Live Design Online is reporting that Tharon Musser, quite possibly the most revered lighting designer in New York theatre, has passed away at the age of 84 after a long illness. Musser got her start on Broadway with the original Broadway production of Long Day’s Journey Into Night in 1956 and worked steadily for over forty years. A mere sampling of her 120-something Broadway credits include: The Entertainer, JB, Once Upon a Mattress, Here’s Love, Any Wednesday, Golden Boy, Kelly, Flora the Red Menace, The Lion in Winter, Mame, A Delicate Balance, Hallelujah Baby!, The Birthday Party, Applause, Follies (Tony award), The Prisoner of Second Avenue, A Little Night Music, Candide revival, Mack & Mabel, The Wiz, Same Time Next Year, Pacific Overtures, A Chorus Line (Tony award), 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, The Act, Ballroom, They’re Playing Our Song, Children of a Lesser God, 42nd Street, Dreamgirls (Tony award), Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Real Thing, Biloxi Blues, Broadway Bound, Lost in Yonkers, The Secret Garden and Lonesome West. She won three Tonys and was nominated for a total of ten. Her lighting work on A Chorus Line completely revolutionized her art, as it marked the first wholly computerized lighting console. Musser is survived by her partner Marilyn Rennagel.
Did Lionel Bart Write "Oliver"?
A rather surprising item in the London Independent is claiming that Lionel Bart didn’t write all of the hit musical Oliver! According to the article, his former collaborator Joan Maitland wrote the book and accepted a 1% sum of royalties in exchange for her silence. There apparently have been other claims that his work was not his own. He got his start as the lyricist of Lock Up Your Daughters and composed his first score Fings Ain’t Wot They Used to Be. However, Bart only had one major success with Oliver! He would follow with minor successes in the UK with the WWII era musical Blitz!, a major spectacle that even included a recreation of a London bombing and Maggie May. Afterward, his shows were major failures, including the London flop Twang! and the one performance bomb La Strada in NY. He never wrote another new musical again.
Katharine Hepburn on "The Dick Cavett Show" – Part Two
Here is the second half of the interview. Keep enjoying.
Katharine Hepburn on "The Dick Cavett Show" – Part One
Katharine Hepburn gave her first-ever television interview to Dick Cavett on his show on September 11, 1973. One of the most private people in Hollywood, she decided to do it to help promote the American Film Theatre, an experimental project that was a subscription based series of films based on plays. Hepburn herself appeared in one of the films: Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance. The studio taping actually started as a test run to see if the interview is something she would like to do, hence the informality of the event. At a certain point when they were talking, she said they should just go ahead and tape the show right then and there. (It was one of the rare Cavett show’s to not have a live audience, only various people who filtered in throughout). For the first few minutes, Hepburn wasn’t aware that cameras were rolling and it captured the legend in a candid moment where she criticizes the set decoration, gives common sense advice to the technical crew and then settles into the interview. Favorite quote from that moment: “Don’t tell me what’s wrong, just fix it.” Hepburn was asked and gave total permission for the show to air this footage.
The interview was so lengthy it actually covered two episodes and was one of the most popular episodes of Dick Cavett’s show. It is basically what we would have had if Hepburn had ever appeared on “Inside the Actor’s Studio,” she delves into her career, the technique of acting, her opinions on the industry… well everything you can think of. The interview is long, there’s no getting past that, running almost three hours in length and is divided here into fifteen sections on youtube. However, it is completely fascinating. I’ve watched the entire thing twice myself, so if you want to settle in, be sure you have time!
PS – This is the interview where she gave the famed quote: “Cold sober, I find myself absolutely fascinating.”
The I-Pod Shuffle for Today…
I’m suffering big time tonight. It happens every spring like clockwork – even before you see the buds on the trees, I start to feel it. Pollen is a nightmare for me, which belies my incredible enjoyment of the warm spring weather. So as the love-hate relationship continues and since I don’t have HBO (hope Grey Gardens is a good one!), here’s the first ipod shuffle I’ve done in a while. As opposed to the last time when I merely used my Broadway playlist, I’ve gone ahead and hit the full ipod shuffle – so we’re up for any of the 32,537 tracks on here…
“I’m Not at All in Love” – The Pajama Game. The introductory song for the fiery union rep Babe Williams, on this particular studio album sung by Judy Kaye. The song pits her against her other female cohorts at the Sleep Tite Pajama Factory, where they subject her denial of a crush on the handsome new foreman with some interoffice teasing. Oh she says she’s not in love, but oh she sure as hell is. One of the more infectious character songs of the 50s and one of the more unexpected uses of a waltz in musical theatre.
