Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/26/2003 07:33 AM PST

WHERE IN TARNATION IS EVERYONE???

Here it is 10 maybe 15 minutes since BK slaved over his hot laptop to produce his witty and buff Notes, and we should have 50, I dare say 100 posts by now, or how else will we be the most popular and jiggy site on the internet.

Post! Post away, ye scurvy swabbies!

Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/26/2003 07:39 AM PST

Thank you, Mr BK...I am now officially Jrand53. I know I started out as Jrand62, but that was an MSN designation, so I am now yes, Jrand53!

In addition to those named songs by Mr Strouse, would add I DON'T NEED ANYTHING BUT YOU and SOMETHING WAS MISSING...but I love entire score of BYE BYE BIRDIE....

I GOT A LOT OF LIVIN' TO DO!!!

Happy Shared Birthday as it passes, Mr Jose!!

Posted by Jrand53 @ 08/26/2003 07:41 AM PST

Well, I hereby send out my very best and heartiest HAPPY BIRTHDAY to both Jack in Indiana, and Jose in the magical land of OZ. I have a feeling that Jack is probably having high tea with Allison Hayes...and knowing that sly smile that DR Jose can get....I suspect that he has already dangled his didgereedoo over a billabong. Talk about flitting like a sprite!!

For Strouse -- I like a lot of B.B.B., because I saw it when it was new and it has a lot of good, memorable songs that have melodies that you can actually hum or whistle. And, oh my god, the song might actually stay in 4/4 for the entire length of it!! What a concept.

I will now excuse myself from the living room, for I must run over to Scarlet Street and get my CD order placed.

Good morning BK....I put your mail on the kitchen table, and I swept the front porch.

Bye for now.

Posted by MusicGuy @ 08/26/2003 07:43 AM PST

I was NOT even close to solving the trivia question. My pointy hat is off to those who did. And congratulations to DR Sigerson Holmes!

Welcome to new DR Edward Morgan.

AND thanks to DR MBarnum who sent me a couple of CD's with favorite Summer songs and Mamie VanDoren Songs! Now my life is nearly complete!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 08/26/2003 07:44 AM PST

Dear Bill Orr -- How nice to see your sparkling post so early. DR Kerry and I were very sorry that it wasn't possible for you and Joe to join our get-together in NYC. We must rectify (a BK word) that situation in the future! You should also be more careful of Dawn, this early in the day.

Glad you are up also Jrand, and I hope you get lots of surprises today......I wish we could send you Guy Madison in a pointy party hat!!

Posted by MusicGuy @ 08/26/2003 07:48 AM PST

"Blame It on the Summer Night"
"A Lot of Living to Do"
"Easy Street"
"Maybe"
"Night Song"
"While the City Sleeps"
"You've Got Possibilities"
"But Alive"
"Applause"
"Anyone Who Loves"
"There's Always One You Can't Forget"

Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/26/2003 07:50 AM PST

Happy Happy Birthdays to both JRand and Jose!!

Posted by Laura @ 08/26/2003 07:52 AM PST

And welcome to new DR Ed.

Posted by Laura @ 08/26/2003 07:52 AM PST

And of course, Happy Birthday (on the right day this time) to Dear Readers J and J!

Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/26/2003 07:54 AM PST

Good Morning All! Happy Happy Birthday to Jrand53 and Jose!! I hope you both have a wonderful day filled with joy and cake!

Posted by JB aka JK @ 08/26/2003 07:57 AM PST

Noel wrote yesterday:

I'm currently writing the musical in which the love of my life and I will be married in a few short weeks. I keep asking for help on the bridesmaids' advice for the bride song, but, receiving so few answers, I'm forced to make stuff up myself. And I don't know what the hell I'm talking about!

Okay I am so confused now. Is this information for a musical? I thought you were working on a song for a real wedding (yours, or a friends ...).

Am I going crazy?

Okay let me really think about this. I just planned a wedding for my sis last july. I must remember some of that stuff.

Jennifer

Posted by Jennifer @ 08/26/2003 08:00 AM PST

The Happiest and Healthiest of Birthdays to DR Jrand52/53 and DR Jose in the Land of OZ!

Posted by Susan @ 08/26/2003 08:01 AM PST

Happy Birthday to the J-boys!

:) :) :)

Posted by Emily @ 08/26/2003 08:05 AM PST

Double Happy Birthday Jrand & Jose.

I came across something that I think will be of interest to our DRs. The BBC polled its listeners as to what were the greatest film scores ever written. Here are the winners (in reverse order) from their 44,000 responses:

10 Jurassic Park John Williams
9 Lawrence of Arabia Maurice Jarre
8 Dances With Wolves John Barry
7 Titanic James Horner
6 The Mission Ennio Morricone
5 Out of Africa John Barry
4 Schindlers' List John Williams
3 Star Wars (it didn't indicate which one) John Williams
2 Gladiator Hans Zimmer
1 Lord of the Rings (again it didn't indicate which one)Howard Shore

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/26/2003 08:05 AM PST

Happy Day to our two Birthday Stars DRs Jose and Jrand (aka Jack).

Even this early in the day many of my faves have been mentioned but I will mention them anyway

Night Song from Golden Boy
Once Upon a Time from All American
It Would Have Been Wonderful from Annie Warbucks
There's Always One You Can't Forget from Dance a Little Closer (AKA Close a Little Faster, even though I really like the show and think it's under-appreciated, I do love that moniker that was attched to it).

Back to work. WEHT our darling Lulu?

Posted by Ben @ 08/26/2003 08:08 AM PST

Oh, yes, meant to say Thank You to MusicGuy for the Good News. Two for the Road and the South Pacific medley are both very nice. Thanks again. It's great to hear your work.

Posted by Ben @ 08/26/2003 08:10 AM PST

In posting the BBC list I forgot to answer the question of the day. My favorite Strouse scores are RAGS (with Stephen Schwartz) and DANCE A LITTLE CLOSER (with Alan Jay Lerner). My favorite Strouse songs were both with Lee Adams: "Once Upon A Time" from ALL AMERICAN and "Take Ten Terrific Girls (and Only Nine Costumes)" from the film THE NIGHT THEY RAIDED MINSKYS.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/26/2003 08:15 AM PST

The BBC list is amusing. Do we think that most of the voters were youngsters? Because for Gladiator to be number TWO in the BEST SCORES OF ALL TIME would seem to imply that. No Herrmann, no Korngold, no Friedhofer, no Rozsa, no credibility.

Posted by bk @ 08/26/2003 08:19 AM PST

Happy Day to the Birthday boys!

Many of my favourite Strouse songs have already been mentioned, but no harm in repeating:

Pretty much all of BYE BYE BIRDIE
Once Upon a Time, from ALL AMERICAN
You've Got Possibilities, from SUPERMAN
Smashing New York Times, from APPLAUSE
Maybe, from ANNIE
There's Always One You Can't Forget, from DANCE A LITTLE CLOSER
Children of the Wind, from RAGS
Boom Chicka Boom, from NICK & NORA
It Would Have Been Wonderful, from ANNIE WARBUCKS

...and a couple that no one has mentioned yet (or is likely to):

Moving Into a New House
and
Don't Leave Me Now, from
LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE

(Anyone else ever seen this gem? It's an animated feature, whose cast included Tony Randall and Liz Callaway.)

Posted by Dave @ 08/26/2003 08:32 AM PST

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JRAND53
AND JOSE C. SIMBULAN!!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JOSE C.
SIMBULAN AND JRAND53!!!!!!!

And many more!

Welcome to Ed Morgan!

I was not here yesterday to do my
roll call, so here it is:
Name: Zev Naftali Valancy
Internet Name: Hapgood
Nickname: Hapgoodinbed (Thank
you, Maya Fair Lady!)
Age: 18
Occupation: Waiting to start my
freshman year at Northwestern
University, where I will major in
theatre. (And I did most of my
homework in high school, though I
did not agonize over it as much as
some did. I will continue to do it in
college, thank you very much!)
Interests: Theatre, theatre, theatre,
music, literature, history, biology, the
social sciences, Spanish, etc., etc.
Ethnic Background: Equal parts
German, Lithuanian, Turkish, and
Greek.
Marital Status: Single *sniff*

I am one of the few who really
dislikes RAGS. It is a score that soes
not interest me-the music sees to
combine tthe worst elements of both
Strouse and Schwartz-the emotional
effects seem forced, the lyrics facile.
And the book is a disaster: way to
many stories, way too long, not very
interesting beccause we don't care
about the characters. "Forgotten
Gem" my foot!

