THEATRE GOSSIP #481: It Never Rains but it Pours on Beanie's Parade

Here's the link to the previous thread:

To R602, Yes, of course I was of advanced years in 1981 and that explains why I couldn't understand LuPone's garbled diction.

Eyeroll.

-R596 on previous thread.

Looking forward to hear about The Devil Wears Prada. Any Chicagoans here planning to see the tryout?

Whose gonna see Shyanne Jackson in ITW?

Nice one OP. Thanks!

You gotta feel for Beanie. Clearly this whole debacle affected her personally. We are watching in real time someone’s dream die.

Bless your heart, R6.

I dont follow the theater so I have no clue who this Beanie Feldstein is but from her picture and name alone, I find her annoying and I hate her.......

[quote] I dont follow the theater

And you're here because.............?

Nice title, OP!

If Beanie had some giant, meaningful reason for leaving, I seriously doubt they’d be keeping it a secret in the middle of this shitshow. They’d be scrambling to get it out ASAP.

I am, r4. By coincidence. Had a ticket for one of the performances at the end of July. Wanted to see Creel, but Jackson is a good substitute. Maybe better.

Beans, beans, nothing but beans Feldstein...

I was watching her crawl back over the wall when / BANG SMASH the scenery crashed

What will Beeny’s next roll be?

The set falling in on Beanie--how awful!

Was any of the scenery injured?

r2 that comment must have stung for you to bring your eye-roll all the way over to a new thread.

I saw Funny Girl on Tuesday. Jane Lynch played her role as though right before the curtain she found out her paycheck had bounced. And at the curtain call, the cast looked like it was in the midst of a hostage exchange.

Beanie played the role that night. She sounds acceptable (just acceptable) on the big songs, but on the ballads, especially People, she can't control her pitch, which wanders all over the place.

But the real problem with her performance isn't her singing. If Beanie had nailed the comedy, it might be a performance worth watching. But Beanie's Fanny Brice seems petulant and spoiled, she never gets her laughs, so the audience is never on her side. This, combined with a truly lousy production, makes it a rough night out.

Happy birthday to DL fave and Bway legend, Miss Lucy Arnaz!

[Quote] Beanie's Fanny Brice seems petulant and spoiled, she never gets her laughs, so the audience is never on her side.

Seems like the director failed hard. He’s sitting back in his caftan enjoying her taking all the heat. Hateful.

Michael Mayer is a hack. And a bit of an asshole, as confirmed by numerous sources.

Am curious about the dynamic between him and Lea Michele, which has not always been smooth sailing in the past. (See the Spring Awakening docu, for example.)

Who knows what the director told her? She probably ignored him, and did what she felt like anyway.

She’s been doing that her whole life.

R18 it’s Lucie not Lucy

Do we think there will be an update about the Into the Woods/The Piano Lesson situation this week? (Seriously, who books a play in the St. James?)

[quote] What will Beeny’s next roll be?

A dozen, buttered, at dinner

Was Beanie even funny as Minnie Fay in Hello Dolly? I have no memory of her performance except for a chubby girl bustling around in her bustle, who looked like she'd rather be anywhere else. Her lack of comic chops make her casting even more suspect and unfortunate.

That said, I imagine she'll return to LA very soon and take best friend roles in more indie films produced and directed by family friends. I don't think we'll see her starring in anything on stage or screen any time soon.

r23

I love ITW but will it really run for a long time?

There's always something unpleasantly angular and sharp about Rachel York's demeanor that IMHO have kept her from leading lady status.

She marched her band out She beat her drum And she was fanned out Your turn at bat, sir At least she didn't fake it Hat, sir, she just didn't make it!

LM’s opening night audience might consider bringing cheap wigs and waving them around during her curtain call, as a reminder and blast from the past to make LM feel “at home”.

[quote]And at the curtain call, the cast looked like it was in the midst of a hostage exchange.

LOL!

R27 What kept Rachel York from leading lady status was her inability to do 8 shows a week. She only has one volume/performance, and runs out of gas before the weekend more often than not. It pissed off a lot of producers and creatives on the various road tours she has headlined. These things mattered a lot more years ago when Rachel was in her prime. Also, her (now ex) husband was her manager for a long time and negotiated her out of a lot of jobs.

Source: I worked with her on the road.

When on a tour, do the leads in a show get better hotel rooms than the chorus?

[quote] Was Beanie even funny as Minnie Fay in Hello Dolly? I have no memory of her performance except for a chubby girl bustling around in her bustle, who looked like she'd rather be anywhere else. Her lack of comic chops make her casting even more suspect and unfortunate.

No, she was fucking terrible in Dolly. I saw it right before the Tonys and I had no idea who she was, had never heard of her, and every time she stepped onstage and had a line, all focus went to her in the worst way possible. She was shrill, loud, grating and gave a high school level performance. I actively hated her and audibly groaned every time she spoke.

[Quote] I actively hated her and audibly groaned every time she spoke

Ah how considerate

Please tell us when you are going to another show so we can avoid you

More gossip on Rachel York please! What roles did her husband negotiate her out of? What roles did she cancel performances during? This is the kind of gossip I adore.

[r30]

I always thought it was odd that she WON a Drama Desk award, but then wasn’t even nominated for a Tony.

[quote] Please tell us when you are going to another show so we can avoid you

I wouldn't worry about it, hon. I don't sit in the cheap seats.

[quote] I always thought it was odd that she WON a Drama Desk award, but then wasn’t even nominated for a Tony.

I'm not sure that's why she was snubbed at the Tonys. I thought the nominating committee was basically sending a message that they hated the show and everything about it, but could not deny the chance to give Andrews a Tony after all these years.

Attended the penultimate performance of Paradise Square last night and the theatre rocked. So many sobbing fangurls in their PS t-shirts (many who should never go out in t-shirts). I wonder. If Garth Vader hadn't been involved, would it have won more Tonys? Certainly Bill Jones should have won for his choreography. The sets, the lighting..the second act goes on way too long, but I can see this having a long life in high schools, regional theatre, etc. If Girth Drabinsky wasn't involved, would it not be closing? I'd have to say yes.

Ummm, no. People don't buy tickets (or not buy tickets) because of the producer.

I want to focus only on Beanie during this transitional time.

Your immediate attention to this matter is appreciated.

Rachel York is a gifted mimic. She's merely adequate and one-note at everything else. She should have been a Cher Show replacement.

[quote] I don't sit in the cheap seats.

There's cheap seats in the twenty-first century?

In V/V did Rachel York accomplish anything more than an imitation of Lesley Anne Warren doing an imitation of Jean Hagen?

I get Rachel York and Caddy Huffman mixed up. Aren’t they basically interchangeable?

R2, could you please cut and paste your comments from the previous thread because I really don't want to have to scroll all the way down for what I'm sure isn't worth it. TIA.

[quote]What will Beeny’s next roll be?

Two dozen cinnamon.

[quote] I get Rachel York and Caddy Huffman mixed up. Aren’t they basically interchangeable?

One's face is slightly less horsey and lens damaging than other.

I think she’s descended to sausage rolls while cowering at home this weekend.

#BringOutTheBigGuns

R32, I’m with you, Beanie was horrific in Hello Dolly, a misfire in an otherwise joyful production. She was shrill, without any focus except for herself and stepping on lines, really bad. I’d like to add, they might have been joking, but someone said Jane Lynch was Beanie’s only defender backstage at Funny Girl, this is untrue. They never bonded and Lynch grew immediately frustrated at some of the antics that our beloved Broadway busting brat started pulling after show number two or three, not a happy place.

Nearly there, OP. Should've taken another pass at it, worked in the "you gotta laugh." Oh well, you suck.

Oh please, R6. There are acres of land devoted to my dead dreams. Get over it.

My main memory of Beanie in Hello Dolly was that she was chubby. I don’t remember anything else about her performance. The one I thought was really awful was the woman who played Gussie. (Is that her name? The one who goes to the restaurant with Horace.) I thought she was shrill and horribly annoying.

Phyllis and Sally...really?

Beanie was plenty shrill in Hello Dolly, and screeching every line.

I like Phyllis' tap shoes...

How will Lea compensate for the lousy book, bad direction and cheap looking sets? They should close this show.

Ryan Murphy may be a hack , but he was smart enough not to continue to pursue this flop.

All of New York is behind Lea for saving them from Beanie.

She will be the toast of the season.

R56- Lea

R48, I'm sure that was a joke post. The comment claimed they were lesbian lovers, which is why Jane defended her, bit when Beanie got engaged, the disgruntled Jane finally washed her hands of the beans as well. It was nonsense.

So, in 25 years:

Sally - Beanie

Phyllis - Lea

Buddy - Ben Platt

Ben - ???

Ben- Groff. Duh.

R37/r38, I think the argument is that a different producer could have gotten better people involved. A better director, certainly better marketing. But the best people were (rightly) too smart to work with him, so he ended up with what he could get, and the show was automatically at a disadvantage. And yes, the marketing was godawful. So the show probably could have done better with a different producer. The question is, would a different producer have wanted to take it on? It very much feels like his kind of show.

[quote]So, in 25 years:

DL's current crop of eldergays will all be dead and therefore don't give a fuck what Beanie, Ben and Lea will be doing with their respective careers, on the slim chance that they still have careers.

Live, Laugh, Love...Eat.

I was considering going out to SF for this latest iteration of Follies, but I’m not really getting inspired by these stills. That Loveland looks cheap as fuck! And Nataschia just looks wrong for Sally.

I attended the NT Follies and don’t want to sully my memory of that sublime production.

Glad to be of help, r64.

Why does Phyllis look like someone dug up Carrie Nye's corpse, smacked some pancake makeup on her, and propped her on stage? She looks old enough to be Hattie's mother. She and Sally don't look like they're around the same age at all. I have no idea who the actress is and I'm sure she's lovely, but this seems like miscasting. The whole production seems miscast and poorly conceived. I'd expect it from a community theatre production, but isn't this supposed to be a more professional theater?

Lea Michele is too short to be Phyllis. Phyllis should be statuesque.

OMG those stills from SF Playhouse look like a 1986 high school production.

Beanie's Turn

Why did I do it? What did it get me? Reviews saying I couldn't sing it. Left the show and now it stars Lea. I had a dream, I dreamed it for me Sonia. It wasn't for you Mayer. And if it wasn't for me Then where would you be Miss Julie Benko?

The production of Funny Girl is basically the same one that was in London with Sheridan Smith, though SS could sing and act, and was produced by the same team, had the same director, rewrites by Harvey, etc. Since it was a success, thats probably why they went with Beanies casting. SS is short and squat also, but it worked. They were probably hoping lightning would strike twice...

They should've held a seance at the August Wilson and tried to summon the ghost of Jerome Robbins.

[quote] Patti played Evita in Sydney as well as Melbourne. If she was tentative when it opened on Broadway I'd like to know why: she'd been at it for a while already.

Sydney and Melbourne happened after Patti left the Broadway production. The out of town tryout (Los Angeles &. SF) was all she got before NYC)

Shows what those producers know, then. That production of FG worked in London because they had a genuine star attached. Whatever we think of Sheridan Smith on this side of the Atlantic, she sells out houses in the West End. She holds the audience in the palm of her hand and even though you could argue she doesn't have the right kind of voice, she at least has a voice. When Fanny comes out and proclaims herself the "greatest star", guess what; you'd better be witnessing a star performance. They need to hold the audience in thrall. Sheridan did, despite Mayer's production. Beanie hasn't.

