Haines His Way
Archives => Archive 1 => Topic started by: bk on February 05, 2004, 12:01:10 AM
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Well, you've read the notes already, hence you know just what you must do already, so to it, I say. Let's just post until those damn cows come home, shall we? Let's post and post, and just when we think we can post no more, let's post again.
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I forgot to mention that in yesterday's Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle "MOTHRA" was one of the answers.
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Nightmare in River City:
Marian Paroo--Queen Latifah
Harold Hill--Rip Taylor
Mayor Shinn--Charlton Heston
Eulalie MacKecknie Shinn--Renee Taylor
Marcellus Washburn--Richard Simmons
Mrs. Paroo--Charo
Winthrop Paroo--Brett Kelly (The kid in "Bad Santa")
Ewart Dunlop--Luciano Pavarotti
Oliver Hix--Placido Domingo
Jacey Squires--Jose Carreras
Olin Britt--Andrea Bocelli
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Well I might go see a show called The Spitfire Grill....but I would never eat there.
GODZILLA MOTHRA & KING GHIDRAH - I think this is the movie that I have seen recently, that opens with an archaologist - anyway if this is the one, I love this movie!!!! The new Peanuts are not as pretty as the original ones, but they sing THE song with additional lyrics!
Actually they have already done a BAD Music Man for real and true....but...
Harold Hill - Ruben Blades
Marion Paroo - Jennifer Lopez
Mrs. Paroo - Abbe Lane
Marcellus Washburn - Desi Arnaz Jr
Mayor Shinn - Ricardo Montalban
Mrs. Shinn - the maid from Will & Grace
The Quartet - Martin Sheen, Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Mario Cantone ;D
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Matthew Broderick as Harold Hill. No! Wait! I am not dreaming
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I forgot to mention that in yesterday's Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle "MOTHRA" was one of the answers.
And crossed with Hiawatha, no less! Such a lovely couple.
der Brucer (who now down-loads the LA Times Crossword to keep in shape)
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BK: "But, I’m a sucker for the big green fella."
der Brucer (adding the morning levity)
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Well, the best that I can do for miscasting THE MUSIC MAN is this:
Justin Timberlake as Harold Hill
Janet Jackson as Marian Paroo
Michael Jackson as The Widow Paroo
Gary Coleman as Winthrop
Alex Karras as The Mayor
Susan Clark as The Mayor's Wife
Mariah Carey as The Mayor's Daughter
Britney Spears as Tommi (sic)
Sinbad as Marcellus
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If it weren't for the notion that he could really play the part, which disqualifies him from "bad casting," how about Eddie Murphy as Harold Hill?
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BK: "But, I’m a sucker for the big green fella."
(pic deleted due to redundancy...SWW)
der Brucer (adding the morning levity)
I thought you weren't going to post any more pictures of me without my agreeing first. :-\
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Listening to a great profile of Frank Loesser right now on BBC 2. Here's the link.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/easy/
Scroll down to the Frank Loesser picture and click to listen. It's a six part series going over his career. I'm not sure what part is on this week, I think it's Part Two. Right now the focus is on Hollywood. It's a half hour long. This particular section ends rather abruptly at 27 minutes (technology isn't perfect) but you can keep this link and go back each each Friday to listen to the next section.
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First of all, when the new day's notes were switched to late the night before from the morning there were usually 20 or 30 posts by the time I checked at about 9:00 EST. Today there were 9, yesterday there were 5. Where is everyone already?
My suggestion of Matthew Broderick as Harold was already posted, but it could have been worse by casting Sarah Jessica Parker-Broderick as Marian.
This week has got to be the first week in the history of Broadway theatre where a different closing has been announced daily - NEVER GONNA DANCE on Monday; GYPSY on Tuesday; RETREAT FROM MOSCOW on Wednesday; and now ANNA IN THE TROPICS today. What's left for Friday? There are going to be a lot of empty theatres this summer when the tourists come, but today's tourists are more interested in things like theme restaurants based around Wrestling, ESPN et. al. or by Wax Museums (did you ever think there would be one on 42nd Street?) or the world's largest and gaudiest McDonalds. The first time I came to New York in 1961, I saw eight shows, all that had opened less than a year before including the original CAMELOT, DO RE MI and BYE BYE BIRDIE and if I had another week I could still not have seen everything of interest. I visited in 1975 and saw sixteen shows in eight days (and there were still three I wanted to see but missed). Now I live here and there are so few shows to see on Broadway (either I've seen them or they are of no interest to me)
that I do the majority of my theatre going off-Broadway. The number of empty theatres this summer is a total waste. I wouldn't be surprised if at least one more theatres goes the way of the Mark Hellinger and is converted into a church.
I've read that the problem is that producers aren't presenting what the public wants to see. One would think that a musical by, about and with 80s icon Boy George would appeal to today's public (ok - not me, but the public in general). How about one of the best musicals ever written starring a woman (Bernadette Peters) with as many film and television credits as stage credits? Or a Pulitzer Prize winning play with a major television star (Jimmy Smits), a Tony winning actress (Priscilla Lopez) and another very popular actress (Daphne Rueben-Vega)? These three shows couldn't be more different from one another or from the other shows closing this month. And people are so star-oriented that the only way THE PRODUCERS could become a sell-out again was by bringing back the original stars even though the material itself is so strong it works with or without them (blame the perception from the media for this one). If all the public is interested in is a dance concert of Billy Joel songs or the 2nd musical version of a flop film with ABBA songs, then maybe there should be more of them. They can't keep producing shows that only us show queens want to see. I realize that my taste and the taste of the general public is not the same (my only complaint about WICKED was that the intimate story got swallowed up by the production, but it is those flying monkeys and dragon clock that are selling out the Gershwin, and when the current stars leave most casual theatregoers and tourists won't know the difference).
I'll get off my soap box already, but every show closing is a nail in the coffin of Broadway, and if Broadway could be kept going there is also a chance that maybe good shows will come back in style - shows that appeal to critics, show queens and the general public.
On a quick extra note... I read that Mel Gibson is doing a movie version of PASSION. I hope it is more true to the Sondheim original than the Sylvester Stallone version of ASSASSINS.
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I don't know what the answer is for Broadway, but seeing those empty theaters is very, very depressing. And when a flagship theater like the Shubert is empty, you know the Great White Way is in real trouble.
My MUSIC MAN ensemble:
Harold Hill -- Arsenio Hall
Marian Paroo -- Debbie Reynolds
Mrs. Paroo -- Celine Dion
Marcellus Washburn -- Kirk Douglas
Winthrop Paroo -- Mickey Rooney
Mayor Shinn -- Matt Damon
Mrs. E. M. Shinn -- Diana Ross
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If it weren't for the notion that he could really play the part, which disqualifies him from "bad casting," how about Eddie Murphy as Harold Hill?
Wow - you're right. I think he'd be great. Someone should send this idea to his office.
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When productions cost so much to mount and run, I think producers feel safer mounting bygone hits starring TV personalities. It is very risky to take a chance on a new piece - the new Sondheim BOUNCE is an example... folks are afraid to invest.
But The Theater is alive and well and living off-Broadway and in Fringe Festivals all over the place, where costs are more reasonable, or minimal, or nil. And big things do occasionally emerge victorious - URINETOWN is a good example. If a play can't grab 'em without flying monkeys and green sequins and 10 million bucks worth of production, well... maybe it doesn't really grab 'em. Lots of small pieces modestly produced find a life outside Noo Yawk.
Artists will find a way - that's the one constant. We can't avoid it. Even if my beloved Hellinger died, other stages wait for us. And our audiences wait for us, too. They do want to be moved, lifted, entertained, touched. Let's remember what drew us to this biz in the first place. And it sure wasn't dollars. Love conquers all.
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Harold Hill -- Jason Alexander
Marian Paroo -- Elaine Stritch
Mrs. Paroo -- Harvey Fierstein
Marcellus Washburn -- Sir Ian McKellan
Mayor Shinn -- Hugh Jackman
Mrs. E. M. Shinn -- Nicole Kidman
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DRWEL,
That was a sad (and well written) commentary on the state of the Broadway theatre (and Broadway theatres).
When I was last in New York, I thought about musicals that were playing at theatres like the Henry Miller, Plymouth, and Golden - houses better known for non-musical productions. The once-often-empty Lunt-Fontanne was occupied, and even the Minskoff had an upcoming tenant. Then I walked past the old Mark Hellinger and wondered if it would ever return to its glory days. Talk about a cockeyed optimist.
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Nicole Kidman had a bunion that bothered her - but she divorced him.
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WEL: How much did a ticket to a Broadway show cost in 1961? In The Season, Goldman mentions $7.50 - $10 as being about standard, so I assume five years earlier it was probably a dollar or two less; maybe $5 - $7?
