Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[William F. Orr]

Well, almost all musicals appear to be obscure in the present cultural climate, except for the few BLOCKBUSTERS!!! that receive megahype.

Howsomever...

When I was in college and tape recorded cast albums daily from one of the LA FM stations (back when FM radio meant quality), I developed an affection for some of the British musicals:  Fings Ain't What They Used to Be, Pickwick, Lock Up Your Daughters, Virtue in Danger, Belle.  I do regret that I've never heard the score to Blitz.  Fortunately, several of these have been re-issued on CD of late.  

Have you ever sung along with lyrics like "Dit-Dit, Dit-Dah-Dit-Dit Dah-Dah-Dah  Dit-Dit-Dit-Dah Dit, Dah-Dit-Dah-Dah Dah-Dah-Dah Dit-Dit-Dah"?

That, if you don't know, is Morse Code for "I love you", and is a song from the Dr. Cripin musical Belle.  And you thought Sondheim was the first one to write a show about a famed murderer, now didn't you?

[William F. Orr]

PAGE 3.

EVERYBODY DANCE.  

(Especially Salome.)

[Jane]

Allison Hayes sure had to pose in some interesting positions.  I know I always lounge around like that, it is just sooo comfortable.  I remember when I was very young I would practice posing like the stars in the magazines.  

[William F. Orr]

DR PANNI:

Hearing that you once had a boyfriend who was obsessed with Esperanto, I soooo want to commiserate!

But I was just over at the Footlights web site ordering CD's that nobody else carries and noticed the Hungarian cast album of Grease.  Outrageously expensive of course.

But I can't find a CD of Donnybrook, another of my fave obscurities.  Based on the film The Quiet Man, with Art Lund, Eddie Foy Jr., and Susan Johnson.

But now that I mention it, I seem to remember a CD was issued and is hiding somewhere in my collection.  Does anybody know?

[Matt H.]

Actually, Shirley Temple had one more Technicolor item while at Fox. The last segment of THE LITTLE COLONEL was done in Technicolor. DR JRand is correct about THE LITTLE PRINCESS and THE BLUE BIRD being her other Technicolor Fox films.

THE LITTLE PRINCESS has been in the public domain for many decades, so that's why you're getting a DVD of it at all, with or without color. It's not goping to look pristine. (The official Fox release of THE LITTLE PRINCESS on VHS is quite beautiful looking.) I don't know why Fox stopped releasing their Temple films on DVD. The three they released must not have sold well. But why should they since Fox did no restorative work on them at all. It was obvious they simply duped the tape masters onto DVDs. The three films (CURLY TOP, DIMPLES, HEIDI) are all grainy and full of artifacts, but I guess they're better than nothing.

[Matt H.]

Happy Birthday, former DR Jed.

[Matt H.]

I think A TIME FOR SINGING has a glorious score. I've never seen the show produced on the stage, but listening to the album (like so many other flop shows), it's hard to believe it wasn't a success.

DARLING OF THE DAY has quite a listenable score, too, but again, don't know how viable a stage property it is since it was such a miserable flop on Broadway.

[Matt H.]

DR WFO, I only have an LP of DONNYBROOK! If it was released on CD, I must have missed it.

[TCB]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
(to my cyber-son)
DR JED

[/color]

[Dan-in-Toronto]

I think A TIME FOR SINGING has a glorious score. I've never seen the show produced on the stage, but listening to the album (like so many other flop shows), it's hard to believe it wasn't a success.

An acquaintance of mine caught A TIME FOR SINGING when it tried out in Boston. He was sure it was going to take Broadway by a storm. I too love the score and cherish the LP.

Other Alexander Cohen-produced flops with scores I very much enjoy: DEAR WORLD, PRETTYBELLE, and, yes, RUGANTINO.

[Matt H.]

Yep, I love DEAR WORLD and PRETTYBELLE, too. Or maybe it's Angela Lansbury I love!  

[William F. Orr]

Oh, and I could kick myself for the seven times I passed up Prettybelle at Tower Records before it disappeared.

I think we ought to collectively kick BK's butt and get him to start a new recording company, so he can reissue all these treasures we are missing--as well as producing more original masterpieces and recording all those lost scores we lust after.

[Charles Pogue]

JRand, was THE LITTLE PRINCESS totally in colour or was it just the dream/faery tale sequence?

[Stuart]

Yep, I love DEAR WORLD and PRETTYBELLE, too. Or maybe it's Angela Lansbury I love!  

I do too....all three.  But especially the modulating horns on "I Met a Man."

[Matt H.]

