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Author Topic: TO BE FRANK  (Read 35876 times)

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Matthew

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #150 on: June 10, 2005, 01:54:53 PM »

I just like the lyrics

"You know you had a dozen sons, well now, that's not quite true...." and I love the use of a "country " song  since we always joke in my house that all country songs must be about death, dismemberment or divorce


but that's what makes horse racing!!



Lately my favorite line has been "You just can't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any Jews"

Oh, sorry - I've stated that already once today.  I think there's something in my diet Dr. Pepper I'm drinking.  At certain points this afternoon I've wandered out of my studio into the back yard and have been singing "Sunset Boooooolevard"
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Matthew

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #151 on: June 10, 2005, 01:55:24 PM »

Page 6 Dance

"Sunset Booooolevard"  try dancing in 5/8 time!
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elmore3003

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #152 on: June 10, 2005, 01:57:18 PM »

I just like the lyrics

"You know you had a dozen sons, well now, that's not quite true...." and I love the use of a "country " song  since we always joke in my house that all country songs must be about death, dismemberment or divorce


but that's what makes horse racing!!


when the Vixter was doing Peter Pan it was that dang "crowing" that drove me crazy!!


I think JOSEPH is the best of Sir Andrew's work; it does everything he does well here and nowhere else:  rock and roll, parody, and a lot of good tunes.  It was funny and silly when I saw Laurie do it, not the hyperbolic mess it later became.   Since I find Sir Andrew guilty of usually stealing a better's tunes and then not knowing what to do with  them, he has no time in JOSEPH to commit that error.  The piece is too short.
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George

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #153 on: June 10, 2005, 02:09:52 PM »

There were 3 CD's for the splashy Joseph revival in the 90's, Jason Donovan, Donny Osmond, and Michael Damian as Joseph - all three have the same orchestrations (even the same orchestra!) but are mixed differently, and my opinion is the Donny O version is the best - although Linzi Hately is the Narrator on the Jason D version, that's the best thing about it.  

Hands down, though, is the Original Broadway Recording with Laurie Beechman as the Narrator - it's not as fun as the revival, but it's my favorite.

The OBC is my favorite too.  With the other versions, it seems that every song has been arranged to be a "showstopper" when they really aren't meant to be.  I think it's a delightful little show that should stay little.  Just my 2¢. :)
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elmore3003

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #154 on: June 10, 2005, 02:13:25 PM »

The OBC is my favorite too.  With the other versions, it seems that every song has been arranged to be a "showstopper" when they really aren't meant to be.  I think it's a delightful little show that should stay little.  Just my 2¢. :)

It was a fun production, and Laurie was great.  I had two friends in the show, one now dead from AIDS and the other now an attorney.  I didn't get to know Laurie until much later.  She was a good lady and enormously talented.  I was very fond of her
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George

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #155 on: June 10, 2005, 02:18:27 PM »

Yep - The three versions of Joseph with the "coat-hanger" cover are all basically the same recording with the vocals dubbed in from the different leads/productions.  If I'm remembering correctly (IIRC in internet speak), "they" were originally going to try to put out a different version of the CD with each major cast change.  I actually would like to hear Patrick Cassidy on record.

*I'm still wondering if Nonesuch was thinking they would turn any sort of profit with the re-dubbing of Wonderful Town with Brooke Shields.  Now I know recording replacement casts used to be a sort of normal, but still...

**Unless Ms. Shields has it in her contracts now that she must get a record deal too. -Did we really need her Rizzo on record?  Is Chicago next?

I have both of Brooke Shields' second cast recordings...I would have enjoyed them much more if they had rerecorded the entire new cast instead of just rerecording the songs that Brooke was in and leaving the rest of the CD exactly the same as before.  When Kiss of the Spider Woman was rerecorded, they recorded the entire new cast and not just Vanessa L. Williams (and Howard McGillin and Brian Stokes Mitchell).

I remember when the Vanessa KotSW was released, she was interviewed on Regis and Kathy Lee.  They said that this was only the third time ever when a subsequent cast of an original production had been recorded and commercially released.  They mentioned the Pearl Bailey Hello, Dolly! but didn't name the last show.  Does anyone know what the other show was that got a whole new recording?
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Jrand74

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #156 on: June 10, 2005, 02:18:46 PM »

Saw the show at Edyvean Repertory Theatre at a local seminary way back in the early 1980's.  I didn't know anything about it, had never heard it.  I liked it immediately, and bought the OBC - from the first few notes when Laurie started singing, it became one of my favorites.

