura" how could anyone forget Laura (Even If she 'doesn't know from movies")
Read the late posts too. "Secrets and Lies" is a wonderful movie indeed. Hope you have seen that one td. It is special.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/10/2003 03:48 PM PST

If it's inappropriate to plug things of this sort here, please tell me and I'll never do it again. Fans of musical theatre might like to hear some songs they've never heard before Monday night near Lincoln Center.

http://www.ekcc.org/promo_page.htm

Broadway Close Up
Bound for Broadway III
Stephen Bogardus, host Monday, May 12, 2003, at 8 pm, $22
Merkin Concert Hall

Join us for the third annual peak at the best and brightest new shows headed for Broadway (or thereabouts!) Once again, several members of the BMI workshop are represented. Hosted by Stephen Bogardus (Falsettos, High Society and Man of La Mancha), the evening features short interviews with the writers and songs from the shows, performed by top Broadway talent and surprise guest stars. Featuring:
Blue York, John thomas Oaks
Caraboo, Beth Blatt, Jenny Giering & Marsha Norman
The Company of Women, Noel Katz
I Don't Do Club Dates, Isidore Elias & Randy Klein
A Few Miles Shy of the Moon, Davia Sack
Like You Like It, Sammy Buck & Dan Aquisto
Once Upon A Time In New Jersey, Susan DiLallo & Stephen Weiner
Saratoga Trunk Songs, David Arthur
Two Family House, Kim Oler & Allison Hubbard
You Might As Well Live, Norman Matthews and Dorothy Parker
Plus! a Special Richard Rodgers Centennial Tribute
"Corn!" from Musical of Musicals, Joanne Bogart & Eric Rockwell
and
special guest appearances by Jeff Marx & Bobby Lopez (Avenue Q)
Performances by:
Emily Loesser
Rebecca Soler
and others!
Stage Director, John Znidarsic
Artistic Director, Sean Hartley
Call 212 501 3330 for tickets today!

Posted by Noel @ 05/10/2003 03:49 PM PST

Just back from A MIGHTY WIND - and enjoyed it very much. Many laughs and a few BIG laughs.

Oh Donna - I too like TENDER IS THE NIGHT...what lovely music.

A lot of my favorites have been mentioned, so I will just add to A SUMMER PLACE a couple of other Steiner scores of the period ROME ADVENTURE and YOUNGBLOOD HAWKE.

PILLOW TALK is wonderful. I also like JULIE...(it's the voice of my true love - and it promises EGG-STACY!!!!!!!)

In a more contemporary mode JOE VS THE VOLCANO and FAR FROM HEAVEN.

But my favorite - the one that makes me want to see the movie all over again....LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING!!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/10/2003 03:49 PM PST

"...Your fingers touched my silent heart and taught it how to sing....

Yes, true love's a many splendored thing...."

Cue the butterflies!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/10/2003 03:50 PM PST

Good afternoon dear readers,

and to the esteemed, erudite, and lithesome BK,

Condolences on your car crap BK... there is no fun in having to deal with mundane drek like that with your precious time. Maybe you could have your cleaning lady give the evil eye to the careless neighbor.

Very high on the list of Movie music is lots by John Barry, lots by John Morris (I think very under-rated), The Waltz in Swingtime and Pick Yourself Up from the wonderful Astaire films.

I think possibly 2 of my very favorites though are "theme from Schindler's List" by John Williams, it is so simple, yet so incredibly emotional and powerful -- and the other, "Two For The Road" by Mancini. I got to work with H.M. one evening quite a while ago and he was most friendly and down to earth. I found out after he had passed away that Two For The Road was his favorite melody from all of his film composing.

Posted by MusicGuy @ 05/10/2003 03:53 PM PST

Hey, Dear Readers !

Do you remember that
gorgeous haunting melody by
Henry Mancini -- with echos of
Charade -- with words by
Johnny Mercer :

WHISTLING AWAY THE DARK

for "Darling Lili" ???

They don't write them like that
anymore......

Posted by François @ 05/10/2003 04:25 PM PST

Noel: You may plug anything you like at any time you like.

I definitely feel lithe today, MusicGuy. Lithe and lanky and luscious. I only spoke to Henry Mancini once (when I was reissuing The Molly Maguires on Bay Cities, and he was just the nicest most down-to-earth fellow ever.

Posted by bk @ 05/10/2003 04:37 PM PST

I am shocked that no one has yet mentioned Stephen Sondheim's score for the film Stavisky. I couldn't be more shocked if I was sitting on a badly wired electrical outlet...wait, what's that strange bump...

