This afternoon I am escorting Rob Berman's mother Debby to the matinee of High Button Shoes. I look forward to seeing her as much as I do to seeing the show. I've deliberately avoided reading anything about the show on the chat boards.
Vibes for DR VIXMOM for her tests and results today.
Recovery vibes for DR jan.
Which disrupts my planned schedule
Tom, did you see this? I really want to see it.
Listening to two symphonies from William Grant Still. Thoroughly enjoying the music. Not familiar with the composer, except that he was black.
Then tomorrow afternoon or next weekend I’ll see a production of The Secret Garden staged at one of the more beautiful old libraries (Pequot Library) in the region. First act indoors, second act outdoors, I think. I know a few of the folks involved, including the music director who will be playing on a wonderful old Steinway.
Tom, did you see this? I really want to see it.
No, I have not seen it. Strangely, I am going to see LAURA tonight. Since the director is a member of the old actor's lunch bunch, I feel compelled to see it. Also, the actor who played George Bailey in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE is one of the suspects in the show.
Tom, did you see this? I really want to see it.
No, I have not seen it. Strangely, I am going to see LAURA tonight. Since the director is a member of the old actor's lunch bunch, I feel compelled to see it. Also, the actor who played George Bailey in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE is one of the suspects in the show.
Cool! I guess I'll see you soon!
Listening to two symphonies from William Grant Still. Thoroughly enjoying the music. Not familiar with the composer, except that he was black.
Did you not get our Still CD with Lenox Avenue etc.???
I loved High Button Shoes, which is based on Stephen Longstreet's semi-autobiographical novel, The Sisters Liked Them Handsome. The Longstreets were a socially prominent family in New Brunswick, NJ, and I have no idea how much of the script is accurate, but i'm sure for the author and a lot of the audience in 1947 it was a nostalgic trip back to 1912.
The score is fun, the orchestrations really nice, and the show relies heavily on vaudeville actors doing their schtick. I find it equivalent to old comedia del'arte p[lays by Goldoni in which the serious actors acted their lines while the clowns improvised and adapted their comic business and dialogue to the necessities of the plot. Act One is the setup to the swindle which culminates in the great, and worth seeing over and over, zany Act Two Mack Sennett ballet, which is absolutely brilliant, accompanied with bits from Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies, Columbia the Gem of the Ocean, and other tunes. I'd go back tomorrow just for the ballet.
Someone said in NYT comments said that Rob Berman said in the talkback the tune to "Everything's Coming Up Roses" was cut from "High Button Shoes."
Maybe part of what some people feel are less "tunes" today is that young composers seem to stay away from music not created specifically for the moment and character. I wonder how many great tunes over the years have been holdovers from shows that didn't work.
But I don’t really feel bad.
But I don’t really feel bad.
It's awful when you feel really bad, but not bad enough that you get sympathy.
I felt all sweaty and rung out, so I bagged going to see LAURA.
I felt all sweaty and rung out, so I bagged going to see LAURA.
I'm sorry you had to miss it, Tom. It was really good.
~~~Feel Better Quickly Vibes (even if you don't feel you deserve them) for Tom!!~~~
I felt all sweaty and rung out, so I bagged going to see LAURA.
I'm sorry you had to miss it, Tom. It was really good.
I’m sure it was. Did you know the story?
Was Chris there tonight?
Pain pills knock me out so I've been sleeping a lot.
Pain pills knock me out so I've been sleeping a lot.
Karen from the box office?