Carrie Fisher's Wishful Drinking on Broadway

Carrie Fisher's one woman show is based on her 2008 book Wishful Drinking. I caught the show at Studio 54 on Friday night.

The show is practically a motivational lecture on how to succeed at being crazy. Carrie tells her story of being an alcoholic diagnosed with bipolor disorder* via a combination of stand-up comedy and autobiography. She shares her journey from living with her crazy celebrity parents to being thrown into one of the biggest movie phenomenons of all time as "Princess Leia" in Star Wars at age 19 to two divorces to motherhood to the death of a dear friend. She sings, sort of dances and spends time making friends with the audience.

She makes dealing with these messy issues glittery fun - literally at times when she takes time to toss handfuls of glitter out into the audience. There's no fourth wall here as she treats us like we're just hanging out in her living room for an interactive conversation about her past, her family, and mental illness. She even asks for a male volunteer to have a little fun with a life-size Princess Leia doll. She doesn't spend time feeling sorry for herself and she's not asking for pity either, nor does she hold anything back. As she says, "If my life wasn't funny, it would just be true." Click here to watch her interview with CBS2 NY's Dana Tyler.

The bonus of the evening was seeing Lily Tomlin in the audience. The other bonus was seeing the lady in the row in front of me take a pickle out of her purse and eat it at intermission. Now that's crazy.

Wishful Drinking plays at Roundabout's Studio 54 through January 17th. Discount tickets are available via Broadwaybox.com.

*Oh my gosh, she's Prettybelle!

Ragtime on Broadway

The revival of Ragtime opened at the Neil Simon Theatre on November 15, 2009, and I've already seen it twice.

The book by Terrence McNally, based on the novel "Ragtime" by E.L. Doctorow, is about three sets of American experiences at the turn of the 20th century - upper class, established white Americans, blacks and immigrants. The three sets cross paths, not always for the better. Much of the story is told through the lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, set to the gorgeous, sweeping and very memorable melodies by Stephen Flaherty.

The musical first began on Broadway in 1997 and won the 1998 Tony Award® for Best Book of a Musical Book for McNally and Best Original Musical Score for Ahrens and Flaherty. This revival is a transfer from the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. where it was produced last year.

The main members of the cast are Ron Bohmer, Christopher Cox Quentin Earl Darrington, Christiane Noll, Robert Petkoff, Sarah Rosenthal, Bobby Steggert, Stephanie Umoh, Jonathan Hammond, Donna Migliaccio, Savannah Wise, Eric Jordan Young, Mark Aldrich, Dan Manning and Michael X. Martin.

The three level set by Derek McLane is utilitarian and industrial. With the smallest additions of a chair or doorway, the set is transformed from scene to scene, taking us from Ellis Island, a large upper class home, a juke joint in Harlem, Atlantic City or even the Morgan Library. Director Marcia Milgrom Dodge uses the set to her advantage, keeping the classes separated and only mingling them when it absolutely advances the story.

It's a big Broadway musical - big cast, big choral sound, big voices, big orchestra, big, open set. So much of the time, it was almost overwhelming in sound and sight - so many people, singing so loudly. But there are some wonderfully small moments.

These are the moments that tugged at my heart and drew me in to this classic love story of America. The two actors responsbible for this were Christiane Noll (pictured below, beautifully costumed by Santo Loquasto) as the WASP socialite "Mother" and Robert Petkoff as the Jewish immigrant "Tateh." They each managed to portray tenderness and love over that expansive set and cast with the most subtle and nuanced performances. These are also the two characters that are the least static.

This revival of Ragtime is a must not miss on Broadway this season. Discounted Ragtime tickets are available via Broadwaybox.com.

A Little Night Music - First Preview

First preview, done. I want to see it again. I'd love to tell you everything about last night's most anticipated first preview. But today, things that shouldn't be said, won't.

Things that won't change, I'll talk about.

First of all, where are the French horns? This classy, elegant, most glamorous sound is sorely missed. The horns are what make the original orchestrations so thrilling to me. And here, for this production, the orchestra is paired down to almost nothing save a string or two, a clarinet and a keyboard - are there more instruments? I've heard there are 7 pieces, but it's hard to tell - the band is in the wings. I could see the conductor's hands, score and keyboard from my seat. Note, I will take my horn with me to the next performance I attend. That'll learn 'em.

Secondly, David Farley's design, both set and costume, is bland (except for Madame Armfeldt's costumes). There is very little glamour. Hartley T A Kemp's lighting doesn't help. The first act is painfully dark.