I have always been very fond of Mr. Mancini's score for Hatari, particularly the hunt sequence at the start of the film. The movie hasn't held up as well as the score, but que sera sera (a Livingston and Evans reference).

Posted by S. Woody White @ 05/10/2003 04:49 PM PST

Love Hatari, love Stavisky. But I think we were looking more towards very recognizable "theme songs" rather than scores. Hatari would fit, with Baby Elephant Walk, but Stavisky, while terrific, doesn't exactly fit as a "theme song" thing.

Posted by bk @ 05/10/2003 04:59 PM PST

Only 7 days left until A Kvetch's Birthday.

Posted by The count @ 05/10/2003 05:12 PM PST

We must not forget BORN
FREE, oh no, we must not.

... and the theme from PICNIC,
mainly when it's sung by
Anthony Warlow....

Anthony who???

Posted by François @ 05/10/2003 05:24 PM PST

Some more favourite but less well known movie songs:
Houseboat - Love Theme & Bing Bang Bong
Valley Of The Dolls
Because They're Young
Never Say Never
Watership Down (Bright Eyes)
The Grasshopper
Wuthering Heights (I Was Born in Love with You)
The Alamo (Green Leaves Of Summer).

Inspired By Movies:
Sink the Bismarck
One Eyed Jacks
Damn The Defiant
Ballad Of Bonnie & Clyde

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/10/2003 05:32 PM PST

Ah "Picnic". Ah Kim Novak! - McGuire Sisters. Morris Stoloff.
Memories. The McGuire Sisters also sang the theme from "The Unforgiven.
Warlow. Yes indeed. What a voice.

Posted by Tom from OZ @ 05/10/2003 05:43 PM PST

North to Alaska!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/10/2003 06:10 PM PST

I think Bernadette is missing performances just to give Michael Reidel something to write about. His column usually appears only on Wednesday and Friday but he had a special Bernadette-Bashing column today. I think her medical records should be made public. Then we'll know just how sick she really is.

BK - I'll e-mail the question again.

I didn't post earlier today because I was at City Center. The best word that can be used to describe Encore’s NO STRINGS is “mediocre”. The score is far better musically than lyrically which is probably why Rodgers rarely wrote his own lyrics again. The music was the type that could be identified as Rodgers even if you didn’t know. As for the book, I’m not sure if the Encore’s usual abridgement was a good thing or not: I’m glad there was as little of the boring book as there was but maybe that was why the secondary characters were so poorly developed. It also didn’t help that Act I featured mostly numbers by secondary characters and Act II had every number but one done by the leads. Bad balance.

Ann Reinking staged the show as another Fosse ripoff. When you see James Naughton surrounded by a dozen girls in black outfits that are not quite dresses and not quite lingerie you can’t help thinking of “All I Care About”, and someof the dancing was reminiscent of SWEET CHARITY.

As for the cast, well when Vanessa Williams dropped out they had to get someone so they cast Maya Days whose previous experience has been in sung-through rock musicals. To her credit Ms. Days looked almost as beautiful as the top fashion model she was playing and her singing was fine. It was only when she had to perform dialogue that she showed her lack of acting experience. James Naughton was rather bland. Did the fact that Paul Newman’s popcorn was the major corporate sponsor and Naughton directed Newman in the awful revival of OUR TOWN have anything to do with his casting? Len Cariou was wasted in his bit part and seemed to know it. However Emily Skinner, Marc Kudish and Penny Fuller were as excellent as they usually are.

The highlight – and worth the whole show – was the stringless orchestra sounding like a big band of the 40s. But then orchestrations is what Encores is all about. The show was not horrible, just the weakest show of the season. Ben Brantley loved it!

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 05/10/2003 06:13 PM PST

DRs -- I was looking at the rogues gallery a little while ago and I noticed two things that I thought worth mentioning/asking....

First, there a quite a number of Hainsie/Kimlets whose resonant words I read on these here consarned fascinating notes. But I only see a smaller number of faces of DRs on the gallery. How is a poor boy from Orange County supposed to put a name with a face?? How am I to become enlightened with new vistas?? Why am I asking you?? (a Harvey Korman reference) Yes, I know, there is no rotogravure of me, but I don't know how to put a picture on the rogues gallery...

