"The Huge Medley"

One of my current favorite recordings is "Sibling Revelry" with Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway in concert. Unfortunately it is out of print (DRG, get it back out there!) but if you can get your hands on it, it is an epic win. The two sisters are so innately different as performers, but when they sing together it blends brilliantly. Ann's timbre is a bit darker, and lends itself to jazzier renditions, while Liz's clarion belt is the stuff of Broadway dreams. However, both have extensive ranges and both possess exceptional soprano registers, which you'll hear in this video. This was what they refer to as "The Huge Medley," filmed at a performance of "Sibling Revelry" on the 2007 R-Family cruise. It isn't complete, and cuts off after "Ohio," but it is still worth seeing. Enjoy:

Kelli O'Hara sings "God Bless America"

It made the Broadway press circuit late Wednesday afternoon that South Pacific star Kelli O'Hara would be singing "God Bless America" at the seventh inning stretch of World Series Game 6. As I am a big Yankee fan, I was excited that I would be seeing one of my favorite Broadway talents performing. However, the seventh inning stretch came and went over the course of a long commercial break. The dips at Fox decided that it was more important to see a commercial for DJ Hero instead. Turns out they don't like to air the segment, and only did for the first game, where a decidedly mediocre singer from West Point did the honors. (The games aired on the YES Network always air the segment).

After 9/11, the Yankees have supplanted "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" with "God Bless America," a tradition that has remained in place. For most regular games at Yankee Stadium, they play an abbreviated version of Kate Smith's rendition. However, for special games such as opening day, Irish tenor Ronan Tynan would sing the song. But he got in trouble a couple weeks ago for making a bad anti-Semitic joke and the Yankees were having none of that, so they canceled his booking for the rest of the 2009 season.

I checked Twitter trending topics to discover folks at the game saying things such as "Best rendition ever heard at the Stadium," and other rave reviews for the stunning soprano. Least of which, the Yankees won the Series that evening. Now, better late than never is a clip of O'Hara singing "God Bless America," taken by someone in the stands at the stadium that evening (so there are some non-Kelli O'Haras singing, but I do enjoy the one person who says "Ooh, what a voice!" midsong).

"Forbidden Broadway" on the Page

Forbidden Broadway is now in book form! And they are celebrating the release with several different parties:

NOVEMBER 23 AT BIRDLAND

In celebration of the release of Forbidden Broadway, the first portion of Jim Caruso’s Cast Party at Birdland on Monday, November 23rd will be dedicated to the Forbidden Broadway musical. This show-tunes themed open mic night will include performances by Gerard Alessandrini, Nora Mae Lyng, pianist David Caldwell, and more. Books will be available for purchase at the event, and Alessandrini will be signing copies.

Monday, November 23
9:30 PM
Jim Caruso's Cast Party
Birdland
315 West 44th Street
212.581.3080
$10 Cover + $10 food/drink minimum

DECEMBER 7 AT MERKIN CONCERT HALL

Merkin Concert Hall presents an evening with Gerard Alessandrini, the comic genius behind Forbidden Broadway. Hosted by Sean Hartley, the evening includes interviews with Mr. Alessandrini and performances by Forbidden Broadway veterans James Donegan, Donna English, Gina Kreiezmar, Nora Mae Lyng, Jeanne Montano, and Bill Selby along with surprise guests. The concert is followed by a book signing with Mr. Alessandrini. Books will be available for purchase at the event alongside the author signing.

Monday, December 7, 2009
8:00 PM
Broadway Close Up: Gerard Alessandrini, Creator of Forbidden Broadway
Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center
129 West 67th Street (between Broadway and Amsterdam)
New York, NY 10023
Single tickets: $40
Tickets at 212 501 3330 or www.kaufman-center.org

JANUARY 12 AT BARNES AND NOBLE

Michael Portantiere hosts a book signing with Gerard Alessandrini, creator of Forbidden Broadway. Alessandrini and other cast members will also perform songs from the show. Afterward, the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions in a Q&A. Books will be available for purchase at the event. This event is free and open to the public.

Tuesday January 12, 2010
7:30 PM
Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Triangle
1972 Broadway
New York, NY 10023
Free & open to the public.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Forbidden Broadway: Behind the Mylar Curtain (Applause Theater and Cinema Books), written by Gerard Alessandrini with Michael Portantiere, is a hilarious, loving, no-holds-barred chronicle of the revue that has enthralled and delighted audiences in New York City, Los Angeles, London, and all around the world for three decades, spoofing shows from Les Misérables to Wicked and stars from Ethel Merman to Hugh Jackman. This journey through the creation and history of Forbidden Broadway offers a dazzling, whimsical inside glimpse at the evolution of the show in its 20 incarnations to date, with zany parodies, hilarious lyrics and behind-the-scenes stories—and there’s no better person to tell the tale than the creator/writer/director of Forbidden Broadway, Gerard Alessandrini.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mr. Alessandrini is best known for creating, writing and directing all the editions of Forbidden Broadway and Forbidden Hollywood in New York, Los Angeles, London, and around the world. Also a member of the original cast of Forbidden Broadway, he is the recipient of an Obie Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, two Lucille Lortel Awards and six Drama Desk Awards for Forbidden Broadway as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Drama League. In 2006 he received a special Tony Award Honor for Excellence in Theater.