JRand, was THE LITTLE PRINCESS totally in colour or was it just the dream/faery tale sequence?

Not to butt in, but the entire thing was in Technicolor.

[Matt H.]

I agree with you DR WFO. BK needs to get back into the recording industry where he belongs producing albums we all want and need.

[MBarnum]

I got one of those, too, along with Dick Dastardly's car.  I also have a few of the cars that were cereal prizes.  And when I was a lad, I had the snap-together models of a few of the vehicles.

Mmmmmm...I'm feeling an eBay search comin' on...

I had the cereal version of Penelope's care too when I was a kid, so when I saw the Matchbox one recently I was thrilled. I think I had the Gruesome Twosome car as well....way back when!

[JoseSPiano]

Good Afternoon!

I made it out of the pit!  -And I'm about to go back in again in a few hours, but...

So far, so good.  Last week was a truly long week.  Good, but long.  With all the standard rehearsals for the show, plus the orchestra rehearsals, plus the shows themselves, I basically ended up being at the theatre for 14 hours each day from Tuesday-Sunday.  Whew!  By the time I would get home in the evening, I just didn't have the mental capacity nor concentration to do much of anything except for plunking myself in front of the TV watching whatever happened to be on, or just logging online and checking my e-mail.  Sorry for being errant and truant.  I was just caught a bit off guard at how tired and fatigued I was getting during the tech.  But that's life in the theatre.

The show is a true workout.  However, I will say the run of What If? did serve me well in getting ready for this show.  It helped build up my endurance again.  Besides two bits of underscoring early in the show, and Paul's monologue, I'm basically playing the whole time, a little over two hours straight.  And since most of the dialogue is underscored too...  The most nerve-wracking moment is the very opening with that very recognizable "da-da, da-da, da, Dah! - A-gain!"...  Right after the curtain speech, the lights in theatre - and in the pit(!) dim down to darkness, so...  Thankfully, there's enough spill from the cue light, but otherwise, I start the show in the dark.  *This situation actually provided a mini-laugh the first night... The lights started to dim, the cue lights went out, the pit went dark... and the conductor cued me to start... but since it was dark, I couldn't see the cue/baton/conductor...  -So, that's when we decided that I should just start a beat after the lights went out.

The show had a wonderful opening week and weekend, and the reviews have been glowing.  It really is a wonderful cast, and having the show mounted by a few of the "originals" has added a very special "edge" to this production.  Baayork Lee, the original Connie, directed and choreographed.  Fran Liebergall, the original pianist and subsequent musical supervisor is the conductor and musical director.  And Richard Winkler, who was Tharon Musser's assistant, recreated the lighting.  Additionally, the local crew and orchestra(!) are really top notch, and know how to work around and highlight the particular "eccentricities" of this particular theatre.

I haven't explored much more of Houston since I last posted, but I did make it over to Frenchy's Fried Chicken.  YUM!!!!  And quite the bargain too!  I just got the standard 3 piece dinner - complete with collard greens served with "pot likker" - but they also offer a 10-piece dark meat combo for only $5.00!!  And the place always seems busy to some degree, so the fried chicken never spends that much time underneath the heat lamps.  I literally saw my order coming right from the fryer, to the heat lamp "stations", to my tray.  Again, YUM!  Nothing fancy or exotically spiced.  Just wonderful home-cooked flavor.  -And the Lemon Cake was pretty good too!

I also finally made it over to the Galleria the other day.  According to the map, the Galleria was the first enclosed mall in the US.  And it's been expanding ever since it was built.  Right now, it houses at least 300 stores, restaurants, kiosks, etc.  There are at least four multi-level parking decks, and there's even an ice-skating rink on the ground floor!  (Apparently, it's the official "home" to Olympian Tara Lipinski.)  There's even a hotel that's connected to part of it.  It's a Mall with a capital "M".  And the Stores are Stores with a capital "S".  Every major and minor designer is represented, and even the standard chain stores seem a bit more upscale in the Galleria.  I was actually a bit overwhelmed by it all.  Just so much to take in.  And just so much "money" in evidence.  Welcome to Houston!

On the homefront, my father is doing well.  More tests this week, and then they can start figuring what course of action they will be taking in regards to treating the cancer.  Again, it's been sort of interesting and "neat" testing for the stages in reverse order.  It's not Stage Four, it's not Stage Three, and it looks like it may just be at early(!) Stage Two/late Stage One.  So, all is well, and, again, the good news has made my time away from home a bit - well, a lot - easier to deal with.

Whew!