The other thing is more of a clarification; I was looking at the picture of dear reader Kerry, and it struck me that it kind of gives the impression that he is an incarnation of some kind of vishnu-krishna deity or something. I can happily report that. in real life as we know it, he has just the required and usual number, amount, and placement of extremities. Also an opposable thumb -- very advanced on the food chain.

DR Kerry and I are going to a touring company from "Second City" this evening.....not exactly the madcap theatre whirl of DR Ben & Ant, but OK for cactus land.

Play nice, don't fight, and eat your vegetables.

Posted by MusicGuy @ 05/10/2003 06:15 PM PST

Uh-Oh !!!!! it appears to be a dreaded mid-evening lull !!

(Ominous strains of a twisted Franz Waxman melody heard in the background, tinged with just a soupcon of Theremin)

Posted by MusicGuy @ 05/10/2003 06:37 PM PST

Uh-Oh !!!!! it appears to be a dreaded mid-evening lull !!

(Ominous strains of a twisted Franz Waxman melody heard in the background, tinged with just a soupcon of Theremin)

Posted by MusicGuy @ 05/10/2003 06:37 PM PST

Uh-Oh !!!!! it appears to be a dreaded mid-evening lull !!

(Ominous strains of a twisted Franz Waxman melody heard in the background, tinged with just a soupcon of Theremin)

Posted by MusicGuy @ 05/10/2003 06:38 PM PST

What the HELL is this silly machine doing (doing, doing)..am I trapped in echo chamber Hades??!??

Posted by MusicGuy @ 05/10/2003 06:39 PM PST

Dear esteemed, suave, and sinewy BK is probably out with some swell, having foodstuffs and Kreplach.....what a swell party it is!

Posted by MusicGuy @ 05/10/2003 06:41 PM PST

Dear Reader MusicGuy,

I hope you're not feeling too
lonely...

Musical thoughts from Paris,
at 3:55 am, local time !

Posted by François @ 05/10/2003 06:46 PM PST

Kreplach, I love that word. It's so hard to put that Bette Midler sound to it when you're typing, there are no emoticons for it. Bette, because I remember hearing her make a joke about the Kreplach that ate Cleveland in one of her early concerts.

Just got back from my night with Frog and Toad. I must say it is absolutely charming. I know the prices are steep for a children's show on Broadway but there actually are staggered prices, like in the old days, when a mezzanine and balcony seat were actually more than $5 less than the orchestra. It's also on the half price booth. Ant had a clown show on Long Island today so he couldn't go with me but I went without a child and had a great time. Yes, it absolutely is a childrens show but there is nothing wrong with that. If you go with the idea that it's a piece about friendship and love and fun times with your best friend, I think (I hope anyway) that you will be carried away by the charm of the evening. Both Jay Goede and Mark-Linn Baker are wonderful in their respective roles (JG-Frog and MLB-Toad). There are some very funny moments including a running joke about a snail delivering mail. The house was full of children and they were captivated by the whole thing. The production values are very good, not just cheesey sets and cheap costumes. Granted, I saw it for free, but I have seen some shows for free that I thought were horrid. If you're in NYC, even without a child, and the show is still running, go to the TKTS booth, or better yet, if you don't mind sitting in a box, they sell the boxes the day of the performance for $16.50 (that's what the sign on the wall said, anyway). Sometimes you miss things sitting in the box, but from what I saw, you wouldn't miss anything.

That's my two cents. Seeing Mondo Drama tomorrow and then Monday morning I have my second interview with the BBC-Radio Wales. I mentioned this in passing a couple of weeks ago in chat, but didn't make a big announcement. I've mentioned that I listen to a couple of programs similar to Donald's but on the BBC. One is called Showtime and Beverly Humphreys, the host, plays show and film music. Three weeks ago, she opened with the overture to Gypsy and I e-mail her saying that I was seeing the show the very next day. Her producer e-mailed back and asked if she could call me and record my review of the show to play on Beverly's program. Well, she did. Beverly and Kathryn (the producer) liked it so much that Kath is calling me on Monday morning to record my short review of Nine and Frog and Toad, even though they won't be seen by the majority of listeners in Wales! It was great fun. The first interview is no longer at the Web site but the second one should be up from Wednesday, May 14 (around 3pm Eastern time) through Wednesday, May 21 (around 2pm Eastern time). If you want the details about how to listen, just let me know and I'll send them to you. For some reason, it doesn't work for everyone. You have to have Real Player on your computer and even then it doesn't always work. I don't know why. Anyway, that's my exciting news for the week (and then on Thursday I go away for a week-hooray!)