In 2003, the average ticket price was $67 per ticket (I'm sure many of you are laughing at that figure, more than likely having recently shelled out $100+ for a ticket to something you really wanted to see, but that's the official figure). Broadway ticket prices have increased by 30% just since 2000.
Quite simply, Broadway ticket prices are outstripping inflation by a considerable margin. Most people today are not making three times what they were in 2000 (since that's when the economy collapsed, many people are in fact making LESS than they did four years ago). Meanwhile, there are many more forms of entertainment in 2004 than there were in 1961 that compete for discretionary income (I won't bother to list them, as they're known to us all). All of these new forms of entertainment, including tickets to Disney World, for goodness' sake, cost far less than a Broadway ticket now does.
Of course, there will always be those among us who far prefer live theater to movies, DVDs, theme parks, mini-golf, and yes, wrestling-themed restaurants. But are there enough of such people to keep Broadway from breathing its last gasp sometime in the next 15-20 years?
I would sincerely like to know, however, how it is that London is able to so successfully keep its ticket prices within reach of the average person, while Broadway seems destined to wind up the sole province of the rich. I'm not being sarcastic here, I truly can't figure out why the difference is so striking.
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Yes, where in tarnation IS everyone? It's decidedly peculiar. Two days ago we had almost fifty posts by this time, yesterday we had twenty-two, today eighteen. I started putting the notes up at midnight because people on the east coast liked it and the notes would be there when they got up in the morning. It's interesting.
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Oh, and der Brucer, while the photo you posted is amusing I really would prefer that stuff like that is not posted directly - you can link to it, that's fine, but we do have youngsters here, both posters and lurkers. So, please repost with a link. Thanks.
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Good morning!
Well, my The Music Man casting very closely resembles td's... I guess great minds do think alike! -Or at least "like" minds think alike! ;) But here I go anyway...
Harold Hill - Justin Timberlake
Marian Paroo - Janet Jackson
Mrs. Paroo - Diana Ross
Winthrop Paroo - Michael Jackson
Marcellus Washburn - Ashton Kutcher
Charlie Cowell - Johnnie Cochran
Mayor Shinn - Rev. Al Sharpton
Eulalie McKechnie Shinn - Martha Stewart
Zaneeta Shinn - Jessica Simpson
Tommy Djilas - Nick Lachey
The Quartet - The remaining Jackson Four, or O-Town, or 'N Sync, or Color Me Badd, or Backstreet Boys, etc., etc., etc... -They can take turns according to concerts and VH1 specials.
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OOohh... And if we want to get political about it:
Harold Hill - Bill Clinton
Marian Paroo - Laura Bush
Mrs. Paroo - Barbara Bush
Winthrop Paroo - George Bush (Jr.)
Charlie Cowell - Howard Dean
Marcellus Washburn - Al Gore
Mayor Shinn - George Bush (Sr.)
Mrs. Shinn - Hillary Clinton (Oh I know, the scandal!)
Zaneeta Shinn - Monica Lewinsky
Tommy Djilas - George Stephanopolous (sp?)
The School Board Quartet - Dick Gephardt, Ted Kennedy, Colin Powell, Bob Dole
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Hi Everybody!
Haven't posted for awhile but I check in when I can.
The Cabaret West Calendar for February is now up on our website if you'd like to check it out. Just click NOW APPEARING when you open the home page (you may have to Refresh the PDF doc for it to come up). Also check out the SPOTLIGHT section with Inga Neilsen. Here's the link http://www.cabaretwest.org (http://www.cabaretwest.org).
Some highlights:
In California...
Jason Graae and Liz Callaway at Annenberg Theatre in Palm Springs.
Babbie Green and John Boswell at The Gardenia in West Hollywood. Babbie is film composer Johnny Green's daughter and she will be doing a special show of her and her father's music. It happens this weekend.
Amanda McBroom and George Ball in their Valentine's show at Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach.
Maude Maggart with the phenomenal pianist Todd Schroeder at Cerritos Center in Cerritos (I'll be there ushering) and at The Plush Room in San Francisco. Maude is a 1920's throwback mentored by Michael Feinstein and Andrea Marcovicci.
Derrik Lewis' Musical Chairs at various locations in Palm Springs. These are ASCAP-sanctioned shows highlighting songwriters. This month's is Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Next month's show features the music of Frank Loesser.
Little Mary Sunshine at the Alex Theatre in Glendale and at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Scherr Forum in Thousand Oaks. This is a concert version by the Musical Theatre Guild (similar to the Encores and Reprise groups).
In March ...
Angela Lansbury Tribute at the Director's Guild in Hollywood on March 5. Produced by the Museum of Television and Radio Beverly Hills. There'll be a Q&A with Ms. Lansbury. Tickets to the public ($20; Seniors & Students $17) go on sale February 13.
In New York ...
Ray Jessel at Don't Tell Mama in NYC 2/6,13, 21, 28. Ray (musical version of "I Remember Mama" with Richard Rodgers) is absolutely hilarious!
Sharon McNight at Tilles Center in Brookville, NY 2/13.
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As for the state of Broadway today... As other DRs have already mentioned, the cost of going to the theatre today is a major deterrent for a lot of people. Heck, even in the DC area - outside of NYC - the top ticket price is usually $75, and that's still a lot of money to shell out. -Sometimes even $25 is a lot to shell out. Even with some of my "industry discounts", I still find myself parting with a lot more money than I'd like. And even a $10 ticket to a movie can seem unreasonable.
The solution? Who knows? For myself, I'd like to see more "show" rather than "business", put back into "show business". Not a simple solution by any means, but that's a good general answer for right now... - And who knows how long the detailed answer/post would be?!?! ;)
However, I also think that producers need to put their foot down from time to time when it comes to special effects. Yes, there have been some spectacular technical innovations in the past 20 years - heck, even in the past five years - but do we need to see those on stage? Do they really need to be used to support and enhance the plot and music? It seems the producers concentrate on the spectacle lately, and lose the show. Now I know the director and designers are the "root" of this problem, but if their funds are cut off... Hey, they'll have to get creative! *One of my favorite "ooh and ahh" moments of the past ten years (more?) was the opening sequence of Tommy when the soldiers did their parachute jump - fog on the stage, the stage opened up (hidden by the fog), and the soldiers jumped - quite a simple effect, but very effective!) -Of course, the rest of that show had tons of technology involved...
*I've been in pre-production meetings where designers have presented a "new thingie" and try to find a place in the show to use their new toy. -The technical staff of Dance of the Vampires even invented some new technology for their show, and where did all that get them? ;) Boys (and girls) and their toys...
OK - I'm starting to babble again.. and I also need to get some lunch...
-Did any of this make sense? Did I actually make point?
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Well said about the ticket prices.
I'm an english major: what do I know about business? But what I do know is that I cannot afford paying even the 50$ US I paid to see Gypsy at half price. And I'm postive that I'm not the only one who feels that way. Broadway is fun and theatre is fun, but who can afford that? It's a lot of money for three hours and it is a lot more than I would make after a day of working.
I'd think that most people who could afford that (adults who are working in nice paying jobs) have probably already seen the show ages ago, especially if it is a revival, or, the show just isn't something that appeals to them I know New York is an expensive city, but prices need to be put in perspective. I'm probably visiting a bit of europe this summer, and that 50$ to 100$ american will get me a nice plane ticket to Paris and I'd still be able to afford the cd!
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Regarding Broadway ticket prices, yes they are out of line, but almost every show (except "An Evening With Nathan and/or Matthew" was at TKTS last week and most every show has offers available on the internet. One of the problems is the lack of scaled houses anymore. Almost every Broadway show charges top price for all but the last three or four rows of the balcony.
I remember in 1960 when the top price for a Broadway musical was $10, first run movies were $2.00. Today full price tickets to musicals have increased 10 times to $100 but movies have only increased 5 times to $10. And in those days you were getting more for your money. Most musicals were almost 3 hours long and movies were shown with short subjects, cartoons and coming attractions for the next show at that theatre instead of a movie, several advertisements and teasers for movies not opening for months. The point I am making though is that it used to cost 5 times as much to see a musical instead of a movie it is now it is 10 times as much.
And speaking of special effects, has anyone else noticed that almost every musical today uses a dry ice or smoke machine effect?
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10:30 and not even to page two yet. I'm through cheerleading.
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I'm listening to Purlie right now. Never saw a production of the show, but the CD is a lot of fun. What a great opening number - Walk Him Up the Stairs.