From Switzerland: The Family Pratt

Little did Julie Andrews know in 1962 that in three years she would take on the iconic leading role in the blockbuster film adaptation of The Sound of Music. On the telecast of the Emmy-winning special Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall, with best friend Carol Burnett, the ladies spoofed the smash hit musical, which was still running on Broadway and in London (as well as the national tour with Florence Henderson, and countless international productions). The sketch, called "From Switzerland: The Pratt Family" was co-written by Mike Nichols and Ken Welch. The audio track has been included on the new 50th anniversary edition of the original Broadway cast recording. Enjoy:

Two Pictures

Two musical productions that most excite me this season are The Addams Family and the revival of Ragtime. Here is the first glimpse of the former in Vanity Fair. Bebe Neuwirth and Nathan Lane star as Morticia and Gomez. Jackie Hoffman is Grandmama, Kevin Chamberlin is Uncle Fester, Zachary James is Lurch, Krysta Rodriguez is Wednesday and Adam Riegler (Cubby Bernstein) is Pugsley. Not pictured are Terrence Mann, Carolee Carmello and Wesley Taylor. The new musical has its world premiere in Chicago on November 13, and starts preview performances at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne on March 4.


Then there's the revival of Ragtime. I've already seen it once, and am going back again next week. The show opens at the Neil Simon Theatre on 11/15. Acclaimed photographer Joan Marcus was in taking new press shots of the Broadway company, and this striking image is one of my favorite stage pictures of the evening - the tableau of the entire company seen as the curtain rises.

What Play Changed My Life?

Is there a play that changed my life? The American Theatre Wing wants to know, and as I look through the contest entries, I figured I would chime in. However, there is a 350 word limit to the entries and I am long winded, so I will post it here in lieu of disqualification.

I honestly don't know if I could look through the list and pick one in particular that stands out as the "one." My experience with live theatre didn't even start with theatre itself. It started with film musicals and branched outwards from there. As a child I wore out a VHS of Mary Poppins and recall the annual viewings of The Sound of Music on television (though I was always sent to bed, incrementally seeing more and more each year - I didn't know there was a wedding until I was 10!) It was always striking to me seeing Julie Andrews as a stoic brunette Edwardian one day, and a blonde tomboyish novice the next. Plus, I was affected by the music in each property.

As a young child, it was these films and others (such as The Wizard of Oz, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Brigadoon) that first introduced me to music theatre and the idea of a song as an extension of the storytelling. This awareness was further promulgated with ample exposure to AMC, when it used to be the "American Movie Classics" channel with Bob Dorian and Nick Clooney (oh those were the days...) plus, there was also my father's vested interest in the film adaptations of The Sound of Music and South Pacific.

Now, I've always been observant and curious. Ever since I can remember, when I became interested in something I went out of my way to learn and study about it, whether it was my fascination with tornados when I was 7, the Kennedy administration when I was 8, or the Tudor/Elizabethan era when I was 9. Watching The Sound of Movies on A&E back in 1995 triggered a similar reaction. I delved into the R&H movies, and read everything I could. There was a particularly incredibly coffee table book by Ethan Mordden simply titled Rodgers & Hammerstein that offered detailed history, analysis, photos, and was just a beautiful history of the composing team which is sadly out of print. It was through this book that I really started to understand that these films (with the exception of State Fair) had originally been created for Broadway. I guess you could say the rest is history...

Looking at the milestones in my theatregoing life there are several moments that come to mind: The first time I ever entered a theatre. I couldn't even begin to tell you where it was, nor what I was there for. Concert? Play? Madrigal Pageant? But that is beside the point. Lingering in my mind is this indescribable feeling of entering the space. It was in the tradition of those late 19th/early 20th century palaces. There was this aura about the decor, the way the lights illuminated the space, that non-descript smell that is both simultaneously musty and clean. Add to that the anticipation that something was about to happen, plus the excitement that I was missing school to be there (I recall Sr. Benedict, my first grade teacher being there). There was something gothic and foreign about the space itself that resonated with me. I was awestruck - and it is a feeling I can recall every time I enter a theatre. For some reason it was especially vivid to me (and probably why I mention it) when I visited the Mark Hellinger Theatre last week.

And there are other moments: The first time I ever auditioned for a show - in the Paramount Center for the Performing Arts in Peekskill (dodged a bullet on that production of The Sound of Music, let me tell you...). The first cast album I ever owned - the lavish gatefold LP of original London cast of My Fair Lady. My first trip to see a Broadway show (Miss Saigon). My first ever onstage save in my high school production of My Fair Lady (one of these days, I'll bring up those fond memories - maybe even some embarrassing video!) Also, my first time visiting the stage door of a major show (Noises Off!i). My first closing performance (Bernadette's Gypsy; which also constituted my first backstage tour of a theatre). My first opening night (The Light in the Piazza). The 2006 Tony Awards dress rehearsal. When I see Love Loss and What I Wore on Sunday night, I will continue to add to this list.

You see, I would love to pick one and say "This is it!" But it is near impossible for me to choose "the play" as each and every live theatrical event I have seen has in one way or another informed my sensibility. I could pick some favorites, and highlight the extraordinary visceral reactions I've had, but if I name one I start finding myself listing everything. Even the extraordinary failures have educated me on how to be a discerning audience member. Every single time I enter a theatre it counts as a stop along the way. Live theatre for me provides a catharsis impossible to find elsewhere, and there is nothing more intimate and personal than feeling that communication between yourself and the story onstage. I'm grateful for what I've had, and look forward to what's to come.

