Just in time for Angie Day 2012

The 6th Annual Angie Day is January 30, 2012 and plans are shaping up for the annual celebration.  First, with a huge huzzah!, Angela Lansbury is the TCM Star of the Month for January 2012.  Wednesdays in January will be chock-full of her movies, including Sweeney Todd with George Hearn!    Second, with perfect symmetry, January 30th is the first day of rehearsal for the new Broadway revival of The Best Man, which stars Angela.  

Happy Angie Day, indeed

For the last five years, I have celebrated Angie Day.  Every year around January 30th, magical things connected to Angela Lansbury happen therefore I proclaimed it a day of celebration.
 
This year, to the celebrate the Fifth Annual Angie Day, I threw a party.  We listened to some select recordings and then watched home videos of stage performances, a couple of episodes of Murder, She Wrote and ended the evening with The Manchurian Candidate, which is arguably her best film appearance and one of the best, period.     Needless to say, laughs and champagne flowed. 

Like clockwork, within days of Angie Day, yesterday I was informed by my friend Susan, a Scot and fellow Angie fan, of more joyous news.  Angela will join the British series Downton Abbey as "Lady Elizabeth Crawley." 

Fortunately for us yanks, Downton Abbey was imported by PBS as part of its Masterpiece Classic series.   Downton Abbey, the story of a noble family and their servants in the years immediately prior to World War I,  was written by Julian Fellowes, who won the Oscar for Gosford Park.

My fellow Anglophiles and I were glued to this series on PBS and I have already watched and re-watched the UK version on iTunes.    The cast is out of this world and Dame Maggie Smith as "Lady Violet the Dowager Countess," is nothing less than divine.  I have no doubt that we will be in for a treat as we watch Angela as "Lady Elizabeth" face off against "Lady Violet."  I believe the two characters are sisters-in-law and most likely nemeses.

Filming for Series 2 will begin in March and will air on ITV in the UK in the fall, according to the Guardian.  Of course, we may not see the episode on PBS until the next Angie Day, but we know it's on its way!  

Furthermore, Angela, who has just finished filming Mr. Popper's Penguins
 which is due out in theatres this summer, will be in England around March.  One could speculate that she might extend her stay  across the pond and accept the role as "Mrs. Higgins" in the upcoming West End production of Pygmalion , opposite her former co-star Rupert Everett.  Could 2011 be the year that her CBE is finally upraded to DBE?   She's already a Grand Dame to us after all. 

So, happy Angie Day everybody!

Happy Birthday to Angela Lansbury!

On February 8, 2010, I had the great pleasure of volunteering for the Drama League at their annual gala - this one in particular was celebrating the career of Angela Lansbury.    The entire show was comprised of loving renditions of showstoppers from productions that Angela had performed in.   The 11 o'clock number of the evening was a fabulous send off to Angie - opened by Bernadette Peters who was joined by a number of Broadway's young leading men.

The "new" lyrics to Mame, the title song to Jerry Herman's 1966 that provided Angela a vehicle to stardom, were written by Stephen Cole especially fo the occasion of the Drama League Gala.   The men were dressed in top hats and tails and were joined at the end by the entire cast, including Ms. Lansbury.   It was thrilling!

In honor of Angela's birthday - today, October 16th - I am sharing (after the Theatre Aficionado especially procured them at my bidding)  Stephen's terrific "new" lyrics.  They sum up how I - how we all - feel about her!  So Happy Birthday, Angie!

BERNADETTE PETERS:
Do you hear that vamp, Angie? For over two years at the Winter Garden theater, a large group of amorous men serenaded you with this great Jerry Herman song eight times a week. They called you Mame then, but tonight, we wanted to personalize it a little bit...

ANGIE (MAME)
Special Material Lyric by Stephen Cole
Music by Jerry Herman

BERNADETTE PETERS:
YOU SET THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD ON ITS EAR
ANGIE
YOU'VE HAD A SEVEN DECADE CAREER
(IT’S STILL GOIN’ ON)
ANGIE

Angie, the leading men of Broadway salute you!