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I was a bad boy this lunch hour. After I ate, I went to Academy CDs, always a temptation, and I bought a few things, including the aforementioned Purlie. I also bought a compilation of Porter songs which I will listen to after Purlie. It's called Capitol Sings Cole Porter. I have a number of these Capitol compilation re-issues and I enjoy them. It's got things like Nat King Cole doing Just One of Those Things, Peggy Lee doing From Now On and Always True to You in My Fashion, Nancy Wilson doing You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To and more (25 tracks in all).
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Can you tell I'm trying to get to Page 2? Don't want BK to feel bad. I haven't been posting much for the past few days so it's all my fault, I admit it!!! This should at least start Page 2.
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Yep, 29 to a page. We are now officially on Page 2. Please continue after me, one and all.
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I will put my brain to work and try to mis-cast Music Man. Later all.
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Capitol did a whole series of albums like the Cole Porter one you purchased today, Dear Reader Ben, covering maybe 18 or 20 different composers and lyricists from the Golden Age of Broadway and Tin Pan Alley. They all feature great singers from the '40s and '50s and they're all quite wonderful!
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DR BEN - I love those Capitol CD's. My favorites, I think, are the Academy Award winning songs - and Rodgers & Hart!
Yes Broadway prices are high....and yes there are discounts, and TKTS...so it must be the product. There is no advertising campaign no "star" no gimmick that can make people go see a show they are not interested in. And sometimes reading about a show or person day after day makes me NOT want to see a show. And suddenly - maybe with the internet - we have these "fan" shows that people see a time after time and become annoying to those of us who might otherwise like it...
I have an interest in some shows...not TABOO, not this particular GYPSY... Shows I would like to have seen or see NEVER GONNA DANCE, WICKED...maybe a couple of others...
Now I'm like DR JOSE....I don't know what I am trying to say.....
I also agree that not having "graded" houses is outrageous! Obstructed seats sell for as much as others and back of the house for the same price? Forget it!
And then there are the audiences....bleh! They feel, I think, that they have paid such a high price for a ticket that they can behave in pretty much any manner they wish. And a lot of the ushers and front of the house people are nothing but RUDE and condescending to theatre goers...RUDE!
Dealing with box office personnel is a nightmare! And I have worked the box office so I know the public can be bothersome - but don't take it out on me!
There are local theatres I don't even go to anymore because of their box office personnel. And yes I know I am missing out....but to hell with it. Let 'em close...and when someone in a show asks me if I am coming...I say NO and I tell them why.
Anyway.....some very funny Music Man casting... I do like the political version from DR JOSE!
We need to see more 1970's pictures. If I can display myself in a rust colored jumpsuit - well....let's see them.
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I'm listening to Purlie right now.
I wrote a (non-musical) sequel to "Purlie Victorious" on which Purlie is based. Ossie Davis, who wrote Purlie V., was not thrilled by the musical version. My non-musical version, which had Ossie's blessing, has now metamorphosed into a hip-hop film. Don't ask. It's still my script, but it's also a hip-hop film. I'm hoping that it will actually get shot this year or next -- at which point I'll change my name to Queen Pannifah.
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Yes, DR Jay. I have the Rodgers and Hart, Harry Warren, Jerome Kern, Gershwin, Arlen, the Movie Compilation and a really great one called Capitol Sings Coast to Coast. All the songs have specific locations, Georgia on My Mind, Moonlight in Vermont, Route 66, Chicago, etc. It's great fun to listen to.
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Okay I have a topic as well. Is there a movie or tv show that you liked - but you were really knocked out by a supporting or smaller performance? One you may have even missed the first time through?
A couple that come to mind for me are Geena Davis in THE FLY....I think it's one of her best performances...and what lynchpin for the movie.
Another is Ann Wedgeworth as Patsy Cline's mother in SWEET DREAMS! Terrific! I think she may have been nominated for an AA for it, but I'm not sure.
I love it when Patsy comes in complaining about her husband and says, "Sometimes I just want ta scream and claw mah face...." She goes on and on and then says: "Mama, what should I do?"
And Wedgeworth replies perfectly: "Well, I don't know, Paitsy---whyncha gist scream and claw ur face?"
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I'm going to cheat and cast my Music Man From Hell with dead people, since all the contemporaneous choices thus far have been so excellent that I couldn't possibly compete.
Marion Paroo: Helen Kane (aka Betty Boop)
Mrs. Paroo: Charlie Ruggles (in his Charley's Aunt drag)
Winthrop: Lon Chaney, Jr.
Marcellus: Buddy Hackett (sorry, Buddy)
Mayor Shinn: Boris Karloff
Eulalie Shinn: Jayne Mansfield
Zaneeta Shinn: Virginia Weidler
Tommy Djilis: James Dean
And as Professor Harold Hill:
Anthony Perkins
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Thank you Panni for the information on Purlie. It's interesting to know that Mr. Davis was not happy with the musical version. I know that Purlie was based on his original play but I have never read Purlie Victorious or seen a production.
Not only will you be a HHW God(ess), you will also be a Queen! See what happens when you post here.
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Purlie! Thanks DRBen for reminding me about its joyous score. I have only the LP, and haven't heard it in ages. And what a wonderful cast: the late Cleavon Little (and his understudy, Morgan Freeman), Novella Nelson (superb in Antwone Fisher), Melba Moore (what happened to her?) and Sherman (George Jefferson) Hemsley.
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JRand, I promise to post at least one 70s picture this afternoon. I finally have some free time after work so I can embarrass myself. Sometime after 4pm Eastern Standard Time tune in to see a picture or two of Ben in the 70s (sounds like a sitcom).
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Must get back to work -- but just read an article about Bertolucci's new film THE DREAMERS. It sounds fascinating. The article refers to it as a "remembrance of films past as well as times past." Bertolucci uses clips of classic films to punctuate the film.
DR Jay, who sees EVERYTHING as soon as it comes out, must report ASAP on this one.
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Moore had some problems, as I remember, in the 90s. I don't know the specifics, but at one time I think she was bankrupt, had a difficult divorce and other issues. She seems to be back as a performer though. I Got Love is a wonderful number!
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Okay when some of you said that the silverdaddies website was not appropriate YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID WHY. I am now gonna have nightmares :)
Re: last night's American Idol
First off I think I agree with what DR Noel said about making these singers sing a capella (that it isn't a good judge of a singer + it never happens at real auditions). It never really occured to me before that this was odd (until it was pointed out to me).
I wish that the final 32 weren't chosen by the judges. I HATE that they got rid of Nicole (scooter girl). I really don't get it. The two brothers totally screwed up their songs (when they sang in groups of 3). They forgot their lyrics (as did many others who made it thru, like red-head 16 yr old).
The judges praised Nicole, said her singing was great. She had a great personality. She didn't mess up once in the auditions. And I think the viewing audience loved her. And they cut her. Yet some of the ones they chose were awful. I just don't get it.
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I know that Purlie was based on his original play but I have never read Purlie Victorious or seen a production.
There is actually a black & white film version of the play. The film's title is GONE ARE THE DAYS. Around 1963? They opened it up a tiny bit, but it's basically a filmed play. You'll see a very young Alan Alda in one of his first roles, as well as Godfrey Cambridge, Ossie, Ruby Dee, etc.
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Also, re: American Idol
http://jam.canoe.ca/Television/feb5_idol-sun.html
This is about that wonderful "bad" performance of "shebang". He was actually my favorite of the bad ones. So sweet. And he's actually really popular now. Who knew :)
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DRPANNI I am intrigued by your hiphop project!
DR BEN I am not familiar with the Capitol Coast to Coast CD - something new to buy!!!
Has anyone read the latest Lucille Ball bio Ball Of Fire?
DR LULU I think Jayne would be perfect as Eulalie particularly if she wears the dress she was wearing here at HHW yesterday.
I would say that New DR Charles Toft is recherche.
I had "Purlie" on a 8-track that I played to destruction in my car.... Now on CD....something else to buy.
HEY DR'S!......when you were little...or young....did your parents ever attend a play or musical or movie and come home and talk about it so much that you remember it?
I know that once my parents saw the above mentioned Patsy Cline at a county fair or some such, and they loved her.... When she watches "Coal Miner's Daughter" she says that Beverly D'Angelo's Patsy is on the money!
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Must get back to work -- but just read an article about Bertolucci's new film THE DREAMERS. It sounds fascinating. The article refers to it as a "remembrance of films past as well as times past." Bertolucci uses clips of classic films to punctuate the film.
DR Jay, who sees EVERYTHING as soon as it comes out, must report ASAP on this one.
Noted!
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DR Jay - sees all - knows all... ;D
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Yes, DR Jay. I have the Rodgers and Hart, Harry Warren, Jerome Kern, Gershwin, Arlen, the Movie Compilation and a really great one called Capitol Sings Coast to Coast. All the songs have specific locations, Georgia on My Mind, Moonlight in Vermont, Route 66, Chicago, etc. It's great fun to listen to.