How to Make Rahadlakum...

Several weeks ago I posted Eartha Kitt's entrance to end all entrances in Timbuktu!, and have been led to this video of Kitt performing the second act number "Rahadlakum." Stopping midsong, Kitt delivers the most tantalizing monologue about how to make the concoction. Kitt, to the accompaniment of the percussion section mesmerizes the entire audience with her recipe turning every ingredient and instruction into a double entendre. The song in Kismet was also a suggestive showstopper, only it was a duet assisted by the chorus. In Timbuktu, the song becomes a solo for Kitt, cutting most of the actual song but extending the performance by several minutes with her new monologue and stopping the show in the process.

I did a little searching around about "radhadlakum." It is apparently a bastardization of the Turkish term "rahat loukoum," whose literal translation is "rest for the throat" but is more commonly known as Turkish delight. After this you may never be able to look at your spice rack the same way again... Enjoy:

"The Play That Changed My Life" Contest!

What was the play that changed your life? That's what the American Theatre Wing asked several contemporary playwrights for its upcoming release of The Play That Changed My Life: America’s Foremost Playwrights on the Plays that Influence Them, which takes a look at that moment in these artist's lives that turned them on to the theatre. Nineteen playwrights have contributed to the book, which will be released by Applause books this December. The choices may surprise you, as it covers the gamut of David Henry Hwang seeing Equus in San Francisco, to young Edward Albee seeing Jimmy Durante and the star elephant in Rodgers and Hart's Jumbo at the Hippodrome in 1935 (I personally love the randomness of that one - it just goes to show you never know what sort of theatre experience will be the one that propels a person's life). The project was the brainchild of the Wing's Executive Director Howard Sherman and is edited by Ben Hodges (Theatre World), with an introduction by Paula Vogel. I can only hope that this will be the first in a series of volumes (actors, composers/lyricists, directors, designers, producers, etc).

However, The American Theatre Wing is curious to know the play that changed your life. They have announced an online essay contest in conjunction with the book's release:

"What show had the greatest impact upon you, when you saw it in the course of your life, and most importantly why it meant so much to you. Entries (limited to 350 words) will be judged based on their creativity, their clarity and perhaps most importantly, for how they convey your passion for the theatre."

So tell ATW about the play that changed your life – those few hours in the theatre, at any age, in any theatre, that had the greatest impact on your life and your perception of theatre — and have the opportunity to share your story with the thousands of visitors to the American Theatre Wing's website while getting the chance to win an autographed copy of The Play That Changed My Life and other theatrical books from Applause Publishing.

The contest entry period is from Monday, November 2nd until Sunday, November 29th. To enter, visit the American Theatre Wing online. The final expert panel judging the contest includes ATW Board of Directors Chairman and President of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, Ted Chapin; Applause Books’ Editorial Director Carol Flannery; award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang; and former Time Magazine arts editor and divine theatre blogger, Janice Simpson. Additional prizes will be given based on voting by the general public, which will continue through December 11.

In the meanwhile, here's what two Tony-nominated leading ladies had to say about the theatre experience that forever changed their lives:

Martha Plimpton:

'I think it was in a strange way kind of a natural progression, you know? My mother was an actress, everyone in our lives were in show business, I grew up in the theatre world in New York, my mother was in the original company of Hair. So it just kind of came naturally, it just kind of evolved. And by the time I was eight years old it was already sort of a foregone conclusion. If we weren’t in the theatre – we went to the theatre constantly. So it just seemed like a normal thing to do with your life. It didn’t seem odd or different or strange or far away at all. I think in the early years of the Park, the Delacorte, there were things that we saw there that made me just sort of mesmerized. I couldn’t tell you the first one, but I do remember seeing Raul Julia in Threepenny Opera at Lincoln Center and thinking, “That’s cool.” And then when I was a little older, I guess about sixteen or seventeen, I saw John Malkovich in Burn This. And that was a performance that made me feel like that was a perfectly legitimate thing to want to be an actor -- almost even respectable, possibly.'

Allison Janney:

'There’s one that comes to mind right now, which for some reason always does, even though there have been many plays I’ve seen that have had a powerful impact on me: my mother took me to see Miss Margarida’s Way with Estelle Parsons and I just remember being blown away by that, by her performance. I was confused by it; I was like, “Is she a real teacher?” I was just giddy with that play and I’ve always sort of had a secret desire to do it, even though I probably wouldn’t be right for it. I just remember that having a big impact on me. I thought it was really fun -- I was shocked by it and I think I was just young enough that I just thought she was a crazy woman up on stage and that kind of intrigued me, and I loved that play'

Linda Lavin in "Broadway Bound"

Since the announcement of the cancellation of Neil Simon's Broadway Bound at the Nederlander, I am sorry audiences won't get the chance to see Laurie Metcalf dive head first into the play, which garnered a Best Actress in a Play Tony for Linda Lavin in that original 1986 production. Here is a performance of a scene from that year's Tony Award telecast with Lavin, and that production's Eugene, Jonathan Silverman.

