Topic: BANK NOTES (Read 17314 times)

Matt H. · « **Reply #30 on:** July 07, 2005, 07:09:45 AM »

The timeline for our bad weather has been pushed back to 2 p.m. We were supposed to get the 2-4 inches of rain starting during the night, but it hasn't arrived yet. The construction workers across the street arrived extra early this morning to get in all they could before the bad weather hits.

Matt H. · « **Reply #31 on:** July 07, 2005, 07:11:49 AM »

Poor BK! I have had nights like that when there are so many things buzzing around in my head that sleep was impossible. And sometimes, I just couldn't drop off and ended up spending the entire night sitting up eating reading or watching television only to catch a catnap later in the morning.

Stuart · « **Reply #32 on:** July 07, 2005, 07:21:21 AM »

Quote from: Matt H. on July 07, 2005, 07:05:44 AM

As FOLLIES is my favorite musical, this is going to require a lot of thought. I think DR Stuart has some excellent ideas, however.

Quote from: Ben on July 07, 2005, 07:06:20 AM

Oooh, Stuart, I like that casting, especially Joan Blondell and Jeanette McDonald. Good Work!

Merci, messieurs.

Matt H. · « **Reply #33 on:** July 07, 2005, 07:22:29 AM »

Sally: Deanna Durbin
Phyllis: Rita Hayworth (dubbed by Nan Wynn)
Ben: Gordon MacRae
Buddy: Gene Kelly
Roscoe: Allan Jones
Carlotta: Joan Blondell
Solange: Simon Simone
Stella: Doris Day
Hattie: Patsy Kelly
The Whitmans: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
Heidi: Kathryn Grayson
Dimitri Wiseman: Clifton Webb

Stuart · « **Reply #34 on:** July 07, 2005, 07:23:18 AM »

Quote from: Dan (the Man) on July 07, 2005, 07:07:48 AM

I've had a radical idea for sometime now on how to film Follies, but it would involve a huge revision of the book.

I see the setting of the show being updated. It would now be a reunion of a 1950s/60s TV variety show--The Danny Wise Show. It would still take place in a NY theatre--something along the lines of the Ed Sullivan Theatre--that is still destined to be demolished. This Follies would be taped on video, and as the camera enters the theatre, we would see that the party has just started, with the guests gathered in groups throughout the auditorium. There are monitors everywhere, each showing tapes of various Danny Wise Shows throughout the years it was broadcast--some in kinescope, some in pristine B&W video, others in muddled color. As the evening and the show progresses, the figures in the videos begin to escape from their monitors, intermingling with the party guests, while some of the reunionees start to appear within the tapes from the past. The "Loveland" segment would take place as an idealized past broadcast of The Danny Wise Valentine's Day Special, with a full and appreciative 1950's audience in place. Ben's breakdown would set off a video breakdown, with ghosting, burnouts and over-saturations occurring as mismatched video images of the other characters collide with one another, culminating in the screen going blank except for that little white dot in the middle.

As far as casting is concerned, I would mine for the TV stars of the 50s and 60s (those that are still around, anyway.) Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore as Ben and Phyllis? Shirley Jones and Bob Newhart as Sally and Buddy?

Cut! Print! I like it!

MTM and Shirley Jones are also very good ideas.

I was also thinking Jean Simmons for Phyllis.

Stuart · « **Reply #35 on:** July 07, 2005, 07:25:30 AM »

Quote from: Matt H. on July 07, 2005, 07:22:29 AM

Sally: Deanna Durbin
Phyllis: Rita Hayworth (dubbed by Nan Wynn)
Ben: Gordon MacRae
Buddy: Gene Kelly
Roscoe: Allan Jones
Carlotta: Joan Blondell
Solange: Simon Simone
Stella: Doris Day
Hattie: Patsy Kelly
The Whitmans: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
Heidi: Kathryn Grayson
Dimitri Wiseman: Clifton Webb

Allan Jones! Inspired! (I couldn't decide on which role -- Sally or Heidi -- for Grayson, so remembering that many board denizens don't care for her, I decided not to cast her at all.)

Stuart · « **Reply #36 on:** July 07, 2005, 07:27:12 AM »

Another Carlotta: Miss Ava Gardner. Or Miss Gene Tierney

Another....hmmm......Solange, I think: Miss Lena Horne.

Matt H. · « **Reply #37 on:** July 07, 2005, 07:27:35 AM »

And now I need to drop off the internet and tend to some things in case we get this storm they keep saying we're going to have. I will be back later - perhaps in the early afternoon.

Stuart · « **Reply #38 on:** July 07, 2005, 07:28:31 AM »

Quote from: Stuart on July 07, 2005, 07:27:12 AM

Another....hmmm......Solange, I think: Miss Lena Horne.

In another time and place, I think Miss Horne would have been a spectacular Phyllis. And Miss Pearlie Mae would have been perfect for Hattie.

Matt H. · « **Reply #39 on:** July 07, 2005, 07:29:36 AM »

Yes, I found it impossible to think of anyone else but Gene Kelly for Buddy. It's such a Kelly role, at least the way Gene Nelson did it on Broadway.

Matt H. · « **Reply #40 on:** July 07, 2005, 07:32:40 AM »

Yes, I know Kathryn is not liked at all by some folks around here, but it's MY movie!

I would rather hear her (or Jane Powell) sing Heidi's song than Jeanette whose soprano for me always seems a bit flat, not in pitch but in tone. It's a kind of lusterless tone.