Turns out my friend Bob went to school with Bill Hutton, the original Broadway Joseph, and said he was very nice and very talented....not the smartest person in any room....but then, who is?
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George

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #157 on: June 10, 2005, 02:19:22 PM »

It was a fun production, and Laurie was great.  I had two friends in the show, one now dead from AIDS and the other now an attorney.  I didn't get to know Laurie until much later.  She was a good lady and enormously talented.  I was very fond of her

I loved Laurie Beechman!  I think I have all of her solo recordings. ;D
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Voldemort is basically a middle school girl: he has a locket, a diary, a tiara, a ring, and is completely obsessed with a teenage boy.

George

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #158 on: June 10, 2005, 02:22:03 PM »

Thanks for the warning DRGEORGE.  I skipped that post. Whew! That was close.

No problem! ;)
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Charles Pogue

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #159 on: June 10, 2005, 02:24:58 PM »

Don't remember the Quentin Durward score, but I rather enjoy the movie and speaking of great action scenes...as we were the other day...it has a terrific climactic duel with Robert Taylor and the villain having a swordfight, swinging on bell ropes in a blazing church tower.
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Jrand74

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #160 on: June 10, 2005, 02:25:07 PM »

DR GEORGE - I am sure someone here will know the answer.  I don't.
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Jrand74

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #161 on: June 10, 2005, 02:40:53 PM »

Quentin Durward makes me think of Durwood Kirby and Durwood Kirby makes me think of Rocky and Bullwinkle and the famous Kerwood Derby.
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Jane

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #163 on: June 10, 2005, 02:48:09 PM »

We just took a trip down memory lane-went to Fred's Bakery located near our high school.  It looks exactly the same and I purchased the almond paste pastry I always had there.  Keith's mother remember's Fred well.  His children ran the business up until last month.

Bruce do you remember Fred's?  
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Jane

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #164 on: June 10, 2005, 02:56:44 PM »

Quote
Geri???  Oy and vey, and a large one at that.

 ;D ;D
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Jane

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #165 on: June 10, 2005, 03:01:17 PM »

Lately my favorite line has been "You just can't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any Jews"

The reason I want to see the play! :D

We can receive email but I won't have a connection to post or respond to email until we return home.

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bk

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #166 on: June 10, 2005, 03:08:59 PM »

Don't remember Fred's, although I'm sure I went there.

The Volume 2 of Bernadette sounds very good.  Some nice stuff on it, which she performs well.

I've been going and doing non-stop.  But, I get to go to Musso and Frank to sup at five, so that will be a nice, relaxing break.  I've written three pages of the short story, and done a bunch of other stuff.  I'm now listening to my new 4CD Michel Legrand box set and it is AMAZING!
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Tomovoz

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #167 on: June 10, 2005, 03:42:22 PM »

TOTD:
DVD: "Old Yeller" (aka Fidele Vagabond)
CD: "Old Rivers" - Walter Brennon
       "Old Shep" - Elvis Presley
    "Old Dogs, Children & Watermelon Wine" Tom T Hall
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"I'm sixty-three and I guess that puts me with the geriatrics, but if there were fifteen months in every year, I'd only be forty-three".
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Tomovoz

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #168 on: June 10, 2005, 03:47:34 PM »

Happy Birthday Anthony.
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"I'm sixty-three and I guess that puts me with the geriatrics, but if there were fifteen months in every year, I'd only be forty-three".
James Thurber 1957

Ron Pulliam

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #169 on: June 10, 2005, 03:54:17 PM »

Don't remember the Quentin Durward score, but I rather enjoy the movie and speaking of great action scenes...as we were the other day...it has a terrific climactic duel with Robert Taylor and the villain having a swordfight, swinging on bell ropes in a blazing church tower.