"Brighton Beach Memoirs" - An Elegy

Watching the family of seven in Brighton Beach Memoirs trip over one another, share dinners, get into squabble and fights and sort through the chaos of daily living made me smile knowingly as I recalled my own childhood. My mother, my father, my three brothers and myself lived together in a house in suburban Westchester, with rampant Irish Catholicism and its trimmings in lieu of Judaism. My father worked as a firefighter and house-painter while my mother tended to the household and make some extra money by babysitting neighborhood kids. Our financial situation was never as dire as the Jerome family, but I think back and wonder how we ever managed to survive together in the house, as I found myself sharing a bedroom with my brothers while six of us sharing two bathrooms. This is never more evident than when all of us reconvene at the family home and we find ourselves near claustrophobic. The chaos of my youth has turned into warm memories of days gone by.

It's disappointing, but not surprising to discover that The Neil Simon Plays are closing up shop tomorrow after an unfortunately brief run at the Nederlander. Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound were to play in rep, with David Cromer making his Broadway directorial debut (and whose Our Town continues at the Barrow Street Theatre). However, ticket sales have been poor; last week's average ticket price was $21.32. When the show opened to mixed to positive reviews last Sunday night, the writing was all but on the wall.

Originally I had planned to wait to see both shows in marathon, since The Norman Conquests proved that a full day at the theatre is most exhilarating. However, when I started to hear from the rumor mill that Broadway Bound would be canceled, I took the opportunity to see Brighton Beach Memoirs this past Tuesday. Much like my experiences with Coram Boy, The Lieutenant of Inishmore and Souvenir, I find myself looking back on a show that deserved a better fate and a longer run.

Loosely based on Neil Simon's childhood, the plays are 2/3 of a trilogy (the other being Biloxi Blues) about the growing up of Eugene Jerome, a precocious kid from an impoverished Jewish American family in the Brighton Beach area of Brooklyn who simultaneously dreams of playing for the New York Yankees in the World Series and becoming a writer. The shows opened in the 1980s, where they were some of the longest running plays of the decade (with Brighton running for 1,299 performances) and established Matthew Broderick's career (for better or for worse) and garnered Linda Lavin a Tony award (for Broadway Bound).

Cromer has directed his ensemble with pinpoint precision, finding great emotional depth in a play that could easily be played for cheap laughs. Showcasing the humanity of its story and its characters, these characters are fully-formed, dimensional and part of an American family, which also happens to be Jewish. Nowhere is this more evident than in the triumphant, ultimately moving performance of Laurie Metcalf as matriarch Kate who runs her harried household with tough love and a consistently stern exterior. However, it is in the nuance and specificity of Metcalf's choices that make her a stand-out among the ensemble. There is a particularly striking moment as she descends the staircase while having a breakdown, leading into the first major argument she's ever had with her sister. Her obvious one-liners and zingers come from a place of deep emotional resonance. Nazism is rapidly expanding in Europe, talk of war becomes more and more prevalent and all the while, she is left to make sure that a family of seven is sheltered and fed. Kate Jerome is a woman who is moving forward with the weight of the world on her shoulders. I only hope that the Tony nominating committee will remember her performance come June.

If Metcalf's Kate is the rock upon which her family is built her performance is beautifully complemented by Dennis Boutsikaris as her husband Jack, the heart of the household. Jessica Hecht is virtually inrecognizable as Kate's widow-turned-wallflower sister who lives with them and gradually finds the strength to become an effectual mother to her young daughters (Grace Bea Lawrence and Alexandra Socha). Santino Fontana is winning and winsome as Kate's eldest son Stanley, who means well but often lands himself in trouble.

Then there is Noah Robbins. The young actor is nineteen years old and making his professional acting debut, let alone first appearance on Broadway. As the alter ego for the playwright, his character guides the evening as an observational narrator, a testament to the uncanny writing ability that he and other family members espouse. (And by extension, Mr. Simon himself). It was especially touching to see his wisecracks and commentary rounded out by his coming of age, and the metaphoric end of his childhood. With the show's closing, I only wish him the best of luck as he embarks on what could be a most promising acting career.

It is disheartening for the show to fold so prematurely. The plays that are attracting the stars these days tend to be anything with major movie stars. It's unfair that the show should suffer the stigma of a 9 performance run, but that is unfortunately part of the unpredictable nature of show business. It just seems as though there wasn't great audience interest in these seminal Neil Simon works. Cromer is establishing himself as a director of merit in the New York scene, and his work here is consistent, compelling and often moving. One of the things I was most impressed was how he and his actors found a way to tell a nostalgic story without getting lost in a sea of diabetes-inducing sentimentality.

After the curtain call of Brighton Beach Memoirs, I turned to Noah and commented how much I was looking forward to seeing the second play. I feel for the entire ensemble, particularly Mr. Robbins and his Broadway Bound counterpart Josh Grisetti, a fresh-faced off-Broadway up and comer who won a Theatre World Award for last season's Enter Laughing. One made an auspicious Broadway debut, and the other was poised to do the same. Beg, borrow or steal to get a ticket to see this one before it closes tomorrow afternoon - you won't want to have missed it.

The question has been brought up whether or not Mr. Simon is still relevant to Broadway audiences, as his works have been met with indifference in recent years. I think it's still to early to write him off just yet - he'll be represented this spring at the Broadway Theatre with the revival of Promises, Promises, for which he wrote the libretto.

