Topic: CASTING ASPERSIONS (Read 19458 times)

Ben · « **Reply #60 on:** August 12, 2004, 11:49:50 AM »

Hello, Mr. Mahler!

S. Woody White · « **Reply #61 on:** August 12, 2004, 11:51:50 AM »

Quote from: Danise on August 12, 2004, 03:44:01 AM

Gotta run but will check in later today. The weather should be good for today.

Have a good and safe day!

Safe vibes to you, Danise, from both myself and der B.

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Jane · « **Reply #62 on:** August 12, 2004, 11:55:25 AM »

I'm guessing Michael Shayne lives in a different part of Florida. I had a good laugh reading last night's conversation.

George · « **Reply #63 on:** August 12, 2004, 11:55:42 AM »

Put me in the ever increasing list of people who've never been to an Opening on Broadway. However, I've been in shows that have opened (all locally produced, of course) and one even opened a theater! Harlequin Productions (local and semi-professional) every years writes a Christmas show set in the ficitional "Stardust Ballroom" in New York, during the World War II years. I played Sidney the bartender in five of the first six Stardust shows.

Anyway, Harlequin bought their own theater and the first show presented there was one of the Stardust shows! They had a big fancy opening night (black tie) and pulled out all the stops. A picture of the cast was in the paper and there were stories all summer about how Harlequin started their first season with $400, raised money during that year to buy the theater and never had a season that ended in the minus (finacially). We had a great run, extended a couple of weekends and the series of shows continues. They're going to have their 10th Stardust show this year. I've seen every one that I wasn't in (I haven't auditioned for them in a while, that's the main reason that I'm not still in them). They're also the group that wrote and produced the wonderful show A Rock 'n' Roll Twelfth Night.

Jay · « **Reply #64 on:** August 12, 2004, 12:04:50 PM »

Quote from: Stuart on August 12, 2004, 11:14:48 AM

I don't know if you recall this, Dear Brother, but when we went to see Mr. Sondheim's opus SWEENEY TODD, none other than author-for-whom-every word-is-a-lie, Miss Lillian Hellman was also in attendance. (Or was it Miss Mary McCarthy, for whom every word was a lie? I forget which one of them pitched that salvo....)

With a punim like hers, who could forget?

S. Woody White · « **Reply #65 on:** August 12, 2004, 12:06:36 PM »

Quote from: JoseSPiano on August 12, 2004, 11:12:47 AM

...The Secret Service detail besides being very Secret Service-y, was also quite dashing in their dark suits and ear pieces.

And we all do so love Secret Service men in their ear pieces!

S. Woody White · « **Reply #66 on:** August 12, 2004, 12:18:48 PM »

Der Brucer and I were in the audience for the opening night of Ragtime at the recently demolished Shubert Theater in Los Angeles.

We'd seen one of the previews, and liked it very much. A friend of ours was friends with someone on the publicity staff for the opening night, and said staffer was looking for seat-fillers for the opening night. Der B., of course, said that we'd be glad to go.

This led to our standing in the Los Angeles afternoon heat in our best suits (not our tuxedos, just our best suits), waiting for the celebs to enter the theater. The line for the seat-fillers was off to the side of the theater, basically out of sight of everyone else, and given how most of the seat-fillers were NOT in THEIR best suits, I agree with our placement, but it was uncomfortable. Finally, it came time for us to be allowed into the theater, and der B. and I, towards the front of the line, started to the doors.

Suddenly, someone from the staff rushed up and pulled der B. and myself away. While most of the seat-fillers were led to seats towars the back of the theater, WE were led to seats in the very front row! Off to the side, to be sure, but front row all the same!

The moral being, whenever possible wear your very best suit. You never know when something good will come from your choice of apparel!

(Yes, there were celebs there. But der B. and I were polite and didn't impose ourselves upon them.)

S. Woody White · « **Reply #67 on:** August 12, 2004, 12:20:06 PM »

A round of broken legs to the cast and crew of What If...!

Dan-in-Toronto · « **Reply #68 on:** August 12, 2004, 12:32:39 PM »

It's verboten, vishing "luck" on opening night
Take advice, don't think twice
Or your show will surely end
Up in the Scheiss!

So:

Break a leg, guys!

Dan-in-Toronto · « **Reply #69 on:** August 12, 2004, 12:38:19 PM »

Quote from: Jane on August 12, 2004, 11:24:53 AM

DIT-nice teacher! Good for him. Bryan was in a show in pre-school and they gave me the wrong time to be there. Did they wait for me and put some other kid on first-NO.