There are some stunning cues available for listening:

http://www.screenarchives.com/fsm/detailCD.cfm?ID=337
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Tomovoz

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #170 on: June 10, 2005, 03:57:19 PM »

At long last, a job I actually have experience for, having worked at the university library for 4-1/2 years. :D  I know better than to get my hopes up at all at this point, but will surely keep you all updated if anything should come to pass from this.
The best of positives to you DR JED>
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"I'm sixty-three and I guess that puts me with the geriatrics, but if there were fifteen months in every year, I'd only be forty-three".
James Thurber 1957

elmore3003

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #171 on: June 10, 2005, 04:00:20 PM »

TOTD:
DVD: "Old Yeller" (aka Fidele Vagabond)
CD: "Old Rivers" - Walter Brennon
       "Old Shep" - Elvis Presley
    "Old Dogs, Children & Watermelon Wine" Tom T Hall

Is there a theme here?
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Tomovoz

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #172 on: June 10, 2005, 04:06:06 PM »

Joseph is still my favourite of ALW shows. I had the pleasure of seeing it performed by grade students in about 1971.  I saw the first West End professional production in 1972 - mostly children and the only "star" was Gordon Waller (of Peter & Gordon). At that stage the show was coupled with Jacob's Journey. The recording of that show is still my favourite but I also quite like the Paul Jones (early Manfed Mann lead singer and London's Pippin). I saw J.C. Superstar the same year and loathed it - and still do!
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"I'm sixty-three and I guess that puts me with the geriatrics, but if there were fifteen months in every year, I'd only be forty-three".
James Thurber 1957

bk

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #173 on: June 10, 2005, 04:06:17 PM »

All right, I shall now be on my way to Musso and Frank.  I'll be back pretty early.
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Tomovoz

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #174 on: June 10, 2005, 04:08:40 PM »

Is there a theme here?
Old Friends/Bookends -

DR Larry: Were turn of the century audiences gifted with a better attention span to cope with all those twists in the final act of "Babes in Toyland"?
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"I'm sixty-three and I guess that puts me with the geriatrics, but if there were fifteen months in every year, I'd only be forty-three".
James Thurber 1957

Jed

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #175 on: June 10, 2005, 04:09:35 PM »

I saw J.C. Superstar the same year and loathed it - and still do!

The joys of horseracing.  I'll take Superstar over Joseph any day of the week, myself.
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Charles Pogue

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #176 on: June 10, 2005, 04:22:09 PM »

I actually have an autographed copy of Durwood Kirby's autobiography that my aunt sent me.  I used to love The Gary Moore Show.  "That wonderful, wonderful year."
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Michael

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #177 on: June 10, 2005, 04:23:48 PM »

They said that this was only the third time ever when a subsequent cast of an original production had been recorded and commercially released.  They mentioned the Pearl Bailey Hello, Dolly! but didn't name the last show.  Does anyone know what the other show was that got a whole new recording?

It might have been Hair. The album was called DisenHAIRited.
« Last Edit: June 10, 2005, 04:24:06 PM by Michael Shayne »
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elmore3003

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #178 on: June 10, 2005, 04:24:34 PM »

Old Friends/Bookends -

DR Larry: Were turn of the century audiences gifted with a better attention span to cope with all those twists in the final act of "Babes in Toyland"?

DRTomovoz, the one thing I can say good about the BABES IN TOYLAND libretto is that it didn't talk down to children and it never ignored the more unpleasant aspects of life.  Unlike the Laurel & Hardy, the Disney, and all other contemporary versions, the original dealt with child abuse, murder, demonic possession and dismemberment, public execution, and torture in 3 hours of vaudeviile, song, dance, and a lot of ladies in tights (the original ad on the side of the Majestic Theatre said "Cast of 104 - Mostly Girls" and a lot of those ladies were turning tricks after the show with their stagedoor johnnies).  

I think the plot, for the most part Barnaby's trying to kill his nephew and niece for their inheritance, is very clearly laid out, but I'm sure the Act Three clause used to save Alan by marriage to a widow might have been incomprehensible to younger audiences.  My goddaughter, at age 13, loved SLEEPY HOLLOW, but she was stymied by the inheritance plot.  I suspect the kids got a little bored by the songs that were primarily intended for the adults like "The Moon Will Help You Out" (go have sex in the moonlight and land him) or "Before and After" (marital tribulation), but for a family show, it's so much more mature than anything currently being written.  I fought constantly with the Houston Grand Opera about dumbing down the more violent aspects of the plot!

Now, if only Glen MacDonough had been a talent the size of W.S. Gilbert, the show might still be better regarded, but Glen's a second-stringer, and his libretto is poor dramaturgy.  I love the killer dolls, though.
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Michael

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Re:TO BE FRANK
« Reply #179 on: June 10, 2005, 04:25:44 PM »

Or was it Oklahoma! that released volume 2 of songs
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