Topic of the Day -- I can't say that any film, play or book changed my life but some were very influential. First of all, I grew up on Astaire/Rogers films and on all those MGM musicals. The films definitely influenced my choreography, as I used a lot of props as the jumping off point for many of my dances. I don't remember which film it was that I saw this in but, when a boy in my grammar school kissed me on the cheek, I hauled off and slapped him across the face--BECAUSE I SAW IT IN A MOVIE! It's no doubt that children learn by imitation, and I'm convinced that there would be less violence in the real world if the reel world wasn't so graphic in their depictions (fat chance of turning this around, especially since the impressionable can now watch films over and over again on video).
JRand54 -- Regarding your Allison Hayes [Cheesecake] Picture of the Month: When Teresa Wright passed on, I did some research on the net and found this excerpt from her Hollywood contract:
The aforementioned Teresa Wright shall not be required to pose for photographs in a bathing suit unless she is in the water. Neither may she be photographed running on the beach with her hair flying in the wind. Nor may she pose in any of the following situations: In shorts, playing with a cocker spaniel; digging in a garden; whipping up a meal; attired in firecrackers and holding skyrockets for the Fourth of July; looking insinuatingly at a turkey for Thanksgiving; wearing a bunny cap with long ears for Easter; twinkling on prop snow in a skiing outfit while a fan blows her scarf; assuming an athletic stance while pretending to hit something with a bow and arrow... MattH -- I, too, agree that those earlier Tony Award shows were classier. Credit has to be given to Alexander Cohen and Hildy Parks, the husband and wife team who produced and wrote them.
Re: Kevin Spiritas -- Kevin will be the featured performer at the 2005-2006 Cabaret Series at the Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts at Whittier College on
February 25, 2006.
Cabaret West is a co-sponsor of the series. I don't know if BK mentioned this or not, but Kevin was Hugh Jackman's standby in "The Boy From Oz." He played Dr. Craig Wesley on "Days of Our Lives" for 7-1/2 years and made his Broadway debut in "A Chorus Line." His got his film break in "Friday the 13th VII."
Club Cabaret at The Shannon Center has three more performances left if any of you are in the area With table seating on the stage, the ticket includes a free beverage and cheese plate. The remaining shows are:
Scott Dreier on August 12 in "It's Standard Time." Scott has tons of musical theatre experience in California in lead roles. Besides standards and Broadway, he will also do a special tribute to Stephen Sondheim in honor of his 75th birthday. On August 13,
Karen Benjamin & Alan Chapman will do two shows: At 7:30, it's "Movie Music Madness" which will feature movie songs from the '30s, '40s and '50s. It'll be part cabaret, part sing-along and part game show as the audience will get a chance to compete for prizes answering questions about the music, writers and films. At the 10:30 show, they will do "Obscene and Not Heard," a collection of racy and politically in-correct songs by Alan and others. If you're easily offended, skip the show! Here's where it'll be
http://www.shannoncenter.org OR, for more, see the CabWest website at
http://www.cabaretwest.org.