Topic: PRESTIDIGITATION (Read 23705 times)

S. Woody White · « **Reply #60 on:** June 24, 2004, 09:40:02 AM »

Quote from: Emily on June 24, 2004, 09:36:00 AM

Good morning all!

In honour of it being St-Jean-Baptiste Day (the national fête of Quebec) I proudly present....

Virtual Poutine:

Emily, you're scaring me!

Dan-in-Toronto · « **Reply #61 on:** June 24, 2004, 09:48:06 AM »

And what about Peggy Lee (Fever, Siamese Cat Song, Manana)?

Dan-in-Toronto · « **Reply #62 on:** June 24, 2004, 09:50:13 AM »

Quote from: S. Woody White on June 24, 2004, 09:40:02 AM

Emily, you're scaring me!

This from someone whose "new love" is scrapple?

Ben · « **Reply #63 on:** June 24, 2004, 09:58:46 AM »

What's all this about me folding. I don't fold (except my laundry). Wha choo talkin' bout Willis?

Oh, BTW, DIT was right (Michelle Nicastro), if you didn't already get that.

P.S., I have heard of the band, I have just not heard their music.

Dan-in-Toronto · « **Reply #64 on:** June 24, 2004, 10:10:39 AM »

I was scrolling through the "Peggy Lee songwriter index." I think it's the most comprehensive and interesting such list that I've seen.

http://www.jazzdiscography.com/Artists/Lee/PLSongIdx.html

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #65 on:** June 24, 2004, 10:13:40 AM »

Quote from: Emily on June 24, 2004, 09:36:51 AM

oooh... and I have to agree with Jose about Ben Folds. His music is so much fun to listen to.

How great would a Ben Folds musical be? Maybe we should start a letter writing campaign

"Rockin' the Suburbs" was the best least-played-on-radio song when it came out two years ago. True, some of the lyrics might have had something to do with that, but it was too catchy not to have gotten more airplay. It sounds like some of it is used in Shrek 2 (in the promos, at least.)

"Still Fighting It" is a great song, too, from the same album.

JMK · « **Reply #66 on:** June 24, 2004, 10:16:02 AM »

BK: your DVD column has a strange set of question marks after virtually every period. I kept wondering what the proper inflection of your column should be.

Noel · « **Reply #67 on:** June 24, 2004, 10:24:51 AM »

Yes, I'm back, and scrolling through some of the posts I missed while I was away (with limited internet access), I came across:

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Quote from: Dan the Man on June 22, 2004

Quote

And from "West End Avenue" (The Magic Show), this great Stephen Schwartz rhyme:
Delis and laundromats and gay bars
West End Avenue
Only a block away from Zabars

I think we've been through this before. My mother grew up on West End Avenue, exactly a block away from Zabars.

But how great a rhyme is it when you know that West End Avenue has neither laundromats or gay bars on it. There's very few stores of any type: delis at 72nd and 96th (near highway off-ramps) and the only bar is The Underground, across the street from me. I'm sad to report it's not gay, but instead features third tier stand-up comedians. Weekend eves they hawk it on street corners: "See a stand-up who's appeared on the Kimmel show!" Yeah, whatever that is. The constant barking annoys me, and I'm tempted to say "There's too much comedy in my life already. The moment you have people standing up doing poignant dramatic monologues, I'm there."

Near West End Avenue, in the 70's, there were a couple of gay bars. Just not on it. Nothing much is on it; it's residential.

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #68 on:** June 24, 2004, 10:33:33 AM »

Quote from: JMK on June 24, 2004, 10:16:02 AM

BK: your DVD column has a strange set of question marks after virtually every period. I kept wondering what the proper inflection of your column should be.

BK has gone valley girl?

For me, it's like, appropo? 'Cause, like, I found this real cool web radio site? And I'm listening to an all-80s channel? Like, right now, they're playing Bowie's "Modern Love"?

I had the bestest sandwich for lunch? Chunky chicken salad? With a creamy pesto dressing? Served on toasted raisin bread? It was sooooo good I, like, scarfed the whole thing down and I wanted another? Am I annoying anyone who's trying to read this yet?

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #69 on:** June 24, 2004, 10:37:12 AM »

Quote from: Noel on June 24, 2004, 10:24:51 AM

Yes, I'm back, and scrolling through some of the posts I missed while I was away (with limited internet access), I came across:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote from: Dan the Man on June 22, 2004
Quote
And from "West End Avenue" (The Magic Show), this great Stephen Schwartz rhyme:
Delis and laundromats and gay bars
West End Avenue
Only a block away from Zabars
I think we've been through this before. My mother grew up on West End Avenue, exactly a block away from Zabars.

But how great a rhyme is it when you know that West End Avenue has neither laundromats or gay bars on it. There's very few stores of any type: delis at 72nd and 96th (near highway off-ramps) and the only bar is The Underground, across the street from me. I'm sad to report it's not gay, but instead features third tier stand-up comedians. Weekend eves they hawk it on street corners: "See a stand-up who's appeared on the Kimmel show!" Yeah, whatever that is. The constant barking annoys me, and I'm tempted to say "There's too much comedy in my life already. The moment you have people standing up doing poignant dramatic monologues, I'm there."

