Posted by td @ 07/20/2003 10:11 AM PST

Sweeney Todd From Yesterday. The only character that is of a specific age is Joanana. She is 16 years old. When Benjamin was sent away she was 1 year old. Benjamin mentions that on his return that he had been gone for 16 years.

So all the others can be whatever age they want to be.

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 07/20/2003 10:12 AM PST

But mine was one of substance!

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 07/20/2003 10:12 AM PST

Sunday Sweet Sunday...a R/H reference.

GLASS MENAGERIE is gone....great closing night audience, and good performances. And I didn't make one mistake in the lights cues during the entire run! Hey, Mr Light Bulb!

I am about to watch my new DVD of ZOMBIES OF MORA TAU starring Mr Gregg Palmer and Miss Allison Hayes (as Mrs. George Harrison!).

I received two books yesterday....Celebrity Lies by Mr. Boze Hadleigh and Dark Lover, a biography of Mr Rudolph Valentino. It is a nice day to read, so I shall.

My question is, why am I always wearing a white shirt when I eat spaghetti?

Posted by Jrand52 @ 07/20/2003 10:29 AM PST

on Jrand's note:

I bought a white skirt from the Gap that I absolutely love. Unfortunately, I am also too scared to wear it because I am sure that the first chair in which I will sit while wearing it will be covered in something of a non-white colour.

Next time - I get it in black. :)

Posted by Emily @ 07/20/2003 10:53 AM PST

Hey Emily! Will you be going to see Miss Saigon when it comes here next month? I'm going the Saturday matinee. Yeah!

BK, yes Juliana's journal is up. And it's a wonderful and LONG entry. She left NYC and arrived in WI. OMG, I had tears in my eyes reading it. I am so exicted for her. I cannot wait to read about Opening Night, and I cannot wait till she goes on as Millie. How exciting that will be!

Jennifer

Posted by Jennifer @ 07/20/2003 10:58 AM PST

Oh btw, did anybody catch Trading Spaces last night? OMG Hildy is too much! She decorated this male couple's office in this bright purple when they said they hate pink!

It actually turned out fine. The couch was nice. And the curtains and pillows were amazing. But the color on the walls was too bright. I love purple. But that was crazy!

Posted by Jennifer @ 07/20/2003 11:01 AM PST

Well, I'm about to head out for run... -I'm two days overdue, just been sleeping in too late the past two days to get the run in before understudy rehearsal and the shows... and since we had a birthday party the other night for the artistic director... -Let's just say it was some good cake! *OH, and I also discovered that the two cases of Diet Caffeine Free Diet Coke I bought a few weeks ago, were actually just Caffeine Free Coke - NOT Diet! Of course, I had already finished off one case of it so... -I thought the Diet stuff was tasting better lately... ah, well...

Well, I'm into my first full day off right now... And I have really nothing I have to do!! YEAH!!! -At least for today. Tomorrow is another story - I hate having to adjust to the "normal" M-F, 9-5 world in order to get "normal stuff" done...

-And, again, who knows, maybe some baking may be in order... -And, again, sorry to tease...

I should be at the chat tonight - I hope. We'll see where the day takes me.

Until then...

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 07/20/2003 11:02 AM PST

My back hurts, and I'm off to work. Wasn't that an Ernest and Meltz song?

Posted by Kerry @ 07/20/2003 11:12 AM PST

Emily: Wear that white dress, girl! Carry a towel or something spreadable if you have doubts about a seat you are about to take.

Bruce: Would the "subtitles" feature not help with that film "Honeymoon Killers"?

GORGEOUS DAY, here in the Bay Area. If I was home in SC, it would be a GAWJUS DAY!

Here in the Bay Area, though, GAWJUS is a bit too much!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/20/2003 11:16 AM PST

Considering the uncertainty of producing movie musicals, the fickleness (is that a word?) of the movie-going public, and the inherent difficulties of transferring Sweeney Todd from the stage to the screen; I would imagine that by the time this film is made Neil Patrick Harris will probably be too old to be Sweeney, let alone be Tobias.

Posted by TCB @ 07/20/2003 11:25 AM PST

The Hills are Alive - yes they are folks, with the sound of music! We have a wonderfully sung production of "The Sound of Music" going on here in the bay area, produced by Broadway By The Bay (bbbay.org) complete with a wonderful organ solo transcribed right off the movie soundtrack, I guess if you want a solo in this show, you have to write one, that's my new motto. If you're in the area, stop by!