Yes, I like that one, too. They also have a similarly-themed "Capitol Sings Around the World."
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Wow - you're right. I think he'd be great. Someone should send this idea to his office.
You beat me to it. :)
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Has anyone read the latest HEY DR'S!......when you were little...or young....did your parents ever attend a play or musical or movie and come home and talk about it so much that you remember it?
When my folks saw Guys and Dolls, my mom sang "Adelaide's Lament" - a lot. Forgive me for getting maudlin, but when my mom was ill, even in the weeks before she passed away, I could always manage to get her to finish the line: "A person" ("can develop a bad, bad cold").
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DR Jay - sees all - knows all... ;D
Thanks, Dear Reader JRand53. I think.
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Good topic, Jrand.
I agree that Ann Wedgeworth was a real standout in Sweet Dreams. She gave the performance that all those miscast women attempted to give five years later in Steel Magnolias.
Other performers who I think virtually stole the show with their supporting roles:
Rupert Everett in My Best Friend's Wedding (a movie I really didn't care for otherwise)
Anjelica Huston in Ever After (she gave some interesting twists to a character steeped in cliche, the wicked stepmother, and made it completely her own)
Stockard Channing in Grease (she's so good, it almost doesn't matter that she's clearly in her 30s and playing a high-schooler)
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LOL DR Jay - I will find a better picture later....that was the only swami that came up quickly! LOL
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Ben - Where is Academy CD located? Does it specialize in Shows and Pop Standards?
I think one of the reasons that PURLIE doesn't get done (at least in professional productions) is that you have to pay a whole chorus for almost nothing. The women are in the opening number and the finale, the men in one additional number. Otherwise it's just the principals. I loved the show when I saw it and I still play the CD more than many from the same period, but who wants to pay a chorus to spend most of the evening in their dressing rooms?
Regarding THE DREAMERS, Ceeste Holm got so violently ill watching one of the sex scenes she had to be rushed to the hospital. I guess she can say "no" after all.
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Charlie Toft this innocent doesn’t know about SilverDaddies-so
thanks for the warning Dan-in-Toronto. Jennifer you should have heeded Dan’s advice. ;D
SS your new pic is great. Your eye is beautiful.
Charles Pogue I wish I could tell you how to post the pictures of your library.
Jrand53 why not Renee Estevez instead of Mario Cantone?
Michael Shayne-ROTFLOL-well I would be if I weren’t coughing so much.
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I think Academy is on 18th just above 5th, but I could be wrong.
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Even though his part is miniscule, I will always remember Michael Jeter in Hair in the induction scene when he refuses to take his socks off. He's picked up by two huge men who then pull his sock off and you see the painted toenails. I laughed so hard I hurt myself.
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Okay I have a topic as well. Is there a movie or tv show that you liked - but you were really knocked out by a supporting or smaller performance? One you may have even missed the first time through?
I'm repeating myself, but Novella Nelson's stellar performance in Antwone Fisher falls into that category.
Beatrice Straight's small but stagey performance in Network, on the other hand, hit me over the head - but it did not knock me out.
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BK, you're right on the money. 18th Street, about halfway down between 5th and 6th Avenues on the south side of the street. They don't specialize in Show and Pop standards but they have a large section of those CDs. Since the items are used, stock turns over quickly. It's where I got my copy of Wicked for $8.99 (that's the average price of used Show and Film CDs)They have a very large Classical department and lots of jazz. They only sell CDs except for Classical. They have many vinyl recordings of classical pieces, including operas. They also only buy CDs, again with the exception of Classical, but you should probaby call before and tell them what you have because they have been known to refuse to buy. Better to ask then to come all the way down and be disappointed. They are also getting in a library of used DVDs.
They also have a Web site.
http://www.academy-records.com/
This is probably much more information than you wanted to know but since it's in my neighborhood, I decided to elucidate on the topic :-)
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HEY DR'S!......when you were little...or young....did your parents ever attend a play or musical or movie and come home and talk about it so much that you remember it?
That never happened in my family. Sometimes my father would play the piano & we would all sing folk songs. If you could call it singing :D since no one in my family could carry a tune.
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DRJane thanks! I KNEW there was another Estevez, but I couldnt' think of the name!
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Did any other DR experience a shock a few years ago, when upon walking into a record store.....the records were gone.....
Those racks and bins were huge and to see them replaced with cassettes and CD's just made me catch my breath!
Thanks for sharing that story DinTO! ;)
DR JANE maybe it wasn't the singing, it was the piano player!
Celeste Holm got sick at a movie, and it was news? :P
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I watch "West Wing" where she often guests. Wonder how she got the job?
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Dan-in-Toronto, not maudlin, just a very sweet story and a memory to cherish.
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Good to see the mentions of "Purlie" today. Now how about some mention and credit for two of the most under-rated composers - Geld & Udell. Check our their pop songs for Gene Pitney, Brian Hyland, The Carpenters, Jackie Wilson & Skeeter Davis. One of my favourties is "I"m Afraid To Go Home" which sounds like a "try out" song for their musical "Shenadoah".
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Ben - Thanks for the info. Low prices make it sound like a store I want to check out. Footlight has a great selection, but I ony buy things not readily available for much better prices elsewhere.
I had no idea that was Michael Jeeter in HAIR. I remember the scene, but saw it when it was first released which was before I ever knew who Jeeter was.
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Jrand53 I am laughing very hard right now. God, I’m bad but my mother must have had the worst voice in the world. She would perform – well you would have to have seen it to understand – but people would just be hysterical she was so bad.
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Here is my ever-so-flattering 1970 photo. Notice how nicely I hid the braces.
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And in 1976
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DR LAURA you and I were both in the color fashion vanguard in our rust colored outfits!
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Charlie Toft this innocent doesn’t know about SilverDaddies-so
thanks for the warning Dan-in-Toronto. Jennifer you should have heeded Dan’s advice. ;D
Well the thing is, when people say something is inappropriate (but don't elaborate) it makes me curious.
If Dan (or anyone) had said it showed full frontal of older naked men, I would not have looked :)
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My The Music Man nightmare casting...
Harold Hill - Woody Allen
Marian Paroo - Rosie O'Donnell
Mrs. Paroo - Carol Channing
Marcellus - Tom Cruise
Mayor Shinn - Jim Carrey
Eulalie McK-Shinn - Madonna
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DRLaura I see the braces worked. You have a lovely smile.
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Jennifer I trusted Dan & didn't need to know any detail. :D
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Btw, I'm half way through the Alet Oury interview (it is very long). And it is so good. I'm sorry to say I had never heard of her before. But she comes across wonderfully.
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Hooray for more 70s pics! :) Finally, our first glimpse of DR Laura!
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More from Universal...DVD set of Francis the Talking Mule films coming soon!
Unfortunately, JRand53, no Francis Joins the WACs, but there is evidently to be a volume 2 as this set is volume 1.
And from Image comes one of my faves...1958s The Wild Women of Wongo! Woohoo!
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I had no idea that was Michael Jeeter in HAIR. I remember the scene, but saw it when it was first released which was before I ever knew who Jeeter was.
Ditto.
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This morning I watched “Gold Digger of 35”. A fun movie filled with silly shallow people and a ridiculous plot.
Now I am going to finish watching “The Tender Trap” and wonder why Frank Sinatra would prefer the silly young Debbie Reynolds character to the beautiful Celeste Holmes.
Being home sick has its advantages, an excuse to sit & watch old movies. :)
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Jessica Lange is a good actress and she's fine in SWEET DREAMS, but Beverly D'Angelo just nails Patsy in COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER, and she did her own singing in addition. One of the great unheralded performances, I think.
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Well, as they say, curiosity does kill the cat, but honestly I don't think looking at a picture of a middle aged naked man is going to scar anyone for life.
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Well, as they say, curiosity does kill the cat, but honestly I don't think looking at a picture of a middle aged naked man is going to scar anyone for life.
One can't be too cautious, though. To be safe, I've draped the mirrors in my bathroom and bedroom.
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Well, as they say, curiosity does kill the cat, but honestly I don't think looking at a picture of a middle aged naked man is going to scar anyone for life.
I don't either, but with the broo-ha-ha over Janet's nearly-naked-boob, you'd think that her minor exposure was the end of civilized decency in America.
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DR JAY go back to page 2....your REAL genii picture is now up!
WILD WOMEN OF WONGO!! DRMBARNUM - you know all the classics.
