Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to the cello concerto by one Herbert Howells, who is more known for his choral pieces like Hymnus Paradisi, but whose orchestral pieces are equally lovely – yet another English composer of tonal, beautiful music. If you don’t know his music, it comes highly recommended by the likes of me. We released a recording of Hymnus Paradisi on Bay Cities back in the day, but at that point in time I knew nothing of Howells’ orchestral works. Thankfully, there were a lot of recordings done subsequent to our releasing that CD. Earlier, I once again did not watch a motion picture, because I was speeding through some high school and amateur productions of Annie, which are fun in their own way. There’s also a production from San Jose with JoAnn Worley as Miss Hannigan and she has a lot of fun with it. What really is clear when you watch these productions, when they’re not using Peter Gennaro’s original choreography, the choreography is always second rate and doesn’t work at all. Gennaro’s original work is simply so iconic and perfect for the show and in subsequent movie and TV versions, the new choreography is never as good. It’s most evident in Easy Street and You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile, two of my all-time favorite numbers, staging wise. He really knew how to build a number and also knew how to design it for the people doing it. If you’ve somehow lived in a cave and have never seen the original Easy Street and You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile, just search on YouTube “Annie – Tony Awards” and you’ll find it easily. I watch those clips over and over again, but I watch a lot of clips with original staging because choreographers today don’t have a clew anymore. Just watch the original Put on a Happy Face if you want to see the genius of Gower Champion, not to mention any of the original Dolly staging. I wish some of his Sugar numbers were on video, but I’ve never seen a single clip of his work on that show. And, of course, the Poor Little Person clip from Henry, Sweet Henry with its Michael Bennett staging, the original Turkey Lurkey Time, Tommy Tune’s original Kickin’ the Clouds Away and any other clips from My One and Only, Bennett’s original work on Dreamgirls, especially Steppin’ to the Bad Side, with co-choreographer Michael Peters, and on and on. Thankfully, Ed Sullivan had so many great Broadway numbers on this show, and the Tonys had many great numbers, including the first Broadcast with the entire Wilkommen number. And there’s a lot of Fosse on YouTube, too. I’d watch and Danny Daniels number or any Gennaro number. I doubt we’ll ever see their like again.
Earlier, I’d gotten eight hours of sleep, answered e-mails, shaved and showered, and them moseyed on over to Santa Monica City College to see Snoopy, the musical. I won’t go on about it other than to say it’s not a great show to begin with and this production was very misguided. Interestingly, the composer of the show, Larry Grossman, was there and we had a nice chat – he remembered me right away, which was nice. I saw the original production back in late February or early March in San Francisco. I was there shooting the pilot for Tabitha for a week and one night after we wrapped, several of us with to the Little Fox Theater to see it. I knew one of its cast members, Randi Kallan, who just a couple of years later I’d cast in my musical Stages. Also in it was Pam Myers, but I hadn’t met her yet. The cast was really fine, but the show just seemed too disjointed to really coalesce into something you could get involved in. The songs were all good – Larry Grossman is a wonderful composer, and his partner, Hal Hackaday, was an excellent lyricist. I hadn’t been to that part of Santa Monica in ages and I don’t think I’d ever been on the campus of Santa Monica City College.
After the show, I came right home and thankfully the freeway was fine. Once home, I ordered a small pizza from Marco’s – hadn’t had one in three months and it was very tasty. That was the food for the day. I answered more e-mails, had several telephonic conversations, one after another, and then I began my viewing, after which I began listening to Herbert Howells’ cello concerto, which is just wrapping up as I wrap up this section of these here notes.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll definitely do a Gelson’s run for the food of the day and some diet sodas, I’ll check with the mail place, I’ll do some writing, David Wechter and I may have another conference call and then we’ll have to make a small decision, and then at some point, I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
The rest of the week is more of the same, with a work session on Wednesday, which is, shockingly, the final day of July. I tell you, this month has flown by, like a gazelle in a Superman costume going faster than a speeding bullet.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, do whatever needs doing, do a Gelson’s run for food, eat, check with the mail place, do some writing, maybe have another conference call, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite classic choreographed numbers from Broadway shows? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy, always happy, when I’m watching great dancin’.