Otherwise, I'll definitely go again for the story, the lyrics, the melody, the characters, all of the actors.

Tonight: A Little Night Music on Broadway

In May 2006, I wanted to believe it when Stephen Sondheim told me that a revival of A Little Night Music was being talked about and that "Angie would be perfect as the old lady." Would my dream of finally seeing Angela Lansbury on Broadway come to fruition? Yes! But not in A Little Night Music - not that I'll complain about the several benefit performances and the two plays she did.

Alas, years passed and we still had no revival of Sondheim's most intimate and adult musical work and I was beginning to lose hope.

Then in April 2008, I saw a production in Baltimore and just knew that it would be the one to finally transfer to Broadway. But, it took a high profile production in London to finally do the trick.

Tonight, 36 years after the opening of the original A Little Night Music on Broadway, we finally get a revival.

Tonight is the first preview of an open run. The stars are Catherine Zeta-Jones (Broadway debut), Angela Lansbury (5 time Tony winner) and Alexander Hanson (Broadway debut). Supporting cast members are Ramona Mallory (Broadway debut), Hunter Ryan Herdlicka (Broadway debut), Leigh Ann Larkin, Erin Davie, Aaron Lazar, Bradley Dean, Marissa McGowan, Betsy Morgan, Karen Murphy, Jayne Paterson and Kevin David Thomas.

A wonderful connection tying this production to the original is that Ramona Mallory, who will be Anne Egerman, is the daughter of Victoria Mallory and Mark Lambert, who played Anne and Henrick in the original production.

Notably, Alexander Hanson is reprising his role as Frederick Egerman from the London production. This also marks Angela Lansbury's 13th full production on Broadway (did you know that 13 is my lucky number?)!

I have been watching the comings and goings at the Walter Kerr Theatre for weeks and tonight I'll finally be in the house. I'm practically sitting near heaven in the cheapest seat in the balcony, however it is yet to be seen if I'll actually feel like I'm in heaven. I'll say my chances are pretty good.

Tonight: 2009 Tucker Gala Concert!

Richard Tucker (1913-1975) is considered one of America's greatest tenors. He sang 724 performances with the Metropolitan Opera plus was broadly recorded. He was profoundly civic and religious minded and devoted himself to helping others both in the music world and general community assistance.

After his death in 1975, The Richard Tucker Music Foundation was founded as a "non-profit cultural organization dedicated to perpetuating the artistic legacy of the great American tenor through the support and advancement of the careers of talented American opera singers by bringing opera into the community." The Foundation offers free performances in New York Metropolitan area and supports music education programs.

Each year the Richard Tucker Music Foundation annually awards cash prizes to individual U.S. born singers. There is no application process, only nomination. Prestigous in name and in association to previous winner, it is monetarily generous and acts to further highten the winning artist's career, usually one who is already on the brink of success. The first winner, in 1978, was Rockwell Blake. Other winners were Brandon Jovanovich, Lawrence Brownlee, Eric Cutler, Matthew Polenzani, John Relyea, Joyce DiDonato, Christine Goerke, Gregory Turay, Stephanie Blythe, Patricia Racette, David Daniels, Dwayne Croft, Paul Groves, Jennifer Larmore, Ruth Ann Swenson, Deborah Voigt, Renée Fleming, Margaret Jane Wray, Richard Leech, Harry Dworchak, Dolora Zajick, Aprile Millo, Roger Roloff, Susan Dunn, J. Patrick Raftery, Barry McCauley and Diana Soviero.

The foundation also awards the Richard Tucker Career Grant (notably Susan Graham) and the Sara Tucker Study Grant. I have been fortunate to have seen many of recipients of each of these awards perform in recital or concerts in and around New York and in operas at the Met, the Chicago Lyric and the WNO. Each year the Foundation presents a concert of past winners and current winners. This year's winner is Stephen Costello, tenor.

The program was excellent. The singers seemed to enjoy the event as much as the audience. It was sheer fun. This year's Fashion Award went to Maria Guleghina, who rocked it in a purple gown, adorned with sparkles. Over this, she wore a white fur stole/jacket!*** The audience ooooohed when she took the stage as Lady Macbeth. She's such a rock star! Stephen Costello was fantastic - a young, high tenor with much passion in his voice. Susan Graham had some fun with her Vilja, conducting the audience in a bit of an encore and then cutting us off so she could have the final notes. She wore an elegant green gown. Stephanie Blythe blew the roof off with her Condotta ell'era in ceppi from Il Trovatore. Oh my God, she is so fabulous. I thought this is the most beautiful screaming in the world. Zeljko Lucic growls and leers with intensity and just knocks me dead. I just love him!