Marilyn Horne: "C is for Cookie"

Over on Twitter, SarahB posted a clip of Renee Fleming on Sesame Street performing a version of "Caro Nome" that used opera to teach children how to count. Jim Henson's shows were rather extraordinary in how they introduced children to all sorts of eclectic performers, especially those from the worlds of opera and Broadway. The show is remarkable in its intelligence and incorporation of music and art in educating children.

I watched Sesame Street when I was really young, but would found myself watching it again when I was a little older and my mother took to babysitting younger neighborhood kids after school. One thing I remember quite vividly was how amused we were by Marilyn Horne's rendition of that perennial favorite, "C is for Cookie":

"Finian's Rainbow" Shines on Broadway

The powers that be behind the Roundabout revival of Bye Bye Birdie, the new textbook example of how not to revive a second-tier Golden Age property, should look to the St. James Theatre to learn a thing or two. The seemingly unrevivable Finian's Rainbow has made its way back to Broadway in a loving, vibrant production that illustrates the enchanting wit and charm that made the show a resounding success in its original production.

The musical, last seen on Broadway in 1960, has had something of a problem in receiving a full-scale revival. The libretto by Fred Saidy and lyricist Yip Harburg is generally considered the deal-breaker in resuscitating the show. While it combines elements of fantasy and whimsy with a satiric look at racial bigotry and capitalism, the book has long been considered dated, and rightly so. It is dated. Finian's Rainbow was a period satire written in 1947 that surprised audiences with its storyline, which included a white racist senator being transformed onstage into a black man, with the use of black face. The stage trick worked for a 1940s audience, but would prove disconcerting to our more racially aware society. There's also a leprechaun turning mortal while looking for a stolen pot of gold, a mute who communicates solely through dance, among other hijinks.

The Encores! presentation brought in resident script doctor David Ives to condense the problematic book, but in doing so left much to be desired as too much of the story was stripped away. A brand new adaptation has been arranged for the Broadway transfer, executed by Arthur Perlman which is a considerable improvement. While it doesn't completely smooth out the script's roughest edges, it manages to make them somewhat more palatable. (And I do love the exchange between Finian and Og involving popular musical theatre lyrics of the time).

Kate Baldwin is effervescent as Sharon McLonergan, a feisty colleen finding herself transplanted from her native Ireland to Rainbow Valley, Missitucky on her father's whim. Sharon's first song of the evening is the popular "How Are Things in Glocca Mora?" and Baldwin's simple, lucid interpretation is the most spellbinding I've ever heard. Cheyenne Jackson is her paramour Woody, the town's hero, who cuts a dashing figure and sings well, but is, dare I say it, wooden. Jim Norton ties together the entire production as Finian McLonergan, who incites chaos by stealing a pot of gold from a leprechaun in one of the more outrageous get-rich quick schemes known to drama. With a twinkle in his eye, and a skip in his gait, Norton appears to be having the time of his life.

There has been some recasting of roles since the Encores concert. Christopher Fitzgerald brings considerable comic charm and impishness to the leprechaun Og, and is a versatile improvement over his predecessor. David Schramm (Roy from Wings) plays Senator Rawkins with a vivacity reminiscent of the late Burl Ives, while his counterpart Chuck Cooper has a field day with the second act number "The Begat." (It boggles my mind that no one ever thought of double casting the part before). Audience favorite Terri White belts out the rafter-shaking "Necessity," repeating her duties from the Encores concert. However, one major difference - her performance on Broadway (as written and staged) was more of a genuine supporting turn rather than the glorified cameo it was at Encores.

Warren Carlyle's staging and choreography are full and energetic, with "If This Isn't Love" practically stopping the show. His earlier work from the Encores! production has been expanded and adds a certain clarity to what is essentially a convoluted story. He has the light touch necessary to bring his cast of 30 above and beyond what is normally expected from this show, and it would be interesting to see his work on top tier Golden Age material. (I wonder if he might be the man for Carnival!). The costume and lighting design are sumptuous, however, the set design by John Lee Beatty is surprisingly unattractive. There is a lovely patchwork show curtain, but the unit set is a gaudy extension of the Encores set up, which is unfortunate since the orchestra was moved to the pit.

As it was at Encores, the real star of the evening is the music of Burton Lane and lyrics of Yip Harburg. Harburg was known especially for his word play, and his tongue in cheek playfulness with the English language is complemented by Lane's sophisticated use of melody. I dare you to leave Finian's without one at least one of those songs running through your head. I've always admired its score. Harburg's lyrics are always superlative (even his work in the flop Darling of the Day is better than most contemporary successes) and Lane is one of our most underrated composers (I enjoy On a Clear Day and even Carmelina). The score is one superb musical delight after another.

I should confess, I was never a big fan of Finian's Rainbow. It's story and script have left me rather cold over the years, and that certainly wasn't helped by the tepid film adaptation or Ella Logan's bizarre idiosyncratic performance as Sharon on the original cast album (one of the rare occurences where I prefer a revival album to the original). However, the vivacity of this production has made me reassess my opinion of the entire show, as I find myself hoping to make a return visit.

When the show played the City Center last March, I still wasn't entirely convinced that it was worthy of a Broadway run. (The only Encores! I've ever felt was ready for Broadway was the superlative No No Nanette from 2008). However, in bringing Finian's Rainbow to the St. James, much care has gone into making it a fully realized evening, and one with warmth to spare. For whatever quibbles there are with the script, the polish and poise in Carlyle's production is enough to keep you smiling long after you've gone home looking for your own rainbow.