Posted by Ben @ 05/10/2003 07:07 PM PST

Shattered faith! I will now have to readjust my "view" of DR Kerry. We all need someone tto believe in - I shall now try prayers to St François of the Generous Heart. I was so sure that DR Kerry fell from the skies to enlighten the inhabitants of cactus land and indeed the residents of far off OZ.
DR Ben. "Save the Wales" is such a worthy cause. The BBC was wise enough to telecast a concert version of "Ragtime". The Welsh are indeed wonderful and I am pleased that they have the good sense and taste to "use" your talents. The Welsh should not of course be confused with the New South Welsh of Oz who live near Sydney and that strange coathanger that appears in all the postcards. OK. I am rambling.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/10/2003 07:24 PM PST

DR MusicGuy: Imagine what this site would be like if we had sent our real photos for the gallery. They are all "cut outs" from an obscure European religious magazine specialising in strange habits.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/10/2003 07:26 PM PST

Thanks Jrand52: Always reassuring to know that someone reads your posts. I think all the DRs have gone north to Alaska. (and now not that song but Perry Como's Delaware is running around in my head)
Ron: Where are you today?

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/10/2003 07:35 PM PST

Ron must find us ... too crazy
to stick around with us
anymore... unless Miss Vickie
objects to his visiting this most
popular with the populace site
on the internet....

Sorry, but i do have a
headcold, so....I'm not moving
north to Alaska... I say NO to
Alaska....

Posted by François @ 05/10/2003 08:36 PM PST

Oh, I see ! Everyone is gone to
see Bernadette...

Sing out, Bernie !

Maybe they should produce
GYPSY in Lourdes' Grotto and
wish for a miracle from Sainte
Bernadette....

"Little Lamb...."

Posted by François @ 05/10/2003 08:41 PM PST

Another allusion to my favourite year of 1960. "The Village Of St Bernadette" (Andy Williams and others). Thanks François.
Le petit mouton. (I am just guessing - I could end up ordering a purple umbrella in a French Restaurant)
Remembered: petit agneau. ??
Agnelle in the case of Bernadette.
I need to learn French again.
What is the french for "waffle"?
The writing of rubbish that is - not the food.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/10/2003 09:18 PM PST

English words beginning with
W very often begin with G or
GU in French:

War: guerre

Warranty; guarantie

Walter: Gautier (!?)

Waffle: gauffre

Have a wonderful musical
week..... i'll see you all you'll
next thursday.

Yes, lamb is "agneau", no
kid-ding !!

Posted by François @ 05/10/2003 09:33 PM PST

It is late and I am very, very sleep and all I can think of for movie theme songs is GODZILLA VS THE SMOG MONSTER and that thrilling rendition of the song "Save the Earth"...then there is also the theme from BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS...oh..can't forget the top fave of all themes...ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE!Ok, now I sleep..

Jack, how was Mighty Wind??

Posted by MBarnum @ 05/10/2003 09:50 PM PST

All of the kvetching about Bernadette Peters makes me think they should rename this production from "Gypsy" to "Song of Bernadette." I think Winokur should also win for "Hairspray", but I am inclined to believe that Bernadette Peters will win for two reasons...she has been a staple on Broadway for many years
and she hasn't won a Tony for a number of years.
Did anyone hear the news that Tower Records is for sale? There is an in depth article in the Sacramento Bee. Sorry I don't have the site address. They are claiming sales have slipped due to internet sales. That may be true but it is my experience that Tower has always priced their product at suggested retail or higher. I have found the same Tower offering for considerably less at a local record store.

Posted by Dennis Clancy @ 05/10/2003 10:37 PM PST

Dennis...Bernadette won a Tony for that butchered production of ANNIE GET YOUR GUN.

Posted by Jason @ 05/10/2003 11:12 PM PST

I gotta say, for all the Bernadette controversy, I thought she did pretty stellar work in Gypsy -- I managed to get there on one of the (apparently) rare nights she deemed fit to perform, and due to a horrid mix up with my ticket (it was a traumatic, bloody incident with an usher that I would not wish on John Simon) I had to see the show standing and even then I was entranced and found it marvelous. I actually think Bernadette is beautifully cast -- I've never quite bought any of the other actresses I've seen do the role. I find this idea about Rose being strident and brassy and sort of masculine absolutely silly; if you look at the script itself, it makes no sense. For the first time, I really saw the romance between Rose and Herbie -- those scenes were absolutly charming and winning, and made me love both of them. And having Rose have a softer, smaller appearance (and she wasn't all that soft) made the story all the more resonant. She's not a monster -- she's just a desperate woman. Yes? I think it's a pretty terrifically wonderful part and Ms. Peters does pretty terrifically wonderfully with it. Bad faith or not (and I do agree about the unfairness to audiences and her standby performances) she's done some wonderful work, and although Ms. Winokur (I know I'm spelling that wrong, apologies) in Hairspray is quite adorable and has the added charm of being a complete unknown, I don't think her performanc is in the same realm.