Posted by Hapgood @ 08/26/2003 08:39 AM PST

Oh, Happy Days to DRs JRand53 and Jose! Hope you both have a wonderful, wonderful birthdays!!

JRand53 I will have to see if'n I can channel up some additional birthday wishes for you! Hehehe!

Posted by MBarnum @ 08/26/2003 08:45 AM PST

Why Jack, you little dickens..having a birthday are you! Well Count Three and Pray for your birthday wishes and don't let anyone Counterplot against you as you get older, lest you might find yourself in a big ole Double Jeopardy!

Posted by Miss Allison Hayes @ 08/26/2003 08:49 AM PST

Night Song must be Strouse's best song, one of the rare show tunes that can truly be called a "rhapsody."
Whatever Time There Is is a wonderfully haunting love song. I think it's everything that There's Always One You Can't Forget tries to be
I've always had a lot of fondness for We've Got a Lot of Living To Do. It's truly exciting.
So is Stick Around
Maybe is effective, poignant.
Applause, the title song, is just what a show tune should be.
So is What a Country! It lives up to its exclamation point.
The little brass choir section at the start of Annie's overture is very nice.
The man's especially good at comedy songs, and too little credit is given to composers of such:
The Immigration and Naturalization Rag cracks me up every time I hear it
You're the Woman for the Man Who Has Everything wouldn't be nearly as funny without Strouse's tune
Don't Forget 127th Street is very catchy
You Can Be a New Yorker, Too has a lyric by Strouse. I've never heard more laughter in a cabaret than when DR Joy did it last fall

Posted by Noel @ 08/26/2003 08:49 AM PST

Thanks, everyone...and DR MusicGuy - high tea with Miss Hayes would have been wonderful! And you worked in the same studio she did! She probably left some vibes around...or at least a pair of earrings!

That is a curious list - maybe the listeners don't realize how early movies had sound AND music.

GREATEST? Oh my....

Posted by Jrand53 @ 08/26/2003 08:49 AM PST

Allison!!

Posted by Jrand53 @ 08/26/2003 08:50 AM PST

Well JackieRand-boy Happy Birthday to you and I do hope enjoy your Restless Years!

If I were just a few years younger I would have you as my Summer Love. But instead you will just have to dream about what our Unguarded Moment would be like as I live too far away from Indiana to be Running Wild with you!

Posted by Mr. John Saxon @ 08/26/2003 08:55 AM PST

I can see I've confused people about Our Wedding
and The Help I Need.

Jennifer wrote: Is this information for a musical? I thought you were working on a song for a real wedding (yours,

Both. Our Wedding is a brand new original musical comedy that will be performed in a theatre this fall. "Ushers" will take the guests' tickets and show them to their seats. The "rehearsal dinner" will involve way more rehearsing than dining. During the course of the show, a real-life, singing, honest-to-god man-of-the-cloth, will actually marry my bride and me. After the show, there's a cast party.

The Help I Need has to do with one of the songs. The bridesmaids (there are four of them and their dresses will not match) will sing a song that begins with traditional advice to the bride. Stuff like "Never go to bed angry" and "Don't hang your undies from the shower curtain." Then, the mood of the song changes, from madrigal to rock as they focus on wedding night advice. This is a whole lot sexier, but shouldn't be too sexy, as this is a family wedding (just as HHW is a family website).

The process of writing songs usually involves making long lists of things that could possibly end up in the lyric. So, if people contribute huge truckloads of advice-to-the-bride, I'll be able to winnow it down into a good song. At this point, I have too little, so what I've got is a not-so-good and way-too-dirty song.

We hope to make the CD available for sale after the honeymoon.

Posted by Noel @ 08/26/2003 09:07 AM PST

Boldog Születésnappot kivánok, JRAND52now3 and JOSE!(That's "Happy Birthday" in Hungarian - thought I'd be different.)

Noel - If the bride doesn't "know" the groom in the biblical sense, one of the bridesmaids could advise her, "And tell him you broke it riding a horse."

Posted by Panni @ 08/26/2003 09:09 AM PST

Noel - I don't know if you've given the bridesmaids different personalities or if they're a generic bridesmaids group. But when I was a teenager, my mother used to manage, then own a wedding gown/formal wear store and I would help out on weekends. There was always a three-act-play when the wedding groups would come in because most of the time, the bridesmaids had different ideas on the ideal gown. There was at least one troublemaker in every group (plus the mother-of-the-bride!). So if one of your bridesmaids were to be a cynic, the one to find a cloud in every silver lining, she could throw in bits of advice like, "Make sure to keep some money hidden away that only you know about, just in case you have to make a quick getaway."... "Don't make the recipe his mother gave you of his favorit meal. It'll never be as good as hers." ...."For the first year, always get up before he does to put on your make-up. His warranty expires after 12 months." That kind of thing...

Posted by Panni @ 08/26/2003 09:23 AM PST

Carol Burnett and Vickie Lawrence did a wonderful skit about advice to the bride.

The daughter (Vickie) is getting ready for her wedding, and Mom (Carol) starts talking as Vickie walks into the other room.

She begins with, "When I got married, all my mother told me was, 'Act like you're having fun.' Can you imagine? Oh, and there is so much to tell you..."

And then Carol goes on with a long and moving speech about her own marriage and the things she wished someone had told her at the beginning.

Vickie returns with a hair-dryer on her head. She takes it off and asks, "Did you say something?"

Carol gives her a rueful look, smiles, and says, "Act like you're having fun."

Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/26/2003 09:39 AM PST

John Saxon!!! My favorite drummer!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 08/26/2003 09:40 AM PST

Well Mr. Jack Randall Earles after all these years we meet again to celebrate your fabulous birthday!!

As you get older and you ask yourself each day "Will There Really Be a Morning?" you can be happy to know that you are Among the Living. Now go out and throw yourself a big old wingding...but watch out for any of those Party Crashers! On second thought why don't you just take a nice vacation to, oh, how about just going South of Pago Pago for about a week or so!

Have a lovely day my dearest Jack!

Posted by Miss Frances Farmer @ 08/26/2003 09:53 AM PST

Jack, darling...

Come and get it!

Posted by Miss Frances Farmer @ 08/26/2003 10:01 AM PST

DR Hapgood --

You will have a great time at Northwestern. I am an alum, got my BS from the School of Speech (now Communications, I believe) was an acting/directing major. I got to share the stage and direct some now-pretty famous names. Enjoy every bit of it and grab every opportunity you can!

As for Mr. Strouse --

Applause was my first Broadway musical (starring Miss Anne Baxter) so that score will always have a special place in my heart, even though it is not his best. He has written so many little-known musicals ... does anyone have a recording of Bojangles?

Posted by Philip Crosby @ 08/26/2003 10:03 AM PST

Happy Birthday Jose!

Happy Birthday Jrand!

Hope you both have a terrific day.

Posted by Lulu @ 08/26/2003 10:03 AM PST

Ben: To find out WEHT Lulu, try imdb. I heard she wound up doing dinner theater ("Love Letters") just outside of Paducah...

Posted by Lulu @ 08/26/2003 10:03 AM PST

I agree with you on the BBC list completely BK. I just posted it because I thought it so unusual. Despite the fact that it was English, most of the films were American. And where were classics like GONE WITH THE WIND or PSYCHO? I'm not sure who the 44,000 voters were, but they knew nothing about film scores.

By the way, today's topic got me thinking. After Adams and Strouse split, Strouse had one hit show (ANNIE) and about a dozen flops and Adams seemed to have disappeared. Do you think if the team had remained together they might have had additional success? The same might be asked of Bock and Harnick. I'm interested in the opinions of BK and DRs on this.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/26/2003 10:05 AM PST

Jrand: The name of the Lisa Kirk CD is "I Feel a Song Comin' On" on the Sepia label. Apparently the one I bought a few weeks ago was an import, because the U.S. release date is today.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/26/2003 10:18 AM PST

Lulu, thanks for the hint. I'll check it out.