R73 Oh bullshit. The fat cunt sat on the fucking floor to sing Greatest Star. It was utterly ridiculous.

She started out sitting on the floor with Eddie, but was up on her feet when she got going...so fuck off hater at @74. Was it the best production, no, but it was good as evidenced in the run and the touring engagements. BEANIE SUCKS...and not your cock.

Im the Greatest Star...Sheridan Smith...

Thanks r76.

She can sing. She can act.

Ramin Karimloo *ALMOST* knows his gay audience but misses the mark by just a bit.

He posted an Instagram story of himself working out with a young gay man and calls him “son.”

That comment was on brand. What was missing was the young gay man calling him, “Daddy”

I actually think this proves he’s really straight as an arrow.

Thanks, r76. As is often the case with West End takes, it's a bit low energy/slower than I'd like, but she can certainly sing and act. (Watching Michele's Glee version after this, Smith's is better acted.)

I did not particularly like SS in that video but she was certainly not embarrassing and had enough comedy and singing skills to pull it off.

Probably goes without saying, but none of the ones I've been able to see compares to this. I found myself wishing Smith's staging wasn't so spare, but of course Barbra does the end of the song alone on an empty stage and still manages to feel so much bigger.

Sorry if this has been posted. I'd listened to Benko's DROMP from the first weekend, and thought it was...fine. She sounds better here though. Maybe she's been improving?

r81...you cant compare a film version to a stage version as far as production goes. But you know that.

Of course you can compare them. You can compare anything

There's 22 photos, r68. Well, they're certainly...ambitious.

R82 - Thank you for posting that! I love her voice. She has an odd sound “purr” running under her voice - like a purr or growl. I really like her voice. What an absolutely once in a lifetime moment she is having!

Yes, thank you, r76. Regardless of how one feel's about her in the role, that *is* a star performance.

O. Deering myself for that apostrophe.

Also, Sheridan Smith is a national treasure in the UK, and is a frequent and celebrated television actress. I only saw the West End transfer, thought it was dreadful and am not surprised it got the reviews it did on Broadway, but from the moment she stepped onstage, Sheridan - for an UK audience - is star in a way a few of her contemporaries are. And the audience was rooting for her - both as an actress and for the character.

For a musical, having a lead in which an audience is predisposed to be on their side goes a long way in overcoming the shortfalls of an underwhelming book.

Which unfortunately isn’t much help when it comes to Beanie. Especially when she can’t really sing it, either.

Once we’re debating Julie benko’s DROMP, we can stop life support

Beanie Feldstein is a persona that works when she is the second banana friend with a few good lines in your independent film. Beanie Feldstein does not have the presence, skill or stamina to lead a stage musical, especially a starring role like Fanny Brice. The untalented sham got found out, she can’t perform the part. I saw her, she and the entire show was shit, except for the tap dancer, he shined, even Ramin was awkward and embarrassed.

Ramin was just upset because Fierstein refused to write the new scene where Nicky Arnstein rolls Fanny in flour to find the wet spot.

I don’t remember Beanie at all in Hello Dolly! Yet I’ve definitely seen her in movies so figure I should have recognized her

How could you not remember Beanie in Hello, Dolly? He voice was like a thousand needles being jammed into your eardrum.

Mr Saturday Night closing in September. No surprise.

First 9/11. Now this^

Just got a call from my friend in SF. It was intermission which they put after I'm Still Here. She said the show started off rough. She thought they did a decent job with the mirror number. Then she had to go back in.

R97, please report back after she’s seen the second act. I’d love to hear about “Losing My Mind.”

All I know is that Lea’s performance of Parade at the Tony’s was awful- copied the phrasing and dynamics of Streisand and went flat, sharp, talked, screeched. The score to Funny Girl is its best attribute, but it’s very difficult to sing. It’s going to take an unknown to reproduce. Streisand is one of the two or three most gifted people ever in “entertainment”. The other one is Judy Garland and you can argue about who a third might be- Sinatra? There are some strictly singers (Aretha, King Cole) the their league as vocal artists- Gaga doesn’t have the voice but she might carry it off- although getting too old.

Harvey Fierstein keeps retweeting and tweeting stuff about Lea Michele.

I think it’s safe to say we know who the senior source was for the Funny Girl article who kept saying that Lea should have replaced Beanie earlier and would save the show.

Saw Sheridan Smith at the Menier and found her charming . . . until she sang. She was in ni way the greatest star by any measure, and that rendition confirms my memory.

[quote]Beanie played the role that night. She sounds acceptable (just acceptable) on the big songs, but on the ballads, especially People, she can't control her pitch, which wanders all over the place

Her pitch was wandering toward the stage door.

[quote]All I know is that Lea’s performance of Parade at the Tony’s was awful- copied the phrasing and dynamics of Streisand and went flat, sharp, talked, screeched. The score to Funny Girl is its best attribute, but it’s very difficult to sing.

Oh please she was fine for having to walk down the longest row in theater history while singing. not a good thing for any singer. She might as well have been running. When she has to stand still center stage she will bring the roof down.

Sean Hayes did a great impression of Lea coming down the aisle. Of course, his bouncing basket drew all of the attention.

r102, the studio version from Glee is only marginally better. If the studio version sounds this forced and try-hard, the onstage version will likely be even worse.

Hopefully in addition to displaying some actual believable human emotion, she'll lose the weird fake British accent.

"Only can die once, right, suuuuuh?" "I gotta have my bite, suuuuuuh."

There is obviously nothing more to say on this topic

well, r9, 6 others liked my post so why dont you ask they why they are here......

R82 thank you. She has definitely improved. Wow. I’m impressed. No wonder she has so many supporters. It must drive BF crazy that she can actually sing (and she’s thin). No wonder she hates her.

[quote]R105 There is obviously nothing more to say on this topic

We will not be silenced until that Hollywood upstart dumpling is driven from the stage!

Those SF Follies photos are so damn scary! And depressing.

[quote] Beanie's Turn - Why did I do it? What did it get me? Reviews saying I couldn't sing it. Left the show and now it stars Lea. I had a dream, I dreamed it for me Sonia. It wasn't for you Mayer. And if it wasn't for me Then where would you be Miss Julie Benko?

Okay, this is VERY funny. Where's a Forbidden Broadway when we need one?

[quote]Those SF Follies photos are so damn scary! And depressing.

Sooo, r109...so FOLLIES then?

Re the clip at R76 - That this number starts on the floor is further proof that Mayer is woefully clueless--and talentless. Why in god's name would they be on the floor? It's submissive and grovelling. It undercuts her announcement of "I'm the Greatest Star."

The film's staging gets it. Not only is Babs dead center, she's visually higher than everyone else.

And Sheridan Smith looked particularly squat and chubby sitting on the floor in those ghastly bloomers. Mayer waited way too long to get her up on her feet.

[quote] Of course, his bouncing basket drew all of the attention.

Any rumors of Sean’s dick size?

A little raining and pouring for La Beanadette.

Byeeeee bitch

Careful, r112. r83 already told us we can't compare the film version to a stage version. (I agree though.)

Yes R105, you can’t rob R106 of her FAAANS-ZAH!

R114, not as big as Deb Messings.

Sheridan Smith is not a “national treasure” in the UK. She was on a sitcom with a young demographic who gave an average performance in Legally Blonde (in which she like a Head Girl version of Elle Woods) which was kind of unexpected so it was overrated and sort of became a musical theatre icon for the Wicked generation in the UK for a while - though I doubt they turned out for her Hedda Gabler at the Old Vic (really - during Spacey’s last days I think). To that generation she is/was “iconic” the way they think a chair is “iconic”.

Not far into the Funny Girl West End transfer she cracked up on stage - if they could get her on stage - due to her drinking which at the time she conveniently blamed on her father’s death the previous year (or impending death, I can’t remember). She left the show in the somewhat capable hands of her understudy, Natasha Barnes, who apparently was a better singer than her. (This production’s Nicky Arnstein was Scottish reality show contestant, Darius Danesh Campbell who is a bit of a looker but whose obnoxious ego made him a national joke during his Pop Stars days [the original American Idol format]. He also played Rhett Butler in Trevor Nun’s ill-fated GWTW musical).

Smith eventually returned to tour Funny Girl (I’m sure she’s popular up north) and alternated performances with Barnes, but by then the bloom was off the rose. I’m not aware that her career has ever recovered from that West End debacle. I’m sure her performance as Fanny Brice was probably a lot like her performance as Elle Woods - a lot of smug grinning at the audience conveying “I’m Northern, I am!” Graham Norton got in some trouble when he either cracked a joke about her drink problem at a tv awards show or pulled a face or something. Nowadays, Smith plays dumb Northern bints trying to get custody of her kids or something on cheaply made ITV dramas.

Julie Walters is a national treasure. Sheridan Smith is chump change.

In that SF Follies, one actress plays both Stella and Heidi? Is that allowed?

[quote] To that generation she is/was “iconic” the way they think a chair is “iconic”.

Best comment ever.

And yet we have not discussed the Tangiers Follies

[quote] Smith eventually returned to tour Funny Girl (I’m sure she’s popular up north) and alternated performances with Barnes, but by then the bloom was off the rose

r119 didn't she return much heavier, and that's what was recorded for the broadcast?

I want to marry R119.

[quote] And yet we have not discussed the Tangiers Follies

r122 that's the only place Ashford should be allowed to direct

Agreed R119, the Sheridan Smith Funny Girl hagiography here has been utterly ridiculous, as if she actually did something anyone cared about during that production. The only thing FG did for SS was almost end her career, dead father (mostly alcoholism- let’s be real) or not. It’s fairly shocking that any American producer would want what amounts to a virtual catastrophe to be brought to Broadway, and look how it turned out: another epic catastrophe that has almost destroyed another career.

I wondered why Sheridan was doing all those missing child mother TV movies. I guess for the quick cash. But she’s becoming like Joanne Froggat who has become the go-to for the battered wife roles.

I was recently watching a new tv show where Joanne had a role. I was betting myself how many minutes into the show before she got battered. I was surprised this time who did the battering.

[quote]And if it wasn't for me Then where would you be Miss Julie Benko?

This doesn't rhyme.

Fixed it for you: And if wasn’t for me then where would you be Miss Understudy.

Is anyone here old enough to remember that delicious 1972 expose The Making of No No Nanette by Don Dunn? Probably the best book ever written about the backstage shenanigans of bringing a Broadway musical to the stage.

This Funny Girl production needs the full-on treatment from the conception of The Menier production to the West End to the casting mystery of Beanie to Lea's disappointing run. Hopefully, there's a chorus boy's boy friend who's been paying attention and taking notes.

[Quote] Is anyone here old enough to remember

Please.

Make way for a FUNNY LADY, fellas....

Apparently Ali Stoker got boned

R130, I enjoyed that book.

I also like the Company cast recording documentary where Stritch blows the whole thing up.

We need more drama filled accounts of Broadway shows.

Regarding the SF Follies, it's important to remember that SF Playhouse is not a LORT theatre, and they have very little money. Most of their funds go to expensive SF real estate and hiring a few equity actors for the major roles. There have been some excellent plays (Noises Off) and musicals (She Loves Me, Sunday in the Park, etc.) produced there, but they won't have the polish or the design budget of even mid-tier theaters like Chicago Shakes.

Good for Ali. The boyfriend is sexy.

Thanks, r135, but then don't do Follies if you don't have the budget or even the Equity actors, much less stars. Stick to Barefoot in the Park.