Old naked men.....well....some of us don't have to click to see it. It's a way of life.... Remember what Dr Kubler-Ross said.....denial, anger, bargaining with God, depression, acceptance. That's a lot of emotion in front of the mirror at 5 a.m. every morning!
DRMATTH - I agree about Beverly in Coal Miner's Daughter - and that's the Patsy my mom remembers. Sissy is no slouch either!
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It's time for DR BEN's 1970's pics!!!! Any minute!
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That one incident has focused attention away from the quality of the entire show which, if my friends' opinions are any indication, was not even mediocre. Such a silly controversy, but you're right: a HUGE amount is being made of it.
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DR JAY go back to page 2....your REAL genii picture is now up!
Now that's more like it!
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Jane - Did you realize that the leading lady on GD o5 35 was Gloria Stuart from the recent TITANIC remake?
M Barnum - Is there a website that you go to for info on these upcoming releases you have been posting?
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As promised here are two pictures of me, Ben, from the 1970s. The first is what Anthony calls my "Norwegian Bachelor Farmer" look (a Prairie Home Companion reference). That's all I need to say, I think.
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Picture 2 is the "oh, my g*d, did I really look like that???"
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I think that's enough for now. Enjoy kiddies.
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Well, as they say, curiosity does kill the cat, but honestly I don't think looking at a picture of a middle aged naked man is going to scar anyone for life.
Oh - you haven't seen me obviously.
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Such a silly controversy, but you're right: a HUGE amount is being made of it.
And quite a lot of it is being made over at CBS. These are the nice people who are bringing you a glorified one-hour infomercial sponsored by Victoria's Secret. In prime time, no less. Whatta buncha hypocrites; you can tease all you want, but when it comes to The Goods...watch out!
And speaking of The Goods (oooh, a Full Monty reference!) on Broadway, I think a good deal of the current malaise on the Great White Way is the fault of unimaginative and uninspired producers, as well as audiences that have come to expect A Big Star. And Big Stars cost Big Bucks! (How many performances of 9 were there after Antonio Banderas went off to be in Zorro 2, or whatever? It was pretty obvious he was the draw in that show...)
Another factor is the quality of the roadshows. I recently saw the roadshow version of The Full Monty in St. Paul, which was every bit as good as the one I saw on Broadway. It didn't have either Patrick Wilson or Kathleen Freeman, but it was still a terrific show. If you only have to wait for the show to hit your town, why bother making a trip to NYC to see it?
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Oh - you haven't seen me obviously.
Oh, are you at that site, bk? Under what name? :D
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And quite a lot of it is being made over at CBS. These are the nice people who are bringing you a glorified one-hour infomercial sponsored by Victoria's Secret. In prime time, no less. Whatta buncha hypocrites; you can tease all you want, but when it comes to The Goods...watch out!
This is also the same network who caved in to rightest interest groups and canceled their showing of THE REAGANS. Absurd!
But I just read this morning that ESPN has canceled their fascinating drama series PLAYMAKERS because the NFL objected to the show's portrayal of some of pro football's players, coahces, and owners as being abusive husbands, drug takers, sex maniacs, blackmailers, and homosexuals. Seems the network couldn't afford to be in the bad graces of an organization that's one of the reasons they're on the map.
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But I just read this morning that ESPN has canceled their fascinating drama series PLAYMAKERS because the NFL objected to the show's portrayal of some of pro football's players, coaches, and owners as being abusive husbands, drug takers, sex maniacs, blackmailers, and homosexuals.
That's a drama series? I thought it was a reality series.
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It could well have been, DR Jay. What's why the NFL didn't like it. It hit far too close to home, and the show never said all the players on that team had problems. But you can't have drama without conflict, and like LAW & ORDER, the writers for PLAYMAKERS were taking stories "ripped from the headlines."
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Jane - Did you realize that the leading lady on GD o5 35 was Gloria Stuart from the recent TITANIC remake?
I recognized the name but not what she had done. Thanks.
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JRand53,
I got to meet Geena Davis for the first time, years after THE FLY, when I was pitching something to her then-husband Rennie Harlan. She walked into the room, looking just as beautiful in real life, and introduced herself. I said, "Star of my first big movie." "She laughed and said, "Mine too!"
Have you ever seen Anne Wedgeworth as pulp author Robert E. Howard's mother in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD? Masterful performance! Vincent D'onorfia as Howard and Rene Zellwegger as his love interest are also great (This is the film that made Hollywood take notice of her). And there's also Harve Presnell, balder than a cue ball.
Van Heflin stole JOHNNY EAGER from its stars Robert Taylor and Lana Turner and won an Academy Award doing so.
Tomovoz, Gene Pitney! Jackie Wilson! Two of the greatest voices of rock and roll, IMHO (In my humble opinion in internet speak)!
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I meant dR BEN's pictures....and certainly worth the 34 year wait to see! And a neck chain! What is that icon?
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WILD WOMEN OF WONGO!
Well - I still like the tagline from The Violent Years best of all:
CO-ED PAJAMA PARTIES!
HEAVY PETTING!!
AND....MURDER!!!!! :o
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This is also the same network who caved in to rightest interest groups and canceled their showing of THE REAGANS. Absurd!
And they wouldn't show Moveon.org's anti-George Bush ad during the Stupor Bowl, claiming it was "too controversial". But they would air a commercial featuring Viagra-popping Bob Dole getting aroused watching Britney Spears hawking Pepsi. Apparently, Republicans getting hard-ons watching barely legal teens strutting their stuff is just fine.
They could've just admitted they were cancelling The Reagans because it was a boring, poorly-made piece of crap. It was. I saw it. (Actually, that was a lie...I only saw the first hour of it, but you don't have to eat an entire apple to know it's rotten.) But that would've meant they had to admit that it was a poorly-made piece of crap, so why not mollify the far-Right while saving face?
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I just noticed I'm approaching 100 posts...!
Okay, that's small 'tades to some folks here, but as usual, I was late to the party.
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JRand, My sister had gotten that little thing on the chain when she went to Mexico. It's a fish with some kind of blue and silver shiny stuff inlaid into it. I put it on a silver chain and wore it for quite a long time.
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Oh yes, DRCHARLESPOGUE......"Whole Wide World" is a favorite of mine as well....
Van Heflin...have you seen his performance in "Count Three and Pray" with a young Joanne Woodward making her screen debut?
I was just struck again last night by Geena Davis in "The Fly" - and of course it made me think back to how Patricia Owens in the 1958 version really held that story together as the wife who was facing an unthinkable situation....Geena....so beautiful! And her TV series was so damn bad!
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I loved Van Heflin in JOHNNY EAGER. His character is by far the most interesting and heartbreaking in the picture. I'm so glad his work was recognized by his peers.
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It has taken me a long time but I eventually replaced (!) my old record of the "2001" soundtrack. The Cd has just been far too expensive. I know others have mentioned the Alex North score which indeed would be interesting to hear, but it is so hard to think of the movie without the use of those classics. "2001: a space odyssey" is one of my all time favourite movies which I still see as a "stunning" piece of cinema. (The Cd arrived in the mail today).
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Well, as they say, curiosity does kill the cat, but honestly I don't think looking at a picture of a middle aged naked man is going to scar anyone for life.
Well speak for yourself :)
(I just meant I had no idea what the site was, and if I had, I wouldn't have looked).
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One can't be too cautious, though. To be safe, I've draped the mirrors in my bathroom and bedroom.
Great line Jay. Thank you for providing me with my Breakfast smile (and a horror story too!).
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LOL TOMOVOZ....and yes a fine pair of songwriters.....
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Well that's two of us that acknowedge them Jack.
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LOL.
Save Your Heart for Me....Hurting Each Other....Sealed With a Kiss.... and a couple of songs from "Angel" that I would love to hear... Just their titles make me feel good:
Gloria from Astoria
A Dime Ain't Worth a Nickel
Tomorrow I'm Gonna Be Old aka SilverDaddies.com here I come!
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Van Heflin always did great work and he raised up any movie he was in. Great in SHANE. Great in THREE MUSTKETEERS as wonderfully moody Athos. Great in Green Dolphin Street, Presenting Lily Mars, The Strange Loves of Martha Ivers, 3:10 to Yuma. Never saw Count Three and Pray.
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DR WEL, the website DVD Planet has a daily update of upcoming releases. WWW.DVDPLANET.COM
I love Ann Wedgeworth, by the way! One of my favorite actresses. Haven't seen her in anything in quite some time, however.
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Sweet story about your mother, Dan-in-TO.
Hope you're feeling better, Jane.