“Something Wonderful” – The King and I. In many of the big Rodgers and Hammerstein shows there was a character, usually middle aged, who sang a song of inspiration to one or more of the protagonists at a cross-roads in the score. It started with “You’ll Never Walk Alone” in Carousel and finished with “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” in The Sound of Music. This particular song is sung by Lady Thiang to persuade Anna to visit with the King after a major fallout, leading to a tentative reconciliation and the amusing first act finale. Terry Saunders, a replacement Thiang in the original Broadway production, sings it on the original motion picture soundtrack.
“A Bell is No Bell” – The Sound of Music. Oscar Hammerstein wrote this specifically for Mary Martin. The intention was to create a full song out of it, but his failing health prevented that from happening and the verse was incorporated into a reprise of “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” in the second act. It’s a simple and sweet few measures. When the show was revived in London in 1981, changes made for the film were put onstage for the first time. In doing so, they took away “My Favorite Things” away from the Mother Abbess and Maria and to fill the void they used this piece in a minor duet.
“Rehearse! – finale” – 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The opening number is reprised at the end to emphasize the theatrical metaphor of the United States as a play in constant rehearsal. The song has a syncopated melody with that Leonard Bernstein, lyric by Alan Jay Lerner. There is an exuberance in the song that belies the weakness of the libretto surrounding it. By the time the show go into New York, the new creative team had stripped away most of the theatrical references. This bookend number plus one or two lines elsewhere through the score are the only allusions to the original concept (the show went into production unfinished and then premiered haphazardly in Philadelphia running four hours).
“The First Lady” – Mr. President. I guess between this and the last one, musicals about presidents don’t work out so well… Nanette Fabray sings a comic list song by Irving Berlin in which she grouses about the ardors of life as, you guessed it, the First Lady. It’s no “Duet for One,” but melody is tuneful and Fabray is game.
“Jeanette’s Showbiz Number” – The Full Monty. Kathleen Freeman was one of the great character actresses in film and television; an appearance by her would undoubtedly be followed by laughs. She made her Broadway musical debut as the salty, opinionated rehearsal pianist here, in a role created for the stage show. Freeman performed the show while dying of lung cancer, a fact unknown by most at the time. Her professionalism was incredible – her final performance in the show was only five days before her death. I’m looking forward to the prospect of seeing Elaine Stritch perform this song this spring.
“Don’t ‘Ah Ma’ Me” – The Rink. This fantastic duet between Chita Rivera and Liza Minnelli depicts the first meeting of a mother and daughter after a seven year estrangement. Chita as the Mother unleashes a rapid-fire barrage about her daughter and her shortcomings, while Liza tries to respond and rationalize. The comic timing is just spot-on.
“The Story Goes on On” – Baby. This stirring solo marks the act one finale of this Maltby-Shire musical that explores three couples and their three diverse experiences with pregnancy. Liz Callaway played Lizzie, the youngest woman of the couples and in a moment in front of her mirror has felt the baby kick for the first time. This emotional moment spurs the song, a song about her emotional feelings and of the greater chain of human life. I would venture a safe guess Callaway’s tour de force delivery of the number is what got her a Tony nomination in 1984.
“Civilized People” – Kean. Alfred Drake, Joan Weldon and Lee Venora are the singers of this amusing musical trio that conveys an awkward and decidedly restrained confrontation between Kean’s two love interests while he tries to calm both parties. The inevitable barbs are hurled back and forth between the two women before breaking into chaos. This show has a score strong enough to be a candidate for Encores (especially as its the only truly original Wright & Forrest Broadway score).
“He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” – Mahalia Jackson; Gospels, Spirituals and Hymns. Taking on the risk of the full i-pod shuffle it makes perfect sense that there would non-theatre related music in the mix. Ms. Jackson may be the greatest gospel singer the world has ever known and though I myself no longer consider myself religious, I always enjoy whenever she pops up on here.
“Overture” – Christine. It’s a sumptuous celebration of Sammy Fain’s music and Phil Lang’s work as an orchestrator that make this overture sound better than it should. Really, it sounds big enough to be underscoring for a motion picture epic about India, however the score that follows it is such a colossal disappointment it’s not even funny. The musical reads like an incestual rip-off of The King and I, with so much awkward in its depiction of Indian life, it’s no surprise the show lasted a whopping twelve performances (I’m sure the fact it didn’t close opening night was based on the above the title billing of the lovely Maureen O’Hara in her only Broadway credit).
I figure that’s enough shuffling for now… but while I’m thinking of it, are there any other cast albums you’ve listened to where you’ve heard a phenomenal overture that was betrayed by the score that followed?