I won't be at the chat this eve, matinee of SOM and then auditions for "The Fantasticks!" for Palo Alto Players (paplayers.org) should be fun, I'm so ready to do a show with 7 instead of 25 nuns and 7 kids!

Posted by Matthew @ 07/20/2003 12:06 PM PST

Hey Jenn...

I am actually in the process of trying to get my friends to join me at Miss Saigon.

I will admit thought that the news that the tour uses projections of the helicopter instead of the real thing is really hurting my persuasion tactics!

I'm not sure what show we'd be going to. The matinees according to the Place des Arts website are listed at the same prices as the night shows! Do you know if Place des Arts offers reduced student tix? When I saw RENT last year there, it cost me and my friends about $80 for first row Mezz. seats! That's more expensive than it is in NYC!

I'm also in the process of planning a Montreal-NYC trip sometime around Christmas or Cdn. Thanksgiving to see (hopefully) Wicked, etc. It's going to be done on the super cheap. If you're interested in tagging along, let me know!

Posted by Emily @ 07/20/2003 12:43 PM PST

Very well then, where in tarnation IS everyone. It is 100 degrees here in Los Angeles, California. The only way to cool off is to post - we need many more posts if we are to become the most popular site on all the Internet. Chat in four hours. Post now.

Posted by bk @ 07/20/2003 01:54 PM PST

I saw Honeymoon Killers back in 1969. I loved it. I've seen it a few times since then but not since the late 70's. I'm glad its on DVD.

Posted by Dennis Clancy @ 07/20/2003 02:05 PM PST

Cool day here in Phoenix -- only 105.

Posted by Laura @ 07/20/2003 02:12 PM PST

I have read about THE HONEYMOON KILLERS is one of Danny Peary's CULT MOVIE books, but I have never seen it...that is I haven't seen it YET.

I watched STAR TREK NEMESIS today and enjoyed it - with a few reservations. I like TNG much better than I ever did the original - but the characters were a bit our of themselves in NEMESIS, with some plot problems as well. BUT - as a fan of Rocky Jones, how could I NOT like it?

Juliana's Journal continues to be a source of great joy for those of us who always wanted to be "in a show" like TMM, but for one reason or another, didn't make the leap.

Bravo, Juliana!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 07/20/2003 02:23 PM PST

Emily wrote:
"I am actually in the process of trying to get my friends to join me at Miss Saigon.

I will admit thought that the news that the tour uses projections of the helicopter instead of the real thing is really hurting my persuasion tactics!"

. . . and I think this says a lot about the quality of the musical in question. People want to see it for a set piece that appears (or doesn't) in one scene.

Makes me long for the time when people wanted to see a show because it was funny, or had good songs, or an interesting story. Stuff like that.

Posted by Noel @ 07/20/2003 02:25 PM PST

Picky, picky.

Posted by Cameron Mackintosh @ 07/20/2003 02:56 PM PST

Last night TV viewing here in Oz was part 1 of Stephen Poliakff's "The Lost Prince". I can thoroughly recommend the programme. It is the story of the youngest son of George V & Queen Mary. A Fascinating biography and look at tubulent times though the eyes of a child who has all but been forgotten by history. I for one did not know of his existence. I do hope the USA & Canada get to see this wonderful show. Poliakoff is lauded as the new Dennis Potter of TV.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 07/20/2003 03:19 PM PST

Chat in one hour and forty-five minutes - be there or be round. Now, where in tarnation IS everyone? Let's get crackin', shall we?

Posted by bk @ 07/20/2003 04:16 PM PST

I watched STAR TREK NEMESIS a week or two ago, and I was just a bit disappointed. It is my least favorite of the four TNG TREK films. It wasn't terrible, but it just didn't hold my interest as well as previous ones have. Looks like they picked a good time to cease production on TNG films.

Posted by Matt H. @ 07/20/2003 04:21 PM PST

I'm here! I'm here!!