Jane,

My French teacher was hardly the soft-touch type, but that evening he showed he really had sensitivity. It's a shame Bryan's teacher didn't show such class.

William E. Lurie · « **Reply #70 on:** August 12, 2004, 12:46:34 PM »

Elmore---
You should really see DE_LOUSY to see all the errors. What mist surprised me was in the end credits they thanked both the Porter Estate and Robert Kimball. I would have thought they would have asked to have their names taken off this film.

However it occured to me that probably most young filmgoers will not realize all the factual errors in this film and that's the biggest shame of them all. Done correctly this movie could have introduced a whole new generation to Cole Porter and his music. Now people who were unfamiliar with him will think he was a silly little man who ran around the MGM lot with L B Mayer singing "Be A Clown" (at least fifteen years before he wrote it).

bk · « **Reply #71 on:** August 12, 2004, 12:52:30 PM »

It's a shame, really, that other hands were not involved in the Porter pic - I don't know why they can't just trust that Mr. Porter had an interesting life, and created an amazing catalog of songs. All you have to do is trust your material and not make it up like they do. And I keep thinking they CAN'T let Irwin Winkler direct another film and then they do (unless he's the one getting the deal - maybe that's it). He has NEVER made a watchable film as a director - he's just awful. No sense of cinema at all, no sense of storytelling, no sense period.

Ron Pulliam · « **Reply #72 on:** August 12, 2004, 12:53:39 PM »

BK: I received a recently won eBay CD today -- "Sondheim: A Celebration."

I'm looking forward to hearing it. Do you have any favorite performances on this particular recording? Any stories you might share about the project?

bk · « **Reply #73 on:** August 12, 2004, 12:58:23 PM »

Is this the STAGE thing? I didn't have anything to do with it. It was brought to me in terrible shape, and I totally remixed it from scratch and deleted a few really bad performances. I then recorded subsequent STAGE benefits of Cole Porter and Lerner and Loewe. There are some interesting things on the Sondheim tribute, but much of it isn't to my liking.

Ron Pulliam · « **Reply #74 on:** August 12, 2004, 01:10:03 PM »

It's a Varese issue on 2 CDs and you're credited as Executive Producer for Varese Sarabande.

I see "Stage" in the upper right hand corner, so I'm assuming it is that STAGE thing.

Jennifer · « **Reply #75 on:** August 12, 2004, 01:18:52 PM »

DR Jane, I don't think they were having an off day. They would have done it if it had been one book.

Maybe I was being unreasonable. Part of me thinks I was asking for too much. But I like knowing that everything is set, and knowing how long the wait will be.

I just hope I didn't come across as rude. I really try not to be. But I am extremely persistent. I expect customer service to always act a certain way. And I usually keep talking until they agree to do what I ask.

Matt H. · « **Reply #76 on:** August 12, 2004, 01:19:06 PM »

Quote from: elmore3003 on August 12, 2004, 11:25:09 AM

I believe Monty Wooley was indeed a teacher at Yale before he became a professional actor, but I believe he worked on a lot of Porter shows, and he was one of the clique with Moss Hart, Linda, and Cole who made the famous world trip to write JUBILEE.

Yes, this was covered well in DAZZLER (the bio of Moss hart) which I've just finished reading. That cruise must have been something!

Jennifer · « **Reply #77 on:** August 12, 2004, 01:22:59 PM »

I still want to see DeLovely. But for some reason it was only at the theatre near my house for one week. I was thinking about going. But I didn't realize they would move it after only one week.

I guess nobody else went.

Matt H. · « **Reply #78 on:** August 12, 2004, 01:23:23 PM »

We're getting lots and lots of rain from the tropical storm. And with it and Hurricane Charley, we're in for a lousy weekend weather-wise.

Matt H. · « **Reply #79 on:** August 12, 2004, 01:27:16 PM »

A friend sent me a live performance recording of that SONDHEIM: A CELEBRATION (we're talking the Scrabble set, right?), the entire show with the introductions and everything, quite a bit of which didn't end up on LP or CD and for good reason. Don't even know if I could put my hands on it if I wanted after all these years. Haven't listened to it in ages.

Matt H. · « **Reply #80 on:** August 12, 2004, 01:28:10 PM »

Hope lots of legs will be broken tonight for the cast of WHAT IF? Can't wait to hear how it all goes.

Stuart · « **Reply #81 on:** August 12, 2004, 01:30:12 PM »

Quote from: Jennifer on August 12, 2004, 01:22:59 PM

I still want to see DeLovely. But for some reason it was only at the theatre near my house for one week. I was thinking about going. But I didn't realize they would move it after only one week.