Glad to see you back in the cookie jar, btw.

Posted by Ben @ 08/26/2003 10:18 AM PST

Oh, the roll call.

Name: Guess
Age: 58 going on 10
Location: Long Island
Profession: Professor of Mathematics, so watch what you young'uns say about it. Be polite, and I may help you with your homework.
Marrital Status: 22 years and still going strong with my partner Joe.
Musical Theatre Experience: Former member of Lehman Engel's BMI Musical Theatre Workshop
First Broadway Musical: Kismet with Alfred Drake and Richard Kiley when I was a wee sprig of a twig of a fig from Oklahoma visiting my aunt and uncle in New York City.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/26/2003 10:22 AM PST

Well, I just got back from today's classes--Math for the Liberal Arts (blech) and Intro to Speech Communications (not as blechy). The latter class is actually taught by the theatre director at my school. I love the guy, I really do--he's such an ex-hippie!

Happy birthdays (for real this time!) to Jose and Jrand! :):)

As for my favorite Strouse songs, most of them have been mentioned.

Tomorrow
Maybe
NYC
Easy Street
What Did I Ever See in Him?
One Boy
Applause
Welcome to the Theatre
But Alive
You've Got Possibilities
Once Upon a Time
Blame it On the Summer Night (both Karen Akers and Michele Pawk do excellent versions)
And (has no one mentioned it??)
Those Were the Days!

Hapgoodinbed--anytime, sweetie ;)

Posted by Maya Fair Lady @ 08/26/2003 10:22 AM PST

WFO--does that homework offer still stand? :)

Posted by Maya @ 08/26/2003 10:24 AM PST

Thanks Bill - re: Lisa Kirk. I am still looking SO forward to the GYPSY soundtrack CD!!!

Frances - behave yourself! Things are going to get bad, little sister, and it's going to be beyond my control.

Lulu!!!!!

DR Philip - how was Anne Baxter in APPLAUSE? I have heard mixed reviews.

My first Broadway show...a special excursion ALL the way to NYC to see Miss Lucille Ball in WILDCAT. It was a matinee, I was 10 years old, and the man behind me had to keep his hands on my shoulders because I kept standing up to see LUCY!!!!!! I finally stood in the aisle until the usher made me sit down!

Many since then...and lots of shows on tour...and always the same excitement when the lights go down...this is going to be something!!!! I have been disapointed a few times, of course, but usually it's magic like nothing else in the world!

Posted by Jrand53 @ 08/26/2003 10:28 AM PST

add a "p" to disappointed

Posted by Spellcheck53 @ 08/26/2003 10:29 AM PST

My, my, what an elegant, swelligant party this is!

Happy Birthday squared to our two birthday boys!

And welcome back, DRs Lulu and Panni.

And greetings to our new DRs.

Posted by Jay @ 08/26/2003 10:31 AM PST

And, Frances, we have wired 125 top Hollywood producers and asked them to tune in tonight and keep you in mind for an important role.

You'll be a busy gal, Frances, dashing from interview to interview, and we know you've been depending on your friends for transportation...and so Pace Home Permanents and Edsel Division of the Ford Motor Company want you to have this brand new Edsel Pacer!! With its ease of handling, style, and above all dependability--this Edsel will get you where you want to go. It's yours to drive home tonight. [If you can get it started]

Click on Ralph's name for a surprise, I hope.

Posted by Ralph Edwards @ 08/26/2003 10:34 AM PST

Maya: Only if you retract the "Blech". 8-)>

Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/26/2003 10:35 AM PST

JRand53 I didn't know that you saw Wildcat on stage!! So then you saw Keith Andes as well as Lucy!

Posted by MBarnum @ 08/26/2003 10:35 AM PST

Ah, yes...remember several years ago when AMC was showing This Is Your Life? I didn't tape them, of course...stupid! I saw the Frances Farmer one; it was truly sad.

Posted by Lulu @ 08/26/2003 10:52 AM PST

Guys, thanks for welcoming me back, but I never really went away. I've been checking in and reading occasionally, but have been too busy and preoccupied to post. Rest assured I'll always be a Kimlet.

Posted by Lulu @ 08/26/2003 10:55 AM PST

Hi Lulu-
Good to see you back! I love to read your posts! :)

Posted by JB aka JK @ 08/26/2003 10:58 AM PST

Happy Birthday, Jrand and Jose!

Thank you, DR Noel, for your kind words about my cabaret. You Can Be a New Yorker, Too by Charles Strouse was, indeed, the comedy hit of the show. Too bad I can't post the lyric here. I wrote a letter to Charles Strouse informing him that I'd be singing that song in my show, and he wrote me a handwritten note saying he was thrilled that I was doing it and wished he could see it but he'd be out of town working on his new show...and I can't for the life of me remember what it was. Harvey? Hm. DR Noel would know. Anyway, it was such a thrill to get a letter from him: I kept it in the front of my score.

But the greatest thrill was meeting Joe Keenan at a party in LA and telling him that I had sung his song, Watching the Show, in my show. He told me great stories about that process, and how he used to walk around New York thinking of lyrics, and talked about the collaboration with Brad Ross. He seemed very proud of that particular song, and when we sat down at the piano later in the evening, he asked if it would be possible for us to do the song. Luckily, DR Noel was there and was able to play that very difficult song -- with all 47,697 key and rhythmic changes -- from memory and I sang it for the group. I don't know how we did it (if you know the song, you'll understand), but we made it through and it was one of the most thrilling and honored moments of my life. To sing a song like that, that meant so much to me, in front of the man who wrote it...wow. Anyway, I don't know if he liked it or not -- it was hard to tell -- but it didn't matter because what he really wanted was for his friends to hear that song. They were used to working with him as a sitcom writer, and this was a very different talent. I hope he was pleased.

(If anyone wants to hear that particular song, you can find it on the Broadway Bound album produced by our own BK. Or you can wait until I make my CD and hear me sing it instead of Michael Rupert. It's worth buying the album just for that one song; but of course there are other terrific songs on it, too.)

But the best song in the show was one that DR Noel wrote especially for me. I wanted to do the song "Why" from Tick Tick Boom but I couldn't make it work for me. Noel said, "I can write you a song that says the same thing that will be more tailored to you." I didn't think he could write me a song that would make me feel the way "Why" did, but he surpassed my wildest expectations and wrote me a knockout showstopper of a number that said exactly what was in my heart.

And that's why I love songwriters.

Posted by Joy @ 08/26/2003 11:11 AM PST

I think I've just broken the record for the longest post EVER.

Panni and William Orr - Good stuff on the advice to the bride!

From last night:
Maya, I used to live in Brookville in Alexandria, down the hill from Landmark (which, during my childhood, was an outdoor mall) and below 395 (which we used to call Shirley Highway back in them days). I went to Queen of Apostles elementary school. I lived there again as an adult, right after college, in Rose Hill, do you know where that is? I worked at LaPorta's Restaurant (amazing food, great special on Monday and Tuesday nights) in Old Town during the day and at the Lazy Susan at night. I hope you've never eaten the food there, that's all I have to say about that.

Posted by Joy @ 08/26/2003 11:19 AM PST

EDIT

That is, I hope you've never eaten the food at the Lazy Susan, not at LaPorta's. You should DEFINITELY eat the food at LaPorta's.

Posted by Joy @ 08/26/2003 11:21 AM PST

Heuruex anniversaires...and all good wishes for the natal day of Jrand52 and Jose!

Please note that the 52 in Jrand's name did NOT, I repeat NOT, change to 53.

That is, I have deduced, because the 52 is not to be mistaken for his age, although what it should be mistaken for I have NO idea.

Spill them beans, Jrand52!! What does the 52 stand for?

Jose: What special things will be you doing this wonderful day?

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/26/2003 11:26 AM PST

That's heureux, you provincial oaf!