Finally just had some food for the day! Who'd of thunk?: Breakfast at 7:00PM(!?!?!?!). Just a nice lazy day off for me... well maybe not so lazy - I did go for a good run - but after I got back from the run, I just sat around like so much fish until my head started to tell me - in some "soft pulses" - that it was time to get some food in my stomach. So I headed to the market, and picked up some food - some quite good North Carolina-style pork BBQ and a salad. -I'm trying to get back in good graces with Chet * Eileen. *I was surprised the BBQ had no sugar in it, but since it's a vinegar based sauce, it's on "the list". YUMMY! I even picked up a six-pack of the surprisingly good Michelob low-carb beer... maybe later...

Well, I'll check back in later for the chat. See ALL of you there!

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 07/20/2003 04:24 PM PST

Where in tarnation am I? Well,
I'm here. I wasn't, but now I
am. When I wasn't, I was
enjoying a nice, comparatively
cool day up here. Only 93
today, but supposed to get
back around 100 tomorrow.

Then I just caught Strangers
on a Train on TCM. Had seen
it before, but it is one of those
that really holds up to repeat
viewings. Just wonderful in
every aspect.

Posted by Jed @ 07/20/2003 05:11 PM PST

I have been MOST errant and truant this week. I posted Monday but was not able to say after that that I would not be around for the rest of the week. A friend (who used to live here in Olympia and has since moved back to Virginia, from whence he came) was here for a visit (he left yesterday morning). Today I have been trying to catch up on all of the posts. I started reading Monday's notes at about 12:30 and got about half way through yesterday's posts (I've been making notes) when my niece called. I must go to my sister's house and do stuff but won't make it back before tonight's chat starts. I'll try to get back quickly and check to see if anyone is still chatting.

Posted by George @ 07/20/2003 05:21 PM PST

the next Encore Broadway Radio Show is now up for your listening pleasure....I'll load another encore show mid-week. This week, it's two songwriters....first up is Adryan Russ and then Wayne Moore.....have a listen and enjoy!

Posted by Donald Feltham @ 07/20/2003 05:38 PM PST

Chat in fifteen count them fifteen minutes. Now, where in tarnation IS everyone. This is an unseemly number of posts, don't you think?

Posted by bk @ 07/20/2003 05:42 PM PST

BK-
Do you still read Variety? I stopped when it changed from being about show business to being more interested in show business.

Posted by Willian E Lurie @ 07/20/2003 05:49 PM PST

No, I don't read Variety. The idiot who posted about Mendes BEING the director for ST linked to an article that no one could access without paying. When I finally saw the article (via Playbill) then I knew it was a load of horse manure, as is most of the stuff they print. However, this is not a new thing - Varitey has always been the home to every press agent-flack alive, and ninety-nine percent of the "stories" are plants from said flacks.

Posted by bk @ 07/20/2003 05:55 PM PST

Chat in five count them five minutes. Everyone who is currently in tarnation had best get their butt cheeks in gear and head over to the chat room.

Posted by bk @ 07/20/2003 05:56 PM PST

Chat is open.

Posted by bk @ 07/20/2003 06:01 PM PST

I'm trying my darndest to get to the chat but it's just not letting me.
Guess I shouldn't have spoken up about Miss Saigon.

Posted by Noel @ 07/20/2003 06:38 PM PST

Noel BK says try a different log in name for chat.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 07/20/2003 06:41 PM PST

Just left the chat.. Twas very sparkling! There are still people in there... so... get your butt cheeks in there if you haven't already.

-Was I just channeling BK?

I'll be back later.

OH! And you won't believe what BK is getting at eight!

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 07/20/2003 07:09 PM PST

Just left chat at 10:15 EST and it was sparkling and witty and every thing I hoped for.

More tomorrow morning when I'm at my desk at work.

Posted by Ben @ 07/20/2003 07:15 PM PST

ST:TNG was a fascinating series on television. When it moved to the big screen, everything (and everyone) that wasn't Picard and Data went into the dumpster. Ptooey.

(Although the cameos sprinkled through First Contact were sorta good.)

Posted by S. Woody White @ 07/20/2003 07:16 PM PST

Things are still JUMPING in the chat room. Anyone looking for a good time, there's one there and then some!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/20/2003 07:46 PM PST

Well, we just now finished our
lively and sparkling chat, and it
was truly lively and sparkling.
Greatly enjoyed all the various
and sundried who were
assembled, as always.

