Carolee Carmello and Penny Fuller in Reading of "The Book of Merman"

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

I found this interesting tidbit on Rick McKay's Facebook page.  This sounds like an exciting development.  (I asked for his permission to repost this. )   

Just saw a reading of THE BOOK OF MERMAN with pal Jamie DeRoywritten by Richard Sabellico and starring Carolee Carmello, Penny Fuller, Max Von Essen, Burke Moses, Jeremy Benton and a slew of talented folk. Also great to run into Harvey Evans, Jack W. Batman, Mark Sendroff, Riki Kane Larimer, Richard Riskin, and many more. Fascinating telling of the Merman saga with a staggeringly good Carolee as Ethel Merman. I don't know why I am surprised as she can seemingly do anything, starring on Broadway in PARADE, KISS ME KATE, URINETOWN, SCARLET PIMPERNEL, MAMMA MIA!, and on and on. She must have belted out 15-20 Merman hits beautifully today as well as carrying the show dramatically - while never becoming a parody, which is easy to do with Ethel. She was ably assisted by the legendary Penny Fuller as Merman's best pal, Benay Venuta and Max von Essen as an ex-actor/now-documentarian chronicling Broadway legend, Merman. I identified with that character a bit - and hey, if I am going to see someone similar to myself on stage I certainly wouldn't quibble with the casting of handsome and talented Max von Essen! Jeremy Benton, who I just saw in CAGNEY, is back playing multiple roles again - I guess when you're that talented everyone in the business is going to cast you to play everyone in the business - and he plays everyone in Merman's life this time, including Fernando Lamas! But, the entire cast is great, all playing multiple roles. Great to see Burke Moses, powerful as Bob Six, as well.

Fascinating concept, which I won't reveal here, as it was a reading and I don't want to give it away, but wishing well to all - as I am sure there is a huge audience who would love to hear this great score of hits from the Gerswhins, Porter, Berlin and everyone else in the Great American Songbook - and would love to see Merman back onstage. And if Carolee can become MERMAN and blow us all away in a small, fluorescent lit rehearsal room with only a piano, I can only imagine what she can do in a theater with an orchestra!

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

This seems like a great idea.  I know I would love to see this show.  

[CindersGolightly]

I HATE the title, but hope to goodness this has a life on Broadway. Hopefully a well deserved Tony Award for Carolee.

[RippedMan]

Title needs to go, given that clash with Book of Mormon. But love the idea of it. 

[Mildred Plotka]

This sounds much better than Merman's Apprentice, which featured original music. If you're going to do a Merman show you need the songs she helped make famous. And I'd see Carolee on anything.  Hope this has a future. And I agree, the title is terrible. 

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

I happen to like the title.  I don't think it's terrible as others  have said.  The title is simple and droll. 

[Kad]

The title sounds like a parody musical or a cabaret act. A pun on the title of another famous and currently running musical just is bad branding.

[Valentina3]

Yeah, and if it's going to Bway (is it?) or even playing commercially in NYC, it's advertisement-trap for tourists who don't know the difference. Just gives a bad rep to the show.

[ljay889]

Love this idea! Carolee is perfect.

[TheSassySam]

Is this the parody where two Mormon boys knock on the door to discover that Ethel Merman was there? Then they go to sing Merman's hits and Book of Mormon parody songs? Then the Mormon elders just fall in love at the end?

 

I ask because I saw a show with this exact title a year or two ago. 

[phan24]

She is perfect! Her caption is hilarious, I would pay anything to see this.

 

[StardustsChild]

Any updates on this? With the parody musical of the same title opened up at St.Lukes on 47th I'm curious to see if this could possibly have any legs with a shifted title.