Jason · « **Reply #41 on:** July 07, 2005, 07:33:15 AM »

I'm ashamed to admit it, but...I don't know from FOLLIES. I've seen the concert version and I ended up getting very confused when it came to who was old- and who was young-so-and-so. I'd love to see a full production of it someday, but until that time comes, I'm afraid I can't contribute to the TOD.

I woke up with an earache this morning. Not a good thing.

~~~~~~And let's all send our good vibes across the pond to all those people in London.~~~~~~~

Matt H. · « **Reply #42 on:** July 07, 2005, 07:34:38 AM »

Oh, and about DR Rodzinski's comment about preferring Barbara Harris to Martin-Preston on that first Tony excerpts DVD, I meant only in terms of the number and its presentation. I love Barbara Harris, but I've never been quite as inthralled by that rendition of "Gorgeous" from THE APPLE TREE as some people have been.

Jason · « **Reply #43 on:** July 07, 2005, 07:38:00 AM »

Matt H: I saw the Encores! production of THE APPLE TREE. I've never been a huge fan of the show(s), but Kristin Chenoweth was FA-BU-LOUS in it. She was much better live than Ms. Harris was on tape, though I'm sure she was much better live, too.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #44 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:01:55 AM »

Well....I will only say that re: FOLLIES - I haven't gotten too far, but a couple of obvious choices for me:

Carlotta: Frances Farmer
Phyllis: Allison Hayes

Jrand73 · « **Reply #45 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:02:53 AM »

One June that DRMBARNUM never confuses with another would be June Kenney.

Congrats on the new job, DRRODZINSKI.

What great CD news, MR BK. Perhaps someday I will be employed and can purchase even MORE items.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #46 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:04:04 AM »

You are correct, DR TCB....I do not have a boyfriend in the show. And I am sorry to knock PURLIE out of a Broadway theatre, but that's show biz!

I am auditioning for MY THREE ANGELS and the run will conclude a couple of weeks before the release of the DVD - how fortuitous.

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #47 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:04:48 AM »

Belated question for BK:

A few weeks ago, you compared Mr. and Mrs. Smith with a play starring Elaine Stritch called Night of the Predators. Is this the same play that Ms. Stritch was referring to in At Liberty when she talked about the scene where a married couple are eating dinner and the actor playing the husband, realizing that the prop gun was missing, grabbed a jar of jam and exclaimed, "I'm going to kill you with this poison jelly?"

MBarnum · « **Reply #48 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:12:35 AM »

Quote from: JRand54 on July 07, 2005, 08:04:04 AM

I am auditioning for MY THREE ANGELS and the run will conclude a couple of weeks before the release of the DVD - how fortuitous.

Which role Jrand54? That should be a fun play!

S. Woody White · « **Reply #49 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:35:16 AM »

Quote from: bk on July 07, 2005, 03:05:10 AM

I hate milk. How about a cup of hot Diet Coke?

You HATE milk? Seems like a waste of emotion, to spend it on an inanimate object.

That could be the title of your next book, though: The Object of My Disaffection.

Ron Pulliam · « **Reply #50 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:36:59 AM »

DR Jason: Thanks for being a lone voice of concern for the terror attacks in London. I'm guessing the entire West End would have had to be leveled to get much notice around these parts.

Otherwise, it's just any other ordinary day here at HHW.com...heidi-ho.

TOD: As long as Bette Midler is in the cast...anything goes!

Jrand73 · « **Reply #51 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:42:38 AM »

Well actually after reading the reports and watching some of the coverage on television, I decided not to mention it.

HOWEVER, it is my opinion that it might be related to the Olympics rather than a political conference. But I am usually wrong.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #52 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:43:34 AM »

One of the convicts, DRMBARNUM....but none of the roles are without interest. Since I am choreographing PIPPIN during the beginning of the ANGELS rehearsal period, I might have to take a smaller role, which will be fine! Fewer lines to learn!

Jrand73 · « **Reply #53 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:44:23 AM »

And I am sure there are those who think Bernadette Peters should just play ALL the roles, she is SO multi talented.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #54 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:45:14 AM »

And what the hell....

how about Carol Channing as Hattie?

S. Woody White · « **Reply #55 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:48:09 AM »

Vibes for those in London.

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once again.

JMK · « **Reply #56 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:48:11 AM »

There was, of course, a planned film of Follies years ago, and I believe Debbie Reynolds (and maybe Shirley MacLaine, IIRC) were announced as two of the stars.

RATM had several fun threads about this last year where we picked "golden era" stars of certain studios to cast the potential film.

Paramount, of course, was my favorite. I think FF & Leif would have made a great Phyllis/Ben. BK's recent dinner guest Marsha Hunt would be a great Sally (don't know if she sang, but she has the persona for that role).

Jrand73 · « **Reply #57 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:50:27 AM »

Terror Alert for mass transit systems in the US was just elevated to Orange.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #58 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:51:35 AM »

But JMK - Frances' theme song could be "I'm Still Here" - LOL.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #59 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:52:11 AM »

Good Morning!

FOLLIES is one of my favorite shows and scores... It would require a good bit of research on my part to come up with my dream cast... Perhaps while I am sitting in the audience taking notes, and going over orchestra parts.... etc., etc., etc...

News:

Author Topic: BANK NOTES (Read 17314 times)

MBarnum