Posted by Jed @ 07/20/2003 08:03 PM PST

There was a televsion series called Sweeney Todd: TNG? Fascinating!

Posted by TCB @ 07/20/2003 08:14 PM PST

Hmm... That raises an
interesting possibility, TCB.
Patrick Stewart as Sweeney?
Or as Judge Turpin, perhaps?

Posted by Jed @ 07/20/2003 09:28 PM PST

I missed the backward day
yesterday. So I'm doing it now! :-P

I should not be up this late. But no
school tomorrow! That isn't exactly a
novelty, but the joy is evergreen.

If much of what is on Playbill is BS, is
there a better, more accurate news
site?

We took up the rugs tonight. After
seeing what is underneath the one
in my room, it is no wonder that I
have allergies!

Anna: In what part of Ohio are you?

Posted by Doogpah @ 07/20/2003 09:55 PM PST

Warning…this is a LONG post. I have been errant and truant because a friend (his name is Ronnie) was visiting from Virginia. Anyway, we had a great time together (he arrived Monday night and left Saturday morning). On Wednesday, we saw “The Spitfire Grill” in Seattle with another friend of mine. I loved every minute of this show. I have the CD and wish that they had recorded the whole show. Most of it (at least, it seemed to me) was sung or underscored. On Thursday, Ronnie and I went shopping in Tacoma and on a whim, decided to go to Canada. We got gas and drove the four or so hours and went to Vancouver, BC. We had dinner at a Red Robin then got back in the car and came home. It was an adventure for Ronnie. He had never been outside of the U.S. before.

Today, I just read EVERYTHING from this last week over several sittings (and boy, are my eyes tired). It took me over five hours to get through it all…not including the time I was chatting and doing laundry. Most topics of the week:

Tuesday’s topic was Mystery books & films: I haven’t read many mysteries. Otherwise, I listened to (and then bought) the full cast audio book “Too Dead To Swing” with Susan Egan and Ann Hampton Callaway. It has a full cast with sound effects and everything…it also has music throughout the recording. The back of the tape case says, “Somebody’s Out For Blood! It’s 1940, and musician Katy Green [Susan Egan] finds out how tough the road can be when she joins the Ultra Belles, a female Swing band on tour in California. From the moment the band kicks off the set, you’re caught in the rhythm of the music, and murder on the move. Susan Egan heads a Broadway cast in this thrilling vintage mystery with Swing songs performed by Ann Hampton Callaway.” Click on my name for the website on this tape. It’s pretty good and I love both Susan and Ann. As for films: “The Maltese Falcon”, “Murder On the Orient Express”, “The Last of Sheila”, “Murder by Death” and “The Cheap Detective” are ones that I’ve seen and enjoyed.

Wednesday was Ask Dear Reader Day. I missed it, so I’ll wait until the next one.

Otherwise, I don’t have a problem with the word “queer” but I don’t usually use it, unless I’m referring to a title such as “Queer As Folk” or “Queer Eye…” or “that place is ‘queer friendly’ ”. To paraphrase Robert Preston in VICTOR / VICTORIA, I prefer “gay.” But I don’t take offense from other terms. Someone wrote several weeks (months?) ago that the term “homosexual” is now considered offensive? When the heck did that happen?

Thursday’s topic: What musical would I like to revive and who would I cast? I’d like to see ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY with Kevin Kline (who was in the original cast) playing the part that John Cullum played and Judy Kaye (who took over for Madeline Kahn in the original production) playing the part that Imogene Coca played (even though Judy’s much too young for the part).

Friday’s topic: In my CD player, a compilation CD that I put together of songs that I got from many sources. Some were downloaded or recorded from the Internet, some were from library CDs, and some were from CDs (or recordings) that I own but want to include in this CD. For instance, I just found out that the music for “Call Me Savage” from FADE OUT, FADE IN (by Jule Styne) was also used as “Witches’ Brew” in HALLELUJAH, BABY! (both shows have lyrics by Comden and Green and I put both songs on this compilation). I also included the three songs that Ann Hampton Callaway sang on “Too Dead To Swing” which were on cassette tapes.

Also, I just got the 2-CD original Broadway cast remastered reissue of NINE. I love this show and can’t believe how much I love this new CD. I’ve had the original album since it first came out and bought the cassette (“with over 80 minutes of music”) shortly after I got the album and always wished that even more had been recorded. Sadly, the cassette got old and squeaked very loudly when I tried to play it, so I hadn’t heard it in years.