(She exits as Cheyenne enters. Each man enters on his line until all ten are assembled)

CHEYENNE JACKSON:

YOUR TEEN WERE SPENT IN HOLLYWOOD
FAMOUS WERE THE ELBOWS THAT YOU RUBBED

CHRISTOPHER SIEBER:

YOU SANG WITH JUDY GARLAND
BUT THAT WAS MGM, SO YOU WERE DUBBED

BERNARD:

YOUR MRS. LOVETT MADE CRITICS RISE

TRIO: ANGIE

BERNARD:

THEY’D BETTER, OR YOU’LL BAKE ‘EM IN PIES

TRIO:  ANGIE

WILL SWENSON:

YOU ONLY HAVE TO SHOW AND A TONY WILL BE WAITING AT YOUR DOOR

MALCOLM:

IN RAGS OR DRAPED IN ERMINE WHO
SANG SONDHEIM, STYNE AND HERMAN?

WHO...

CHRISTOPHER SIEBER:

...OUTBELTED ETHEL MERMAN?

ALL FIVE:  YOU!

ANGIE

CHAD:

WELL FERME MY BOUCHE
AND SLAPPA MY THIGHS
YOU SURE MAKE THE GROSSES AND AUDIENCE RISE YOU WALK ON A STAGE AND YOU TURN EVERY HEAD

ALL SIX:  ANGIE

JAMES BARBOUR:

WELL, STRIKE ME SILLY
AND HERE’S A QUOTE
“YOU KILLED ALL THE PEOPLE WITH “MURDER SHE WROTE’”
YOU WALKED IN THE ROOM
AND SOMEBODY’S DEAD!

ALL SEVEN:  ANGIE

MICHAEL:

YOU WERE ELVIS’S MOTHER

DERRICK BASKIN:

THO YOU WERE TOO YOUNG

BOTH:

BUT THAT’S NOT THE CAUSE OF YOUR FAME

DAVID:

NO, YOU HAD TO WAIT FOR YOUR ULTIMATE FATE

(SUNG)

WHEN YOU SLID DOWN THE BANNISTER AS MAME (DANCE SECTION)

ALL:

YES, WE’RE ALL GLAD YOU’RE BACK ON BROADWAY ANGIE AND, WE ALL PRAY THAT YOU’RE GONNA STAY ANGIE


(Two of the men go down to bring Lansbury to the stage)

ALL:

WE LOVE TO CALL YOU MADAM
THAT’S MADAM ARMFELT
ALSO MADAM ROSE

PRODUCERS LOVE TO CALL YOU
CAUSE THEY KNOW IF YOU SIGN
THEY’LL NEVER CLOSE

YOU MAKE US GIDDY AND ALL AT SEA
ANGIE
YOU MAKE US MODULATE UP A KEY
ANGIE

LET’S FACE IT, WE’RE ALL CRAZY
YES, CRAZY FOR YOU AND YOU ARE TO BLAME

WE MADE THIS ROOM DELUXE FOR YOU

BERNARD:

I SQUEEZED INTO MY TUX FOR YOU

ALL:

THEY PAID NINE HUNDRED BUCKS FOR YOU

ANGIE….

ALL (+ WOMEN):

VELVETA TURNS TO BRIE FOR YOU
BLUE STATES AND RED AGREE FOR YOU

JUST MEN:

LOOK HERE, I’M ON ONE KNEE FOR YOU

ALL:

ANGIE! ANGIE!

ANGIE! ANGIE! ANGIE!!!

From an exuberant attendee at the Drama League Gala - not me!
 

MAME - from the 1983 Broadway Revival

Another Last Performance, i.e Angie Day, Summer Edition

.e.

Maybe it was because I was with dear friends. Maybe it was because we were seated 5th row center in house seats. Maybe it was because it might have been Angela Lansbury's last performance in a full Broadway show.  BUT I declare that this was the BEST live performance that I have personally seen Angela give, hands down - and I saw her many times in Deuce and Blithe Spirit and a number of benefit concerts.

It's no secret that I complained about the casting, the lack of orchestra, the sets, the costumes and production in general of this much anticipated revival of A Little Night Music on Broadway. 