It was a treat to hear the sweet, clear voice of Hei-kyng Hong. It's clear that she's an audience favorite and looked lovely in a strapless, bedazzled light pink gown. Anna Netrebko was fabulous - her high notes were clear and gorgeous. She wore a strangely cut gown, but wore gorgeous sparkly shoes (that's an A+). The rest of the guys were fantastic - Aleksandrs Antonenko was a big hit, James Morris was solid as always and it's hard not to like Sam Ramey's Te Deum. Matthew Polenzani stepped in for ailing Joseph Colleja plus sang his own planned songs - he is just so enjoyable to watch and hear.

Barry Tucker opened the show as usual, noting that once again flower bouquets adorning the stage were foregone in deference to the economy. He also got a chuckle out of me when he announced that honored guest Peter Gelb could attend due to a tennis accident. Tennis elbow, do you think? There was no announcement that tonight's performance was taped for future radio broacast and there were no visible cameras either.

As tradition, the entire company returned to the stage for the encore of The Brindisi, from La Traviata (The Drinking Song!). This group of sopranos couldn't have had more fun. Now, only 12 more months until the next Tucker Gala!

The Program:
*Verdi, Overture to Nabucco, Members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
*Verdi, Ella mi fu rapita!...Parmi veder le lagrime" from Rigoletto, Stephen Costello
*Musorgsky, Coronation Scene from Boris Godunov, Samuel Ramey, Adam Klein, The New York Choral Society
*Arditi, Il Bacio, Anna Netrebko
*Wagner, Die Frist ist Um from Der fliegende Hollander, James Morris
*Lehar, Vilja from The Merry Widow, Susan Graham
*Puccini, E lucevan le stelle from Tosca, Aleklsandrs Antonenko, Jordan Bisch
Verdi, Final of Act I of Macbeth, Maria Guleghina, Marjorie Owens, Adam Kelin, Zeljko Lucic, Jordan Bisch, Philip Webb, The New York Choral Society
*Catalani, Ebben? Ne andro lontana from La Wally, Hei-kyung Hong
*Massenet Pourquoi me reveller from Werther, Matthew Polenzani
*Verdi, Cortigiani, vil razza dannata from Rigoletto, Zeljko Lucic
Tchaikovsky, Prostite vi, kholmi from Maid of Orleans, Maria Guleghina
*Puccini, Te Deum from Tosca, Samuel Ramey, Keith Jameson, The New York Choral Society
*Verdi, Condotta ell'era in ceppi from Il trovatore, Stephanie Blythe
*Puccini, O soave fanciulla from La Boheme, Anna Netrebko, Matthew Polenzani
*Verdi, Si pel ciel from Otello, Aleksandrs Antonenko, James Morris
*Gounod, Final trio from Faust, Kei-kyung Hong, Matthew Polenzani, Samuel Ramey
*Verdi, Act II, sc ii finale from La Traviata, Anna Netrebko, Jennifer Johnson, Stephen Costello, Keith Jameson, Zeljko Lucic, Christopher Magiera, Jordan Bisch, The New York Choral Society
ENCORE
*Verdi, The Brindisi from La Traviata, The Entire Company (except Suzi G. who split early in order to catch a train to D.C. to perform at a recital for the Supreme Court, arranged by the Tucker Foundation!)

***(The old woman sitting next to Sally was not at all pleased with our exhuberance over Gug's fur. She started screaming at us about her wearing a dead animal on her shoulders. She then threatened to slap Sally! Whoa! Rumble in the third tier!)

Lincoln Center: Celebrating 50 Years

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Commemorating this auspicious creation, a new exhibition has been installed the Donald and Mary Oenslager Gallery of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Plaza. The first performance I saw at Lincoln Center was Contact at the Vivien Beaumont. That was 2002. Since then, I have seen countless concerts, operas, plays, films, and lectures at this heaven on earth. I'll be there again tonight for the Tucker Gala. And of course, my designated library is the New York Public Libary for the Performing Arts.

Lincoln Center is the home of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, The Film Society of Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Juilliard School, Lincoln Center Theater, The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, New York City Opera, New York Philharmonic, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, and the School of American Ballet.

