Margaret Hamilton News

It's my firm belief that if composer Leroy Anderson, lyricist Joan Ford and bookwriter/lyricists Walter & Jean Kerr had named their brash and funny 1958 musical comedy about the love/hate relationship between a silent movie director and his reluctant star anything other than Goldilocks, it might not only have had a longer run than its five months on Broadway, but would have been a popular choice among regional and amateur theatres as well. With a good collection of snazzy tunes and well-crafted lyrics (most notably the semi-standard torcher, 'I Never Know When To Say When') and a book loaded with guffaws and wise-cracks (originally quipped by stars Elaine Stritch and Don Ameche), Goldilocks is a solid example of a show that, if not exactly a musical theatre triumph, provided a fun night out for audiences in an era when affordable ticket prices meant that not every Broadway production had to be a huge event.

I mean it with the most sincere amount of respect and admiration for both gentlemen when I write that Peter Gallagher seems to have morphed into Jerry Orbach.  At least in his portrayal of Bernie Dodd, the hard-driving Broadway director convinced that when the star of his new play suddenly leaves for a Hollywood gig he can get a great turn out of the washed-up alcoholic actor whose performances twIce Thrilled him many years ago.  He's the best part of Mike Nichols' new production of Clifford Odets' The Country Girl (which has undergone some text tweaking by Jon Robin Baitz).  His tough, but passionate mannerisms and gruff speaking voice bring out a sense of urgency to the proceedings as he convinces a skeptical producer (Chip Zien), a reluctant actor and his long-suffering wife that his high-stakes risk can pay off big.  By the end of the evening I was half expecting the man to send his star on stage with an exhilarated, 'Think of musical comedy!'

Variety gives a bit more information on Andrew Lloyd Webber's proposed new stage production of 'The Wizard of Oz.'

The Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye reports that the MGM classic, The Wizard Of Oz, one of the most famous and iconic movies in the history of film, is getting a total makeover, including new songs and score, for a planned stage production that will hit London late next year.

A frank and intimate chat with Lorna Luft, who's performing in York's Larry Grossman revue this weekend in NYC.

REVIEW: The movie comes to life in this spectacular, heartfelt production at Toby's Dinner Theatre of Baltimore!

Margaret Hamilton in THE WIZARD OF OZ defined, forever, how a wicked witch looks and how she behaves. Her performance in the film is etched in our souls as surely as there are presidents etched on Mt. Rushmore

Margaret Hamilton in THE WIZARD OF OZ defined, forever, how a wicked witch looks and how she behaves. Her performance in the film is etched in our souls as surely as there are presidents etched on Mt. Rushmore