Or find a lesser known, smaller scale musical than FOLLIES, perhaps.

(No one needs to see BAREFOOT IN THE PARK in 2022.)

R137 is right. I used to belong to a small community theater (the theater was a former drug store - very small space) . They wanted suggestions for their first musical. I suggested “Godspell” and “I Do, I Do.” They went with “Guys & Dolls”. 🙄 No choreography in that show because too many people on stage.

It was a joke, r138. A lame one, but a joke.

What a shame that they’re the ones to do the first SF follies.

I’m definitely not going now. That Follies looks very cheap.

R137 I agree. I love their theatre but they have no business doing that show. Bill has been eager to do Follies for a long time, though, and the artistic director gets what he wants...

[quote] the artistic director gets what he wants...

That's why he's called the artistic director

Most Sondheim shows shrink down well to smaller theaters. I’ve seen excellent small productions of Company, Sweeney, Night Music, Merrily, and Assassins.

Follies is not one of those musicals. It’s about a great, huge, now haunted theater. You can’t shrink that down.

[quote] Any rumors of Sean’s dick size?

Who cares? It's attached to Sean Hayes.

Nathan Lane just bought a co-op. What gift should DL send for a housewarming?

[r147] Lexapro

A caviar crown.

You haven't seen FOLLIES until you've seen it at a dinner theater in the round.

^I saw that production.

I gave him some lovely Corelle serving pieces, r147.

It was so long ago, r151, that I really don't remember much about it. I remember thinking it didn't really work in the round.

More of Nathan's new apartment.

I mostly like it (but I'd update a lot of it).

Congrats to Nathan and his hubby.

R150 & R151, please tell us more.

Sean Hayes has a penis?

He does, R156. And it’s bigger than yours.

I wish I could, r155, but all I really remember was that it didn't work in the round and being that close to the actors. It diluted the effectiveness of the ghosts and limited scenic effects.

R157 = Sean Hayes

Who did Hollis Resnick play?

Actually not, R159. But yours is a whiny bottom question so my response was a good guess.

What can two whiny bottoms accomplish?

NOT A GODDAMN THING

She wasn't in it, r160.

I still can't believe Hollis Resnick died. She was fantastic in everything.

^

The article in r147 says he's won 6 Tonys. Wrong. 3 Tonys, 6 nominations.

[quote] The article in [R147] says he's won 6 Tonys. Wrong. 3 Tonys, 6 nominations.

Damn! You called out "I Love The Upper West Side" Fake news!!! Damn mainstream media.

Something else that the Sheridan Smith and Beanie Feldstein productions of "Funny Girl" have in common: lots of mugging from the leading ladies.

We have now all seen Nathan Lane's crapper.

[quote]We have now all seen Nathan Lane's crapper.

I hope you're satisfied, tasteful friends.

Boy, it's a good thing r90 put an end to that "debate" over Julie Benko's DROMP (if two comments--one agreeing with the second--counts as a debate).

The current discussion is SO much better.

There are a few terrific behind-the-scenes books written on Broadway musicals coming to fruition (or NOT!)

"Making It Big: The Diary of a Broadway Musical" on the '96 Ockrent/Stroman helmed flop is a GREAT read. "The Impossible Musical" by Dale Wasserman chronicles the original Broadway production of "Man Of La Mancha" and its unlikely success. And "A Year With The Producers" by Jeffry Denman offers some juicy insights into the making of that HIT. (Supposedly Denman's writing it created a minor rift with management?)

The Fiddler book is pretty good...

‘Song of Spider-Man’ by Glen Berger is infinitely more coherent and self-aware than anything in the musical which it describes.

More to debate. Headley:

Miller:

I remember enjoying The Scarlett Papers, Florence Rome’s book about the world premiere of the musical version of Gone With the Wind in Tokyo in 1970. Her husband Harold Rome wrote the score.

There was also a pretty good book about the pre-Broadway tryout of Any Wednesday in the 1960s, a lot of it had to do with Michael Rennie being replaced by Don Porter.

The DL Bible

GWTW

I thought "Not Since Carrie" was the bible here.

It's the Old Testament, r180.

What the fuck is the Last Midnight even about and why does the just witch disappear? Makes zero sense.

The same thing can be said for the entire score Paradise Square.

How very...very.

"I'm just not a Little Me fan....they took a hilarious book that centers on a fabulous female character and turned it into a musical vehicle for a male star to play the men in the fabulous female character's life. If that doesn't define the misogyny of the entertainment business, I don't know what does."

You don't know is dead right. Sid Caesar was a huge star and Simon had worked for the man and knew how to tailor material for him. Just because he had an idea that he put into effect for professional and personal reasons doesn't mean that he, unlike YOU, cancelled the rest of humanity.

Of course, the day I have tickets to Into the Woods, Miller is out

Beanie Fieldstein as Peggy Sawyer in the Red Lobster production of 42nd Street!

I like Miller’s Last Midnight best.

There’s a much better musical that could have been written based on Little Me. The original material is so much better than the musical we have.

Headley's line reading of "just give me the boy" is bone chilling.

Not really, r189. The book's gimmick was to cram *every* element from actresses' "auto-bios" into one satirical book. The musical has to soften that edge so Belle will be sympathetic and not such a cartoon. It dilutes the original's bite. The same thing happened with Auntie Mame. Although Auntie Mame got to transition from book to play to musical.

R14 I think its pretty obvious.

I could see Beanie in a musical version of "The Exorcist" based on that.

They should do CADDYSHACK The Musical, Beanie can do the Rodney Dangerfield role. She looks exactly like him in drag…

How long does a show have to be closed for its reopening to be considered eligible for Tony Awards?

E.g., if Funny Girl closed and was significantly retooled for opening a week later, could it be considered a new revival and eligible?

I doubt it, r195.

Also, r195, there isn't time for significant changes.

Also, nobody working on FG is smart enough to make significant changes that would make for a better production. So, there's that. I'm sure the Tony nominators still wouldn't be swayed.

As long as Sonia Friedman is producing, expect absolute crap.

[quote]Sid Caesar was a huge star and Simon had worked for the man and knew how to tailor material for him. Just because he had an idea that he put into effect for professional and personal reasons doesn't mean that he, unlike YOU, cancelled the rest of humanity.

It also doesn't make "Little Me" a good musical. It isn't one. And Sid Caesar's shtick and stardom were of their time. Remember how hilarious he was in the movie of "Grease"? Neither does anyone else.

R200, have you gone outside today? LITTLE ME is, and always has been, pure fun top-drawer fluff. No one is claiming it's HAMLET.

What are the chances of any more closing notices coming soon?

Sid Caesar's stardom had dropped considerably by the time of LITTLE ME. True, he was a huge star of early television but by the end of the 1950s his brand of schtick was tiresome and passe. It was a big mistake to make him the focus of Belle Poitrine's story.

And Neil Simon was not such a big deal in 1962 when he wrote Little Me. Barefoot in the Park was a year away and his only prior hit was Come Blow Your Horn, all but forgotten today.

I love the score of Little Me but the libretto is painstakingly unfunny and outdated.

I can't believe POTUS hasn't posted a closing notice yet. I hear it's all but empty, at least on week nights.

That should have read: painfully unfunny and outdated, lol.

[quote]R200, have you gone outside today? LITTLE ME is, and always has been, pure fun top-drawer fluff.

Your "have you gone outside today?" remark tells me all I need to know about your concept of what qualifies as witty, R201.

R206 And your bizarre, persistent anti-LITTLE ME rants tells the world all we need to know about your precarious mental state. It's LITTLE ME, FFS!

I like the idea of a show being painstakingly unfunny and outdated. Paging Bialystock and Bloom!

POTUS?

On the flip side, I'm impressed Hadestown has lasted as long as it has.

[quote]Beanie Fieldstein as Peggy Sawyer

I read that as Piggy Sawyer

Little Me has one of the best overtures...

I wish I'd seen the Little Me revival, if only for a glimpse of the then-smoking hot Michael Park doing some sort of striptease song.

Beanie Feldstein in "Little Me!" The most ironic title since Beanie Feldstein in "Funny Girl"!

All this Little Me talk and no mention of Victor Garber? He was associated with it at some point, right?

I just remember Little Me was included in a collection/anthology of Neil Simon plays and as a teenager I could never figure out what it was supposed to be.

I wholeheartedly agree with the poster here who actively hated Beanie Feldstein in HELLO, DOLLY! I got the impression while watching her in the show that she was unhappy with the size of her role and tried to draw focus by shrieking all of her lines and also adding that annoying, hateful, ear-splitting cackle whenever she could. I actually hated her more in DOLLY! than in FUNNY GIRL, and that's saying something....

This is what it was supposed to be, r215, but how close the musical got to it....?

Beanie made no impression on me in Hello, Dolly

The Encores production of "Little Me" was as good as that show is ever going to get. Christian Borle was excellent and they managed to really push the best parts of the show.

I also saw the James Coco/Victor Garber production where they split the Sid Caesar role and each played half, but it was pretty terrible. I thought Hal Prince directed that version, but he didn't, I just saw him in the audience when I saw the show and assumed he did.

Cleavon Little Me

Marry Me A Little Me

The Little Me Nobody Knows

This is just so zippy...

Swen and Paula

[quote]There’s a much better musical that could have been written based on Little Me. The original material is so much better than the musical we have.

Maybe there's a better musical to be made from the book, but it's hard to imagine anyone writing a better score than Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh. Especially lately

I wish there was video of Swen doing "I've Got Your Number". It was supposed to have been quite a sexy mini-striptease of a dance, and he was quite hot. Swen also produced "And Puppy Dog Tails" one of the first off-Broadway gay plays that didn't treat gays as victims or murders, just as regular folks. The shows starred the very hot Ken Kliban and George Reeder, original standby for Nicky Arnstein, who went on quite a bit opposite Barbra Streisand in "Funny Girl". Plus the play had a lot of nudity apparently. Bill Murray, presumably in the non-nude role, apparently did the show in Chicago.

A Little Me Night Music.

So much blather about Litle Me, a show that has never been a hit.

R228, what the fuck does it matter that it has never been a hit, you turd? Neither has FOLLIES.

Now you've done it, R228. You've upset the "Little Me" stan.

R230

I know....

I'm glad he brought up Folllies.

EVERY Broadway production of Follies has ran considerably longer than any Broadway production of Little Me.

Follies is really only a "flop" because it's an expensive show to do. It's that damn huge cast.

And, I just saw those photos from the SF Follies.

Ouch. I've seen community theater do a better job. Carlotta in that tacky leopard print outfit?!?!? Really? Carlotta is the only one of the girls who became a star...she should look like one and not like a drag queen hooker.

Actually, R2228 / R230 and R231 -- you who think you are cool and with-it because you use the word "stan," even though you are actually idiots -- I had not weighed in on LITTLE ME at all until I read the incredibly stupid comment at R228.

Have yourself a merry little White Christmas!

[quote] R229 what the fuck does it matter that “Little Me” has never been a hit, you turd? Neither has FOLLIES.

[italic]Oh no she DIDN’T!

There's a lead character in White Christmas who's an 80 year old female lounge lizard?

[quote][R228], what the fuck does it matter that it has never been a hit, you turd? Neither has FOLLIES.

That's a... pretty extreme reaction, r229.

Maybe listen to this?

Why does Lorna work in UK theatre so much? Couldn't she have been a Broadway Morrible, Mama Morton, or anyone in either of the Follies revivals?