Seth Rudetsky Deconstructs "It’s Today"
Seth has been doing 30 reconstructions in 30 days for Broadwayworld.com, and for April 17, he takes on “It’s Today” from the original cast recording of Mame, which introduces the audience and listener to Angela Lansbury as Auntie Mame (with that bugle blast and a slide down the banister). Even though it’s actually the second number of the show, I think this does more to establish the tone for the evening and ultimately is more of an opening number than “St. Bridget.” The original cast album of Mame is a joy to hear from those opening chords of the overture to the very last “Mame!” during the curtain call/finale. The album is one of my all-time favorites and one that I would cherish as a desert-island top 5.
The Great American Musical Turns 50
Next month marks the 50th anniversary of what Walter Kerr called “The best damn musical I’ve seen in years.” The musical, based on the memoirs of that memorable ecdysiast Gypsy Rose Lee, opened at the Broadway Theatre on May 21, 1959 (after a mere two previews) to great reviews and a memorable star turn from the irrepressible Ethel Merman. Arthur Laurents, in what would be prove to be his last credible success as a musical theatre librettist, contributed arguably the finest book in American musical history. Stephen Sondheim wrote the lyrics, and at the insistence of Ms. Merman, Jule Styne wrote the music. Jerome Robbins directed and choreographed. The show, which opened in New York just following the 1958-59 cut-off, would be trounced in the 1959-60 season by The Sound of Music and Fiorello! in what is so far the one and only Best Musical tie in Tony history. Merman famously lost the Tony to Mary Martin, headlining the more crowdpleasing Sound of Music, with the infamous quip from Ethel: “You can’t buck a nun.” The musical play ran 702 performances in NY before Ethel Merman went out on national tour. This original cast album is a must-have for any musical theater lover. There are a lot of people who insist that Merman’s performance is subpar (many of whom didn’t actually see it, but I digress); however she delivers an electrifying performance on the album. She is ably supported by Sandra Church, Jack Klugman and Maria Karnilova as Tessie Tura. With all due respect to all other recordings that have come along, I don’t think the orchestrations by Robert Ginzler and Sid Ramin have ever sounded better than they do here. (Though let it be said, all recordings of Gypsy are required listening). Also, it’s only right to mention Dick Perry, a favorite of Jule Styne’s, who rocks out the improv section on the overture like none other. Perry also played on the original cast albums of Subways Are for Sleeping and Funny Girl, serving as soloist for “Cornet Man” and even receiving billing for it. His credits include several other big 60s musicals, as well as trumpet player in the original “Tonight Show” band.
I currently own the 1999 Sony release that cleaned up the album and restored part of “You Gotta Get a Gimmick.” The album included previously unreleased demos of songs from the score, including some cut numbers, an early version of “Some People” and a combination of “Mr. Goldstone” and a tender “Little Lamb” sung by Ethel. On May 5, the original cast album will be re-released yet again by Sony Masterworks in a new 50th anniversary edition. This new release includes all material on the 40th anniversary release, but will also include an audio clip of Michael Feinstein interviewing Jule Styne, as well as a track on which Gypsy Rose Lee herself looks back on burlesque. Yes, I’m seriously considering the upgrade. Also, Masterworks is planning a similar 50th anniversary release of The Sound of Music this fall.
"Slaughter on Tenth Avenue"
I doubt we’d get another full scale revival of On Your Toes, an admittedly dated gem from Rodgers and Hart. But perhaps Encores! would give this generation the chance to see George Balanchine’s legendary choreography recreated. This is a clip of Lara Teeter and Tony-winner Natalia Makarova performing a large section of “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue” from the hit 1983 revival. The ballet appears at the climax of the musical, its story that of a hoofer (originally Ray Bolger in 1936) who falls in love with a dance hall girl, in turn shot by her jealous gangster boyfriend, who himself is killed by the hoofer. The musical itself has parallel story going on – two gangsters are waiting to kill the hoofer playing the hoofer when the ballet finishes and he continues to dance after the ballet is over in an attempt to save his own life. The piece was incorporated into the repertoire of the New York City Ballet over forty years ago.
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Kiley vs. Lansbury
Peter Filichia was taken to task by some of his readers over the claim that Keith Carradine was the only person to have won a Best Song Oscar and to have been nominated as Best Actor in a Musical. They reminded him that Barbra Streisand is a Tony-nominated, Oscar-winning (for the song “Evergreen”) star. However, as he correctly points out that he said “Best Actor in a Musical” but not Best Actress. One reader pulled the PC card on him saying that it’s not actress, but “female actor.” The article then goes onto speculate which winner of the respective Tony races would take home the award if they were pitted against each other. At the end of the article, he lists what he considers the toughest call: Angela Lansbury as Mame or Richard Kiley as the Man of La Mancha. Be sure to check it out, and drop him a line with your opinion!
I’ll withhold my vote until he posts the results, but I’m sure you can guess…