Every inch of Lincoln Center is dedicated to performance or teaching of performance. Venues are Alice Tully Hall, The Allen Room, Avery Fisher Hall, Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, Clark Studio Theater, Damrosch Park, Daniel and Joanna S. Rose Rehearsal Studio, David H. Koch Theater, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Gerald W. Lynch Theater, Josie Robertson Plaza, La Guardia Concert Hall, La Guardia Drama Theater, Metropolitan Opera House, Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, Morse Recital Hall, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Paul Recital Hall, Peter Jay Sharp Theater, Rose Theater, Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, Stephanie P. McClelland Drama Theater, Vivian Beaumont Theater, and The Walter Reade Theater.

The anniversary exhibit features memorabilia of everything from the actual acquisition of the land physical and plans for the buildings to memorabilia and photographs of productions, costumes, pieces of scenery and a wide variety of videos of performances from the last 50 years. Browse some of the exhibit on-line or visit the digital time capsule. The free exhibition in the gallery runs through January 6, 2010. The New Public Library for the Performing Arts is snugly tucked away at the back of Lincoln Plaza, between the Metropolitan Opera House and the Vivian Beaumont Theatre.

Costumes pictured below (click to embiggen): Beverly Sills' dress, designed by Bob Mackie, from her farewell at the New York City Opera; Leonard Bernstein's performance tuxedo; costume designed by William Ivey Long and worn by Deborah Yates in the role of the Girl in the Yellow Dress in Contact; and costume worn by Leontyne Price as Aida at the inaugural production at the Metropolitan Opera.

The 50th Anniversary Celebration of The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music opened on Broadway 50 years ago tonight. Celebrating at the Barnes and Noble Lincoln Triangle were members of the original cast, replacement cast, Anna Crouse, widow of bookwriter Russell Crowse, Richard Rodgers' daughter Mary Rodgers, representives from the Rodgers and Hammerstein Foundation, authors of books about both the stage musical and the movie musical, and fans of the work.

Opening the evening, Kate Baldwin thrilled the room when she sang the title song, The Sound of Music. Kate played Maria at St. Louis' Muny in 2005.

Laurence Maslon, author of The Sound of Music Companion, served as the moderator for the evening. The first two guests were Sam von Trapp, grandson of Maria, and Bert Fink, author of a new children's pop up book about The Sound of Music. Sam is the president of the Trapp Family Lodge in Vermont. Sam said that he saw the musical when he was around 6 years old, but his family sheltered them from it and he didn't see it again until his twenties. He also didn't realize the impact it had until he was traveling in South America and he was asked about his grandmother. He was 15 when Maria passed away. He recalled that Theodore Bikel, the original Captain von Trapp in the musical, called her "a tyrannical saint." Sam's father is Johannes, the youngest of Maria's children - and in a sense, the "Gretel." He said that the story - both the stage show and the movie - reflects the integrity of their family - willing to stand up for what was true and right.

Next, Maslon talked with Laurie Peters, “Liesl” and Brian Davies, “Rolf”. They are in their late 60s now. Brian emphasized that he didn't realize the impact of the show until almost recently. Laurie talked about the Tony nomination that was bestowed upon her, "Laurie Peters and the von Trapp children." She confessed that she didn't know what the Tony Award was!

Brian shared the story of the set for scene "16 going on 17" - there was a large, beautiful set built for the scene and they learned the dance around it. But when they got to New Haven for their out of town tryout, the set wouldn't fit in the theatre, so they had to just use a bench. The director liked it so much that they just kept the bench. He also told of the night when he accidentally pushed his bicycle into the orchestra pit. Much to his chagrin, he was called back to to Miss (Mary) Martin's dressing room...but she only want to make him feel better and did by telling him about the night that she was over exhuberant in her cartwheels during South Pacific and cartwheeled right into the pit herself.

Laurie and Brian both emphasized that Mary Martin was the leader of the pack and set the professional tone of the company. She was very warm, funny and kind, but the work and the audience mattered the most. Laurie said Mary was devoted to the children, but it wasn't a sachrine devotion at all, it was real and wise.

Finally, Theodore Bikel, the original Captain von Trapp, joined the stage. He is well into his 80s and is quite spry. He is still performing and is soon performing
his one man show, Sholom Aleichem: Laughter Through Tears, at Baruch. He himself is an immigrant from Austria - a refugee. He said the difference between his departure from Austria and that of the real Captain's was that the Captain made the choice, but he himself had no choice. When he auditioned, he already had a career as a folk musician. He took his guitar with him, and although he did sing some Broadway type tunes, he also sang a folk song. He said that, "Mary tapped Rodgers on the shoulder and said, 'we don't have to look much further do we'". Eidelweiss wasn't originally written in the score. He said that Rodgers and Hammerstein sat down at the piano in the theatre and wrote a "genuine, old Austrian folk song". The last word - "forever" - turned out to be the last word that Oscar Hammerstein wrote (he passed away August 23, 1960).