Hadestown boot

Lorna Luft and Roz Kind starring in Chicago! And Stella Parton as Mama Morton.

[quote] EVERY Broadway production of Follies has ran considerably longer than any Broadway production of Little Me.

" Has run," dammit, not " Has ran."

Had Little Me been closer to the book, it would have been much campier and much more gay. That wouldn't have flown in 1962.

And every time the LM recording comes up, I feel obliged to credit the orchestrations by the gay Ralph Burns, who brought such excitement and color to Funny Girl, Sweet Charity, Pippin, New York New York, etc. He was aces.

"I wish there was video of Swen doing "I've Got Your Number"

There is a clip of sexy Don Correia doing the number from a revival on YT. (can't post it right now, sorry).

Ralph Burns also could do Robert Russell Bennett better than Robert Russell Bennett with his exquisite orchestrations for Do I Hear A Waltz? It's not the typical show Burns would ordinarily do, but he showed he could tackle anything.

I don't think the original or any of the major revivals of Little Me stage I've Got Your Number as a true strip tease. Taking off a jacket and/or vest and undoing a neck tie seems to be as far they ever go.

Am I wrong? I saw Tony Yazbeck do the role at Encores and he didn't take off his shirt. And if he didn't, who would??

[quote]Follies is really only a "flop" because it's an expensive show to do. It's that damn huge cast.

Sigh.

Speaking of Hadestown...I've never seen it. Is it worth a trip?

[quote] it worth a trip?

Go to hell.

Rob and Laura do " I've Got Your Number."

DL icon Joey Heatherton.

Don Correia

Speaking of sexy, check out those Ben Davis pics all over the place. Sweeney Hot. You can shave me Daddy...

Meh.

Hot Daddy Ben...

I want Ben Davis inside me quite deeply.

I saw Swen in the original Little Me on tour in Detroit. It was a faux-strip number with nothing revealed, alas.

I wish there was video of the Michael Park one.

R232, what are you smoking?

The original LITTLE ME ran 257 performances. FOLLIES' first Broadway revival ran 117 performances; the more recent one ran 152.

Pull the other one.

Who is Ben Davis? Is he an opera singer?

Does he have Benny Davis eyes?

I saw him (Ben Davis) at the Ahmanson about 6 years ago as Captain Von Trapp in that last revival tour of Sound of Music. (Small Voice) I really enjoyed it - it was a good production …,,

Ben Davis is so famous that he has a high school named for him.

[quote]R250 DL icon Joey Heatherton.

Why have we been denied (YOUR) PAL JOEY: THE JOEY HEATHERTON STORY?

(Wasn’t Helen Lawson in talks to play her mom?)

I've met Ben through friends. Very straight, very nice guy. Women swarm around him. Maybe DL could set up a conversion committee?

I've seen Ben with Randy Rainbow. I'm sure Randy is his working on the conversion...

[quote] (YOUR) PAL JOEY: THE JOEY HEATHERTON STORY

I freaking love this. If I were in charge of an LGBT TV station, this is exactly the sort of TV movie-of-the-week we'd be making.

Younger homosexuals NEED to know about tigress/temptress/survivor Joey.

I'm an older homosexual and I don't even know what the fuck Joey Heatherton ever did except be a punchline.

Apparently you're not quite old enough, R267. She frequently showed up on TV variety shows of the 1960s, back when TV variety shows were still popular, and was famously impersonated by Catherine O'Hara as "Lola Heatherton" on SCTV. She also co-starred in the 1964 movie crapfest "Where Love Has Gone," with Susan Hayward and Bette Davis, which is high camp heaven.

^^ Lola Heatherton ^^

Didn’t Joey do an interpretive Indian Princess dance to “Eli’s Coming”? I can’t find it on YT.

If she didn't r270, she certainly should have.

Aw c'mon, she's a Nam vet...

[quote] I wish there was video of the Michael Park one.

Go to 4:54 in the press reel and you can see a bit of his "I Got Your Number"

Make that "I've Got Your Number"

Meh. Make that "I've Already Forgotten Your Number."

Underwhelming.

That revival was horrible. Which is a shame, as Marty Short was a great idea for it.

Jaquel Spivey is apparently missing a lot of performances at A Strange Loop

Also, the cast of Paradise Square are starting to post their experiences on social media, and I can't help but think "what the fuck were you expecting?". One complaining that they weren't paid properly in Chicago and yet still came to New York - and then whining Equity didn't protect them. How about using some sense and protecting yourself?

That press reel for the Roundabout LITTLE ME was "painstakingly" awful. So much frantic pushing for laughs. Even the great score sounds so aggressively shrill.

Faith Prince, who was really too old to play both young and the old Belle, and Marty Short look so desperate. So effortful.

I think I like the show even less now.

Thanks R273.

The way I'd heard it described it sounded like he actually stripped.

mlop weighs in on Julie B:

Julie was a guest on Steven Brinberg "Simply Barbra" last night. She was no allowed to sing anything from "funny Girl". She sang a Barbra classic "Second Hand Rose" and then in duet with Steve, the classic duet. She is so fantastic and so sweet. This break is so wonderful for her and has a great in front of her. She is so sweet. Do go see her in August.

Julie, beware!!!

Julie, beware!!!

[quote]Jaquel Spivey is apparently missing a lot of performances at A Strange Loop

And yet he's getting a pass for this, while everyone has justifiably been making a big deal over Beanie's absences. Hmm, I wonder why that is?

[quote]Also, the cast of Paradise Square are starting to post their experiences on social media, and I can't help but think "what the fuck were you expecting?". One complaining that they weren't paid properly in Chicago and yet still came to New York - and then whining Equity didn't protect them. How about using some sense and protecting yourself?

My thoughts exactly. Why Darth Grabinsky was EVER allowed to produce again on Broadway is a mystery, but since he was, my opinion is that anyone who chose to sign on for his show should not be even remotely surprised at the outcome.

[quote] the cast of Paradise Square are starting to post their experiences on social media

Can you share any links?

Mlop, what pray tell is the classic duet? Happy Days/Get Happy?? Heaven forfend!

[quote] And yet he's getting a pass for this, while everyone has justifiably been making a big deal over Beanie's absences. Hmm, I wonder why that is?

Beanie's a movie star. No one cares who Spivey is

R284 Here you go, if you scroll down there's also a link to a blog post from someone called Clinton Roane, who claims to want to be a writer, but judging from that post....good luck with that. He was part of the workshop and Cali production

I liked the 1982 version of Little Me. I thought the roles were well-divided between the men, and Mary Gordon Murray was terrific as Belle. I did not like Jessica James as a trashy older Belle, though.

Variety article on the mess at PS

R288, even though I believe it's not true to the Patrick Dennis book, I think it's much funnier if Belle ends up as a trashy old lush singing in a seedy nightclub than as a rich old lady writing her memoirs.

Well, r290, she *did* go through that "drinking more than is good for me" phase.

A STRANGE LOOP's box office isn't impacted by Spivey's absences, R283, and the show wasn't mounted as a vehicle for him as an above-the-title star.

You knew both of those things, and yet you're posting snarkily anyway, Hmmm, wonder why that is.

From the article at r289:

[quote] One member of the crew, who identifies as non-binary, lost their pinky finger in an accident during a rehearsal.

They can now never drink tea again.

[quote] A STRANGE LOOP's box office isn't impacted by Spivey's absences

What box office?

And yet, Jaquel was nominated for the Tony (and even seemed to be the favorite over the likes of Hugh Jackman) and Beanie was not. So, one would think his absences would affect the box office. I'm not defending Jaquel or Beanie but it is odd that one is severely criticized and one is not.

Sad news.

Beanie’s Merrily costar Blake Jenner got a DUI. Hope he makes it through the filming, his life a bit tumultuous.

WHY would anyone hire toxic Blake Jenner? Tons of trouble, not especially talented, and he's not even that good-looking anymore.

R287 no money for vodka spray cleaner

Between Blake, Ben and Beanie, that Merrily film project is doomed.

R295, how? In the extremely unlikely event that anyone would ask for a refund at the STRANGE LOOP box office due to his absence, none would be granted, as he's not billed above the title.

R298 maybe they’ll replace him in merrily now + reshoot (did they start filming?) since it’s filming over 20 years or whatever .. he’s Franklin Shepard!

The revival Merrily cast, Dan Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff (Mary is unannounced) is a lot more exciting than the “movie” cast.

"Jonathan Groff (Mary is unannounced)"

Are you sure? MARY!!

(couldn't resist)

“the cast of Paradise Square are starting to post their experiences on social media …. One complaining that they weren't paid properly in Chicago”

Learn to code.

r302 Yes, they've already shot one bunch of scenes

Will that footage never see the light of day like Liza's Evita screen test?

I’m sure that Garth is evil incarnate, but he DID keep that crappy show open for longer than anyone with any sense would. The cast made a lot more money than they would have if it had closed after opening night, which it should have.

The creatives, though, won’t see a dime.

And Garth should go back to prison, if, for nothing else, bad taste.

I am hoping the Radcliffe Merrily revival is such a success that Linklater will do the right thing and drop the idea of a Platt/Beanie film that absolutely nobody wants.

R310, I don't see your point -- surely if the Radcliffe revival is a success, that would only lend support to the idea that a MERRILY film is a good idea.

Has anyone seen A STRANGE LOOP both off and on Broadway. I saw it off and didn't like it enough to see it again, but the clips I've seen of the new Usher (Spivey) he seems not as good as the dude who did it at Playwrights.

I hated A Strange Loop but went along as someone’s +1 both off and on Broadway. The new Usher is much worse.

[quote]And yet he's getting a pass for this, while everyone has justifiably been making a big deal over Beanie's absences. Hmm, I wonder why that is?

In addition to the obvious, his show was not as anticipated as hers. The publicity was a small fraction of Beanie and that revival. And, very few people in the country really have any idea who he is or the show he's in.

r298, because there will inevitably be those like the Lea Michele defenders who keep screeching, "Everyone deserves a second chance!"

Reading that Paradise Square article in Variety is a good reminder that, no, not everyone deserves a second chance. Sometimes you have to believe who people are the first time they show you.

Also, completely aside from Garth’s deplorable antics, Paradise Square is a fucking godawful show.

I'm happy that Beanie got fired. Every other forum goes out of their way to frame her as a poor victim of internet vitriol. Well the bitch couldn't act, dance, or sing. Beanie is a nepotism brat to the core. The cunt of all time, Lea Michele, replacing her says all you need to know.

I also hope they cancel that Merrily We Roll Along movie. Beanie and Ben have failed as leads. Get the show to work on stage before making a film.

[quote]And yet, Jaquel was nominated for the Tony (and even seemed to be the favorite over the likes of Hugh Jackman) and Beanie was not. So, one would think his absences would affect the box office. I'm not defending Jaquel or Beanie but it is odd that one is severely criticized and one is not.

Exactly. Thank you. And also, reportedly Jaquel has withdrawn from several shows mid-performance, something that would normally be a highly newsworthy occurrence, whether or not his absence really affects the box office. But I have read very little coverage of that.

The Radcliffe Merrily will have zero effect on the Merrily movie because by the time they get it in theaters, Radcliffe will be doing a Broadway revival of The Gin Game and nobody will remember his Merrily.

Unless it's *the* production that finally makes the show work, r319.

Most of us on here will be dead by the time the MERRILY movie is completed.

Just a reminder of the obvious.