"Their Time...Our Time"

"Like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic..."

Whole songs and chunks of dialogue disappeared and new material had to be learned. Sets and costumes changed. "It was Dunkerque," recalls [Patricia] Routledge. "I never knew how I would get to the end of the show. Sometimes I didn't know which way I was facing." Adds [Ken] Howard: "I couldn't sleep or eat. I found it hard to focus my mind on what I was doing onstage. I became a zombie, an automaton." But, says Howard, the endless changes that were made in the show were only "like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic."

- The two stars of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on the chaos of the experience in an informative article documenting the show's failure from the May 31, 1976 edition of Time Magazine.

Quote of the Day: Dee Hoty Edition

What musicals should be revived soon on Broadway?

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Rex and, yes, Whorehouse Goes Public, in rep with the first Whorehouse. THAT would be swell. Like the Chicago rediscovery, I believe someone will put that show up & really nail it.

From her Playbill Cue & A feature. Don't agree so much on the Whorehouse Goes Public, but clearly classy Dee Hoty has some estimable taste. Perhaps she'd want to play the First Ladies? This also leads me to wonder... did she also see the original Broadway production...?

Angela Lansbury in "Dear World"

When discussing the musical theatre career of Angela Lansbury, sometimes Dear World gets lost in the shuffle amidst the more popularly received Mame, Gypsy and Sweeney Todd. The musical adaptation of Jean Giradoux's play The Madwoman of Chaillot brought Lansbury her second of four Tonys for her work in musicals.

The new musical reunited Lansbury with her Mame team, with Jerry Herman supplying the score and Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee writing the book. However, those expecting another Mame were in for a surprise. The show is a delicate story about an eccentric woman in living in Paris, fighting greedy businessmen who wish to drill for oil in her beloved neighborhood in Paris. Hopes were high for a repeat success, with Lansbury signing another two year contract and producer Alexander Cohen sparing no expense in bringing the show to life.

The play was a poetic satire that just didn't translate well to the musical stage. There was trouble out of town as the show went through three directors (Lucia Victor, Peter Glenville and eventually Joe Layton) and negative reviews poured in. One of the major problems with both the musical and its source material was a decided lack of plot. Another reason was that the light play was being turned into a big Broadway musical.

Trouble continued during New York previews, where there were 49 of them after several opening night postponements. Finally, after critics told the production they would just review it anyway, the musical limped open to mostly negative reviews. The show managed to eke out an official run of 132 performances at the Mark Hellinger Theatre. The general consensus was that the musical was of inferior quality, but that leading lady Lansbury as the Countess Aurelia was stunning.

For the most part, the score is quite incredible. However, it was done in by some huge production numbers. The act one finale "Dear World" was an attempt to cash in Jerry Herman's blockbuster success with a title song, which was at odds with the show's story and style. "One Person" was another similarly big, brassy way to bring the show to a close. However, Lansbury stopped the show cold with her act one waltz "I Don't Want to Know," stunned with the devastating "And I Was Beautiful" late in the second act and took part in one of the most impressive musical scenes written by Mr. Herman, "The Tea Party" in which Aurelia and her two closest madwomen gather to take action but get lost in their memories and delusions. When the score is light and delicate, it is more in tune with the nature of the original play.

For what its worth, a film version of The Madwoman of Chaillot was released that same year starring Lansbury's good friend Katharine Hepburn. It too was dismissed by critics and audiences. However, Lansbury's Tony-winning performance is still well-regarded by those who managed to see it. The score is worth checking out on the original cast album, as there is much to enjoy with Lansbury and her ensemble (her support was Jane Connell, Carmen Mathews, Kurt Peterson and Milo O'Shea). Once you hear Lansbury's "And I Was Beautiful," you will never forget it.

As for the failure, Lansbury assigned blame to herself saying that audiences were expecting another Mame. But given her reception in the part, it seems very clear that she was the least of the show's troubles. The creators have continued to revise the score, with a chamber production that played at Goodspeed in 2000. There was also a late 90s workshop at Roundabout with Chita Rivera as Aurelia, and supported by Madeline Kahn. But neither of those have had any continued life. I do think that Encores! should eventually get around to presenting it in their season.

Here is some silent video footage of the original production, set to a live recording of the title song:

"Ragtime" First Preview - Some Random Thoughts...

- Sometimes the first preview performance can be more exciting than even an opening night. (If I get to the opening night of this one, I'll let you know...) Especially with a revival of a popular title. I stood outside the Neil Simon Theatre last night until about 7:55 watching people gathering and entering the theatre. "I can't wait." "I'm so excited." "This is supposed to be so good!" Those were some of the things I overheard being said by the excited theatregoers as they had their tickets scanned. The energy in the house was so palpable you could practically touch it.

- The house lights went down and the audience erupted into applause. We listened to the simple pre-show announcement. At that point the house lights came down entirely as the curtain rose on the entire company posed and poised on three tiers of Derek McLane's set. The audience reaction was so intense that the show was stopped before it could even begin. After about 20 or 30 seconds, the actor playing Edgar stepped downstage and we were off.

- The opening number of Ragtime is one of the best ever written. It's a mastery of musical theatre writing: establishing every major character without becoming lumbering, establishing the time and place as well as tone, and culminating in one of the most thrilling finishes known to man. All those high B naturals! Truly stunning, and its staging by director-choreographer Marcia Milgrom Dodge is a triumph.