Posted by La Bell Dame San Merci @ 08/26/2003 11:27 AM PST

Joy--lol, I got what you meant, thanks for the clarification though :)

I lived on Duke Street in Alexandria--I'm not quite sure where Brookville was but I'm sure if I drove by it today I'd recognize it. I went to Landmark Mall quite a lot as a little girl--one of the things that fostered my youthful love of shopping, lol. As for the Lazy Susan, I haven't been there in a couple of years but I don't remember the food as being that horrible. Then again, they could have hired a new cook!

WFO--I take the "blech" back! ;)

Posted by Maya @ 08/26/2003 11:27 AM PST

And that's "La Belle Dame Sans Merci"

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/26/2003 11:28 AM PST

Maya -
It's not that the food tastes bad, it's just that it's not terribly sanitary there.

The Lazy Susan is a fascinating place. When I worked there (Sound of Music), there were hundreds of stray cats meandering around all the time, most of them with horrible diseases, scrawny, scraggly, with runny eyes and crusty noses. We rehearsed in what was basically the scene shop: you had to crawl over set pieces and wood to get to the "stage". The backstage area is a trailer that pulls up to the back of the barn that was converted into a theatre. I had a blast working there, it was so weird and fun. But the theatre manager was kind of a nazi and we didn't make very good money because people didn't tip very well. You'd think people would be afraid to stiff a nun, but let me tell you they do.

Posted by Joy @ 08/26/2003 11:35 AM PST

I HATE COMPUTERS!!!! I have
just gotten out the first session
of my new computer class,
and all I've learned so far is
that I HATE COMPUTERS!!!!!!

Oh, and happy birthday to Jose
and Jrand52.

Posted by Sandra @ 08/26/2003 11:41 AM PST

Look again!

Now I have birthday greetings in Hungarian (Thanks DR Panni) and French!

MBarnum - I didn't even realize there were other people onstage with Lucy! There might have been, but I couldn't swear to it.

Posted by Jrand53 @ 08/26/2003 11:47 AM PST

And in Japanese:

Otanjobi omedetou gozaimasu, Jrand53-san to Jose-san! Oshiawase ni!

Posted by Susan @ 08/26/2003 11:56 AM PST

Ya, what Susan said.

Posted by MBarnum @ 08/26/2003 12:01 PM PST

Philip Crosby-When did you go to
NU? Who were your illustious
classmates? What shows did you
do? Many thanks for your kind
words.
One part I forgot: Broadway
experience-I saw my first NY show
when I was in 6th grade: FORUM
with Whoopi Goldberg. I've seen
many wonderful shows since, and a
few that weren't so great (ART, THE
RIDE DOWN MOUNT MORGAN).
I've seen more plays than musicals,
because we only buy for 1/2 price,
and the plays available for that are
generally better than the musicals
available for that price.

Posted by Hapgood @ 08/26/2003 12:06 PM PST

Some favorites by Charles Strouse:

From Golden Boy:
I Want to Be with You
Night Song
This Is the Life

I was appalled when Sammy Davis sang "What Kind of Fool Am I" as his encore, then later said that Golden Boy was the only show where the audience left humming a song from another production.

Also:
Once Upon a Time
It's Superman
Applause
But Alive
and, especially,
Spanish Rose

Joy - I loved "And That's Why I Love Songwriters."

And happy birthdays Jrand52 and José (forgive me if there's no accent).

Posted by Dan-in-Toronto @ 08/26/2003 12:08 PM PST

Domo arigato, Susan-san!

Posted by Jrand53 @ 08/26/2003 12:15 PM PST

Ah, but Jose doesn't use an accent.

As long as we have Hungarian and Japanese, let me add:

Felichan Naskotagon, Jochjo kaj Jachjo!

Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/26/2003 12:18 PM PST

Well, if you were doing the Sound of Music there, it would make some sense for the theatre manager to be a Nazi!

Sorry, couldn't resist ;) Seriously though, did you do a lot of shows at the Lazy Susan? I'd love to hear about some of your experiences, other than trying not to get bitten by the stray cats, lol!

Well, I'm off to take a cat nap....

Posted by Maya @ 08/26/2003 12:22 PM PST

Reading about all your first Broadway shows has been fascinating. I think my first NY experience of a Broadway show (while visiting NY for the first time with my mother) was the original production of CAMELOT. Burton and Andrews were no longer in it, but Robert Goulet was still Lancelot. The lights came up at the end and I was weeping so hard I couldn't move. I remember there was a man in some kind of full military uniform sitting next to me (I think of him as "The General") and I was particularly embarrassed to be crying like that in front of him. To cheer me up my mother took me to a famous nightclub with semi-nude dancers (that's the kind of mother she was) where our waiter chased us down the street and threw the tip she'd left back at her because it wasn't enough!

The very first stage show I ever saw was when I was two years old. The Nutcracker. Christmas Eve at the Opera House in Budapest. It was magical! I still have the ticket. My father wrote on the back of it that I behaved like a little adult. I have a very distinct memory of leaning over the balcony railing which was covered in come kind of plush maroon material - and wanting SO much to be out there on stage.

Posted by Panni @ 08/26/2003 12:30 PM PST

Lulu - DRJMK has a copy of Frances' appearance on TIYL including the edited portions that weren't on AMC and the commercials! It is very interesting to watch.

Does anyone else remember watching TIYL? Younger H/K, if you weren't there, it really can't be explained!

DR Panni....threw the tip! What a story!

Posted by Jrand53 @ 08/26/2003 12:36 PM PST

JRand
The Roz/Liza GYPSY Soundtrack seems to be a regular Rhino instead of a Rhino Handmade. The release date is 9/23.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/26/2003 12:52 PM PST

Thanks, Bill!

Posted by Jrand53 @ 08/26/2003 12:56 PM PST

Maya - That was the only show I did at the Lazy Susan. I moved to New York a few weeks afterward. We had a lady in the cast who was celebrating her 50th Anniversary with her husband. They were so cute! We did a little concert for them and Herr Schultz and I sang "Still" from Titanic. My friend Shelly and I were nuns (Sophia and Margaretta, respectively), which means we had tons of free time, so we used to sit backstage and make raspberries while people stretched and warmed up. The kids loved it. Once Brigitta and Friedrich missed their entrance because their teenage hormones were raging and they were making out in the wings. And one time I ran on to make my entrance and slipped and went fuh-lying across the stage.

What is it with The Sound of Music and cats? The next time I did SOM, there were tons of stray cats living around the cast housing. We took two to the vet and had them spayed & neutered (Gretl, a kitten, and Friedrich, a very affectionate tomcat), and both of them got adopted. Friedrich now lives on my in-laws' spacious park of a home in Pennsylvania, and we get to visit him every so often.

Posted by Joy @ 08/26/2003 01:00 PM PST

I love to work on THE SOUND OF MUSIC. One production - the Mother Superior had the line about the nightgown...and she would always say: "Sister, the meer." Instead of "mirror!" LOL.

And there are always lots of nuns smoking backstage which is a sight to behold...and always one or two pregnant nuns. I love THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

Posted by Jrand52 @ 08/26/2003 01:08 PM PST

To Jrand53:

Regarding Miss Anne Baxter and Applause, I must admit I was 14 when I saw the show and actual memories are somewhat dim. I remember her being very warm and glamorous onstage and that her singing voice was much better than Bacall's. Only Penny Fuller was left from the original cast -- I had never encountered All About Eve before I saw Applause so Eve's subterfuge was a total surprise. And at that age to hear someone sing "twitchy, bitchy and manic" and see a gay character onstage and bare bums in the title song ... well, it all made quite the impression.

To DR Hapgood:

I was in the theatre school at NU from 1975-79, one of last classes never to have used the huge new theatre complex on the lake. Let me see, during my senior year I directed Jayne Atkinson (Enchanted April) and Michael Grief (who directed Rent) in a show, and at other times during my four years worked with or had classes with Megan Mullally, Brad Hall, BK's own Michelle Nicastro, Jeff (Big River) Calhoun, Richard (Bounce) Kind ... etc, the list goes on. Of course not to mention all the legendary alums such as Charlton Heston (I had a class taught by his sister), Frank Galati, Paul Lynde, Charlotte Rae, Cloris Leachman, and BK's own Miss Ann-Margret, among others.

You will treasure it.