Ending the evening, Theodore Bikel sang and played Eidelweiss for us. It was truly a breathtaking and unforgettable moment.













My favorite story of the evening came from four of the original "nuns" (at least two were Bernice Saunders, who was also a nurse in South Pacific, and Mimi Vondra - feel free to comment and let me know the other two names!) They shared a long bowling alley like dressing room. They were divided into two groups, the more classically trained group and they, the musical comedy club. They would play poker in their dressing room. They also said that Patricia Neway, the Mother Abbess and the winner of the Tony for Best Featured actress, usually had a poker game going in her dressing room too.

Today: The Sound of Music 50th Anniversary Celebration

I grew up watching the movie of The Sound of Music every year. My mother saw to it that I never missed the annual broadcast, usually during the holiday season. My Aunt Beth had the lp of the movie soundtrack and I always listened to it in her den when I visited her. I knew (and still do) every song by heart. After I grew up and as soon as it was available on DVD, I had to buy it.

Although I've never seen a stage version, I am now well acquainted with the original cast album with Mary Martin. To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, Sony Masterworks Broadway has issued a restored original cast recording. Included are three unusual bonus tracks, extensive liner notes about the show's history by Bert Fink of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, and rarely seen photos of the recording sessions, held November 22, 1959, in Columbia Records' celebrated 30th Street Studios.

Today, Monday, November 16, 2009 at 5:00 PM, Barnes & Noble "Live at Lincoln" (Lincoln Triangle, 1972 Broadway at 66th Street) will present The Sound of Music: 50th Anniversary Celebration presented in conjunction with The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. Original cast members Theodore Bikel ("Captain von Trapp"), Lauri Peters ("Liesl") and Brian Davies ("Rolf") will talk about the original production, its creators and its inimitable star (the late Mary Martin). Sharing stories about Maria von Trapp, whose true-life story serves as the musical's basis, will be her grandson, Sam von Trapp. Laurence Maslon (author of The Sound of Music Companion ) will moderate the panel, which will also include Bert Fink, author of the new children's book adaptation, and the CD’s new liner notes. The event will be introduced by Ted Chapin (President of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization).

And like icing on the cake, the effervescent Kate Baldwin will be on hand to perform the title song! Perhaps her performance will serve as an audition for a revival of The Sound of Music, which was last seen on Broadway 10 years ago.

Click here to listen to tracks from the remastered album.

Tonight: Ragtime!

Ragtime at the Neil Simon Theatre on 52nd Street

Love, Loss and What I Wore at the Westside Theatre

Love, Loss and What I Wore is a series of connected tales by sisters Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron. These stories, inspired by Ilene Beckerman's little picture book as well as some of their own and their friends, are the stories of grandmothers, mothers, aunts, daughters, sisters, and friends. Centered around the clothes and accessories that we all love or loathe and the memories they invoke, the tales induce much laughter and a few tears.

The show, directed by Karen Carpenter and featuring five actresses of varying ages, is a nicely produced, but staged reading. The cast rotates every few weeks. I can imagine that actresses all over the city will be lining up around the block for a chance to join this reading. The first cast was comprised of Samantha Bee, Tyne Daly Katie Finneran, Natasha Lyonne and Rosie O'Donnell.

I saw the current cast, with Mary Birdson, Tyne Daly, Lisa Joyce, Jane Lynch, and Mary Louise Wilson, twice. They are on through this weekend. I laughed so hard over Tyne's reading of Nora Ephron's essay, "I Hate My Purse", I practically had an asthma attack. If you know me at all, you know purses are the bane of my existence!

On November 18th through December 13th, Kristen Chenoweth, Captathia Jekins, Rita Wilson, Rhea Perlman and her daughter Lucy DeVito take over.

The cast changes again on December 16th. Mary Louise Wilson resumes her role and is joined by Lucy DeVito, Katie Finneran, Capathia Jenkins, and Natasha Lyonne.

The show breaks for the Christmas and Hannukah holidays, but resumes in the New Year on January 6th with Michele Lee, Debra Monk, Tracee Ellis Ross, Casey Wilson and Katie Finneran. I will definitely go back to see this cast.