But the stars aligned early yesterday afternoon.  The entire cast was perfection and for the first time, I was oblivious to all which had bothered me before.    All of the supporting cast members played their characters much more delicately and with lovely nuance than I had seen them last, which was way back in January. 

Angela's "Liaisons" was nothing short of miraculous.  She was not able to hold back the personal emotions and played it with heartfelt emotion, this time with tenderness and sadness rather than sarcasm and disgust.    It was absolutely beautiful to see this rendition.  I am still savoring every second in my mind.   I could hear my fellow audience members sighing and sniffling when she was finished.  She seemed to be holding back from weeping.

Lest we forget it was her last day too, Catherine Zeta-Jones was spectacular.  She unabashedly wore her emotions on her sleeve and never held back.   At the end of "Send in the Clowns", her tears were falling freely from her eyes - as she bent her head, I could see them falling to her lap - and at the end she could only whisper the last words.  It was breathtaking.   Again, there were possibly no dry eyes in the house, including my own.  The applause was loud and long. 

During the curtain call, Catherine had us all sit from our long standing ovation.  She stated that the best part of her experience of being on Broadway was getting to be in this show with Angela and that she hopes she has the career that she has. She basically turned this into a love letter to Angela and went as far as getting down on the floor of stage and bowing down to her over and over.   It was a classy and beautiful thing to see.  

I'm definitely glad I went one more time, and on this day in particular - and I'm grateful to my friend Alan for assisting in getting me the great seats.    Before the show, Byrne, Kevin and I were waiting for our other friend Donald to arrive when a lady approached me and introduced herself as a follower of my adventures.  It's always fun to meet new friends! That was so fun and later she joined us for great conversation at Angus McIndoe's (over 6 hours of conversation!) (and oh my goodness - revelation, Donald is a Prettybelle lover too!).  At Angus', we saw some Broadway types and stars and best of all Brian Murray who played Lord Shrewsbury in our favorite of last summer Mary Stuart - we had just been discussing Mary Stuart when he popped in and I shouted, "Lord Shrewsbury!".  He greeted each of us and was astounded that we were still talking about that play even after a year.   It was a great topper to a great day to meet him.

Happy Angie Day!

Happy Fourth Annual Angie Day!   Where has the time gone?  Five years ago, I was so certain that I would never see Angela Lansbury perform in a full Broadway production, I flew out to LA to see her in a reading (worth it). Now, we not only celebrate her for being back on Broadway but in three full productions - Deuce, Blithe Spirit and best of all, the Sondheim musical A Little Night Music.  She added a Tony for Best Supporting Actress in a Play to her collection of four Tony's for Leading Actress in a Musical and come June 13th, she might just win a record sixth Tony award!

To celebrate the day, I'm having a spot of tea,  pre-ordering Murder, She Wrote: The Complete Eleventh Season (due out this Tuesday, Feb 2nd!), reading the Spring 2010 issue of The Sondheim Review, upon which Angela graces the cover, and anticipating all of the upcoming events I'm attending at which Angela is either being honored or is performing.

Happy 3rd Annual Angie Day!

Two years ago today, I proclaimed today as Angie Day. There are all kinds of things to commemorate and celebrate on this Angie Day! On February 17th, the box set of the Ninth Season of Murder, She Wrote will be released. Recently, my Angela Lansbury as Mame earrings arrived from Broadway Cares. It turns out that it really is a Christmas ornament but it's too pretty to be put on a tree. And within days of the arrival of Mame tchochke, Divas!, the beautiful book celebrating the photography of Kenn Duncan arrived. Angie graces the cover and my coffee table! Best of all, rehearsals for Blithe Spirit began on Monday. On February 5th, the box office at the Shubert Theatre opens and we shall be buying tickets for this much anticipated revival that brings Angela Lansbury back to Broadway once again. The first preview is February 26th. So, Happy Angie Day to one and all!

Proclamation

I hereby proclaim this day as Angie Day. It really is a banner day. My tickets to Deuce just arrived and Amazon says that my 5th Season DVD set of Murder, She Wrote will arrive any minute. Wooohooo! Happy Angie Day to one and all!