Posted by Philip Crosby @ 08/26/2003 01:11 PM PST

DR Jennifer: Re: Big Brother 4 -- I'm trying to keep up with John's summaries at the Canoe site, but I'm obviously missing something.

Do you have any idea whether Jun and Allison intend to vote Jack off or will they vote Erika off? I thought they formed an all-female alliance. Only Robert has a vote on the guy side, so Jun and Allison control the fate of the Stooges!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/26/2003 01:31 PM PST

My GOODNESS, I've been
working non-stop since I got
here - trying to fix one of the
shows which had real
structural problems. But, I'll be
back quite often this afternoon,
because then we have to
output tapes and that takes
several hours, during which I
shall sit at my desk and
computer like so much fish
and post until the cows come
home, or at least until Swishy
Sarah comes home.

Posted by bk @ 08/26/2003 01:44 PM PST

Happy Birthday, dear Jose.

Happy Birthday, Dear Jrand52.

You two guys were among the warmest DRs to me when I first came to this site, and I want to wish you both the very best birthdays ever, and to say thank you for being such great guys.

I have two favorite Strouse songs: "Once Upon a Time" that so many have mentioned and "Baby, Talk to Me." BYE BYE BIRDIE is far and away my favorite of Strouse's scores.

Posted by Matt H. @ 08/26/2003 01:47 PM PST

My first "Broadway" show, I think, was Anything Goes when it was on tour at the Kennedy Center. My first West End show was Sunset Boulevard with Patti LuPone. My first actual Broadway show was "Masterclass" with Patti LuPone, and my first actual Broadway Musical was...um...hang it all, I can't remember! Maybe Triumph of Love? I really have no idea!

My first onstage experience in a real show (as opposed to the 1st grade talent show) was in Finian's Rainbow in 5th grade. My mother drove me the 45 miles to opening night in a BLIZZARD and back home again. We got stuck in a snow drift and had to schlep to the nearest house (which was about 50 yards away, thank goodness) to get someone to dig us out. But I never missed a performance, dangit! My big line was, "Real angels? With wings?" I've had a soft spot for FR ever since.

Posted by Joy @ 08/26/2003 01:48 PM PST

Back from school, which was a blsat! Today was SO much better than yesterday!

Pd 2: Biology: This class should be interesting. I think science is fun, because it's pretty much a hands-on class, and for someone like me, who is pursuing music, it's a free for all, because its just like having fun for an hour and a half.

Pd 4: Flex: This is like weird study hall, they divide the block up into 2 45 minutes sections, where you go back to 2 different classes for review or study hall. I had study hall for the first section, then i went to another one, but it was choir, and we wanted to sing, so we did. That made NO sense at all...sorry :)

Pd. 6: Show Choir! This was a blast, we sang a little and talked a lot and sang a little more, and it was great, because we sounded awesome! I'm going to LOVE this class so much! Singing AND dancing...the best *big cheesy grin ;)*

Pd 8: World History: I think I'll like this class... One good thing is that she has us discussing a lot and debating, so I can get argumentative, and not fall asleep. It's an AP class, so it'll be a boatload of work, but I'll survive, and it'll look great on college applications. :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JOSE AND JRAND53!! Remember, age is just a number :)

And welcome to the cookie jar, new DR Ed! What kind of cookie are YOU?

Posted by Sarah @ 08/26/2003 01:49 PM PST

From lastnight:

DR Joy- where exactly in Prince George's County did you live? Just curious, as it is my current area of residence.

I can't recall ever going to the Lazy Susan. I definitely have seen shows at West End and Toby's. The latter is possibly the best non-Equity theatre in the D.C. area. Good food, too.

DR Jrand52- just seeing nuns milling around anywhere is great! I, too, love TSoM. I played Friedrich a couple years ago; had such a great experience. Unfortunately, the children were double and triple cast so instead of having 5 siblings I had close to 20.

As for Mr. Strouse- you can never go wrong with any of BYE BYE BIRDIE. I've always been an ANNIE fan, as well. Had a chance to assistant direct it last year.

BTW, ask DR Sarah for her newest Gershwin recording... it is quite mah-velous.

Posted by Paulie @ 08/26/2003 01:50 PM PST

Why THANK you Luap dear!

And it's available in .wav AND MP3! I found a converter to DL so I can make them smaller now!

Posted by Sarah @ 08/26/2003 01:54 PM PST

DR Paulie: I lived in Upper Marlborough, and then we started drifting down south into Dunkirk, which is not really PG county anymore, I realize.

The smoking nuns story reminds me of when my college did Winnie the Pooh as the Childrens' Theatre show. I went down to the theatre to talk to a friend in the cast, during intermission, and milling around the stage door were Piglet, Rabbit, Kanga, and Roo, puffing away on their cigarettes.

Posted by Joy @ 08/26/2003 01:58 PM PST

Are there supposed to be color pictures up of Juliana? If so, how come I can't see them?

Posted by Joy @ 08/26/2003 02:00 PM PST

A short leap from smoking nuns: I used to work in department store retail, and there's nothing quite as unsettling as going to the men's room and seeing Santa at the urinal.

Posted by Jay @ 08/26/2003 02:00 PM PST

Jrand: Isn't that always the way! JMK has the bestest stuff!

Did I mention yet that on Fantasy Island last night, John Saxon was a Special Guest Star, and his love interest was BK's Close Personal Friend Diana Canova?

Well, consider it mentioned.

Posted by Lulu @ 08/26/2003 02:01 PM PST

LOL....

Hey...if you haven't followed the link Richard Valley put up yesterday for JEEPERS CREEPERS, go there!

There are some links and mpg files for some of the songs...what a lot of fun.

Be the first in your neighborhood to own one!

Posted by Jrand53 @ 08/26/2003 02:04 PM PST

Johnny Saxon - I love Unguarded Moment and The Restless Years and The Reluctant Debutante...and ALL of them. I bet he and Diana looked GREAT together!

Posted by Jrand53 @ 08/26/2003 02:09 PM PST

BTW (by the way in internet lingo), do you know what today is?

TODAY is my 2 month anniversary here at HHW! It feels like so much longer, wow...

:)

Posted by Sarah @ 08/26/2003 02:22 PM PST

It was a lovely day when
Swishy Sarah arrived - she is
one of the brightest young
persons it's been my pleasure
to know - but then we've been
blessed with bright young
people like Maya Fair Lady,
Sandra, Hapgood, and on and
on (if I've forgotten your name -
insert it here - I'm senile you
know).

Posted by bk @ 08/26/2003 02:30 PM PST

By the way (BTW, in Internet
lingo) as of two days ago
August officially became our
biggest month, stats-wise,
and we still have quite a few
days left. Congratulations to
all you Hainsies/Kimlets who
are responsible for our
amazing feat or, at the very
least, our amazing feet.

Posted by bk @ 08/26/2003 02:35 PM PST

A quick check in. Back much later. I have indeed preordered Jeeprs Creepers. Have a good day everyone. Is TCB back on line yet?

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/26/2003 02:46 PM PST

I missed the beginning of all this stuff about John Saxon, but I'll add my bit. (Perhaps I should be called "The Story Lady"...) When I was a young stage actress I used to get bit player work in anything that was shooting around Toronto, hoping to be discovered as the next Bergman (Ingrid, not Ingmar). So I got a "role" as one of the sorority girls in "Black Christmas" - actually not a bad slasher film, directed by Bob Clark, a precursor of the "Halloween" flicks - heavy breathing from the murder's POV, that kind of spooky stuff. The leads were Keir Dullea, Olivia Hussey, Margot Kidder, etc. What excited me was that the detective would be played by Edmond O'Brien. I was/am a sucker for stars of the fifties and really looked forward to meeting him. So Edmond O'Brien finally showed up on set one night, but was - to put it charitably - under the weather. Next thing we knew, he was replaced by, of all people, John Saxon.
So could I say I've co-starred with John Saxon? Okay, that's stretching it as I didn't have a single line in the film. Let's say we were on celluloid together.

Posted by Panni @ 08/26/2003 03:32 PM PST

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOYS!!!!!
Now, you know at HHW, you have to show us your birthday suits!