As for the Big Boob incident....I personally don't care if Janet Jackson flashes everything she has on national television. What I do find disturbing about the whole silly incident is that she planned it and did it for publicity for her new album (and she did succeed in that) without any thought about the consequences for the network, the other performer and the viewers. My line about censorship has always been - if you don't want to see it, don't watch it. But in this instance, there was no choice. I personally did not care when my child was young if she saw nudity in films (nudity for a valid reason in the story, that is). But I have to respect the viewpoint of people who do not feel that way. I may not agree with them, but I don't have to shove breasts in their faces (so to speak). So, what I'm saying I guess is here is yet another Jackson saying, "Gee, I didn't mean to offend anyone. Blink, blink." She's either really stupid or really calculating. Or a little of both.
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Even though Jed and I share some choices (different characters, though), I had made my list before I'd read it. I'm just now posting. I didn't copy...really I didn't. Here we go:
Harold Hill: Lea DeLaria
Marion Paroo: Rosie O'Donnell
Mrs. Paroo: Barbra Streisand
Winthrop: Tom Cruise
Marcellus: Mandy Patinkin
Mayor Shinn: Mario Cantone
Eulalie Shinn: Christopher Sieber
Zaneeta Shinn: Sarah-Jessica Parker
Tommy Djilis: Matthew Broderick
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Thanks Panni. As for your comments on JJ, well put!
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Evening all!
I'm glad Jane said this first because I was going to have to ask is a Silver Daddie better or worse than a Gold Daddie or a Bronze Daddie because I didn't have a clue what that meant. I won't be going to that site.
Quote from: Jane on Today at 02:40:41pm
Charlie Toft this innocent doesn’t know about SilverDaddies-so
thanks for the warning Dan-in-Toronto. Jennifer you should have heeded Dan’s advice.
Well the thing is, when people say something is inappropriate (but don't elaborate) it makes me curious.
If Dan (or anyone) had said it showed full frontal of older naked men, I would not have looked :)
I do have to say that I heard something on TV tonight that just floored me and I can't even repeat it here. I didn't catch the first part but it was a commercial about a drug for men. I won't say more but my jaw hit the floor...
I hope everyone is doing better today than yesterday.
Good job on the weight loss, Bruce! We are the new light weights of the board!
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I would sincerely like to know, however, how it is that London is able to so successfully keep its ticket prices within reach of the average person, while Broadway seems destined to wind up the sole province of the rich. I'm not being sarcastic here, I truly can't figure out why the difference is so striking.
Lulu, I don't know a lot of the details about this, but here are some of the reasons tickets cost so much more in New York than in London:
1) Advertising costs. In New York, you simply have to have an ad in the "ABCs" section of The New York Times every day. The Times charges a forture for this and there's no similar cost for a London newspaper.
2) Union costs. You may have read about the recent musicians' strike. On Broadway, if you score your musical for 8 musicians, you may still have to pay for 18. Such are the union rules and the unions honor each others' strikes. Say you create a show with a set that goes beyond the procenium. Therefore, no curtain. You're still going to have to pay a good salary to a union curtain rope-puller. Sounds like a joke. Isn't. Unions in England are so much more reasonable.
3) Corporate investors. Broadway is usally funded by mega-corporations who are looking to earn a huge return on their dollar. In London, you're more likely to find an individual investor, more willing to take a risk.
And of course Britain's National Theatre is subsidized by the government.
But here's something I don't understand. Compare 42nd Street and I Am My Own Wife. One has a very large cast with tons of costumes and scene changes; the other a cast of one on a single set. Why should the ticket prices for these two shows be remotely similar?
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Thanks for the good vibes yesterday DR's one and all.
Budget constraints were causing problems in my department and as the last person hired (10 years ago) I thought I would be the easiest to get rid of.
WELL....at any rate, it was decided instead that things would ease if those you could would volunteer to take a week without pay...which I was first in line to do....1 week is better than 52! And I think this solution will work, or so they say.
Whew!!! That was close! Thanks again!
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Congratulations, Jrand53! And enjoy your vacation.
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LOL Feb 16-20
And I also got offered a directing gig - which I accepted.....
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Ecck--That still is bad, JRand. Not to make you worry but I hope it's not "Out of sight, Out of mind".
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Janet Jackson may have been hypocritical in her apology, but CBS & MTV are just as hypocritical. Very interesting letters in the Times today. One saying everyone gets obsessed with Janet Jackson's breast but not the anti-social, foul, misogynistic lyrics of most of the singers who were singing during half-time and then, of course, there were all the erection ads and bimbos displaying cleavage and plenty of flesh in all the other ads. Hollywood, TV, and Madison Avenue pander to the American audience almost exclusively through sex and violence and that sort of "I'm so hip, I'm such a rebel" slacker image. Then they get up in arms when someone shows a breast? Get it off it! And the height of hypocrisy has to be CBS calling the SuperBowl..."our family programming". Yeah, right, testosterone programming is family programming. It gave all those teenage boys and their dads a break from scouring the internet for porn. I was in the emergency room Sunday (don't ask) and the doctor told me Superbowl Sunday has the highest incidences of spousal abuse in the year. Guess all those poor wifeys aren't getting the chips and the brew out in front of the TV fast enough. Family programming indeed.
Also the very fact that the Janet Jackson boob clip has been the most Tivo'd clip and the most downloaded clip ever, shows that there's a whole Hell of a lot of people not nearly as upset about it as CBS & MTV pretend to be.
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This very topic is discussed in tomorrow's notes which I have written today (or at least partially written today).
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Some costs for seats in London have gotten up to 37.50 or 38 pounds, that's getting close to sixty pounds for a ticket. The National, I think, has pretty much stayed under thirty pounds. Fairly reasonable. Now I rarely go to see the big musical productions there...like Lion King and similar Broadway transplant crap (I'll see musicals that originate or are revived there), I don't know what that stuff goes for.
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You want offensive TV? How about $#!% like "The Bachelor" and "Who Wants to Marry A Millionaire." That's offensive TV. But they do lead to marriage, so under Bushamerica's so-called morality, they are sacrosanct.
I have more to say on this, but I gotta go. I'm gagging.
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I had a nice lunch at Art's Deli. I had scrambled eggs, lox, and onions, no bread, no potatoes. Also, a small salad beforehand.
The question is: Do I make one of these Trader Joe's sausages I bought yesterday. The package says they're fully-cooked and all I need to do is slap 'em in a frying pan for a few minutes. I'm giving it serious thought.
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Good news JRand. Nice to know that someone has a sense of direction.
Do you have to work the week without pay or is it unpaid leave?
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Ok, guys, here is another one of those times that I remember reading something but I don't remember when or where.
It seems there was a very church/bible town somewhere in Texas. The local cable company was going to start offering subscriptions to the Playboy channel. Well, the whole town was in an uproar. They didn’t want that kind of “trash” messing with the morals with their wholesome little town. There was no point in even offering because “no one” was going to subscribe.
Three or Four months after all of this, can you guess what the most popular new channel in the town was? ;D
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Unpaid leave...LOL....working a week without pay would be VERY close to what I regularly do! ;D
Now DRCHARLESPOGUE has gotten me started thinking about Van Heflin.... I think that he and Maureen Stapleton were so very good in AIRPORT. And as for Count Three and Pray, if you would take a look at at in IMDB DR CP and are interested I would be glad to make you a copy of it. Van, Joanne :P, Raymond Burr, Jean Willes, Nancy Kulp, Phil Carey, and YES Allison Hayes! "The rowdy, rousing, rollicking story of Luke Fargo...and his three women!"
"Luke Fargo was through with sin....but sin wasn't through with him!"
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MR BK - did you watch GODZILLA MOTHRA KING GHIDRAH?
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DR Pogue - I agree with everything you said (although I didn't see the Super Bowl - but I can imagine). And I certainly was not suggesting that the networks were the victims of the Jackson boob. There are very few - if any - innocent parties involved here. I suppose I'm just more pissed of than usual at Ms. Jackson because I am SO tired of seeing her brother and his apologists all over the airwaves. As for further fallout, I've just been reading that a scene on ER tonight in which an 80 year old woman's breast was shown has been cut. Let's face it, the whole world is nuts.
I hope your "don't ask" visit to the ER had satsifactory results and there were no loose breasts around to shock you.
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bk - I hope your serious thinking has led you in the direction of having the sausage. It's a grand night for sausage, says I.
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I had a nice lunch at Art's Deli. I had scrambled eggs, lox, and onions, no bread, no potatoes. Also, a small salad beforehand.
I was also in Art's today around late lunchtime. I did not eat, however. I went in to buy two packs of Sugarless Bubble Yum - which I love and they sell. A heavy man who was called "Art" by those around him was behind the counter. Could that have been Art, himself? A celebrity sighting!
Let's have a detailed report on the sausage.