Just my thoughts. Very long ones.

Posted by Anna @ 05/10/2003 11:16 PM PST

Oh! And as for movie songs, although I'm not very well versed in movies, I do have a soft spot for that classically hokey "Let the River Run" in Working Girl.

Posted by Anna @ 05/10/2003 11:18 PM PST

I can't believe I forgot (and no one else mentioned) the theme from "The Avengers" when we were discusssing TV themes. And "Route 66"-- whew-- a Nelson Riddle masterpiece.!
Now I'll go back and find out what we're talking about today.

Posted by Kerry @ 05/10/2003 11:39 PM PST

Get your kicks Kerry!

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/11/2003 12:25 AM PST

Francois' translation of "Do Not Forsake Me" reminded me of my "Blazing Saddles" DVD, and the expert job some uncredited someone did of translating and performing the songs in that movie, on the French alternative track. (No one bothered for the Spanish track -- the songs are in English.) There's even a nearly-as-good-as-Madeline-Kahn Dietrich impression in "I'm Tired."

I've never studied French, and have often wondered how close those French lyrics are to the originals, and whether the humor is even remotely similar.

My favorite (not necessarily the best) movie theme songs are the Mitch Miller Chorale's rendition of "The Guns of Navarone" and Shaun Cassidy's forgotten promo single "Love Theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture (A Star Beyond Time)."

They're both goofy fun, and are pretty catchy. But more importantly, they serve as amusing reminders of the awkward dilemma faced by lyricists when forced to come up with a singable lyric to a basically unsingable idea or melody.

Imagine being asked to write a title song to a movie like "Beloved Infidel," for instance:

". . . And make sure to use the words 'Beloved Infidel' in there somewhere. We need the title of the song to be 'Beloved Infidel.'"

Posted by Sigerson Holmes @ 05/11/2003 12:41 AM PST

Finally back...

Had a very nice day with a new "friend" - and things are going very well...

As for movie songs/themes... All of the above that have been mentioned so far. However, I have a special affection for:

"Laura" - What a truly haunting melody
"More" - The theme from "Mondo Cane" - Love the lyrics to this one.
"Three Coins in the Fountain"
"Arrivaderci Roma" (sp?)

-Can anyone figure out the common thread to those songs? (It's quite an "obscure" one.)

-Will anyone read this VERY late post?

Well, that's it for me... I need to get some sleep.

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/11/2003 01:25 AM PST

Oh, and as for Bernadette... Why not shorten the week to seven or six shows... Or, go ahead and post "At Certain Performances the Role of Mama Rose will be played by Maureen Moore".

-Like the producers would have done that from the get-go...

Well, maybe Maureen will get the award from her fellow Equity members... the ones that they vote for themselves. -I remember Patti Cohenour getting it when she was the alternate Christine in POTO (with Sarah Brightman).

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 05/11/2003 01:41 AM PST

I read the late posts Jose.
Too obscure for me. I suspect there is a musical connection. I gave up on trying to get an italian connection for Laura. May be all the songs have the same time or key. If I whistle or sing them they would all end up the same song.
I suspect that Steve Lawrence has recorded all the songs.
If "obscure" is a clue I am just too dumb to understand it.
Lovely to hear about your nice day and ...

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 05/11/2003 03:58 AM PST

MB - A MIGHTY WIND is mighty worth seeing. Enjoyed it with a SOLD OUT crowd. We all laughed heartily. DR Kurt enjoyed it as well. As I said above LOTS of laughs and a few really BIG laughs.
Perry Como - does anyone else remember his song GLENDORA? And how about THE RAILROAD GOES THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE HOUSE... I would like to have these on CD, but I don't know which of his CD's have these songs. Usually the song lists aren't complete. And I don't need a box set of EVERY song he ever recorded with outtakes and alternate takes! Just those two!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 05/11/2003 04:08 AM PST

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! I wonder if Meltz and Ernest wrote a Mother's Day song?

Posted by Laura @ 05/11/2003 05:56 AM PST