Posted by td @ 08/26/2003 03:55 PM PST

BK I am hurt that I was not included in your list of blessedly bright young people.

pout pout pout... :( :( :(

jk :)

Posted by Emily @ 08/26/2003 04:04 PM PST

School starts for me next wednesday and I made the unfortunate mistake of checking out the books I'm going to be needing this term at the McGill Bookstore and their, shudder, respective prices.

Anyone wanna lend me some cash? :P

Posted by Emiily @ 08/26/2003 04:05 PM PST

does this mean I have to wish Jose, JRand AND Sarah a "bonne anniversaire"? :)

Posted by Emily @ 08/26/2003 04:06 PM PST

Emily: Try searching www.half.com for textbooks. They saved me tons o' cash!

Posted by Lulu @ 08/26/2003 04:28 PM PST

I'm thinkin' we might just reach 100 posts.

Posted by Lulu @ 08/26/2003 04:28 PM PST

Thanks to all your DRs! This is trulest the swellest bunch of swells on the internet - well, anywhere for that matter. I love having a 38 hour window to celebrate my birthday! And what a birthday I had here in Australia yesterday/today! -I'm about to leave for the aiport to head to Melbourne, so I'll just give the highlights version - more details later...

-Watched the Stunt Call auditions. WOW!!! We had a few Olympic level gymnasts try out, and, needless to say, they were very impressive. Well, everyone who showed up was impressive - there's a big "stuntie" community here in the Gold Coast.

-I jumped off a five meter platform.... and then I jumped off a ten meter platform!! WHAT A RUSH!!!! Heck, it was my birthday, I had to do something totally crazy - and very memorable - and I even got in on film, and on some digital movie footage too! *Who knew 30 feet was soooooo high! I've never felt my heart pound so hard in my life. But once my toes hit the water.... Whoosh!! I could actually feel my hear rate return back to normal - well, close to normal.

-The USJ team ended up turning our final night in Gold Coast dinner into a wonderful birthday celebration for me. We ate at this wonderful restaurant right on the ocean. The food was amazing!! -Who knew an oyster shooter could be soooo good - we ordered a few rounds! There was plenty of wine flowing too. At the end of the meal, I was presented with a cake, no candles, but with sparklers in it. And as my Australian "treat", I was also presented with a Vegemite sandwich. A BIG Vegemite sandwich. I had a few nibbles - which I didn't mind - but I concentrated on the chocolate cake which was topped with "Fredo (sp?) Froggies" - little chocolates shaped like frogs. YUM!

The best part of the whole evening was knowing that I was among a group of new friends. We all seem to get along very well, and I'm a real good fit - and there was even a champagne toast to officially welcome me to the team. I was VERY flattered and humbled. I've already stowed away many wonderful memories from the past few days...and I still have a few more weeks to spend with these people.... :-)

Well, I need to get going or I'll get left here in Gold Coast.. which wouldn't be that bad...

Happy Birthday, JRand53!!!

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 08/26/2003 04:35 PM PST

Jrand53 -- as you probably grokked, I went from BK's birthday message straight to post, otherwise I'd have seen you explaining your numerical designation change!

Happy Birthday, Jack!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/26/2003 04:39 PM PST

Awww...long nap...very refreshing...

BK--thank you for the compliment! I've been here for about 3 months now and have no intention of going away any time soon...this is simply the best site on the internet and the people here are the smartest and funniest!

Sarah--hey, where's that converted voice file I was promised??? E-mail me, Swishy!

Joy and Jrand--laughed out loud at your Sound of Music stories! ;)

Jose--Glad you're having such a good time in the wonderful land of Oz, birthday boy!

Paulie--do you know that I spent the first 10 years of my life living opposite the West End Dinner Theatre? That big beige builing across from it was where I grew up. I remember my parents taking me to see South Pacific there when I was very, very wee and I also remember that there was an X-rated movie theatre right next to it. Of course, back then those titles would have made no sense to me....;)

Posted by Maya @ 08/26/2003 04:59 PM PST

Uh, oh, a mid-afternoon early
evening lull has come upon
us. Let us lose the lull lest we
lull ourselves into a lullaby.

I'm thinkin' we might just get to
103 posts.

Posted by bk @ 08/26/2003 05:00 PM PST

Has anyone else seen a movie called SORDID LIVES?

Posted by Jrand53 @ 08/26/2003 05:15 PM PST

In my best Ron Husmann voice . . .

I’m thrilled by this marvelous (unseemly?) honor. I don’t know what to say.
It’s so much more than I deserve. I’ll always remember this day.
My name engraved in solid gold. Gosh, it looks just fine.
But I’d like to say, sincerely, this award’s not really all mine.
You see . . .

I couldn’t have done it alone.
No, I couldn’t have done it alone.
This honor should be
Not really for me,
But for all the folks behind the scenes that you never see.
So, I humbly bestow all my thanks
To those wonderful guys in the ranks.
You’ve helped me go far.
Thanks to you I’m a star.
But, I couldn’t have done it,
I wouldn’t have won it,
I couldn’t have done it alone!
No, sirini!
I couldn’t have done it alone!

I have an unhealthy obsession with the entire score of “All American” (not just “Once Upon a Time”), and today the above song from that show happens to be my Strouse favorite. Excluding eBay auctions, I’ve never won anything on the internet before, and if I may say so myself, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy! (Rim-shot!)

My father thanks you, my mother thanks you, my sister thanks you, and I WANT THAT SPARKLING PRIZE! (Rim-shot!)

It seems some of those prizes sparkle, Pelly. Some of them do sparkle. (AJL reference.)

Big ups to my favorite search engine Google, and shout-outs to my homies at IMDB and IBDB.

You like me, you really, really, like me, etc.

My mailing address is in the mail, BK.

Posted by Sigerson Holmes @ 08/26/2003 05:17 PM PST

Hmm...how to fix a lull...

A good question for DR's to think about. What was the best moment of your life? The one moment you felt like you were walking on air, happier than you'd ever been, on cloud nine (not cloud ten, Benjamin)?

Once when I was getting a haircut, I told the hairdresser that I liked to sing. She asked me if I would sing something for her, and then everyone else in the place started prodding me to sing, so I sang some random song, I think it was "Gimme Gimme" from TMM. When I finished, an old woman told me I reminded her of when she was young, "full of music", and she was teary eyed. I was in the best mood I've ever been in for the rest of the week.

Posted by Sarah @ 08/26/2003 05:25 PM PST

Happy Birthday Jose!

Happy Birthday Jrand!

Hope you both have a terrific day

Posted by Michael @ 08/26/2003 05:29 PM PST

So hard for me to chose a Charles Strouse song because he primarily wrote with other lyrcists. A song to me has words and the words for me are the key ingredient if I like a song. The music always comes second.

Having said that. Songs I like that have music by Charles Strouse

Once Upon a Time
One Halloween
Whatever Time There Is
There's Always One You Forget
Children of the Wind
If We Never Meet Again
Night Song

Posted by Michael @ 08/26/2003 05:38 PM PST

So I just thought of some of my favourite composers and favourite scores...a dozen...only one of which appears on the BBC's all-time best scores list...John Barry, though Dances With Wolves is not my favourite score.

Here they are...along with some of my favourite of their scores...in no particular order, except that Miklos Rozsa always comes first:

1)MIKLOS ROZSA...Thief of Baghdad, Providence, Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, Providence, El Cid, Ben-Hur...

