Happy 97th Birthday to Carol Channing! Jan 31
2018, 01:55:40 PM
Like many, I saw her in the 90s revival of Hello Dolly. It was a very special evening. FYI: I love listening to her comments on the Broadway Deluxe Collector's Edition of the OBC recording. May she enjoy many more years of good health, joy, and fulfillment.
Band's Visit Seating Q Jan 2
2018, 03:40:06 PM
I saw the show from the third row center of the orchestra and could not have been happier - with the seat or the show!
Here's to 2018 - and a special thank you! Jan 1
2018, 11:31:51 PM
Thanks for the kind words and good wishes! Great to have you aboard with such positive energy! I hope the coming year brings many more meaningful and rewarding theater experiences. Happy New Year!
Books about R&H Dec 23
2017, 12:05:28 PM
If you are only interested in books, this won't be helpful, but I love the documentary "Richard Rodgers: The Sweetest Sounds" which I have on DVD. The first half is about Rodgers and Hart and the second half is about Rodgers and Hammerstein. I learned a lot and there was some wonderful old footage.
Who is the greatest performer to have ever graced the broadway stage? Dec 19
2017, 10:22:42 PM
I don't feel qualified to name THE greatest performer, but one performance that touched me very deeply was Joan Diener as Aldonza in Man of La Mancha. Her ability to communicate rage, despair, and tenderness with her voice was miraculous and her transformation from Aldonza to "Dulcinea" was electrifying. Richard Kiley was brilliant as Don Quixote, but for me, the evening belonged to Joan Diener.
The Band's Visit cast recording available for first listen ahead of streaming release on 12/15 Dec 15
2017, 01:24:59 PM
Whether or not to pre-listen is a question I often ask. I have sometimes regretted not listening in advance. With this show the only song I heard beforehand was Omar Sherif. I loved every minute of this show and think I would have been fine without hearing any of the songs prior to seeing it.
The Music Man with Dick Van Dyke Dec 8
2017, 02:03:12 PM
Maybe Harold Hill wasn't his role, but Dick Van Dyke remains one of my all time favorite musical and comic actors.
Shows That Implemented Substantial Changes Between First Preview and Opening Night Dec 3
2017, 11:22:48 PM
A new show by Rodgers and Hammerstein called Away We Go! received mixed reviews in New Haven and Boston. R & H spent half an hour writing a new song to insert toward the end of the show. In the next performance the new number proved a show stopper and the name of the show was changed to the name of the song - Oklahoma!
I know many people share my deep appreciation for this supremely great and gracious artist. May she enjoy many, many more years of good health, joy, and fulfillment!
I'm surprised to be casting the first vote for the OBC recording with Zero Mostel. I have loved that recording since it first came out over 50 years ago. In addition to Mostel's brilliant, funny, touching performance, I love Julia Megenes, Austin Pendleton, and Bert Convy in their roles.
Thanks for sharing this info about Don Walker! He orchestrated far more shows than I realized. Would you put him in the same category as Robert Russell Bennett?
I wholeheartedly agree with GavestonPS. Nothing compares with the OBC recording with Preston and Cook. I saw the revival with Bierko and Luker and I can recommend that recording as a second choice. I enjoyed Bierko mostly because he reminded me of Preston. Luker was excellent, but Cook's performance is in class by itself. It is vocally flawless and very touching.
I'm seeing it tomorrow as well -- in Toronto. I'm not familiar with the show. Would people who have seen it encourage me to listen to the recording before going tomorrow night or should I see the show without listening first?
If you keep going to the Telecharge website and putting in the range of dates when you intend to be in New York, you should be able to get decent seats for $299 or even $250. There are other methods, but if those prices are doable, it will alleviate the anxiety of not knowing whether or not it's going to work out and you can all look forward to seeing the show. I will say that it's touching to know that your 17-year-old has parents who take seriously what is important and meaningful t
I believe Charlie is a tenor role, right? How about "On the Street Where You Live" from My Fair Lady or "Younger than Springtime" from South Pacific or "Maria" from West Side Story?
Let us know what you end up choosing, and hope you get the part!
You're very fortunate. I never saw her in person, but I have been enjoying her supremely great performance as Marian on the OBC recording of The Music Man for decades.
