I was just thinking to myself that I couldn’t believe January is over already before my thought process segued to me wondering when I turned into my parents. But we’re already a month into 2012 and so much has been going on. Today, incidentally, is Carol Channing’s 91st birthday. I was lucky enough to attend a preview screening of the new documentary Carol Channing: Larger than Life this summer at Tavern on the Green with SarahB, and was fortunate to receive an invite to a press screening this month. Dori Berinstein’s new film is a love letter to the Tony-winning star most famous for her roles as Lorelei Lee and…
Read the rest of this post…As it was at the overture and shall be at the exit music, bliss without end. Amen.
Theatre Aficionado at Large
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Patricia Neway (1919-2012)
Operatic soprano and Tony-winner Patricia Neway, best known for her associations with Gian Carlo Menotti and Rodgers and Hammerstein, died peacefully in her home in Corinth, Vermont on January 24, 2012 of natural causes. Ms. Neway was 92. Born in Brooklyn, in 1919, Neway studied at the Mannes College of Music, making her professional debut in the Broadway chorus of Offenbach’s La Vie Parisienne in 1942. Her first leading role in an opera came courtesy of a 1942 production of Cosi fan Tutti with the Chautauqua Opera. Neway performed regularly with the NYCO from 1951-1966, making her debut in the world premiere of Tamkin’s The Dybbuk and originating The Mother in Weisgall’s Six Characters in…
Read the rest of this post…“Follies” – The New Broadway Cast Recording
Though the acclaimed revival of Follies will end its limited engagement on January 22, the landmark production has produced a staggering cast album, recorded by PS Classics and is without question a must-have and must-hear. The lavish 2-disc set captures is almost complete, capturing most of the score (more on that later) with its original orchestration intact (rare for any musical these days, most especially for a Sondheim show). It also may be the greatest album PS Classics has ever released; regardless of whether you agree with me or not, it is a spectacular achievement. There are already four official recordings of Follies available on the market. There’s the devastatingly truncated…
Read the rest of this post…Ethel Merman: The Parts I Played
Ms. Merman performs an extensive medley of the hits she introduced from 1930 to 1959, with Annie Get Your Gun, Call Me Madam, Girl Crazy, Gypsy and others thrown into the mix on the Jack Jones Show in 1982. And as always, a true showstopper.
Read the rest of this post…Bringing Back “Man with a Load of Mischief”
I first heard of Man with a Load of Mischief a couple years ago while reading a discussion on essential cast albums not available on CD. The small off-Broadway musical, which had been a hit in 1966, starred two favorites: Reid Shelton, the sonorous baritone known mostly as the original Daddy Warbucks in Annie and the lovely Virginia Vestoff (Abigail Adams in the original Broadway company and film adaptation of 1776). I set off on the task of finding a copy of the not-so-easy-to-find album and when I did, I found myself quite enchanted. Man with a Load of Mischief is a chamber musical based on a play by Ashley Dukes with…
Read the rest of this post…The Year of Living Cinematically
Another year, another year of cinematic viewing. Things have gotten a bit fancier and more accessible now that I have blu-ray player and access to Netflix streaming. Incidentally, my viewing of films has gone down this year as I’ve found myself catching up a bit more with various television shows, most notably Pushing Daisies and The Dick Van Dyke Show, to name a couple. The same rules apply: every title was watched in its entirety and an asterisk indicates a film watched for the first time. *The Thin Red Line (1998) 1/1 *True Grit (2010) 1/3 *Modern Times (1936) 1/4 *The Young Victoria (2009) 1/18 *Black Swan (2010) 1/22 *The Kids Are All Right (2010)…
Read the rest of this post…My Favorite Performances, 2011
Matthew Amendt – Hamlet. The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival celebrated its 25th anniversary with its first-ever presentation of this most famous of plays, with a kinetic, explosive production directed by Terrence O’Brien. Stripped of almost all trappings, this production was among the most compelling I have ever seen, and it was mostly due to Mr. Amendt’s compelling performance as the young Prince of Denmark. Amendt was riveting from start to finish, a towering achievement especially when you consider that he was sharing the stage with some the Festival’s best repertory players. His choices were big and bold, and made Hamlet something he rarely is: sympathetic. I don’t think I have ever…
Read the rest of this post…“Bonnie & Clyde”
Odds are if you mention the name Frank Wildhorn to a die-hard theatre fan, you’re going to be met with a rather impassioned opinion. While not a critical darling, the composer of Jekyll & Hyde, continues to bring new shows to Broadway with what appears to be continually diminishing returns. I am familiar with some of Wildhorn’s scores, but have not had the opportunity to see one onstage until his most recent, Bonnie & Clyde, a spirited re-telling of the infamous duo famous for their murderous string of robberies in the 1930s South, and were also considered something akin to folk heroes as well. While Mr. Wildhorn takes the brunt of…
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A place where I can rant and rave about theatre,
theatre history, plus books, film and anything
else that strikes me as entertaining, interesting
or important. Feel free to chime in. If you'd like
me to have a look at your show or have any
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director of the Independent Theater Bloggers Association.
theatre history, plus books, film and anything
else that strikes me as entertaining, interesting
or important. Feel free to chime in. If you'd like
me to have a look at your show or have any
interest in advertising, feel free to contact me. Membership
director of the Independent Theater Bloggers Association.
Photo by Kari Geltemeyer
Member
Miscellaneous Links
Kevin on Twitter
- @hollisst I love how you get it out of your system. #shereapswhatshesows
(about 3 hours ago) - A random query: was the film version of "Proof" any good? Loved it on Broadway but never got around to seeing the movie.
(about 7 hours ago) - RT @TheatreSmart: "To Kill A Mockingbird" 50th Anniversary: Mary Badham On Being Scout (and more): http://t.co/eIY3VBvX
(about 7 hours ago) - Advice for today: "Never apologize for having a big voice." - Karen Longwell, accompanist/singer/coach
(about 8 hours ago) - When Jennifer Holliday sings "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going," she *really* means it... http://t.co/LpHB371t
(about 12 hours ago)