I started reading the posts from the past week, but I figured by the time I got caught up, it would be another week before I posted, so...  I'll do my best to make it through them, but in the meantime:

Good Vibes To DR (fill in the blank)!
Good Health And Get Well Vibes to DR (fill in the blank)!
Happy Birthday to DR (fill in the blank)!
Safe Travels DR (fill in the blank)!
Welcome Back DR (fill in the blank)!

[JoseSPiano]

As for obscure plays...

Although they may fall more under the lesser-produced than obscure category, the seemingly always controversial plays of Canadian Brad Fraser have always interested me.  Another Canuck, Nick Darke also interests me - and I've mention The Dead Monkey before.

The author's name escapes me write now, but The Pitchfork Disney is fascinating play.

Jane Martin - or whoever he/she really is - has a play called Coup Clucks.  It centers around a stage production of "Gone With the Wind", and I think you can get an idea of the ongoings from the title of the play.  Very funny, and thought-provoking.

[Jane]

elmore just returned home.  He has a headache so he took some Tylenol with codeine and is going to bed.  All went well and they fed him at the hospital.

Last night he spilled water on his keyboard and is letting it sit upside down to dry out.  If that doesn’t work he will have to purchase a new one.  Until then he can’t use his computer.

[JoseSPiano]

As for obscure musicals...

Again, maybe more lesser-produced than obscure, The Human Comedy gets a vote from me.  I will admit, some of the moments in the show feel forced, but there are also some very touching and beautiful moments.  And the topics of death and war and family are timeless and timely.

...And in a few weeks, I'll get a better idea of Hallelujah, Baby.

When I was playing for the musical theatre department at Catholic Univeristy, the students were always scrounging the obscura for recital and audition material.  -Yes, some of the pieces are obscure for good reasons - or bad reasons - but there's always that one gem of a song or monologue to be found in the rough.  The Grass Harp ("Floozies" always makes me smile), Angel Street, Robert and Elizabeth, Rags, The King of Hearts, etc.

[JoseSPiano]

I'm a great admirer of Lorraine Hansberry's second and last play, THE SIGN IN SIDNEY BRUSTEIN'S WINDOW. As with A RAISIN IN THE SUN, the author takes on moral issues but doesn't preach. There's a rich cast of characters, plenty of dramatic tension, and genuine humor. I've seen the play and have read it (Random House hardcover edition - $3.95). It stands up well, and I'd love to see it revived.
 

There were actually two very good productions of this play running in the DC area a few seasons back.  One in Arlington at American Century Theatre (which specializes in lesser produced plays and musicals from the American canon), and one in Baltimore at Center Stage, I believe.  Agreed, a very good play.

[bk]

I look exactly like Allison Hayes when I lay on my couch - an amazing coincidence.

Tammy Minoff dropped by and we had a spot of lunch and I helped her set up an eBay account.  She liked my new lamp and loved my new painting and helped me decide which wall was best.  It's going to go above the piano, which seems the perfect place.  It's not seeable when you enter the room at first, but it's a really good spot and I can put the actual album cover below it, plus one of the directional lights is right there and will illuminate it really nicely.

[JoseSPiano]

And since Peter Barnes was mentioned earlier, I also like his play with music, Red Noses.  Who knew The Plague and papal corruption could be so funny at times?

[S. Woody White]

Inspired by the thread's title, I think I'll write a Concerto for Pompous Bassoon.  The last time I wrote a classical piece was right before we invaded Iraq and so many people were mad at our nation's oldest ally.  It was called Concerto for Freedom Horn.

Unlike French Fries (which are really Belgian), it turns out that historically the French Horn really is French!  (That's for all you trivia lovers out there.)

[S. Woody White]

Also each year in London, I see wonderful plays that never seem to make it over here:  

Would you remember Caryl Churchill's Serious Money, a comedy in verse about large sums in England's banking community?

[Jane]

Jose I enjoyed your post immensely and am so pleased with the good news regarding your father.  Congrats on another successful show!

[MBarnum]

DR Elmore3003 sends many thanks for the wonderful vibes and get wells on HHW and via e-mail.

[S. Woody White]

Here is your Allison Hayes picture of the week!

Lounging in a nice one piece jumpsuit - taking a call from her agent Jack Pomeroy, no doubt!  

Impersonating Diana Rigg in her early years?  Or the other way around?

 

[Panni]

But I was just over at the Footlights web site ordering CD's that nobody else carries and noticed the Hungarian cast album of Grease.  Outrageously expensive of course.

This gives me a good idea. I'll pick up some cast albums while in Hungary.