In my DVD player (on Friday), my friend Ronnie and I watched WHAT’S UP, DOC? He had never seen it and really doesn’t care for Barbra Streisand at all. We got about 15 minutes into the movie when he said that he was enjoying the movie and her in it and that she wasn’t too bad. WU,D? is one of my all time favorite comedies.

Saturday’s topic: who should be in the Mendes movie of SWEENEY TODD? All I can say is that I hope that they DO NOT go younger! Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett require actors “of a certain age” because of the history of the characters, as well as the vocal requirements of the music (thank you Mr. Sondheim). I like all of Matt H’s choices (Meryl Streep, Hugh Jackman, Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris) except Anthony Hopkins. They should get people who can actually sing the roles. If they don’t want George Hearn as Sweeney, how about him as the Judge? He might have the range. What about Brent Spiner as Sweeney? He certainly can sing! And he was in the original cast of Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park With George.” Sondheim has a tendency to reuse actors.

Whew! Did I set a record for the longest post? The most boring?? Anyway, I was able to make most of the chat tonight and it was sparkling and lively and a good time was had by all. I hope that I don’t miss this much again. Next time (if I do), I probably won’t comment on every topic.

Again (if anyone's interested), click on my name for the "Too Dead To Swing" website.

Posted by George @ 07/20/2003 10:30 PM PST

I'm back from Pennsylvania! Hoorah!! Our matinee ended at 4:30, we finished strike at 5:45-ish, and I was on the 6:25 train out of Trenton to get my butt-cheeks back to New York at a resonable hour. Needless to say, I'm thrilled to be home, but I am WIPED OUT. I'm not working in the morning, but I am working at the Met tomorrow night. La! what a lark!

Thanks again to all of you who sent postcards and regular cards (Ben...I finally got the ones you sent me. They must have been delayed in the mail. Thanks!) and the cookies (!!) and things. You'll never know how much I appreciated them. And don't forget, you can send things 'til your little hearts burst to the Poconos Playhouse in August. I'll be there for three weeks.

Laura expressed that she wished that I'd done a 'Jason's Journal' while I was away. I wish I had, as well, as I had MANY interesting experiences...and none of them sexual, so stop thinking that--all of you! Though one story does have to do with a condom, but I'll save that one for later. All I'll say is, someone was nearly punched in the neck for it, and I was gonna be the one doing the punching. Perhaps I'll elaborate tomorrow, but I can't now...I'm too tired.

Its good to be home!!!

Posted by Jason @ 07/20/2003 11:43 PM PST

Are you really home Jason? Time to mail Cds? Hope the experience has been really positive for you and that August is indeed wonderful. I have the postcard ready to go! And back at the MET so soon. I guess it pays the rent. How about signing up for a "Down Under" tour of "Titanic". I would love to see the show but can't see it ever happeing here. We get to see "The Full Monty" after christmas and then "The Producers" later in 2004. By then I hope to be in NYC.
Off for a rest - required after reading the post from DR George!
Received my "Sondheim Review" today - interesting to read those reviews of "Gypsy".

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 07/21/2003 12:15 AM PST

As a mystery buff, I just adore MURDER BY DEATH, but the only thing that would have improved Neil Simon's script would have been to have constructed a better ending. If there really had been one murderer that we could have studied clues and arrived at a killer before the ending was revealed, it truly would have been worthy of all the wonderful detectives Simon was spoofing. As it is, the ending is sort of one silly topper after another that weren't especially funny and seemed a little desperate to find a way to end the story proper. (The remarks by Niven, Sellers, and Falk as they were driving away remain priceless.)

Posted by Matt H. @ 07/21/2003 06:16 AM PST

DR George - Have you and your friend seen THE MAIN EVENT (1979) with La Streisand and Ryan O'Neal? IMO, it's a more entertaining film than WHAT'S UP DOC?

Posted by Donna - Cabaret West @ 07/21/2003 06:27 AM PST

Donna, I plan on getting THE MAIN EVENT next week, after I get paid. I don't think I've seen the movie since it was originally released, but I do remember liking it a lot. And of course, I love the title song.

Posted by George @ 07/21/2003 07:26 AM PST