I know I'll be, R321. And it sounds as though I won't be missing much. But, however it turns out, I'm glad to be able to say I have no investment, and therefore no interest, in it whatsoever.

I would love to see Liza's screen test for Evita! Whacht's new? Buenessss Eye Raizeeee!!!!

Funny, yesterday somebody mentioned the wonderful Behind the Scenes of No No Nanette book. Today is Helen Gallagher’s (aka Maeve Ryan) 96th birthday! Do we know if she is a happy and Lucid 96 year old?

She lives on West End Ave. Met her years ago. Rather a cunt.

IIRC Helen Gallagher was just about the only person who came through that Making of Nanette expose unscathed. There might have been something about costume designer Raoul Pene du Bois insisting she cut her "signature" bangs against her wishes, but that's all I remember about her in the book.

Last year someone linked a recent interview with Helen, I think done at The Lambs Club with a small audience. She was lucid though did need some prompting to remember some of the specifics of her career.

She was mean to me.

Elaine Joyce Van Simon & Helen's signature bangs

My ptr and I saw A STRANGE LOOP last week, evening perf and we saw a cover. He was fantastic, but yes, I hear that Spivey is out a lot.

Spivey is skevvy

Live form the Lambs with Helen Gallagher 2019

I hope the link works (for those who care)!

[Quote] Most of us on here will be dead by the time the MERRILY movie is completed.

Most of you will be dead by the time Lea begins in Funny Girl

[quote] Most of us on here will be dead by the time the MERRILY movie is completed.

I’m planning on it

Tony Awards '73 - Dance medley with Gwen Verdon, Donna Mc Kechnie, Paula Kelly, Helen Gallagher

When Helen Gallagher turned up on the BEHIND THE CURTAIN: BROADWAY'S LIVING LEGENDS podcast a few years ago, I found her surprisingly cunty. Poor Rob Schneider and sweet Kevin David Thomas (the latter surely the gayest straight man alive) seemed befuddled throughout but carried on bravely.

I forever hate Helen Gallagher because she denied Elaine Stritch her rightful Company Tony Award

[italic]LINE ! !

I get that Spivey is out a lot, but what kind of idiots hire a kid right out of college with NO professional credits to be the LEAD in a highly-anticipated new Broadway musical where the character barely ever leaves the stage. WTF kind of casting/producing is that? No wonder the kid is melting down. He's. A. Kid. Say what you want about Cameron but when he would find wildly talented kids, he would discreetly stick them in the ensembles of his other shows first to help them learn how to actually be in a show. He did that with a lot of those "Saigon" girls. They would be in Les Mis for a time first.

Thank you for posting the 1973 Tony’s - that was odd but super at the same time. By that time neither Helen or Gwen were girls anymore but they were fantastic,. You know when you have fun with your friends when you are all good at something. All that group needed was Chita Rivera and Gretchen Wyler - that would have been fun!

Any reason that the Liza "Evita" screentest hasn't shown up? She was supposed to have been really good; Ken Russell wanted to hire her when he was scheduled to direct the film. Does Liza herself own it?

How many grossly fat, femmy black bottoms are there who can sing and act? You take what you can get.

I don’t think Lisha had it in her to play a cold, mercenary antihero. She craves audience approval to much.

Her Evita would have been too “wounded.”

Broadway Will Continue Audience Mask-Optional Policy At Least Through August:

Broadway Shows See Some Box Office Momentum With Summer-Lean Roster; ‘Into The Woods’ Scores $1.8M, ‘Funny Girl’ At $785G:

[quote]And also, reportedly Jaquel has withdrawn from several shows mid-performance, something that would normally be a highly newsworthy occurrence...

Why is he trying to get away with this behavior? He's NOT EVEN TRANS!

Helen didn’t steal Elaine’s Tony. Even when she was brilliant, Stritch was a pain in the ass, and nobody was going to vote for her. She had to be nominated for Company because it was a great performance, but nobody was voting for her.

I’ve heard that can happen r346

Tammy Blanchard has top billing in Little Shop. The show has new with Rob McClure—but none with Audrey. Really weird

They are on like their 7th Seymour but we are still stuck with Tammy's terrible Audrey. Leave and give someone else a chance

Suddenly Semen!

WTF is wrong with you?

Singapore/Fling's latest on ATC, in reference to Daniel Fish's HAPPY FELLA:

"An all-female production of a show may have trans women in it, but it isn't inherently a trans work of art. Nor was Richard played as a trans character, so being opposed to a female Richard again has nothing to do with transphobia. And there is nothing ridiculous about a bunch of women singing about watching other women and being attracted to them, because there are women who are attracted to other women. So a person who is opposed to those things wouldn't be transphobic, but they would definitely be small-minded, reactionary, and aligned with the patriarchy and its desire to deprive women of visibility and opportunity in our culture. The nice thing about complaints like this is that they simply prove that our theatre culture has changed. These productions are being created, audiences are going to see them, and people who don't like it can only post bitter, increasingly meaningless rants about it online."

Yes, absolutely, definitely. Because we all agree that women have had very limited visibility and opportunity in theatre until recent times.

DON’T. BRING. ATC. SHIT. HERE.

No one fucking cares. Knock it off. Cunt.

I saw A Strange Loop during a Sat Matinee. Spivey was out. The cover, making his Bway debut with that performance, was excellent.

I absolutely loved A Strange Loop but don't see how the tourist audience would identify so much with the characters.

In particular, please do not bring the odious Singapore/Fling here. Please.

There's one of Blanchard in this set:

R356, whenever I see a pic of Rob McClure, I get sleepy

R357, sleep tight, dear. Thanks for letting us know.

I don’t think Tammy Blanchard plays 8 shows a week. Her covers seem to be on a lot. It might be an arrangement she has with production.

[quote] There's one of Blanchard in this set:

Odd choice for the leading lady. If I were a conspiracy theorist, I'd say that they could have stripped her into that one from an earlier pic, but I won't.

Still weird that there's nothing of just her and McClure.

[quote]In particular, please do not bring the odious Singapore/Fling here. Please.

Not even for purposes of ridicule? Okay, Sorry!

I'm sure I'm gonna get flamed for this, but...I'd like to hear Jennifer Holiday do all the songs from Gypsy. Sure, she treats nearly every song like it's 'And I Am Telling You...'" but hearing this from Mame makes me think it would be a cool one night event to hear that approach to Some People, . Everything Coming Up Roses, and Rose's Turn.

Refresh my memory- Wasn't Borle supposed to do the Encores run of ITW but dropped out because of....? I assumed it was a conflict with some great new role. Yet he's STILL playing a small role in the OB Little Shop? Why is he still slumming it in that role?

Ignore the hall monitors, r361. Bossy Betties, the lot.

R363, Borle is doing Some Like It Hot in the fall. Probably just biding his time in LSOH until then. I don't think a concrete explanation was ever given for why he dropped out of ITW.

Thanks!

[r362] I have some Broadway dish for you. In 2001 on the heels of the 9/11 attacks, they were casting the revival of Into the Woods. Billy Porter was James Lapine’ stop choice for the Witch, and Sondheim gave approval. The producers ended up going with Vanessa Williams because they wanted the security of her name with the attacks having just happened. The third name in the mix and had auditioned multiple times was…Jennifer Holliday. It came down to her and Vanessa, once Billy was out.

I’m sure someone somewhere has a recording of her auditions and I’m sure her Last Midnight and Stay With Me are exciting takes!

I love Jennifer, but boy she cannot act.

Do we have any reason to believe that Jennifer Holliday could have remotely handled the acting required for the role of the Witch in INTO THE WOODS, or would ever have been able to deliver those Sondheim lyrics effectively, especially the Witch's first number? I don't think so. As it was, I don't think Vanessa Williams was well cast, but Holliday as the Witch would have been ridiculous casting for the wrong reasons.

Jennifer Fucking Holliday? During portions of Into The Woods, the witch is supposed to be sexy/beautiful. Was there going to be a lip synching body double to play those scenes ?

[quote] I love Jennifer, but boy she cannot act.

She was surprising tender and touching in The Color Purple

[quote] During portions of Into The Woods, the witch is supposed to be sexy/beautiful.

I think we're trying to redefine what that might mean in a show, or at least push back on the skinny white girl norms there. The sexy model for the Witch came from Bernadette's go-to bombshell schtick, which was delightful. But a glammed up Black woman could work too. Vanessa was sort of in between but came across as just blandly haughty. As usual.

Vanessa Williams would have been better cast as the Bakers Wife.

By 2002, Jennifer had long lost her weight and was thin and pretty.

"She was surprising tender and touching in The Color Purple"

That was Jennifer Hudson.

I thought Holiday's performance in DREAMGIRLS was one of the greatest I've ever seen. How much of that was Michael Bennett I'll never know, and it seems that JH hasn't really done much of anything else since. I know I would have rather seen her in ITW than Vannessa Williams, who I find colorless in everything I've seen her do onstage.

Holiday replaced Headley who replaced Hudson in CP revival.

[quote]During portions of Into The Woods, the witch is supposed to be sexy/beautiful. Was there going to be a lip synching body double to play those scenes ?

Didn't let it stop me in the movie, fellas.

Well, okay. Maybe the lip-synching part, a little.

Has anyone tried playing “Merrily” backwards?

I.e.: starting at the end and progressing forward chronologically.

I doubt the estate would allow it.

(And I miss the “graduation “ ending from the 1981 original. That was so moving.)

Little Me has great lyrics.

Without the gimmick, r377, how interesting are those people's lives?

^Little Me don't care.

Why are Little Me so stupid?

[quote] That was Jennifer Hudson.

You're so very definitive for someone who's so very wrong, r374, but thanks anyway.

There’s a knowing sense of parody in that Jennifer Holiday Mame clip that says she’s in on the joke.

I’d love to hear her do Everything’s Coming Up Roses.

Little Me's lyricist was awesome. Carolyn Leigh. Died too young.

I would love to hear some Carolyn Leigh anecdotes. She was apparently quite difficult.

"Sometimes you have to believe who people are the first time they show you."

Thank you, Maya.

Carolyn Leigh infamously told her theater date while watching the original workshop of "Nine",

"If he rhymes 'Be Italian' with 'Eva Le Gallienne', I'm leaving!"

Vanessa Williams is pretty but very dull onstage.

She did nothing with her role as the Witch in the "Into the Woods" revival to help elevate a pretty lousy production.

Ben Davis as "The Witch"

I have enjoyed Vanessa Williams on stage when she has been well cast, as in ST. LOUIS WOMAN at Encores! and currently in POTUS. In other things, including the recent ANYONE CAN WHISTLE, she has made little impression

There is the fantastic story about Carolyn Leigh during the Philadelphia tryout of Little Me (keeping on theme). Cy Feuer had to cut Leigh's favorite number, "Lafayette, We Are Here!" which ended Act 1, but wasn't working. Leigh was so incensed, she ran out of the theatre, tracked down a cop, came back and ordered him to arrest Feuer for violating her rights under the Dramatists Guild agreement.

Carolyn Leigh was sort of nuts, apparently. She came up with the idea for "How Now, Dow Jones," which has perhaps the stupidest plot to be found in a golden age musical.

Belle in "Beauty and the Beast Live" is...H.E.R.

Have to admit, I'm not that familiar with her.

Has ENCORES done HOW NOW DOW JONES yet?

Can't be any worse than HEY LOOK ME OVER.

That box office article indicated there’s no date yet for Beanie’s return?

Apparently Beanie was back last night. This review sounds like it came straight from a DLer:

Another confirming she was in last night.