Love, Loss and What I Wore has extended through the end of March, but there's no word who will take over after January 31st. The Westside Theatre is at 407 West 43rd, between 9th & 10th Avenues. Tickets are available via Telecharge. A portion of ticket sales goes to benefit Dress For Success. Donations of nearly-new purses and professional totes are welcome and will be collected in the lobby prior to each performance.

Put up the tree before my spirit falls again.

Oh, you know I used to have such a view of The Tree...alas, I'm still stuck on the 40th floor, several blocks away (although, technically, it's still Rockefeller Center). Anyway, bring on the crazy, happy season! This year's lighting will take place on December 2nd.

It's National Opera Week!

National Opera Week begins tomorrow, November 13th. From the Opera America website:

National Opera Week will celebrate the vitality of opera in America as a contemporary cultural expression. The strength and diversity of established opera companies, community opera ensembles and opera training programs across the United States will be shared through a variety of free and accessible activities for opera lovers and newcomers to the art form. Launched with the presentation of the 2009 NEA Opera Honors in Washington, D.C., the celebration will reach from coast to coast as opera companies offer a range of free programs for the public that demonstrate the allure and accessibility of this most multi-media of the arts.

Click on their map or choose a state from the pull down menu to see all of the events in your neighorhood. What I found most intriguing was the list of opera companies and groups right here in my own back yard!

American Lyric Theater (New York, NY) www.altnyc.org
Center for Contemporary Opera (New York, NY) www.conopera.org
The Collegiate Chorale (New York, NY) www.collegiatechorale.org
Gotham Chamber Opera (New York, NY) www.gothamchamberopera.com
The Juilliard School (New York, NY) www.juilliard.edu
The Martina Arroyo Foundation (New York, NY) www.martinaarroyofoundation.org
The Metropolitan Opera (New York, NY) www.metoperafamily.org/metopera
New York City Opera (New York, NY) www.nycopera.com/
Music-Theatre Group (New York, NY) www.musictheatregroup.org
Opéra Français de New York www.ofny.org
Richard Wagner Society of New York (New York, NY) www.wagnersocietyny.org

The complexity of Send in the Clowns

In less than two weeks, we'll be at the Walter Kerr for the first preview of the first Broadway revival of A Little Night Music. It's too long in coming, but perhaps just in time. This week, my dear friend Kari at Lit-Wit offered a heartfelt paean explaining why she loves Send in the Clowns, the crowning glory of A Little Night Music.

Earlier this year on NPR's Performance Today, host Fred Child spoke with Rob Kapilow about the musical complexity of Sondheim's masterpiece in Stephen Sondheim's Clever 'Clowns'. The story includes a clip of Millicent Martin's rendition of the piece.

A brilliant take away from Rob's analysis:

Great song composers, whether it's Schubert or Sondheim, do not really set words to music. What they set is the emotion that's behind the words.

Pushkin's Little Tragedies at BAC

Alexander Pushkin, "Russia's Shakespeare", was a poet, novelist and playwright. He was born in 1799 and died young after his twentieth and final duel in 1837. Opera fans know his masterpiece novel Eugene Onegin which served as the libretto for Tchaikovsky's Onegin. This year marks the 210th anniversary of Pushkin's birth. To celebrate, the world premier in English verse of his Little Tragedies is presented at the Baryshnikov Arts Center (formerly 37 Arts) in Manhattan.

Little Tragedies is translated by Julian Henry Lowenfeld, who also serves as co-director along with Natalya Kolotova. The ensemble case includes Peter Von Berg, Robert Carin, Karen Chapman, Stephen Innocenzi, Nika Leoni, Brandon Ruckdashel, Luiz Simas, and John Leonard Thompson.

Little Tragedies also features original songs set to Pushkin's lyrics, composed by Julian Henry Lowenfield, with musical direction by Luiz Simas. The design team is Lea Orth on art, Melissa Schlachtmeyer on costumes, Derek Wright on Lighting and Stephen Innocenzi on fight direction.

Little Tragedies is four short, separate plays: The Knight-Miser, Mozart and Salieri, The Stone Gust and The Feast in Time of Plague.

The Knight-Miser featured Peter Von Berg as a rich Baron and Brandon Ruckdashel as his son Albert (both pictured here). The Baron is richest man in the world, but has denied his son any support. While Brandon is underutilized, his presence is strong. Peter Von Berg leaves no doubt that he is the strongest member of this ensemble and his delivery is powerful.

Mozart and Salieri is the most interesting of the four. It's based on Pushkin's belief that Mozart was murdered. Luiz Simas is Mozart and Julian Henry Lowenfeld is Salieri. While both actors awkwardly deliver that dialogue and seem very unpracticed, the story is beautifully interspersed with Mozart's work by Simas at the piano and vocally by soprano Nika Leoni.

