Broadway at Live with Regis and Kelly

Every year, Regis & Kelly host Broadway Week on Live. They've started putting clips from performances from the last few years on their site. Regis is a nut, but God love him for all the support he gives Broadway.

This Friday, May Day: A Poetic Lunchtime

What: A free public program of poetry and prose honoring our greatest President two hundred years after his birth, including works by Walt Whitman, Carl Sandburg, Leo Tolstoy, Allen Ginsberg, Reinhold Niebuhr, Mario Cuomo, Barack Obama, and others. Drawn from the Library of America's 2009 publication "The Lincoln Anthology.

When: May 1, 2009

Where: Saint Peter's Church, in the Sanctuary, 619 Lexington Avenue at 54th Street

Who: Tony Award Winners Marian Seldes, Fritz Weaver, Brian F. O'Byrne, Frances Sternhagen, Tammy Grimes, and with Bess Rous, and Betsy Von Furstenberg

Why: It's a lovely way to spend an extended lunch hour and celebrate the Nobel Peace Prize-nominated Toward International Peace Through the Arts founded by Stan Tannen.

9 to 5 works

9 to 5: the Musical is sort of a mess. There are awkward moments, the partially projected set looks cheap and it doesn't know how to end...but it works because it's just plain fun. Dolly Parton's songs are a blast - at times very big Broadway-ish, and sometimes fun with country element, and sometimes with a touch of girl power. The minute the vamp started for 9 to 5 at the top of the show, the audience went wild.

The ladies - Megan Hilty as Doralee, Allison Janney as Violet and Stephanie J. Block as Judy - aren't playing the iconic film roles made famous by Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda, but are rather playing the film actresses themselves. But I think that's expected and it's fine with me.

Megan is the spitting image of Dolly, in figure (well, almost if you know what I mean) and speaking voice. Her singing voice is a terrific warm alto. Stephanie soars as Judy and it's fun to hear her pure voice in a belt. Allison is the weakest singer, but her voice grew on me and by the second act, I was imagining casting her in a revival of Woman of the Year or even as Vera Charles. She's perfectly ascerbic and it was impossible not to love her.

It was press night and most of the big guns were there - Brantley, Musto, Winer. I also saw a few Tony voters in the crowd - Alice Playten, Robert Callely. The show has already garnered 15 Drama Desk Nominations. I can't help but think that it's partially because it's a slow year for musicals, but maybe the nominators were like me - while it's I didn't think it to be a great show in itself, it's the most fun I've had at a musical since In the Heights and I'd gladly work my way to the box office again. 9 to 5 the Musical opens this Thursday night. I expect it to have a healthy run, based on the wild enthusiasm of the audience at the Marquis.

Quote of the Day

Dave: Do you remember your first visit to New York? Did you come as a school girl? Did you come for a gig? What was your first time here in New York City?

Dolly: Actually, the very first time I was here in 1964. I came here on a senior trip from the Smokey Mountains. We had made up our money and it was the year that the World's Fair was here. And Hello Dolly!was in town. Just these little country kids from the mountains, all over the cabs, all over the subways, it was Hello Dolly! I thought "they knew I was comin'!" so I rubbed that in real good on all my friends and and so now, here's Dolly, I'm back!

Dolly Parton at Late Show with David Letterman, April 28, 2009

She went on to talk about opening night, this Thursday, the 30th and said that Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda will walk the red carpet. She also sang "Backwood Barbie," which she said is the first song she wrote for 9 to 5: the musical. Megan Hilty sings it in the show.

Not on the job from 9 to 5

Almost every week day for weeks I've been working OVERTIME - earlier than 9:00 am and certainly much later than 5:00 pm. But tonight, if I manage to escape, I'll be seeing 9 to 5: The Musical at the Marriott Marquis. I am SO EXCITED!

We will actually be seeing the Real Helen Mirren!

I have a ticket to the Shakespeare Theatre Company's presentation of the National Theatre of Great Britain’s production of Phèdre by by Jean Racine in a version by Ted Hughes at Sidney Harman Hall directed by Nicholas Hytner on September 26, 2009. I'm going with a gaggle of really cool girls too.

It is the sole American engagement of the National Theatre of Great Britain’s production of Phèdre and features Academy Award winner Helen Mirren!!! Artistic Director Nicholas Hytner is directing a superb cast, including Dominic Cooper (!) and Margaret Tyzack, in Ted Hughes’ adaptation of Racine’s epic tragedy.

The synopsis: Believing her husband to be dead, the passionate Queen Phèdre allows her forbidden love for her stepson to blossom. When the King returns from war very much alive, the entire family is catapulted into a desperate, impossible situation.

THANK YOU CORDELLIA - YOU ROCK!!!!!