2)JOHN BARRY...Zulu, The Last Valley, Robin & Marian, James Bond

3)JERRY GOLDSMITH...Legend, Wind & The Lion

4)ELMER BERNSTEIN...Magnificent 7; Zulu Dawn

5)JEROME MOROSS...Big Country; The Warlord

6)ALFRED NEWMAN...Captain From Castile; The Mark of Zorro

7)ERICH KORNGOLD...Adventures of Robin Hood, Elizabeth & Essex, King's Row

8)ALEX NORTH...Cleopatra, Spartacus

9)BERNARD HERRMANN...Jason & the Argonauts, 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Jane Eyre

10)MARIO NASCIMBENE...The Vikings, Solomon and Sheba

11)FRANZ WAXMAN...Taras Bulba (The Ride of the Cossacks!); Prince Valiant

12)VAUGHN WILLIAMS...Scott of Antarctica (Sinfonia Antarctica..one of the most haunting pieces of music every written. I play it every Halloween)

Posted by Charles Pogue @ 08/26/2003 05:54 PM PST

Sarah - You wicked, young woman, I swore just to check in and see what the HHW-ers were talking about because I have LOTS to do. But your question about happiest moments got me thinking. It got me thinking about Miss Peggy Lee's superb "Is That All There Is?" When I was your age and younger I would practice my Oscar speech in front of the mirror, thinking that kind of recognition would be IT, that cat's meoww. When I got older and actually received some of those coveted prizes (not the Oscar - not yet) the utter thrill and over-the-moonness lasted about as long as it took to walk off the stage. Then I'd hear Miss Lee in my head.
...And now I have to go and walk the dog before dusk hits and the nasty West Nile carrying mosquitoes come out and BITE.

Posted by Panni @ 08/26/2003 06:06 PM PST

Thanks again DR Michael and Sarah and all for the continued Birthday wishes.

Well...if we are going to mention Elmer Bernstein, I have to say a couple of words about TRUE GRIT....a fine score, and WHERE'S JACK a film I have never seen, but I bought the soundtrack for fifty cents...and it is terrific!

Posted by Jrand53 @ 08/26/2003 06:22 PM PST

Happy Official Birthdays to DRs Jose and JRand!

I have a friend who loves the shows of Charles Strouse (and thinks that he has even talked with him on the phone!) as much as I love the shows of Stephen Sondheim (although I've never spoken to Sondheim on the phone). However, I do love the musicals of Strouse. Here are just a few of his melodies / songs that I really like:

Boom Chicka Boom (Nick & Nora)
But Alive (Applause)
But You Go On (Annie Warbucks)
I Love 'Em All (Bring Back Birdie - I just think that this is a fun song)
Little Girls (Annie - this one too)
A Lot of Livin' To Do (Bye Bye Birdie - I'm partial to the movie version 'cause saw it first)
May the Best Man Win (Nick & Nora)
Maybe (Annie)
One Boy (Bye Bye Birdie - sigh…someday)
A Singer Must Be Free (Nightingale)
You Can Be a New Yorker Too! (Mayor)
You've Got Possibilities (…Superman)
The entire score to Rags
I also have two songs that are from the demo recording of Star Wars : The Musical that are just a hoot!

Posted by George @ 08/26/2003 06:37 PM PST

Happy Birthday Jose and Jrand!

RonP wrote:

DR Jennifer: Re: Big Brother 4 -- I'm trying to keep up with John's summaries at the Canoe site, but I'm obviously missing something.

Do you have any idea whether Jun and Allison intend to vote Jack off or will they vote Erika off? I thought they formed an all-female alliance. Only Robert has a vote on the guy side, so Jun and Allison control the fate of the Stooges!

Okay here is my take on things. Jun and Alison are very sneaky. They are both playing both sides. So sometimes it's hard to know what their real intentions are. I think that Jun and Alison really are going to work together (they decided to form a secret alliance).

As for who they will vote out, the most telling signs are what they say in the diary room. Or what they say when they are alone. I am pretty sure (i would bet) that they will stick with Erika and surprise the Stooges and vote out Jack. I think it is a smart move and I really hope they do it.

Btw, check out CANOE's take on the surprise that the announcer told us at the end of tonight's show. Interesting.

Posted by Jennifer @ 08/26/2003 06:48 PM PST

OMG I hate computers! Well I love them. But I hate when they have minds of their own. I had such problems with microsoft word today.

Btw, for anyone interested, here's my abbreviated role call:
Me: Jennifer Kalman, age 33, lives in Montreal.

Noel wrote:
I can see I've confused people about Our Wedding
and The Help I Need.

Both. Our Wedding is a brand new original musical comedy that will be performed in a theatre this fall. "Ushers" will take the guests' tickets and show them to their seats. The "rehearsal dinner" will involve way more rehearsing than dining. During the course of the show, a real-life, singing, honest-to-god man-of-the-cloth, will actually marry my bride and me. After the show, there's a cast party.

The Help I Need has to do with one of the songs. The bridesmaids (there are four of them and their dresses will not match) will sing a song that begins with traditional advice to the bride. Stuff like "Never go to bed angry" and "Don't hang your undies from the shower curtain." Then, the mood of the song changes, from madrigal to rock as they focus on wedding night advice. This is a whole lot sexier, but shouldn't be too sexy, as this is a family wedding (just as HHW is a family website).

The process of writing songs usually involves making long lists of things that could possibly end up in the lyric. So, if people contribute huge truckloads of advice-to-the-bride, I'll be able to winnow it down into a good song. At this point, I have too little, so what I've got is a not-so-good and way-too-dirty song.

We hope to make the CD available for sale after the honeymoon.

Okay I think I understand now. You are getting married and making it into a musical. The part that has me confused still though, is will the show continue to run after the wedding?

I will see if I can find some info for you. The thing that gets me is there must be info on this on the internet. We just aren't searching for the right thing.

jennifer

Posted by Jennifer @ 08/26/2003 06:54 PM PST

I emailed "Embraceable You" to DR's Joy, Dave, Paulie, and bk. I know Paulie recieved his, did the rest of you? My email is acting funny, so I don't know.

And bk, I thought you said you'd be posting until the cows came home? The cows are gettin' close, you had better hurry up!

Posted by Sarah @ 08/26/2003 07:22 PM PST

Dear Reader and Birthday Boy Jrand53:

I have seen Sordid Lives and thought it was a hoot. My favorite moment was the lipstick/cigarette scene. Why do you ask?

Posted by Jay @ 08/26/2003 07:30 PM PST

I also have Sordid Lives and have been getting a lot of my friends who haven;t seen it over to the house to watch it. I love it and seen it about seven time since I bought and have not grown tired of it yet.

And remember rubber bands never stop anyone from smoking.

Posted by Michael @ 08/26/2003 08:14 PM PST

Sarah, I received my copy of "Embraceable You", and it was lovely. Thanks so much!

Watched "The Importance of Being Earnest" this evening. Highly enjoyable, and recommended. I seem to recall that someone on this board is a Colin Firth fan... ;-)

Posted by Dave @ 08/26/2003 09:01 PM PST

Hey, have any of you read Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis? I just checked it out at the library....absolutely hilarious. I can't believe, loving the musical as I do, that I didn't read this book sooner.

Dave--I think most of the females here are probably Colin Firth fans...he's absolutely dreamy...

Posted by Maya @ 08/26/2003 09:05 PM PST

By the way, Noel, what theatre are
you and your fiancee using for the
wedding? And are tickets available
outside o the wedding party? Can
you tour to Chicago?
My best advice, though I can't thik of
much, is: "Don't have children if you
don't really want them. They don't go
away when you are tired."
I love "The Importance Of Being
Earnest", but mostly for Judi Dench.
Though I would love the chance to
do it with the company that I helped
to found this year.

Posted by Hapgood @ 08/26/2003 09:17 PM PST

I'm here, I'm here, and the fershluganah cows aren't. I did receive the e-mail Swishy Sarah, but haven't heard it yet. I'll be listening to it before I head off to bed and I will post my thoughts on the 'morrow. Tomorrow will be a very special notes, so tune in for sure.

Posted by bk @ 08/26/2003 09:35 PM PST

Auntie Mame is one of my favorite books. Mame (the second musical to be based on a Patrick Dennis novel) was the first show I saw on Broadway. I very much identified with young Patrick. Later, I very much identified with Mame, although these days I identify most with Beau.

A wedding guest who's had musicals on Broadway assures me Our Wedding will be performed again and again but I just don't see it. Everything's very specifically tailored to the people performing, and how can they be reassembled? We're going on our honeymoon; the flower girl (my niece) can only stay up that late at night because she'll still be on Pacific Coast Time that day; my best man sings about our friendship of nearly 3 decades, and the next day returns to the Bay Area, where she's often doing plays written just for her. The song I wrote today aspires to be rhapsodic, like Strouse's Night Song. (It's the bride's solo.)