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Charles, we paid £37.50 for tickets to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The exchange rate was lousy so that turned out to be about $65 but we were in the orchestra 5th row Center and in any Broadway theatre those tickets would have cost (at full price which is what we paid for Chitty) $86.25 to $101.25 (the Theatre Restoration Fee of $1.25 is automatically added to each ticket in NY now) so even for a top price ticket in London, it's cheaper. I never saw a top price above £37.50 but I didn't check out every show. There are also graded seat prices as someone mentioned earlier. There is a real difference between the cost of a balcony seat in London and a seat in the stalls (orchestra) unlike in NY.
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JRand - That sounds like a sane solution. All the best with the directing gig.
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Thanks DinTO - I will talk more about it when it gets going a bit.
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Ben, The lovely wife always likes to sit in the front of the dress circle (mezzanine, I guess it would be called in America), because she likes to be able to see the blocking (old director, that she is)...And front of the Dress Circle is the same as the front half of the stalls. Top ticket. It seems to me the going rate is usually, as you said, 37.50pds in the West End, but then you must factor in another 2.50-3.50 for a programme (and then I must have my ice cream at interval). Still and all it's cheaper than here. And the one thing I won't stint on over there is great seats. I get the best I can get. I just looked at an old flyer for the National. It seems their prices go from 10pds up to about 32pds. Though that's from a few years back and I think they've perhaps gone on a cost cutting mission. I paid less than that the last time I was there ($28pds to see Joe Fiennes in an exquisite production of Love's Labour's Lost), but it was a matinee.
I did notice...though I didn't go to it...that the last time I was there, there was a production of THREE SISTERS with Kristen Scott Thomas starting up that was going to charge 40pds. I hope it wasn't a harbinger of things to come.
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You know what. I've seen the light and agree with the President. He thinks protecting the sanctity of marriage is really, really, really (that is three reallys) important. In his State of the Union address, he even mentioned that he will submit to the Congress for funding an initiative to promote marriage amongst us red-blooded Americans. (Well, that is, Americans of the heterosexual variety.) The President and many of his
cronies colleagues have told us on multiple occasions that marriage is this very, very, very (that is three verys) holy thing that needs to be protected. I mean, this is hugely, hugely, hugely (that is three hugelys) enormous, since the President's party is one that supposedly believes in small government and not intervening into the business of the states or its individual citizens' private lives.
So I was thinking. What I was thinking was that the worst action one can take to harm a marriage is getting a divorce, right? So, what I'd like to see is this: while everyone right of Dennis Kucinich is getting a twist in their knickers about the events in Massachussets and the possibility of gay marriages and redoubling their energy into passing a Constitutional amendment outlawing gay marriage, I do believe a parallel Constitutional amendment is in order. A Constitutional amendment outlawing divorce. After all, nothing is more harmful to a marriage than divorce, right?
Ahh. Now that debate would be far more interesting than anything else on TV right now, wouldn't it, Dear Readers? And that includes the discussion over Janet Jackson right breast.
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Yes, Panni, that was Art himself. "Every sandwich a work of Art".
I'm watching Godzilla now and will have a report in tomorrow's notes.
Haven't made a sausage decision yet.
Why, do you know if we had a lively night of postings we would achieve a new record of 25,000 posts? It will happen tonight or tomorrow.
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Art himself. I am breathless. ( a Godard reference) He even spoke to me - asked me what cap I was wearing today. As though he keeps track of my caps on a daily basis.
DR Jay - A brilliant idea. Although, being a wanton divorced woman, myself, would this mean I would lose my precious Greencard and be deported?
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I am through writing for today. Finished. Done. Fertig. Now I have to decide what to have for dinner. I'm leaning in the direction of a Cobb Salad. I should stop leaning before I fall into said Cobb Salad - and what a mess that would be!
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What's with the monologue? I see live people - but nobody's saying anything.
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Don't you love the word "wanton"?
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DR Jay - A brilliant idea. Although, being a wanton divorced woman, myself, would this mean I would lose my precious Greencard and be deported?
I suppose, if you stone those of your neighbors who do not honor the Sabbath, things would even out.
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LOL Feb 16-20
And I also got offered a directing gig - which I accepted.....
GREAT NEWS!
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Don't you love the word "wanton"?
I do, actually. I was thinking that a deliciously wicked Chinese lady might be called a won ton woman.
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It is difficult using the mouse when I keep coughing so I’m going back to bed with some tea to sooth my throat. Good night.
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Dan-in-TO - Yesterday I found a long list of Canadian stuff I had done. Have you ever run across THE MARRIAGE BED? I know they play it on Cannuck TV once in a while. I think you'd like it. Here's the synopsis from this strange website I found:
THE MARRIAGE BED
(1986) Linda Griffiths, Layne Coleman, Jan Rubes, Martha Gibson, Vivian Reis, Clare Coulter, Lyn Jackson, R.H. Thomson.....Story of a pregnant woman (Griffiths), deserted by her husband (Coleman), as Christmas approaches, and the advice she receives from equally unhappy and mixed-up friends and relatives. Griffiths is excellent in this downbeat made-for-CBC TV comedy-drama, and heads a good cast with good dialogue. But if slice-of-life isn't your cup of tea, be warned. Won Best Movie/Special Gemini. sc. Anna Sandor (from the novel by Constance Beresford-Howe). d. Martin Lavut. app. 97 min.
I thoroughly disagree with the "slice-of-life" bit. It's actually rather whimsical in its own bizarre way.
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Good night, Jane. Feel better!
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DR Jay...Great minds work along the same lines. I was just thinking today as I read the news about Masschussetts (spelling?), "How can Bush remotely say that the institution of marriage is sacred when we have a divorce rate of what? About 50% in this country? No, it's not sacred at all, people in this country change spouses almost as easily as they change houses or cars.
I know plenty of homosexual couples who are far more committed in their relationship than many of the heterosexual couples I know.
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Good evening!
Good class tonight. Good dinner - pizza, again. And now I have to pack for Memphis!
So... Once I'm done packing, I'll check back in later... -I'm actually just amazed that I don't have to get up at 5:00am tomorrow to catch my flight, since my flight doesn't leave until 9:30am. No 6:30am flight as usual this time. :)
OK - Back after packing....
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Do you have a mouse in your throat instead of a frog Jane? Sleep Well.
Panni: Heavy wicked Chinese Lady One Ton Wanton Won Ton. And I guess if she were to be "needy" she would be "wantin" as well.
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I know plenty of homosexual couples who are far more committed in their relationship than many of the heterosexual couples I know.
My daughter, now 20, still sleeps with a teddy bear named Danji. Danji was given to her when she was born by our friends Dan and Jim (thus the name "Danji"). At the time - 20 years ago - they had been together for at least 10 years. They are still together and are the happiest, most solid couple I know.
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Soy sauce??????????????????????
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Panni: Heavy wicked Chinese Lady One Ton Wanton Won Ton. And I guess if she were to be "needy" she would be "wantin" as well.
And if she were pale and exhausted from all the weight and wanting, she'd be a wan wantin' one ton wanton won ton woman.
That's it! I'm warning you (and that means Jay) leave it alone!
I'm going to make my supper. I hope there are lots of fun posts when I come back -- none of them having anything to do with wanton, etc.
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But they do lead to marriage, so under Bushamerica's so-called morality, they are sacrosanct.
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Clarification:
They lead to "straight Marriage"
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Thanks DRJane...I am excited.
Well after years (and years) of reading reviews and opinions, after watching really falling in love with BONJOUR TRISTESSE.....I watched Otto Preminger's "Saint Joan" -
My own opinion - Jean Seberg does a nice job with some flashes of inspiration as Joan D'Arc.... The supporting cast is mostly fine....Richard Widmark is a strange and not entirely successful choice as the Dauphin - but the confrontation of Joan and the Tribunal was well done....and the ending very moving.
Good score.....unfortunately my $5.00 video was "colorized" so I am not sure about the photography, but it seems fine.
Jean Seberg is one of the most interesting young actresses of her generation. Misused and maligned...but a winner!
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You want offensive TV? How about $#!% like "The Bachelor" and "Who Wants to Marry A Millionaire." That's offensive TV. But they do lead to marriage, so under Bushamerica's so-called morality, they are sacrosanct.
You're blaming this on Bush? I thought the media was supposed to be liberal! :-\
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Congratulations, Jack, on both parts of your news. Glad top seee all our good vibes worked.
Nightmare casting--- I think you've listed them all. I was tempted to put Carol Channing in there, but she could have done a decent job at it a few decades ago. Maybe Charles Nelson Reilly as the Mayor.
Feel better all.
And DRLAURA: I am so proud of you for FINALLY posting a pic of yourself. A current one would be fine too, but I've already told you that
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Don't you love the word "wanton"?