- It's the very first preview so I'm not going to go into performance analysis or comparisons with original cast members. I will say that the cast is superlative. As actors, as singers and as dancers. Superlative. I also think Christiane Noll is guaranteed a Tony nomination. That is all.

- A good number of the actors were making their Broadway debuts last evening. Among them were Donna Migliaccio as Emma Goldman, Quentin Earl Darrington as Coalhouse Walker, Jr. and Stephanie Umoh as Sarah. I do expect at least one or two to be considered for the Theatre World Award.

- Again, first preview and all: there were a few technical glitches with the lighting but nothing outrageous or distracting. However, it did seem like some numbers were missing verses. I couldn't tell if it was editing or slip-ups, but not knowing was a minor distraction. The score to Ragtime remains one of the most elegant and stirring of the past twenty years.

- At the show's finale, the audience was one giant weepy mess. The actors hold out the final note of "Wheels of a Dream." In that instant between the note and the fall of the show curtain, the last thing seen by the cast onstage is the audience rising from their seats in an instant standing ovation - and not one of those where someone starts and people follow. This was genuine, heart-felt and wholly deserved.

- Rob Petkoff delivered the best save of the evening as the show curtain came down after the curtain calls.

- How lovely to hear a full orchestra essaying original orchestrations. When musical director James Moore finished conducting the exit music, the audience burst into applause that was just as vociferous as it had been for the cast onstage.

- I want to go back. And how.

The people called it "Ragtime"

For whatever it's worth, I've never felt that Ragtime was given its due the first time around. The musical adaptation of E.L. Doctorow's novel was highly anticipated, and opened with great fanfare on Broadway at the brand new Ford Center for the Performing Arts (now Hilton) Theatre. However, the musical didn't have the staying power that many thought it would have.

The show had the misfortune of opening two months after The Lion King, whose overwhelming critical success made it the hottest ticket in town for years. When it came time for the Tony Awards, The Lion King took home Best Musical, among many others. Ragtime ultimately took home four awards, with honors for Best Featured Actress (Audra McDonald), Best Book (Terrence McNally), Best Score (Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens) and Best Orchestrations (William David Brohn). The final nail in the coffin was the fall of Livent, Inc., the Canadian-based production company run by Garth Drabinsky that not only produced Ragtime, but had built the theatre in which the show had been playing.

I first became aware of Ragtime by accident. The musical opened in the middle of my freshman year of high school, and truth be told I wasn't quite up on my Broadway at that point. I knew a lot of stuff about the classics but almost nothing about contemporary musical theatre.

It was January 19, 1998 - Martin Luther King Day. I was home from school and watching The Rosie O'Donnell Show that morning. Rosie was still riding high as "The Queen of Nice," and was a constant champion for all things Broadway. Performing on the show that day was the cast of the newly opened Ragtime, presenting an abridged version of the opening prologue. This enormous cast, decked out in period costume, filled that tiny stage of Rosie's TV studio singing this stirring title song. By the time the company was singing the final pullback, I was so mesmerized and stirred, I realized I was standing as close to the TV as I could get.

I can't quite put into words the effect that musical number had on me that day. I couldn't stop thinking about it, nor could I get that hook "the people called it Ragtime" out of my head. As is usually the case when I discover someone new that fascinates me, I become obsessed and try to learn everything I could about Ragtime and its origins. That week I went to a local bookstore later that week and purchased the original novel - a book I have read more times than any other. (I was fascinated with Doctorow's narrative structure). I went to the library and researched all the major characters represented in the story, especially since I had never heard of most of them at the time.

In spite of all this attention and obsession, I never got to see the original production. It closed in January 2000 after 834 performances. I didn't see my first show on Broadway until that March. I knew the score backwards and forwards from its 1996 Toronto concept album and the definitive 2-disc Broadway cast recording, listening to both with great regularity. The two show albums led me to follow the careers of the original stars: I saw Marin Mazzie and Brian Stokes Mitchell in Kiss Me Kate, Mark Jacoby in Sweeney Todd, Audra McDonald in 110 in the Shade and Carousel at Carnegie Hall and Judy Kaye in Souvenir. I even saw little Lea Michele in Spring Awakening.

Tonight I will be at the Neil Simon Theatre for the first preview of the new revival of Ragtime, which has transferred from a successful run at the Kennedy Center. It's hard to believe that I've gone almost 12 years without ever managing to take in a live production, but it's all coming full circle. And while I'm at the theatre tonight cheering on this new cast and new production, I want to show you the performance that started it all for me:

"Avenue Q" Rises Again

This may come as a surprise to many of you, but the final preview of the current Off-Broadway transfer of the Tony-winning smash hit Avenue Q was my first time ever seeing the show. There was really no excuse for my not having seen it before, as its been around for six and a half years. But sometimes even the good ones fall through the cracks - I didn't see Hairspray until its penultimate performance. Anyway, this little musical that could, which famously upset juggernaut blockbuster Wicked for the 2004 Best Musical Tony, played 2,534 performances at the John Golden Theatre and closed up shop on September 13.

However, in the best closing notice coup since Roger Berlind announced the revival of Kiss Me Kate would remain open after 9/11, producer Kevin McCollum stunned all in the audience and onstage with the news that the show would reopen at New World Stages the following month. In this day and age of Twitter, Facebook, et al, it's stunning that they were able to keep this secret so airtight.