How Now, Dow Jones is dumb and second rate, but I find it a really enjoyable listen. There are a few very really entertaining songs in that cheesy big 1960s musical comedy way. Leigh's lyrics really carry the day.

I'm really surprised Beanie was back. I figured we'd never see Le Cochon grace those stages again.

The worst, cheesiest song from a second-rate musical from the 60s towers head and shoulders in craft, humor and humanity over anything new on Broadway stages today.

"Can't be any worse than HEY LOOK ME OVER."

You mean WILDCAT?

Frank Loesser was The Most Heterosexual Fella and to see his masterwork reduced to a bizarre travesty is heartbreaking. So much for realizing an author's intention...

[quote] The worst, cheesiest song from a second-rate musical from the 60s towers head and shoulders in craft, humor and humanity over anything new on Broadway stages today.

Amen. You can't tell the difference between an 11 o'clock number and a jingle for a feminine hygiene product these days.

"I iFnd God In Southampton"

[quote]Belle in "Beauty and the Beast Live" is...H.E.R.

get used to it. From now until the Republicans take over again, every major role is going to a black person. That being said, H.E.R is an excellent artist who is so very wrong for the part.

I believe Lapine did MERRILY at the Old Globe in the 80s and his idea was to run it in chronological order. Sondheim heard about it and that's how they met. I think that's correct--a DLer will correct me, tho, if I'm wrong.

I saw Vanessa Williams in ANYONE CAN WHISTLE at Encores and she was terrible. Seemed like she hadn't bothered to really learn it. I'd rather it had been Billy Porter, frankly, and that's saying something.

I can’t understand the criticism of Jennifer Holliday in Dreamgirls. I saw the show in its original run and will never forget it. She was amazing.

R404, back to school! Sondheim met Lapine, smoking a joint to discuss collaborating on Sunday in the Park with George. Lapine then worked on the LaJolla Merrily, which was never in chronological order.

Vanessa Williams seems better on screen than on stage. I've never been very impressed with her on stage. She's competent and beautiful but lacks star quality somehow.

An account of Sondheim and Lapine meeting (but the book is worth reading).

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA Chicago tryout is getting eviscerated on the BWW chat board. And this is from people who are presumably friends, invited to an invited dress. Lots of hilarious remarks, too numerous to recount here. But do yourself a favor if you need some laughs and schadenfreude.

The magnificent Magdalena Montezuma...

[quote]I can’t understand the criticism of Jennifer Holliday in Dreamgirls.

Are you new to DL? I recently saw Jennifer Holliday's performance in "Dreamgirls" described as "one of the worst performances ever seen on Broadway," or words to that effect, apparently by someone who didn't get to see Suzanne Somers in "The Blonde in the Thunderbird." DL is not only the home of pointless bitchery, but of ludicrous hyperbole.

Rob McClure out of Little Shop. Covid.

Excuse me! Suzanne Somers' "Take Back Your Mink/I Didn't Mean To Kill Daddy" was a transformative work.

[quote] get used to it. From now until the Republicans take over again, every major role is going to a black person.

Imagine, living in a time and country when members of one racial group were given nearly every major role? Unheard of!

[413] and revelatory. Don’t forget revelatory.

R404, Sondheim was introduced to Lapine by his boyfriend Andre Bishop, who ran PH.

Damn, I’m missing Joanna Riding giving her Madam Rose.

[quote] Rob McClure out of Little Shop. Covid.

Professionals show up!

I mean, it's not like he has.....tonsillitis......

A friend saw PRADA and texted, “Well I used to love Beth Leavel”…he hated it.

Would Prada be any better if Rudnick had stayed to write the book?

Would Prada be any better if Hannah Waddingham replaces Beth Leavel?

Creel missed last night and today's matinee. Wonder if it's another Covid case (though if it had to happen, he'd probably be glad to get it out of the way now before his hiatus to work on his own show).

[quote]You mean WILDCAT?

No, R400. I mean "Hey Look Me Over," which was a musical revue at ENCORES featuring songs and brief scenes from a dozen different shows. ENCORES never did "Wildcat" as far as I know. They should have.

HLMO remans one of the worst things I've ever seen at ENCORES.

PS: the opening scene/song was from "Wildcat," of course.

[quote] Mr. Lapine is one of the Island’s most unassuming celebrities

Hmmm

[quote] HLMO remans one of the worst things I've ever seen at ENCORES

You clearly didn’t see The Life, Kismet, Dubarry Was a Lady, 70 Girls 70…

Wasn't it Donna Murphy in ANYONE CAN WHISTLE at Encores?

R427 yes. Vanessa Williams did it at a recent and poorly reviewed concert production at Carnegie Hall.

HEY LOOK ME OVER was a very mixed bag. Some of it was dreadful, but there were great moments, particularly the MACK AND MABEL stuff, whcih led to the full show being done the year after. Vanessa did a couple of songs from JAMAICA, which was a real snooze. Lena Horne, she is not.

Lena

[quote]Imagine, living in a time and country when members of one racial group were given nearly every major role? Unheard of!

Damn those Jews getting every role on Broadway!

Thanks for all the corrections! I could have sworn someone tried MERRILY in chronological order, but apparently not. Would require too much re-jiggering.

Someone said Patina Miller was out yesterday and now Gavin? Uh oh.

Also aren’t they recording the album? Surely they won’t the permanent recording to be Covid voices?

Lucy was going to play The Witch, but Gary talked her out of it.

"70, Girls, 70" at least had DL fave Anital Gillette (whose "The Secret Service" is very apt nowadays more than ever) in a support role; she should have played the lead, rather than Olympia Dukakis who couldn't really sing, and whose nose was in her book for every single "Boom Diity Boom".

R431 Not really. I seem to recall Rodgers & Hammerstein I believe saying they had a lot of Jewish people writing Broadway musicals for an audience made up by a lot of Jewish people but they couldn't really cast Jewish people.

R427, yes, it was, but she lip-synched to Meryl Streep's vocals.

It bears repeating that Sondheim greatly admired Leigh. 10 percent of the 50 songs he wishes he had written have lyrics by her: When in Rome, The Best Is Yet to Come, The Other Side of the Tracks, Real Live Girl, Rules of the Road. That's a hefty amount.

Some of her best were not written for shows: You Fascinate Me So, I Walk a Little Faster, Witchcraft, It Amazes Me, and three of the songs listed above. And let's not forget her Peter Pan contributions: I'm Flying, I Gotta Crow, I Won't Grow up.

Superb lyricist, difficult woman, by all accounts. Wish someone would write her bio.

Lapine's book is pretty terrific. Very readable, a little dishy. They became quite devoted to each other.

Wasn't Vanessa Williams in Kiss of the Spider Woman supposed to be some kind of revelatory performance? Terrence McNally declared her his favorite interpretation of the role, writing overly effusive liner notes about her for the cast recording, and the NYT said she was sexier than Chita.

James Lapine, or Jim as he called himself back in the 1970s, was a very hot young bisexual and never the bf of perennially fat slob Andre Bishop. I'm sure Steve was easily seduced, with or without pot.

[quote]Wasn't Vanessa Williams in Kiss of the Spider Woman supposed to be some kind of revelatory performance?

No.

Have yet to see a hot photo of Lapine.

Someone did try Merrily in chronological order, r342, but I think it was somewhere in the metropolitan area--a university or a community theater. Sondheim stopped it very quickly.

And both Sondheim and Lapine credit Lewis Allen with introducing them--not Bishop.

"No, [R400]. I mean "Hey Look Me Over," which was a musical revue at ENCORES featuring songs and brief scenes from a dozen different shows'

And what does that have to do with the conversation, which was about Carolyn Leigh and HOW NOW DOW JONES? Nothing.

"When in Rome, The Best Is Yet to Come, The Other Side of the Tracks, Real Live Girl, Rules of the Road....You Fascinate Me So, I Walk a Little Faster, Witchcraft, It Amazes Me"

And all composed by my man Cy Coleman.

I believe that poster referred to Encores doing it and that it couldn't be worse than their Hey Look Me Over.

So yes, it had to do with the conversation.

^for r445...aka Miss Snippy

I didn't see Encores' Hey, look Me Over! but I did see Encores' Mack & Mabel. I was very disappointed, having seen the original production in LA where it tried out before reaching Broadway with some, supposedly, ill-advised changes.

Was the M&M section of Hey...! good? Were Douglas Sills and Alexandra Socha in the first version? I thought both were miscast in the full production. Though, I usually like both of them so maybe they were badly directed.

Sexier than Chita? Not possible.

I think the London “Merrily” is about as good as it’s going to get.

M&M

R433, they recorded the album Monday.

Also, Sara Bareilles is out tonight. Posted in her Instagram stories she wasn't feeling well this morning, pushed through with the matinee, and it wiped her out. So far it's not Covid.

The Jacksons put a curse on that production, didn't they?

Now THIS is how you do a non-binary "1776!" Take that, Diane Paulus!

[quote]surely if the Radcliffe revival is a success, that would only lend support to the idea that a MERRILY film is a good idea.

Didn't work for Ben Platt.

Vanessa Williams was a beautiful blank in Spider Woman. Looked great, sang well enough. But no edge or menace. The sort of creepy energy Chita had in the role went missing.

I, for one, would NOT want to see Jennifer Aniston as the Witch in ITW.

Anyone who knows Dreamgirls knows Jennifer Holliday couldn’t act and Michael Bennett had to give her line readings.

No one…can see her…on record.

Is Beanie in tonight as well? 2 nights in a row?... good for her

ITW cover Jason Forbach has so far played the Baker and both princes.

That gal's a trouper, r459!

THIS DAY IN BROADWAY HISTORY: In 1987, Charles Busch's "Psycho Beach Party" opened Off-Broadway at the Players Theatre.

When Into the Woods' Lead Actor Was Out on Opening Night, It Was an Understudy's Time to Shine:

Maria Friedman, who is directing the Daniel Radcliffe MERRILY here also directed the London MERRILY. You all know that right? The London production was on youtube...not sure if it's still there. I thought Act I was fabulous. Act II, not so much.

I loved PSCHYCHO BEACH PARTY! By far, my favorite Charles Busch play and the original off-Broadway production was perfection.

[quote]How Now, Dow Jones is dumb and second rate, but I find it a really enjoyable listen. There are a few very really entertaining songs in that cheesy big 1960s musical comedy way. Leigh's lyrics really carry the day.

I really don't know the show but I was listening to the album recently and it's great fun, with lots of wonderfully witty lyrics by Leigh and very enjoyable music by Elmer Bernstein. And I don't think the idea for the show is inherently any more unusual than the idea for HOW TO SUCCEED, which of course was a big hit.

I saw the cinema version of Maria Friedman's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. It was one of those odd cases where the production was third-rate at best but people thought it was a lot better than that because they were responding to the great things about the show, i.e. the writing of almost all of the songs and some of the scenes, so they didn't notice how problematic the production was in terms of the sets (or rather the set), the direction, some of the casting, etc.

Lapine and Bishop were most definitely an item. And partly explains why Bishop hired him to direct way too many LCT productions.

Act 2 of Merrily gets bogged down by that stupid cabaret act. I get that it shadows a real first timer show, but it’s stupid as all hell and that late in the show, audiences are expecting a bit more.

Jennifer Holliday as Mame!!