I've heard that there was a Chinese restaurant a few years ago here in Rehoboth, which went by the name of "Wanton Desires."
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Hmm...second day of auditions today. I obviously didn't go, since I went yesterday, but I had a friend who stayed after to help. She said that barely any people showed up, and that maybe 50 people tried out total.
Which means that the musical will be horrible this year.
Not HORRIBLE...but I can't help but wonder how many people didn't try out becasue it's Camelot. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but last year we did Grease, and a BILLION people tried out. It has gone downhill in interest.
And we're in the middle of a sleet/ice/rain/snow mixture right now. I REALLY hope they doin't panic as usual and close school, although I wouldn't mind a 2 hour delay. Callbacks are posted tomorrow, and I want to see the list!
And thank you, Jane, for saying my Gigantic eye is lovely. I wonder if I could turn it brown in paint...I want brown eyes! I hope you feel better!
Jennifer- While I agree that Nicole, on American Idol, had a nice voice, her personality was much too "Look at me! Look at me!" I found myself getting very annoyed with her. Especially when she was forever seeking out the cameras...just bothered me. She should take their advice and work towards a career in theatre.
And I agree with you about the redhead boy and the brothers! They SO should not have gotten through! They forgot all of the words, and even then, they were awful singers! The only person I felt bad for who didn't make it was the "old guy". He WAS a little too old-looking, but his voice was like buttah :).
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This Just In---
The York has just announced the Spring Musicals in Mufti series and it is certainly more adventuresome than the Encores series:
BEST FOOT FORWARD
FANNY
WEIRD ROMANCE (revised and with two new songs)
Then there will be a full staged production of a revue based on the works of Kenward Elmslie with music by several composers including Claibe Richardson. BK - you have to find the funding to record and release this. Most of the recent York shows have been recorded by John Yap which means recorded and then into his vaults to be released sometime in the future.
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WHY does it look like I've been given a black eye?! I can't even look good in pictures of my eyes!! I am officially the most unphotogenic person in the world.
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Panni,
I've read Constance Beresford-Howe's The Book of Eve (and should reread it), but not The Marriage Bed - nor have I seen it. But I'll certainly watch for it. Is it available on video?
I hope you don't mind but I did a bit of surfing (snooping?), and along the way learned that you're a recipient of the Margaret Collier Award. (This award is presented to writer for a body of work in Canadian television or for significant contribution to the international profile of Canadian television. The recipient is presented with a Gemini Award statue.) (Other recipients have included Wayne and Shuster, and Timothy Findley.)
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Wontons? Not now.
(And you can say that backwards, too.)
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I am really worn out. Der Brucer and I were up early, getting the house ready for the moving van and his son-in-law and co-horts, who are helping unload said van. Of course, the van itself was supposed to arrive sometime between nine and eleven, and didn't get here until twelve-thirty. The poor driver got confused.
So far, we've got about two-thirds of the van unloaded, but the third that remains is the heavy furniture. Isn't that always the way? My room is looking pretty good; the only thing missing is the headboard for my bed. The rest of the house looks like something struck by the proverbial tornado.
Der Brucer is upset by the damage done to some of the furniture, due to son-in-law not recognizing the value of some of the pieces. Let me rephrase that. Der Brucer is [size=20]uPsET[/size][/b][/color]by the damage.
But the house is beginning to look a lot more like a home than just a house. We've got boxes everywhere, and things are a mess. Yep, this is what a house looks like.
Early to bed, and early to rise. Back to it tomorrow morning. That is, if the ice falling tonight doesn't make everyone scared to try to do any work come sunrise.
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I've read Constance Beresford-Howe's The Book of Eve (and should reread it), but not The Marriage Bed - nor have I seen it. But I'll certainly watch for it. Is it available on video?
Not that I know of. The first TV-movie I ever did was also one of hers -- A POPULATION OF ONE. The weirdest thing that happened with that one is that the star (Dixie Seatle) got a fan letter from Neil Simon, who had seen it on PBS. She didn't know what to do with it, so I said I'd be happy to answer it - which I did. After that Simon and I corresponded a few times -- really interesting letters about critics, writing, NY vs. LA.
And yes, I got the Margaret Collier Award - a lovely honor. I was the first woman up until that time to get it. (And probably the youngest person.) My theory was that they realized they hadn't ever given it to a female and were desperately searching and came up with my name. Whatever the reason, it was nice to get it.
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I completely agree about Van Heflin in SHANE. He's the actor who's normally overlooked when people talk about that wonderful movie, and he deserves better.
I have never seen GREEN DOLPHIN STREET. I want to, and I know being an MGM film that it's in TCM's rotation, but I never seem to be in the right place at the right time to catch it. One of these days for sure. Took me years to finally catch MAYTIME, but I finally did. I'll get to GDS, too.
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Someone mentioned Melba Moore earlier. I just saw her in what I think you can safely call her "cabaret" show and she was terrific. Relaxed and in fine voice (what a range). In her show, she talks about her family and acts out some scenes. There was a good balance between song and word. I was sorry to leave at intermission. I wanted to find out what happened.
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Say, where did everyone up and disappear to? Watching a very interesting and strange film which I'll have more to say about when I've finished it.
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Oh, and WHERE IS MAYA?
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Has everyone gone to bed?
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Not at 4.40pm Panni!
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SwishyS, you take a fine photo judging from the glimpses that you have shown us...even the one with braces!
But I do believe your big eye is following me!
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I am listening to the Cd of "2001 - a space odyssey" at the moment. There is a montage of dialogue from the film. I had forgotten that HAL probably had more lines than the actors. It is even eerie lisening.
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I had forgotten that HAL probably had more lines than the actors. It is even eerie lisening.
HAL was voiced by the wonderful Canadian actor Douglas Rain. Which leads me to a question I've always wondered about - why did Kubrick use so many Canadian actors? They're all over his films in major supporting roles.
I'll have to wait until tomorrow for the answer, if there is one. I've been up since just after 5 and it's time to turn off the old computer. Good night.
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You and your Canadian ephemera.
Just back from a brisk mile-and-a-half jog. I need to recover. If we work really hard I do think we can reach our new plateau this very evening.
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Speaking of high school musicals, and the low audtion turnout thereof, as DR Sarah was, this afternoon we held callbacks for the production of Children of Eden for which I am vocal director.
Obviously, it's a show that is not gonna bring droves of kids in to audition (they did Footloose last year), and that really showed in the fact that we had only six, count them six, guys audition. Since the director decided to split two roles usually played by the same actor into two separate roles, we needed six guys just to fill the named male characters. Hunky dory, except this means that I now have to rewrite all the chorus music to work for a treble ensemble. Oh well, some of Schwarz' voicings I wasn't too fond of anyway. :D
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I am attempting to cope with crying of a "demented" dog. Her brother has just been taken to the VET. You would think she had been orphaned and subjected to extreme cruelty. An hour of this I will need to go to the VET too. Just like kids - annoy each other all day but can't be without each other.
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Forgot to mention that our male dog "Magnus" does not have a serious problem.
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I have just returned from seeing a new play, Dear Readers, called Stage Directions. Written by L. Trey Wilson, the action concerns a play within a play in which two African-American actors, one gay, one straight, must kiss. The straight actor is very uncomfortable with this, and that discomfort forms the framework of this evening of theatre. While it is filled with sometimes very clever humor, the play takes on some hefty topics, including the degree of acceptance within the African-American community of homosexual behavior, and the prejudices--conscious and unconscious--that people hold of one another. Although it is a little bit repetitive here and there, and there are more entrances and exits, it seems, than Noises Off, the play's serious themes are handled in a very articulate and balanced manner.
Note to Angelinos: It's playing at [Inside] The Ford, and half-price tickets are available at http://www.theatrela.org/today.htm (http://www.theatrela.org/today.htm) and http://www.goldstarevents.com/ (http://www.goldstarevents.com/). It's definitely worth the eleven bucks.
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My train to slumberland awaits. I shall just have to join the celebration over 25,000 posts tomorrow.
Congratulations in advance to BK and all you Dear, Dear Readers out there in the dark.
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Well I am not in the dark about my dog. It seems he may have a "stone" and with luck "this too shall pass". At least he is always quite happy to take medication - his life is very much food!
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Thanks to the kindness of a DR in Portland, I am listening to the wonderful Lani Hall. I don't understand a word (Spanish) but it is truly beautiful. What a talent and what a glorious voice.
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I am not greedy for fame. The next post is the significant one! Go for it.
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I'll take it!
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OK You've had ten minutes!
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Well done BK. It is only fitting. Congratulations.
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Congratulations to all you loyal and true Hainsies/Kimlets who continue to make this site the best on all the Internet.