But now the show, a Sesame Street style spoof on post-collegiate life in NY, has reopened at New World Stages 3, comprised of many Avenue Q alumni from the Broadway run and national tour. So while I don't have much perspective of how the show played on Broadway, but I can't help but feel that the more intimate the space the better. (I entered the Golden for the first time two weeks ago, and it felt even a trifle too big for even Oleanna and it's one of the smallest Broadway houses).

So how did I miss this show? Well, I'll admit. I get very excited for an original cast and try to see a show when it's fresh and new. My first experiences on Broadway involved tired companies of juggernaut musicals that felt more like death warmed over than exciting live theatre (Miss Saigon and Cats). It wasn't until my 3rd experience, with the revival of the aforementioned Kiss Me Kate (and its original cast), that I felt this post-show rush that can be best described as floating ten feet in the air. Ever since, I'm wary of any production once the originals leave - particularly in a musical.

Well, I am sorry I waited for so long. The show is what it is - a ribald, irreverent but timely pastiche. Its explorations of life in New York City aren't exactly going to erase your memories of Company, but the creators use the familiar techniques employed by children's shows to create an endearingly satiric portrait of adulthood. So instead of learning our ABCs and 123s, we are treated to such Tony-winning musical gems (courtesy of Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez) as "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist," "The Internet is for Porn," and "Schadenfreude." There are the instructional animated films, the requisite marginally older & wiser humans, and inevitably the life lessons ("There's a Fine, Fine Line" and "For Now"). What truly impressed me was the strength of the Tony-winning book by Jeff Whitty, which is much sharper in focus than many of the other self-referential musicals that have come after Avenue Q.

The engaging cast is comprised of Q alums, many of whom were involved in the final Broadway company. Seth Rettberg leads the charge as Princeton & Rod and illuminates the stage with offbeat charm. I can't decide which is funnier: his delivery of "My Girlfriend Who Lives in Canada" or the ensemble's outrageous pregnant pause that greets it. Sassy beltress Anika Larsen as Kate Monster & Lucy T. Slut is a petite powerhouse, with an especially showstopping delivery of "Special." Cullen R. Titmas scores big as Trekkie Monster and Nicky. Nicholas Kohn and the irrepressible Sala Iwamatsu comprise the incongruous couple of Brian and Christmas Eve.

However, for whatever reason, my favorite is Maggie Lakis, who mostly provides silent support as an extra puppeteer but scores the biggest laughs of the evening as one of the Bad Idea Bears. Whenever Ms. Lakis is onstage, I couldn't help but watch her. Not that she steals focus, mind you. She is just that fascinating a presence in a unsung performance ripe with humor and stagecraft.

There were two unexpectedly personal moments for me in the show. One was Princeton's opening "What Do You Do With a BA in English?" I actually picked up one of those some years back and am still asking myself that question on a regular basis. The other, and one a bit more poignant, was "I Wish I Could Go Back to College," a reflective moment where the ensemble contemplates what were arguably the best years of their lives. I turned to my friend and fellow blogger Jimmy mid-song and said "That was my weekend." I was at my alma mater for an alumni weekend reception hosted by the Theatre Arts department, my other area of study (talk about a win-win...)

While greeting old friends and faculty, I had the chance to mingle with bright, optimistic and engaged theatre students who were anywhere from five to eight years younger than I am now. (I'm 26). In the grand scheme of things, it wasn't that long ago, but we (Roxie and myself) started pondering when did we get so old, and why do these kids look so young? In the six years since the show opened (and closed and reopened), life for the post-bachelor's student has grown increasingly more difficult and how strange that most of the themes pertaining to the show are still relevant to most of the people I know under the age of 30. This show got me thinking about myself, where I'm going and what I am doing with myself. And all they had to do was use puppets. Not many shows have that sort of effect on me, the most recent I can think of being the short-lived Reasons to Be Pretty.

Kudos to the house staff at New World Stages, who go the extra mile to make sure that there are no cell phone interruptions during the show. (Including reminding someone in the press about the NYC statute against cell phone use inside a theatre). This was also my first experience with the in-seat drink service, something in which I might partake should I go back again (which, yes, I am already considering). Though, I wondered during the audience collection if alcohol was a factor in inspiring an audience member down front to throw a Nutri Grain bar at the cast...

The move to off-Broadway was surprising, but it makes sense. The show is built for intimacy, and it is more cost effective for the producers to run it in a 499 seat house outside of Broadway. (And apparently The 39 Steps may follow suit...? Who knew?) It's also nice to see that the show is becoming a theatrical institution for the city. As long as there are fresh-faced college grads tackling the world head on, there will always be a place for Avenue Q. Especially in New York.

"Nine" - The Rehearsal Montage

I guess you could call this video a trailer of sorts. Still not sure what to make of the film, except that I'm fascinated to see how such a cerebral musical comes to life on film. I'm also not sold on the loss of so many great songs from the original stage score, but we'll see if I'm forgiving once the film comes out. In the very least it will be visually stunning. And in a musical where every turn is a diva turn, it will be interesting to see so many Oscar winners throwing themselves into the production numbers. I'm also really curious to hear what Daniel Day Lewis' singing voice sounds like...

The film comes out on Christmas Day.