Renée's Recital

Renée's recitals don't happen nearly enough, especially in New York City. So we were compelled to travel north to Boston to catch the act. It was well worth the adventure. She talked about it being the last recital of the tour, about the Kander song and the Previn song being written for her and about getting to visit Richard Strauss' home last year. Symphony Hall was mostly full and very appreciative. She sounded extraordinarily loud but I don't usually sit that close or maybe it was the angle. It was all gorgeous, wonderful and fun and exactly what I expected it should be, made even sweeter because I was there with dearest friends whom I love. She did a signing after, so we stopped by to say hello. She's absolutely wonderful. I don't think I'll see her perform live again until possibly October when she does Der Rosenkavalier at the Met, which isn't soon enough. I wish there were more recitals - they just don't happen nearly enough.

Program:

André Previn
The Giraffes Go To Hamburg

Olivier Messiaen
From "Poèmes pour Mi"
Action des graces
Paysages
La maison
Les deux guerriers

John Kander
A Letter from Sullivan Ballou (my favorite)

Korngold
Ich soll ihn niemals, niemals mehr sehn from Die Kathrin

Richard Strauss
Verführung, Opus 33, no. 1
Freundliche Vision, Opus 48, no. 1
Ständchen, Opus 17, no. 2
Winterweihe, Opus 48, no. 4
Zueignung, Opus 10, no. 1

Korngold
Marietta's Lied from Die tote Stadt

Encores:
Summertime
Cacilie
Morgen
I Could Have Danced All Night
Funny Valentine (the Beethoven Remix)
And "Ier dalla fabbrica," from Riccardo Zandonai's Conchita that will be on her new Verismo cd this fall.

Evidently it's Diva Month in Boston

Here I go again: up to Boston for another Diva. This time it's La Diva Renée with Hartmut Höll at the piano.

Luckily the program is:

Olivier Messiaen
From “Poèmes pour Mi”
Action des graces
Paysages
La maison
Les deux guerriers

André Previn
The Giraffes Go To Hamburg

John Kander
A Letter from Sullivan Ballou

Korngold
Ich soll ihn niemals, niemals mehr sehn from Die Kathrin

Richard Strauss
Verführung, Opus 33, no. 1
Freundliche Vision, Opus 48, no. 1
Ständchen, Opus 17, no. 2
Winterweihe, Opus 48, no. 4
Zueignung, Opus 10, no. 1

Korngold
Marietta’s Lied from Die tote Stadt

Joe Turner's Come and Gone

A few years ago, I saw August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean three or four times. I even took my Mom to see it - we were there the day that Tipper and Al Gore were there and boy, was my Mom excited! Anyway, I had never felt like that in the theatre. The only thing that even comes close is Caroline or Change, August: Osage County or Sweeney Todd where I am just about overwhelmed and consumed.

This production of Joe Turner's Come and Gone is a revival and is staged by Lincoln Center Theatre. Bart Sher is directing and it's obvious that his soft touch, but it's not overdone.

I love August Wilson's plays. They are so everything - funny, poignant, frightening, heartbreaking, triumphant. The dialogue is so rich and intricate. I love anything that is serialized and these plays are, but not obviously so. They are part of a cycle of plays that August wrote. Each play takes place in a different decade of the twentieth century and is basically about the African American experience, although some of the the characters are not African American. In this play, there is one white character - Selig - who also makes an appearance in Gem. The richest character in Joe Turner's, Bynum seems a composite of Aunt Esther and Solly Two Kings from Gem and he is absolutely wonderful. Roger Robinson plays him beautifully. The rest of the cast, most of whom are making their Broadway debuts, are solid and well cast, particularly Ernie Hudson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson, as the husband and wife owners of the boarding house in which the story takes place.

I wept in the second act of this one. I really, seriously did. Read the wikipedia entry if you want to know what it's about. If you have a chance to see an August Wilson play, don't miss it. This production runs at the Belasco until June 14th.

Tonight: Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Just like Camilla, I can have my cake and eat it too

It was a perfect, whirl-wind (literally!)trip home to West Texas: lots of hugs from Cody, Cara and Camilla; Mexican food at Dos Compadres for dinner; shopping with my sister at the mall (her birthday too!); Camilla ears were pierced; a golf-ball sized hail storm; wind mills on the Caprock; dying Easter Eggs with Cara and Cody; Easter Sunday at my home church First United Methodist in Kermit; seeing favorite teachers from high school; the pipe organ I learned to play (sort of and not very well!) still being played with Liz Miracle, my piano teacher and French horn accompanist and our church organist for at least 40 years; my brother-in-law's BBQ; lots and lots of cousins of my Little Loves for an Easter egg hunt; and best of all, Camilla's First Birthday Party. Whew.

Have a teaparty with La Diva Renée's daughter

Renée Fleming's daughter Amelia is in the May issue of Teen Vogue. "We're so lucky to have such amazing outdoor space, especially in Manhattan," Amelia Ross says of the terrace wrapping arouind her family's Upper West Side apartment, offering panoramic views of the city skyline."    Lucky indeed. And with the tips included, now I'll be able to throw my own teaparty. You're all invited, but please bring your own terrace.