Posted by Noel @ 08/26/2003 09:39 PM PST

Noel--Thanks for the Auntie Mame thoughts :)

You know, I actually think that writing a musical based on your impending wedding (to be performed at the wedding) is an inspired idea. There have been plently of musicals to explore different aspects of marriage itself, but I'm not aware of any (anything recent anyway) that are completely about the act of getting married!

I wish I could help you with your advice to the bride song, but I only have one idea which probably isn't that good. Maybe you could center a song around the idea of the bride wearing something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Just a thought...

Posted by Maya @ 08/26/2003 09:47 PM PST

Well, Noel, knowing how much young brides don't really want advice from old wives, I only give one bit of advice that is harmless and useful. Always buy yourself a pink toothbrush, because he'll never mistake it for his. (I discovered my DH was using my toothbrush because he couldn't remember which color was his.)

Posted by Laura @ 08/26/2003 10:25 PM PST

Noel - I'm thoroughly confused. If this actually is YOUR wedding AND a show, then, of course, forget the previous song suggestions I gave you. That would've been for a fictional show. As I said, I'm confused. I got up out of bed just now to get a drink and was lured to the site by my blinking computer. So now I'm going back to bed and my book. G'night, all.

Posted by Panni @ 08/26/2003 10:33 PM PST

Greetings from Melbourne!

WOW!!!!!!

First the hotel is simply amazing - it actually intimidates me. We're at the Crown Towers Casino - it's right on the river - which I have a view of, and it's HUGE!!!!!! There's a main casino, and apparently, there are some smaller, private gaming rooms available for the truly high rollers. I shall explore it once I get back. And my room is simply stunning - all marble fixtures, various light controls and a full walk-in closet. Oh, and I have my own fax machine too! This is the life!!!

Melbourne, itself, at least what I've seen in the past hour or so seems incredible. So cosmopolitan, but with a very friendly air to it - it kind of reminds me of Chicago. So much shopping. So much food(!!!!). So much to do. I'm gonna have to look at my guide books and really just pick one or two things to get done in my free time - otherwise, I'll just end up getting frustrated, and one must definitely not get frustrated when in the Land of OZ.

Well, I'm logging on at a Global Gossip internet cafe. Very neat set-up, and the staff has been amazingly helpful - my first computer station froze, and they went ahead and credited me for the time I was on already, so... They even have an "internet happy hour" between 9:00-10:00am - only $2.50.hour. And their usual rate is only $4.00/hour - which in USD is only running me about $2.50! Not a bad deal at all - it's a very nice walk from my hotel in the CBD (central business district). Well, I'm gonna continue checking in on things at home, and then continue "walking the block" as they call it - or so I've read. And they have a few branches in Sydney too, so I can continue using my internet card there too. So neat!

*I've also been keeping a written diary, and the number of times the word "neat" has been written in the past four days.... NEAT!

Once again, thanks for all the birthday wishes.

*The big question for tonight is whether or not I hit the casino... Hmmm....

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 08/26/2003 11:51 PM PST

Jose - did you? And did you win?

I was asking about SORDID LIVES because a friend gave me the DVD for my birthday YESTERDAY!

It made me laugh a lot. I had never heard of it!

Posted by Jrand53 @ 08/27/2003 03:27 AM PST

A late entry - one of those days when I could not get past the first 20 or so posts and thus could not read so much nor post!

I may have mentioned it before with this topic but I have always had a fondness for "I And Albert" and the song "No-one To Call Me Victoria". I assume some of the DRs are familiar with the score.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/27/2003 03:57 AM PST

WEL, is there any notice at Rhino about Gypsy? I have searched what seems to be the entire Web site and I can't find anything about the CD. Do you have a link to the information?

Posted by Ben @ 08/27/2003 04:08 AM PST

Maya,

And if you haven't seen Rosalind Russell's Auntie Mame, borrow it as soon as you're through with the book.

Posted by Dan-in-Toronto @ 08/27/2003 05:18 AM PST

I was errant and truant with Roll Call yesterday, but better late than never I guess!

Name: Stephen Golden
Internet Name: Wee Stevie
Age: 32
Location: London, UK
Occupation: Compliance Officer
Ethnic Background: American [People don't normally think of American as an ethnicity...but when you are living out of the country, you realise it actually is one]
Marital Status: Partnered with my Richard for 6 years
First Broadway Show: Fiddler on the Roof revival in 92 (I think)
First theatrical musical: Les Mis - touring company in Philadelphia
First West End Show: Kiss of the Spider Woman starring Bebe Neuwirth.
Favourite Strouse songs:
Rags (the song)
There's Always One You Can't Forget
Easy Street
Going Steady
A Lot of Living

Actually, last month I went to the London revival of Golden Boy, and there was a song on there which I didn't have on my CD...so it might have been a new addition. Basically, it was the finale and the boxer's (Joe) sister leads this amazing gospel number. Unfortunately, I can't think of the title at present!

I loved the Strouse review (A Lot of Living) that played in London a few years back. I wish that had been recorded!

Posted by Wee stevie @ 08/27/2003 05:30 AM PST

Wee Stevie,

I have the Golden Boy LP, but not the CD. Nor do I have a record player. But if memory serves (a Tenderloin reference), the finale goes: "I ain't goin' down, no more. No more!" And rousing it is.

Posted by Dan-in-Toronto @ 08/27/2003 06:15 AM PST

Ben - The GYPSY info came from a link on Broadwaystars.Com to "Talking Broadway List of Upcoming CD Releases". GYPSY is listed under 9/23 but there is no link yet as to any further info or where it can be ordered. Rhino usually doesn't add upcoming titles to their site until they can be pre-ordered.

Maya - If you enjoyed reading AUNTIE MAME, then you must also read the sequal AROUND THE WORLD WITH AUNTIE MAME. Any "Patrick Dennis" book is worth reading. LITTLE ME is funnier than the musical. The pictures alone are priceless. A followup to LITTLE ME was a spoof on political autiobiographies called FIRST LADY and the pictures featured Peggy Cass in the title role. "Patrick Dennis" wasn't the only name Edward Tanner wrote under. Look for books by Virginia Rowen. Tanner once said "Rowan writes better but Dennis Sells Better". Also check out Tanner's biography which came out last year called UNCLE MAME.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/27/2003 06:29 AM PST

BK: The quiz was amazing for its intricacy. At one point my diagram included Jerry Orbach (for the TV series) and Ethel Merman (for the two movie musicals) - but that would've been another show entirely.

Posted by Dan-in-Toronto @ 08/27/2003 06:51 AM PST

Colin Firth?

*sigh....

:)

Posted by Emily @ 08/27/2003 07:03 AM PST

I'm sure it isn't just the ladies who feel that way about Colin Firth... ;-)

My answer to the trivia question also included Jerry Orbach at one point, and I had an answer all worked out that fit all the criteria but one, so I had to start from scratch.

Nobody answered my question about LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE. Has no one seen it? I believe it was made in the 1980's by Hi-Tops video for HBO. It's a half-hour animated feature, with music (and lyrics, I believe) by Charles Strouse. The orchestrations are by Michael Starobin, and if one listens closely to some of the underscoring, one can hear some familiar melodies from RAGS.

The song "Don't Leave Me Now" is a beautiful melody sung by the young boy as Lyle is being taken away by his former owner. My son and I watched it when he was younger. It was the first thing he ever watched that made him cry.

Posted by Dave @ 08/27/2003 07:37 AM PST

I'm sure it isn't just the ladies who feel that way about Colin Firth... ;-)

My answer to the trivia question also included Jerry Orbach at one point, and I had an answer all worked out that fit all the criteria but one, so I had to start from scratch.

Nobody answered my question about LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE. Has no one seen it? I believe it was made in the 1980's by Hi-Tops video for HBO. It's a half-hour animated feature, with music (and lyrics, I believe) by Charles Strouse. The orchestrations are by Michael Starobin, and if one listens closely to some of the underscoring, one can hear some familiar melodies from RAGS.

The song "Don't Leave Me Now" is a beautiful melody sung by the young boy as Lyle is being taken away by his former owner. My son and I watched it when he was younger. It was the first thing he ever watched that made him cry.

Posted by Dave @ 08/27/2003 07:38 AM PST