The Stone Guest is a re-telling of Don Juan, this time in love triangle with his mistress Laura (the actual prototype for Carmen) and the widow Dona Anna. This is the longest of the four pieces and it felt it. Stephen Innocenzi does a nice job as Don Juan. Brandon is once again underutilized as Don Juan's exasperated servant. Dona Anna is played by Karen Jane Chapman. However, the real treat in this play is Nika Leoni as Laura and hearing her sing at the bottom of the act is worth the wait.

The final piece brings the entire cast in for The Feast in Time of Plague. It's a drunken wake for a friend, filled with recitations of poetry and song. Here, both Brandon Ruckdashel and Nika Leoni get the chance to show off their vocal talent.

I attended on opening night, which was a treat because the audience was full of Russians. Professor Nadezhda S. Braginskaya, serving as literary consultant to the production, spoke before the show. Unfortunately, she only spoke in Russian and then quite hysterically didn't want to stop. Julian Henry Lowenfeld finally emerged, in costume, and persuaded her to wrap it up.

Unfortunately, actor John Leonard Thompson was out that evening and Lowenfeld stepped in to read his lines.

The lighting and costumes were the highlight of the production itself. I would love to see Mozart and Salieri further produced. Since I am a fan of Pushkin, it was a huge treat to hear this work as it has not previously been available.

Little Tragedies runs through November 14th. Tickets are available via SmartTix.

Bernadette Peters: A Night of Sparkles

Last night at the Minskoff Theatre, usually home to The Lion King, Bernadette Peters returned to the Broadway stage in a one night only concert benefiting Broadway Barks and Broadway Cares. Eleven years ago, Bernadette officially began supporting no-kill animal shelters and the promotion of animal adoption when she and Mary Tyler Moore founded Broadway Barks. Bernadette has taken this commitment to heart as she has not only provided her celebrity status to the cause and even written a children’s book titled Broadway Barks, but even takes the time to drive from pounds to no-kill shelters, rescuing animals from imminent euthanasia.

It was a night of sparkles – at least 15,000 to be exact. Bernadette wore a purple sequined gown by her signature designer Bob Mackie. In the second act, she wore another new Bob Mackie number, this time covered in 15,000 Swarovski crystals. She noted that she has an additional 1,000 in a bag in case she loses a few...no doubt she did last night with all the dancing, prancing and cavorting she was up to!

The concert began with the slightly and appropriately re-written Into the Woods prologue. Original cast members Merle Louise, Joy Franz, Kay McClelland and Lauren Mitchell recreating their roles as Cinderella's Mother, Stepmother and Stepsisters and Mary Tyler Moore, as the narrator, arose dramatically on an elevator from below the stage. Then thrillingly, draped in a cape, Bernadette arose. She simultaneously and quite hysterically played Cinderella and the Witch and several other characters when necessary.

Bernadette and Mary shared a little history of Broadway Barks and some mutual admiration. Then immensely pleasing the audience, Bernadette segued into the theme song from the Mary Tyler Moore Show, Love is All Around, encouraging us to sing along. She even had a beret for Mary to toss into the air.

Now, Bernadette launched into a fabulous two act concert, filled with much Sondheim, some Rodgers & Hammerstein and a few standards. She said that she always sings Sondheim in concert, but had missed some beautiful songs along the way: “And tonight I remedy that.” She sang two numbers from Follies – In Buddy’s Eyes and Losing My Mind. While "In Buddy’s Eyes" was a oddly arranged and perhaps too slow, her rendition of Losing My Mind was perfect. She also added Goodbye for Now, from the soundtrack of Reds, which Sondheim also wrote.

The moment that did me in was at the bottom of Act I. Bernadette sang Some People from Gypsy. Hearing and seeing her perform that song is what made me fall in love with her to begin with. I had not heard her do that since May 30, 2004. It was absolutely thrilling and I admit that I was quite moved to tears.

For the Act II opener, things went to the dogs. As the orchestra played Rodgers & Hammerstein’s March of the Siamese Children from The King and I, dogs of all shapes, sizes and varying degrees of cuteness entered from the wings with their handlers to take center. Bernadette proceeded to greet each of them by name. She then sang a for each of them to the tune of “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah” imploring adoption for them. There were lots of oohs and ahhs from the audience – and at Bernadette’s invitation, we were allowed to take photos and she asked us to spread the word around the world by twitter and other means about pet adoption. At the end of this segment, she was joined by one of the child actors fully costumed as a baby elephant from The Lion King who proclaimed loudly, “Elephants love dogs too!”