I'll get there as fast as I can!

Letter to my neighbor

Dear neighbor on the other side of my bedroom wall,

I am sick and tired of hearing you on an almost nightly basis, from around 11:00 pm to 12:30 am or so, "singing" Kander & Ebb's Maybe This Time. I say "singing" because what you are doing is no more than an attempt and it's driving me crazy. I do admire your attempt to learn a show tune or two, but must you do it so late at night? And you are way off pitch and you are straining to belt. That's just painful. And must you must you sing the same stanza over and over and over? Please do me and my cats a favor - SHUT UP.

I suggest that if you have some sort of obsession with this beautiful song, please just play Liza instead of attempting your own rendition. You are interrupting my sleep and I don't appreciate it.

Signed,

Your fed up neighbor

L’Elisir d’Amore = Delicious!

L’Elisir d’Amore at the Met was just delicious! Barry Banks was in as Nemorino. He was just as cute as could be in the role. He sang it fantastically as well. Angela Gheorghiu as Adina was lots of fun. I loved hearing her voice in this style.

The set looks like a children's chalk drawing and the Met chorus looked ready for Easter sunday in bright spring colors. It was like swimming in cotton candy.

This was my third Donizetti "comic" opera and it was nothing but pure fun. I love walking out of the Met amongst all of the smiling people. You can't help but cheer up with this fun.

Tonight: L’Elisir d’Amore at the Met

Tonight: my last opera opera of the season.

Composer: Gaetano Donizetti
Librettist: Felice Romani
Conductor: Maurizio Benini
Adina: Angela Gheorghiu
Nemorino: Barry Banks
Belcore: Franco Vassallo
Dulcamara: Simone Alaimo

It's Today: Little Love Camilla is ONE!

"One of Broadway's biggest, brightest semi-stars"

That's SHERIE RENE SCOTT. She's doing an autobiographical show at 2st Stage called Everyday Rapture. It's a quirky, self-depricating and sweet journey through her Mennonite childhood and roads traveled while trying to decide between Jesus and Judy Garland on the way to Manhattan and a Broadway career.

She has to ask WWJD - that's what would Judy do? She knocks the songs out of the park - my favorite was a slow rendition of Judy Garland's On The Atchison, Topeka And The Santa Fe (from The Harvey Girls!) There's magic in the act too - real magic tricks as well as a magical feeling as she comes to terms with life.

Everyday Rapture runs at 2econd Stage until May 31st.

A First Timer's Take on Bernadette at Symphony Hall

From: Cristine
To: Sarah B.
Sent: Sun Apr 05 13:07:54 2009
Subject: WOW - WOW - WOW!

Sarah,

I had the best time - I am blown away. Part of it is that she is so petite - where does that voice and personality come from inside such a small person??!! I wish I had it on tape to watch again. I was just mesmerized!

And don't laugh at me - now I cannot remember the song that made me cry! (See I am too tired!) Not the very last song of the evening, but the first one. Yes, it is your job to keep track of my crying! Everything was so overwhelming, I've lost track.

It's funny - O Shenandoah really stands out because it is one of my favorite songs! And I gathered that was a new one for her.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

This is from my friend Cristine who lives in Boston. When I had an extra ticket, she accompanied us to see Bernadette sing Symphony Hall last night. Those of us who follow Bernadette on her concert tour have seen it all time and time again, yet it's always comforting and satisfying, always a great time. To sit beside a first timer was like being there the first time myself. Every joke and bit of schtick was funny and every song was extra special. Symphony Hall was bursting with a very excited audience and Bernadette sang the hell out of every tune, especially Not a Day Goes By, Move On, and Being Alive. She even sang Johanna with the fabulous Sweeney Todd intro from the giant organ. What a thrill!

"This is my back!

Is the Media biased against Mezzos?

There's a whole two page (!) layout in the May Vanity Fair celebrating the high definition broadcasts that the Metropolitan Opera is producing. Brava! But, really only under 40 years old and physically hot singers? And once again, my favorite voices aren't celebrated. Particularly irritating to me among the spotlighted are Erwin Shrott for Don Giovanni and Danielle de Niese for Orfeo ed Euridice. What about the brilliant mezzo soprano Susan Graham who stole Don Giovanni from the theatrically weak Shrott? What about the glorious Stephanie Blythe who rocked it as Orfeo and gave one of the best performances of the entire season. Why are the mezzos always getting the shaft? I've been noticing this since the Volpe Gala broadcast.

Boston or Bust: Bernadette's singing at Symphony Hall tonight

Meeting other Fanadettes for Bernadette at Symphony Hall tonight.

Broadway News of the Day

"An expanded version of the City Center Encores! concert of Finian's Rainbow — the 1947 musical comedy satire by Burton Lane, Fred Saidy and E.Y. Harburg — will transfer to Broadway's St. James Theatre this fall."

Kate Baldwin, I'm just bursting with excitement for you!

So says Playbill.