I saw How Now, Dow Jones in its Boston tryout when I was a college student. Don't really remember a thing about it except for that earworm of a song called "Will Everyone Here Kindly Step to the Rear" which they reprised ad nauseum. And there was an annoying chorus of little old ladies who invested in the stock market. I'm blanking on whether Madeleine Kahn or Brenda Vaccaro was in it with Tony Roberts and Marlyn Mason (who?).

I recently saw Maria Friedman's cabaret style show at The Menier (before it closed for renovations) and while she was quite a charming performer, I could imagine she'd be the kind of director who'd fall in love with her actors and let them run riot over everything.

Would Prada be any better if Beanie replaced Beth Levelle?

I want Glenn Close to bring Prada to Broadway.

Beanie could play the Prada handbag.

"The sort of creepy energy Chita had in the role went missing."

It wasn't just this role, Chita brings creepy energy to everything she does. I love her but she has a very weird talent of turning any role into a villain.

[quote]Act 2 of Merrily gets bogged down by that stupid cabaret act. I get that it shadows a real first timer show, but it’s stupid as all hell and that late in the show, audiences are expecting a bit more.

Really? I think that sequence is one of the best parts of the show.

[475] especially as Rosie in Bye Bye Birdie

hee-hee

Tony Roberts is much cuter than I ever remember him in that clip at r478.

Very clever how they costumed the "old ladies" who came in in the second wave in sack dresses and flowery hats that could be whipped off for them to be sexy chorines for the finale.

Tony Roberts is hung big.

I couldn’t stand Friedman’s choice to have a little boy play Franklin Shepard’s son who would appear at various points, adding nothing to the story.

It was Brenda Vaccaro in HOW NOW. I saw her at an event recently and told her how much I enjoyed her in the show when I was in college. She seemed very pleased, then ordered a martini with eight olives. Dinner, I guess.

Brenda...

r480 care to elaborate?

R470, That song was also used in a popular car commercial back in the 1960s.

Yeesh, “Step to the Rear” is smellier than Beanie’s pussy.

Beanie could play the Prada body bag.

Kiss of The Spiderwoman wasn’t really a hit until Vanessa Williams took over from Chita.

The La Jolla Merrily was the one with all the facial hair pieces, wasn’t it? Or was that Lonny Price’s big idea?

If the London Merrily is as good as it gets, they should stop doing Merrily. The reason why it doesn’t work is because the characters are thin and unlikeable, especially Franklin Shepard. And as the show regresses they don’t become any more complex or familiar or sympathetic. It’s just boring and confusing.

Listen to the lyrics. Ultimately the show is criticising lifestyles, it’s not about characters but generations. The cast album is enjoyable because it puts the attention on by far the best component of the show - the score. It fails in all other aspects, especially the book and the possible staging of that score. It should only be done as a concert.

Radcliffe’s casting could greatly improve things because he is known and someone people actually feel they grew up with. Could make it more successful but it’s not going to be great. Maybe they should only cast child stars in Merrily. Maybe that’s the ticket. It’s not going to completely transform the show though. It’ll be the difference between Carrie on Broadway and the off Broadway revival two decades later.

^^ Also for his casting to make much difference, he’d have to be playing Frank not Charley. It will be the same head-scratching oddity that Merrily always is.

I haven't read a DL THEATRE GOSSIP thread in a couple years (I needed a break).

Damn, how it always comes around to FOLLIES!

Still!

Brenda Vacarro was "talk singing", not real singing.

R465, I'm with you... "Psycho Beach Party" is a delightful show (friends and I used to call it Sybil by the Seashore). One aspect I loved when first reading it (and thinking it could be great fun to produce for community theatre) was that Busch explained that the female roles did not have to be played by men for the show to work. He was so right - what was needed was to have the actors perform each part sincerely... the actors/characters were not outrageous, the situations and dialogue Busch created were outrageous. Playing those scenes "straight" is what created the humor.

Chicklet (as Ann Bowman) to Kanaka: "I thought you were a man with a big cigar, what are you packing, a Tiparillo?"

When I was a young gayling listening to cast albums, I always wanted to play the “any milk today mistress” woman in Oliver. I made up an entire backstory for her. I also wanted to play the “more public spending” woman in Evita. Even though I was a boy, the women seemed to have better chorus parts than the men.

R495, what an odd little boy you were.

Kiss of the Spiderwoman is not a good musical.

so is the Sweeney revival people have mentioned here a reality? Is it from somewhere else or a new production? Is there a director or a 'concept?' Is it black and trans?

"Kiss of the Spiderwoman is not a good musical"

It is an eternal DL truth applicable to all musicals that "_________________ is not a good musical."

We would have also accepted "The songs from ______________ are great on their own, but the book is a problem and makes the whole thing not worth seeing."

And the perennial favorite "_______________ gave the worst Broadway performance ever."

r498 Thomas Kail is apparently directing. Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford is the rumour

Thanks r501. Pass.

I saw Kiss of the Spider Woman. It was Chita’s show. When she was on stage, it was great. But there were parts that were really bad.

But it wasn’t anywhere near as bad as Steel Pier and Side Show.

I love musicals where someone poops in a bucket

Then you'll love Annie, especially 'It's The Hard Log Life'

Vanessa Williams brought in a new audience that wanted to see her and had no interest in the story about the two men.

The "Morphine Tango" is one of the worst numbers I've ever seen.

The Kiss of the Spider Woman was a blob of a show politically, never specific about what exact kind of fascist military rule the country it’s set in is under. “The Day After That” is a very weak anti-fascist anthem. Cabaret and Evita are set in very specific places at very specific times in history.

[quote] Vanessa Williams brought in a new audience that wanted to see her and had no interest in the story about the two men.

And that audience reacted just as you might expect and fear when the relationship between the two men turns sexual.

And once again, the clowns in charge of the Kennedy Center Honors snub Liza!! But GEORGE CLOONEY gets one?!?!?!

(r510) Not trying to be a jerk, but why would Liza get one? Beyond "Cabaret", what films did she make that would be considered ageless? Sadly, despite her talent, many people think of her as irresponsible, unprofessional, "Judy Garland's daughter" or wonder whether she is still alive. The travails of her personal life have, unfortunately, overshadowed her professional life. Although I am not a fan of Clooney, he has been an actor, director, producer, philanthropist and has lived a public life mostly free from scandal. He continues to be in-demand.

Liza was also a terrific concert artist; she had among other things, her own sensational Carnegie Hall concerts. Plus she won Tony and Emmy awards as well as her Oscar.

Ok about Clooney....but Amy Grant????

(r512) She did, indeed. However, in the more recent decades, especially since her last wedding, she is an afterthought to a great many people and no longer relevant. Those who make the decisions, have very short memories.

Even Carol Channing was never honored and there are reasons she should have been. She had a successful career that began in the 1940's and continued beyond 2000. She was known for being a pro, who never missed a performance, and she is forever associated with "Dolly" and "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". While her eccentricity didn't play well with everyone, people knew who she was because she was very distinctive. Some generations knew her from Broadway, some from television variety shows or her own specials. However, when the suggestion was placed to the Kennedy Center for consideration, they dismissed it without even reviewing her career. So it's not really a surprise that Liza didn't make the cut and probably never will.

Amy Grant!?!? Lord have mercy. Why not Juice Newton? Gallagher? Shelley Hack?

Honorees. No one from Broadway, so theater queens can watch something else:

It’s going to be a “Beautiful Day” for the band U2 and four other artists when they receive this year’s Kennedy Center Honors in December.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced Thursday that the Irish rock band along with actor George Clooney, singers Gladys Knight and Amy Grant and composer Tania León are being honored this year.

[quote]Amy Grant!?!? Lord have mercy. Why not Juice Newton? Gallagher? Shelley Hack?

“We’ve had gospel before. We’ve had plenty of R&B and soul. ... We’ve had country music, but we haven’t necessarily had Amy Grant and Christian pop in the same way,” she said, comparing Grant’s inclusion to the center’s honoring of LL Cool J in 2017, the first time the honorees included a hip-hop artist.

I could not imagine Sondheim allowing anyone to do Merrily in the right chronological order, because doing that just makes it the story of Frank, Charley and Mary and that is not what he wants to write about. What it IS about is how people so often become something so different from what they set out to be. It's an impetus in Follies too, but he wasn't examining it there, he was examining the various manifestations of regret.

The problems, for me, are that (a) because Frank never so much as dates Mary, there is nothing at stake between them. Any conflict is confined to her head, and it's all too abstract for the audience of a musical. It's like a repeat of Sally/Ben except that they DID have a fling, and even so we are meant to see Sally as pretty deluded; and (b) Frank seems to me to be a narcissist who is open to ALL possibilities in the rooftop scene, and is just going along with Charley's ideals because it seems like a good idea at the time. If he's open to anything, then he can't end up somewhere different from where he thought he'd be. Again, there's nothing at stake in his 'journey'. But he's the most talented of the three, so if he really did start out wanting to be Sondheim and ended up Andrew Lloyd-Webber, the interesting question is why? Does he know/discover he's less talented than the others think? Did he fight for his artistic integrity at any point in the face of money and fame? If not, why do we care about him? Finally, the other two are derailed solely by their emotional dependence on Frank, about whom we're deciding quite early we don't have grounds to care, so in the end they both appear to be nothing more than suckers who didn't take control of their own lives when he failed them.

In short, Frank needs to stand for something at the start so he can lose or sacrifice it. Probably HE needs to be the one to convince a reluctant Charley that they're going to change the face of musical theatre. And he needs to date Mary early, dump her for Beth and come back to her between wives, so that it is clear he does understand how deep her feelings are but abandons her anyway -- and we need to know why he does. (And does Charley know about the second affair, or do they both keep it secret?) Mary's career obstacles need to be spelt out so that she has a public as well as a private life like both the men.

Liza doesn’t deserve one but Debbie Allen does? I love Debbie Allen but c’mon.

Ungrateful Cunts all around!

[quote] he does understand how deep her feelings are but abandons her anyway -- and we need to know why he does

I am available for brainstorming sessions!

The Kennedy Center Honors lost all credibility when they honored LL Cool J. And it has nothing to do with hip hop. If you want to honor a pioneer of hip hop or rap, there are about three dozen other names I could think of who deserved the honor over a minor artist like LL Cool J. When they gave him an award, they all but admitted they were out of ideas.

R522 The Kennedy Center Honors airs on CBS. LL Cool J stars in one of their shows, hence the award

The wrong kind of drama at Chi's Victory Gardens continues

[quote] the theatre faces criticism from artists and staff who have come forward in recent weeks to call out a lack of transparency and high-handed, top-down decision-making;

Isn't leadership [italic] supposed [/italic] to make decisions?

LL Cool J was a joke of a winner. Amy Grant and George Clooney are the next jokes.

Interesting comments r518.

Does the musical ever actually tell the audience *why* it’s called Merrily We Roll Along? Because it doesn’t always appear that they are merrily?

Anyone else see BETWEEN THE LINES?

Lavishly produced (by Daryl Roth). Some decent performances, including veteran Vicki Lewis. Cute boys. Based on a hit young adult novel and geared towards younger audiences.

It's all a bit dull. And long. I was hoping for at least some pop energy in the score, but it's all pretty generic. I know they're hoping for bigger things (a Bway transfer?) but I don't see it happening.

Are people aware that MWRA is actually the title of the failed play the musical was based on?

George Furth and Sondheim didn't "decide" to tell the story backwards in time: they merely adapted what Kaufman and Hart wrote.