Once she got back to the business of singing, she never missed beat. Her energy on stage is unmatched, and Bernadette always inhabits each song, whether it’s a love song or of comedic nature. Some moments will practically break your heart – in this case Not a Day Goes By – and then she thrills you like no other with Johanna. A very special song inclusion was a tender reprise of Children and Art. Bernadette sat for this, covered in shawls, just as she was Marie in Sunday in the Park with George.

She followed that with Being Alive. If this was all, it would have been enough. But she had to do it – she did the Turn. Earlier in the evening, she had introduced in the audience Margaret Styne, Jule Styne’s widow, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim. She called them – Styne, Laurents, Sondheim – geniuses. She talked about what inhabiting that character of Rose in the greatest musical meant to her as she put on a sweater and changed into more sensible pair of heels. She then went directly into the monologue before Rose’s Turn, which she proceeded to knock out of the park.

I later told Bernadette, at the celebration at Blue Fin, that it was her best concert I had been too, and that was saying something since I had been to a lot. I successfully elicited a laugh from her. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait another five years before she returns to Broadway, where she belongs.


The set list (perhaps out of order):
Love is All Around
Another Hundred People
No One Is Alone
There Is Nothing Like a Dame
Fever
When I Marry Mr. Snow
Some Enchanted Evening
In Buddy's Eyes
Losing My Mind
Goodbye for Now
Some People

--- INTERMISSION---

Dog intro (tune of Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh)
Somebody, Somewhere
Oh, Shenandoah
Not a Day Goes By
Johanna
When You Wish Upon a Star
Children and Art
Being Alive

Encore: Rose's Turn
2nd Encore: Kramer’s Song, Bernadette’s dog who joined her on stage

Eleanor's home of her own

Almost every fall since I've lived in Manhattan, I've made the treck up to Hyde Park. It's the home of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, as well as the Vanderbilt Mansion (summer home of William Vanderbilt).

This year's trek took place on Saturday, November 7th, the very day in 1944, on which Franklin D. Roosevelt was re-elected to fourth term as president. It was during the Second World War, and the incumbent FDR heftily defeated Thomas E. Dewey (fact: I used to work at Dewey Ballantine).

On my must-see radar but previously more or less inconvenient to visit on previous trips was Eleanor Roosevelt's home, Val-Kill. Thanks to Roxie and her caddy, the visit included Val-Kill.

Val-Kill was once the Roosevelt family retreat, but also served as the location of Val-Kill Industries which was created by Eleanor and her friends as an exercise to assist rural men and women with supplemental income. Val-Kill Industries was a furniture factory for high quality replicas and adaptations of early American furniture made by local farmers. After it closed in 1936, Eleanor remodeled the manufacturing building as a home of her own.

Val-Kill was the one and only home that Eleanor owned:

ER considered Val-Kill to be her first real home, the place where she "emerged as an individual," the place she "used to find myself and grow." She had spent much of her childhood in her grandmother's homes and much of her adulthood in homes provided by, and ruled over, by Sara Delano Roosevelt, her mother-in-law. The cottage gave her a place of her own to which she could invite her friends and where she could exercise her growing independence from Sara and from FDR. Val-Kill served as a peaceful place where ER could write and restore her energy and a relaxed gathering place for family and friends, but it was also her base of operations. She wrote many of her books and columns at Val-Kill. As she later told friends, "Val-Kill is something of my own."

Source: Val-Kill: A Brief History

It's a peaceful spot and I imagined seeing Eleanor there, continuing her work as First Lady of the World, a fighter for justice and human rights, and arguably the most influential woman of the 20th century. Her home was cozy and lovingly, if simply, decorated. Photographs covered the walls and memorabilia from her life's work was scattered about. A hit with us was "Tommy's Liquor Closet", a small kitchen in the living quarters of Eleanor's long time secretary, Malvina Thompson. (FYI, my "kitchen" is henceforth known as Tommy's Liquor Closet.)

We stopped at the FDR as well as the Vanderbilt Mansion and even drove over to New Paltz so we could see where Roxie and Kevin were bright, young co-eds. Kari was our official photographer of the day, capturing all the spirit and laughter, as well as some very nerdy moments (best souvenir ever: Eleanor Roose-finger-velt).

Bernadette is back on Broadway tonight!

A Little Night Music: Send in the Load In