Near West End Avenue, in the 70's, there were a couple of gay bars. Just not on it. Nothing much is on it; it's residential.

Hmmm...Noel, I don't remember saying that. But then again, I have been having blackouts again. Was I flashing a switchblade and going "Grrrrrr! Grrrrrrr! Grrrrrr!" when I said that?

Dan-in-Toronto · « **Reply #70 on:** June 24, 2004, 10:37:28 AM »

Noel,

It was in-Toronto and not (the Man) who highlighted the Zabars/gay bars rhyme. To be honest, I know only the snippet and not the song - remembering the passage from a NY Times review of the show when it opened. Do the lyrics actually place the delis, laundromats, and bars on West End Avenue, or is the singer commenting on Manhattan generally?

I also remember a review of Darling of the Day, in which the critic asked rhetorically, "Who else but E.Y. Harburg would rhyme uppity and cup-a-tea?" "Lionel Bart," I shouted back to the newspaper.

Noel · « **Reply #71 on:** June 24, 2004, 10:37:35 AM »

Quote from: Emily on June 24, 2004, 09:36:51 AM

How great would a Ben Folds musical be? Maybe we should start a letter writing campaign

All I know of Ben Folds is that when Ben Folds Five first came on the scene, some people thought the name referred to a lousy poker hand.

But I don't know about urging popular songwriters to try musical theatre. Musical theatre writing is a very different skill than pop writing, and a great talent for the latter doesn't often translate to stage success. Randy Newman's "Faust" and Paul Simon's "The Capeman" are two notable examples.

And I'd list Simon among my favorite singer/songwriters. I'm not so fond of Newman's vocal growling. Craig Carnelia sings beautifully (and is one of the best composer/lyricists around), and I like Johnny Mercer a lot.

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #72 on:** June 24, 2004, 10:41:49 AM »

I confess Magic doesn't thrill me all that much, simply because I know it's a trick, however complex. Though once when I was the assistant entertainment director for an amusement complex in Dallas, I had to give my young magician stage presence. I gave him lots of jokes and schticky bits of business to do. I also got to see how a lot of well-known illusions worked.

Songwriters who sing their own stuff. I adore early Tom Waits. I right partial to John Prine. I confess a weakness for Rod McKuen, though I'd still prefer other people to sing his songs.

Jose, The Lovely Wife makes a killer Curry Chicken Pasta Salad, that I don't know the recipe for. She usually whips up a batch for the Hollywood Bowl. We take it with a couple of bottles of wine and head for the nose-bleed section of the Bowl (we drive and park on back residential streets about a mile away and then walk to the Bowl, so we don't have to deal with parking) and we sit in the back, get blissfully, slightly wozzled, gorge ourselves on pasta, and look at the gorgeous night and listen to the gorgeous music. There is no better, inexpensive entertainment for a summer's eve. The cheapest seats way in the upper tiers still only go for three-four bucks.

Noel · « **Reply #73 on:** June 24, 2004, 10:51:21 AM »

Quote from: Dan-in-Toronto on June 24, 2004, 10:37:28 AM

Do the lyrics actually place the delis, laundromats, and bars on West End Avenue, or is the singer commenting on Manhattan generally?

I also remember a review of Darling of the Day, in which the critic asked rhetorically, "Who else but E.Y. Harburg would rhyme uppity and cup-a-tea?" "Lionel Bart," I shouted back to the newspaper.

That's very funny, Dan-Whom-I-Confused-
For-Another, I would have shouted the same.

While West End Avenue does have a metaphorical sense, the lyric clearly establishes that the laundromats and gay bars are ON WEA while Zabars is a block away. Which is true of Zabars.

Thinking about Zabars reminds me of the Yogi Berra quote "It's so popular nobody goes there anymore."

Jrand73 · « **Reply #74 on:** June 24, 2004, 10:56:31 AM »

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.....I liked the magic trick that DRMichael Shayne was talking about....the trunk, the assistant, and the changing of places. I also like a comedian/magician called, I think, the Amazing Kobe....who got behind some cloth and kept getting taller and taller AND taller!!! I have only seen this guy once, but he was terrific. Has any other DR seen him?

Singer-songwriters....Melanie, Paul Simon, Carol King....that is a start.

Here is your Allison Hayes Picture of the Week.....

Michael · « **Reply #75 on:** June 24, 2004, 11:08:30 AM »

I had the opportunity to see Merlin. The producers should have put the foot down and not allow Doug Henning on the stage. Henning was a triple threat. Couldn't sing, dance or act. They should have gotten an actor to learn the magic and allowed him to do the show. I think it might have been more successful. With all the tinkering they did to hid Henning's deficiatncies (sp?) they may have had a better show. The Magic Show continued to run without Henning and I am sure Merlin might have been more successful without him on stage. They did surround him with great performers: Chita Rivera, Nathan Lane, Edmund Lyndeck, George Lee Andrews and Michelle Nicastro and in doing so pointed out those weakness even more.
What is interesting is that Henning recycled some of the illusioned he did in Merlin and put them in the "movie" version of The Magic Show. So some of the illusions in The Magic Show were not the originals.