MERRILY doesn't work (never for me at least) because the book sucks. It lacks wit, substance . . . weight. A great score cannot save a substandard book (FOLLIES for me just gets by). Furth was not up the task and Sondheim, bless him, was too loyal to admit it.

^up to the task

KCH went downhill, sharply, a few years ago - both the selections and the show itself.

Not that they haven't had any deserving selections but the show has been mostly terrible for at least the last 5 years.

Nothing will ever scale to the heights of this tribute. Nothing.

The other thing about Merrily that makes no sense is the assumption that Frank having a career in Hollywood is selling out his childhood dreams.

Mary and Charlie (especially Charlie) try to keep him from realizing his dreams because they don’t line up with their desires. They are the villains of the show.

After Clooney’s documentary about Jim Jordan airs in September on HBO we will want to give Clooney every award imaginable.

I mostly agree with R529.

I love Sondheim's work. But as far as great books for his musicals (excluding WSS & GYPSY), how many are there, really?

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

SWEENEY TODD

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM

I would add INTO THE WOODS, but I understand some people's problems with Act 2.

I would not add SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (although it's one of my favorite scores). Same with COMPANY and FOLLIES.

Did I hear someone mention Shelley Hack?

[quote] Where is the Shelley Hack troll?

Hanging out on the soap threads with the Shannon Tweed troll, perhaps.

I never miss a Shelley Hack musical.

There are still soap threads?

I think Liza is one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century and absolutely deserves the Kennedy Center Honors, which are a joke, as Frank Rich wrote about years ago. It's a TV production, nothing more, nothing less. And a bunch of D.C. politicians getting to hobnob with Hollywood folks.

That said, I do think Bernadette Peters deserves one. But her career probably isn't quite big enough.

And they do seem to be moving away from Broadway, folks.

R538 Mostly about old ones. Much like the Great White Way, it's always better in our memories than the current offerings and scores!

Liza's shutout from the KCH is a mystery. She certainly has the accomplishments to be recognized. I can only figure one of two things: (1) Her career downtown/lapses into deep drug use and a more "tabloid" notability for some of the 80s etc. tarnished her image with the KCH board, or (2) she really pissed off someone (up to and including Caroline Kennedy) who has blocked her entry.

Bernie should have it, for sure.

Bernie, not Beanie! (((shudders)))

I was there, r541, when Liza hit Caroline in the head with a fondue pot.

If Bernadette gets a KCH, then so do I.

[quote]Frank needs to stand for something at the start so he can lose or sacrifice it. Probably HE needs to be the one to convince a reluctant Charley that they're going to change the face of musical theatre. And he needs to date Mary early, dump her for Beth and come back to her between wives, so that it is clear he does understand how deep her feelings are but abandons her anyway -- and we need to know why he does.

I agree with your second point about Frank and Mary, but as for the other stuff, don't you feel that Frank does all that in "Our Time?" He sings the lead in that song, and he sings to Charley "There's so much stuff to sing, and you and me, we'll be singing it like the birds -- me with music and you, the words. Tell 'em things they don't know." Isn't that pretty much what you're asking for?

I would say Liza, Bernadette and Patti all deserve a KCH before Amy fucking Grant

SING STREET is Bway bound, after all.

So ITW, MERRILY, and SWEENEY in the same Broadway season?

God, Sing Street was just awful. And I loved the movie.

Sondheim's main problem has always been that his music and lyrics are usually much deeper than anything the playwright thinks up. When the characters are singing, everything's great, but the moment the dialogue resumes, it takes a dive. The books listed at R534 are the best ones he's had to work with and I'd say those are some of his best shows because of it. Somehow, Company and Follies transcend their less than great books and become more of an experience than a traditional Broadway show, but I don't think Merrily, Passion, Anyone Can Whistle, or Road Show do that. And even with Company and Follies, I've usually walked out of productions of those shows focusing on certain performances, scenes, lines of dialogue, or songs instead of the show as a whole like I do when I see Gypsy, Sweeney Todd or A Little Night Music where everything is so well thought out and wonderful.

Assassins is under appreciated I think. It's not the deepest of his shows and many of the assassins aren't very well developed (poor Hinkley gets that one great song and about two lines throughout the rest of the show), but it's an interesting concept and, once again, Sondheim's songs give the piece a lot more meaning than what's in the book.

To me, it seems that there's one thing every musical flop has in common - a crappy or mediocre book. The best musicals usually have strong books as well as strong scores.

Well said R551

Someone in the last thread was wondering why the Atlantic Theater Company hadn't announced their season. Here it is:

Merrily isn’t near as bad as that crappy Passion.

It's pretty hard to be crappier than Passion and I love Sondheim. Even for me, that show is a major dud. I have no idea what he and Lapine were going for there. The idea that a handsome man falls in love with an unattractive woman is one thing, but for her to have such a repulsive and pathetic personality takes it into the realm of sci-fi.

What do we want? A revival of Passion with Billy Porter as Fosca.

Yeah, Merrily really needs another subplot with Frank and Mary going at it.

In the rooftop scenes, Frank says to/about Mary; “I just met the girl I ought to marry.” In a halfway decent production, that moment is crushing because you know that Frank never followed his gut. Which is why he made everyone’s lives into a mess.

The point of the show is that we don’t make a sudden decision to compromise. It’s a lot of little distractions and blips, and then we end up somewhere we never wanted to be. Allowing the audience to fill in the gaps allows them to use their own lives. But if you need every step of this plotted out, Merrily is really not the show for you,

Sondheim should have set Irréversible to music. Put Patti in the lead and have her raped to music for ten minutes. It would have been SRO.

[quote]Put Patti in the lead and have her raped to music for ten minutes

No one would have understood her cries for help.

The reason you can't reverse the order of Merrily is Sondheim's complicated musical structure. Thematically and melodically the score develops in a precise fashion. If you ripped that apart by putting the songs in a different order, the structure would disappear and you'd just have a series of nice songs. It's bad enough stripping out the bookends where the structure begins and is underpinned. Again, the underlying musical structure is quite complex and it is the score as a whole that is the thing, not the individual pieces.

I probably didn't phrase this right.

[quote]But if you need every step of this plotted out, Merrily is really not the show for you,

Nor for the theater-going audiences, apparently.

[quote] In the rooftop scenes, Frank says to/about Mary; “I just met the girl I ought to marry.” In a halfway decent production, that moment is crushing because you know that Frank never followed his gut. Which is why he made everyone’s lives into a mess.

I think that moment is crushing more because it is probably the reason why Mary will go on to pine for Frank for the next 25 years. There are things that people say to you that can change the course of your life, for better or for worse. I think that is one of the things that rings true about the material.

[quote]Amy Grant and George Clooney are the next jokes.

Horseshit. I know nothing about Amy Grant but besides being a major humanitarian, Clooney has been nominated for six Oscars for acting, writing, directing and producing. He has won two, get over yourself.

Amy Grant....that IS a fucking joke

I saw the SF production of FOLLIES last night. This was the 17th production I've seen (by my count) since attending the pre-Broadway run of the original production in Boston. (Yes, I'm old). I didn't expect much, especially based on some of the info and pictures shared in this thread, but I must say that on several levels, I was pleasantly surprised. I'll write a detailed review later, but now I have to catch a flight 3000 miles back to my home. (Yes, I'm old, gay, and a theater queen).

^Yes, R565!

Please share thoughts on the next TG thread.

[quote]poor Hinkley gets that one great song and about two lines throughout the rest of the show

Perhaps if he had better aim.

r565- My friend who saw it hasn't come back yet, Billy Boy, so I haven't gotten a full rundown from her. She *did* say that there were some effective parts and thought the young couples were good.

BAD scripts, BAD directors!

The only thing the Lord frowns on more than divorce, Amy, is a fat husband.

I don't think there's much question that Liza deserved a Kennedy Center Honor. The problem is that the Kennedy Center waited too long. She should have gotten one years ago. Part of the deal with the Kennedy Center Honors is that recipients are required to be present, not just for the awards show but for a couple of related events, including a White House reception. People who are surprised that Liza was overlooked yet again this year need only recall her appearance at this year's Academy Awards. Clearly, she would not have been physically up to attending. The awards are never presented in absentia. It's sad, but the Kennedy Center missed its chance.

[quote]The awards are never presented in absentia

Wrong, r571...

God Bless Old Gay Theater Queens everywhere!

Billy Boy, please tell me you didn't travel all the way to San Francisco just to take in that production of Follies?!

(r572) Irene Dunne came to Washington and participated in the ceremony at the White House. However, she became ill before the evening event at the Kennedy center and was flown back to Los Angeles.

Irene Dunne at the White House received her honor.

[quote] Clearly, she would not have been physically up to attending.

Except she showed up to the Oscars...and a number of other events we have video from this year.

Patti and Bernadette should definitely have gotten the honor by now, certainly over Amy Grant and George Clooney

The biggest problem with Passion is it isn't about passion; it's about mental illness.

[quote]Except she showed up to the Oscars

And was in terrific shape!

Yeah what’s the deal with Bernadette Peters? I know everyone tolerates LuPone because of her talent, but they don’t like her-by all accounts everyone loves Bernadette.

What’s the deal?

They gave one to Chita back in 2002, so they do do people from Broadway that didn’t do much film. Even Bernadette has won a Golden Globe award for film work.

[quote] And was in terrific shape!

She just has to be able to sit through the awards ceremony, which she seemingly can do.

[quote] And was in terrific shape!

Even more reason to give it to her NOW

Betty White never got a Kennedy Center Honor and she was a pioneer for women in television. Bernadette and Patti are lesser known celebrities, except in NY theater circles.

Doris Day never received one either, but was, according to then producer, George Stevens, Jr., offered it twice but declined. Beyond a stellar movie and singing career, she was an animal welfare advocate for more than fifty years, receiving a Medal of Freedom for her work. However, the requirement to appear in-person, made her decline the offer both times.

What about Charo?

[quote]r535 Did I hear someone mention Shelley Hack? - where is the Shelley Hack troll?

J’arrive!

[quote]And was in terrific shape!

[quote]She just has to be able to sit through the awards ceremony, which she seemingly can do.

Liza lives in Los Angeles. She would have to travel to D.C. for the Kennedy Center Honors, and attend a White House reception in addition to sitting through the ceremony, which lasts much longer than the edited version shown on television. She's not well enough.

[quote]Somehow, Company and Follies transcend their less than great books and become more of an experience than a traditional Broadway show, but I don't think Merrily, Passion, Anyone Can Whistle, or Road Show do that.

I mostly agree with you, but I would say the book for COMPANY, even if not "great," is pretty much perfect for the kind of show that Furth and Sondheim were trying to write.

[quote]R569 BAD scripts, BAD directors! —Amy Grant, reading the comments

Bad with you, good with others.

Very well expressed, R557.

[quote]Liza lives in Los Angeles. She would have to travel to D.C. for the Kennedy Center Honors, and attend a White House reception in addition to sitting through the ceremony, which lasts much longer than the edited version shown on television. She's not well enough.

She is well enough as long as she's sitting. People sit in airplanes, and of course the airlines are experience in accommodating people in wheelchairs. As we have seen from recent appearances and videos, Liza is not very coherent when required to speak, but the honorees never speak during the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony. And as for related events, I'm sure people would defer to Liza and not require to speak much at those either.

[quote]Except she showed up to the Oscars...and a number of other events we have video from this year.

C'mon. Did she really "show up"? Did she?

Both Barbara Cook and Jerry Herman had mobility issues when they attended their KCH tributes.

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