I guess nobody else went.

Same thing happened to me last year with CAMP. I finally found the DVD of that and watched it. I am sure the same thing will happen with IT'S DE-LOVELY.

Stuart · « **Reply #82 on:** August 12, 2004, 01:30:56 PM »

And yes.....Merde to the cast and crew of WHAT IF...?

Ron Pulliam · « **Reply #83 on:** August 12, 2004, 01:42:45 PM »

Quote from: Matt H. on August 12, 2004, 01:27:16 PM

A friend sent me a live performance recording of that SONDHEIM: A CELEBRATION (we're talking the Scrabble set, right?), the entire show with the introductions and everything, quite a bit of which didn't end up on LP or CD and for good reason. Don't even know if I could put my hands on it if I wanted after all these years. Haven't listened to it in ages.

I really enjoyed much of that scrabble set...especially the number from "Follies" with Mary McCarty and the other soprano. There was a sense of excitement on the album that was invigorating.

The CD I asked BK about is not that recording.

William E. Lurie · « **Reply #84 on:** August 12, 2004, 01:46:13 PM »

I looked up Monty on IMDB (I did know of the JUBILEE trip but not of the Yale period). He was a Yale professor and drama coach before he started acting and besides Cole another one of his students was Thornton Wilder.

There are two different Sondheim concert recordings that are being confused on this here site. The one with the Scrabble letters was produced in NY shortly after the Broadway opening of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC in the 70s. The recording was unable to include any songs that were on the OBC of NIGHT MUSIC but did contain some cut numbers as well as a variety of songs that Sondheim had written to that time. It was the first time many of these songs were ever recorded. The recording RLP bought at e-bay was one of the yearly STAGE benefits done in Los Angeles in the 90s.

George · « **Reply #85 on:** August 12, 2004, 02:25:38 PM »

Quote from: Matt H. on August 12, 2004, 01:27:16 PM

A friend sent me a live performance recording of that SONDHEIM: A CELEBRATION (we're talking the Scrabble set, right?), the entire show with the introductions and everything, quite a bit of which didn't end up on LP or CD and for good reason. Don't even know if I could put my hands on it if I wanted after all these years. Haven't listened to it in ages.

A friend of mine said that he had this and would sent me a copy, but he never did.

bk · « **Reply #86 on:** August 12, 2004, 02:33:29 PM »

Less than two hundred posts until our new amazing landmark. Could happen by tomorrow if things are busy around these here parts. Soon I will be shaving and showering and getting ready to go to the theater. Until then, I'm just relaxing - finished watching Village of the Damned and have started The Bad Seed.

Joey · « **Reply #87 on:** August 12, 2004, 02:42:34 PM »

"Thanks for the TWO CITIES link, DRJOEY. Hmmmmmmmmm.....it is one of my favorite stories. I may have to buy that CD...haven't listened to the excepts yet, but we must have a full report if you get a ticket."

If you do buy it I would LOVE to hear your opinion on the cd. (Good or bad!) I will warn you that it is a pop influenced score in case you do not like that. I WOULD be in New York for it if I could. I was offered tickets to see it, but I have a week of training for my internship at school this year which includes the 19 and 20. My parents said they would have flown me out for it, but I am being responsible and sticking to the internship. (Being responsible is hard sometimes.)

Would you believe I STILL haven't been to New York? I am counting my pennies though! I do have at least one person I know who is able to go. So I will have at least one review of it! :-)

Joey · « **Reply #88 on:** August 12, 2004, 02:43:00 PM »

Sorry to hear about you library troubles DR Jennifer. I used to work in a library and did a little bit of everything. Does you Library have an online catalogue? The library I worked at used one where you could log into your library account at home and it told you what you had on reserve, and how many people were in front of you, etc. I know the human contact is missed in that, though.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #89 on:** August 12, 2004, 03:26:33 PM »

Good Afternoon!

Well, I'm back from the barber, and, boy, did my hair get barbered! I actually like it, but since she accidentally started off with the wrong guard on the clippers, the cut is a little shorter than what I was imagining when I walked in the place. However, it's a good cut - but boy did my eyes do some rolling and double-taking right after that first pass over my scalp... Again, I like it, and since the temp here in LA has started to creep up, the shorter cut is most definitely cooler. *I've had my hair this short before - and it really is not that short - but, as I said, it just wasn't the length I was envisioning when I walked into the shop.

But it should like fine and dandy for tonight's opening of What If?!

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Author Topic: CASTING ASPERSIONS (Read 19458 times)

Ben