Michael · « **Reply #76 on:** June 24, 2004, 11:09:41 AM »

I wonder is Merlin the only musical ever to be nominated for the Best Musical of the Year (Tony Awards) that has never had a (official) complete recording?

Michael · « **Reply #77 on:** June 24, 2004, 11:11:20 AM »

And from "West End Avenue" (The Magic Show), this great Stephen Schwartz rhyme:
Delis and laundromats and gay bars
West End Avenue
Only a block away from Zabars

I have seen the sheet music and Stephen Schwartz has written alternate lyrics that eliminates the gay bars references

Michael · « **Reply #78 on:** June 24, 2004, 11:18:37 AM »

Some Best Musicals Never recorded

Dancin' which was a revue of pre-existing material was never recorded. As was Big Deal although some of the material from Dancein and Big Deal was used in Fosse which was recorded.

Add Quilters to a show that was never recorded (that i know of)

TCB · « **Reply #79 on:** June 24, 2004, 11:20:23 AM »

Quote from: Panni on June 24, 2004, 01:17:05 AM

I guess I should go to bed, too. I'll probably dream about Ronald and Nancy.

As long as you didn't dream that Ronald Reagan was kissing Barbra Streisand.

Michael · « **Reply #80 on:** June 24, 2004, 11:21:35 AM »

Songwriters who sing their own material: Melissa Manchester, Janis Ian, John Lennon

TCB · « **Reply #81 on:** June 24, 2004, 11:28:12 AM »

Quote from: Matt H. on June 24, 2004, 08:14:55 AM

Well, freckled blondes often don't age well, and the fact that he spends so much of his time skiing and out in the sun doesn't help his complexion either.

He's so heart-stoppingly gorgeous in THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR, BUTCH CASSIDY, and THE STING that to see him now is something of a shock.

And in THE WAY WE WERE. I could stare at him in that movie forever!

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #82 on:** June 24, 2004, 11:40:49 AM »

Quote from: Michael Shayne on June 24, 2004, 11:18:37 AM

Some Best Musicals Never recorded

Dancin' which was a revue of pre-existing material was never recorded. As was Big Deal although some of the material from Dancein and Big Deal was used in Fosse which was recorded.

Add Quilters to a show that was never recorded (that i know of)

Also The Lieutenant and the '77 Happy End. And if you're talking about nominees that never had a Broadway recording, then you'd have to add shows like Mamma Mia and Miss Saigon.

Jay · « **Reply #83 on:** June 24, 2004, 12:02:35 PM »

Quote from: Charles Pogue on June 24, 2004, 10:41:49 AM

The cheapest seats way in the upper tiers still only go for three-four bucks.

Believe it or not, tickets at the Hollywood Bowl for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Tuesday and Thursday night classical concerts can still be had for one dollar.

As a point of reference, tickets for the Simon and Garfunkel concert at the Bowl on July 1st start at $58.50 and go up to $354.50.

Robin · « **Reply #84 on:** June 24, 2004, 12:17:28 PM »

My last act of prestidigitation was becoming a HHW God.

My favorite magic trick was performed by Penn and Teller, which was a variation of pulling a rabbit out of a hat; just after they pulled the rabbit(s) out of the hat, they tossed the l'il critters into high-powered industrial fan...yikes! (It was just a trick folks...no rabbits were harmed...)

As to favorite singer/songwriters: Randy Newman, for sure. Paul Simon and Frank Zappa, definitely.

Dan-in-Toronto · « **Reply #85 on:** June 24, 2004, 12:21:34 PM »

CONGRATS ON YOUR ASCENSION ROBIN ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Panni · « **Reply #86 on:** June 24, 2004, 12:26:49 PM »

Welcome to the heavens, Robin!

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #87 on:** June 24, 2004, 12:33:18 PM »

[move=left,scroll,6,transparent,100%]WELCOME TO THE PANTHEON, NEW HHW GOD ROBIN![/move]

Sandra · « **Reply #88 on:** June 24, 2004, 12:35:20 PM »

My favorite pasta salad is also my favorite soup. Mix together gazpacho and pasta. It's called gazpasta.

Jennifer · « **Reply #89 on:** June 24, 2004, 12:45:07 PM »

Well yes today is the St. Jean Baptiste holiday. And all stores are closed, except for grocery stores.

Spent the morning loading up my sister's credenza. Her hubby put together their new BBQ. Then we had chicken pizza for lunch.

My aunt and uncle came over with their poodle to see the house. It's coming together slowly. But there are still boxes all over the place. They have only 8 more days to get it together until my brother-in-law's sister, hubby and 2 kids show up for a month from Nunavut. I cannot wait (since my sis and I are both close to them. the kids call me auntie too!).

Oh well, need to go water the flowers and then make a BBQ. Wonder if there are any good fireworks around here tonight.

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Author Topic: PRESTIDIGITATION (Read 23705 times)

Ben