Bits and Pieces for 07.04.10

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, USA!

LOOKS LIKE THE POLL IS WORKING!  VOTING IS ONE OF THE MOST PATRIOTIC THINGS WE DO, SO DO IT!

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED THIS WEEK!

Click on each link to see the articles you might have missed.

• Broadway Puzzle: A Word Game    (Answer is at the bottom of today's blog)
• In Memoriam: John Willis
• CD Review: Promises, Promises (The New Broadway Cast Recording)
• Broadway Boys: Mr. July 2010
• Poll Results: In the Good Ol' Summertime
• Best of the Decade: The Guilty Pleasures

READERS WRITE - I RESPOND!

I got a letter this week from Joanie P. from Yonkers, NY, which I thought I'd share.  It was attached to my review of the CD for Promises, Promises.  Since it isn't really related to that, I thought I'd respond here, instead. She writes:

JK,

I really love your blog!  But I have one negative comment to leave.  Why do you insist on reviewing CDs of Broadway shows?  Nobody buys CDs anymore!  Get with the program, sir. iTunes is all anybody does anymore!

Otherwise, keep up the good work.

Joanie P.

Joanie P.,

Thanks for reading and taking the time to write.  I really appreciate it.

I review CDs because I buy CDs.  You are reading the thoughts of a man who has a huge collection of Broadway Cast Recordings on vinyl!  It was hard enough not having those anymore.  Maybe you are too young to remember buying records, but there was something about having that (comparatively) huge record in hand, usually full of large pictures from the show, plus liner notes, and, if you were lucky, all of the words were on the inside paper sleeve.  Now, CDs have much better sound clarity, sure, and I love CDs that come with full booklets.  But they are just not the same as records.  So imagine how I feel about downloading just songs.

I know about downloading music - MP3's, iPods, all that stuff.  But I prefer to have something in hand when I buy Broadway. (Don't even get me started about e-tickets!) 

So, Joanie, in the future, please skip the brief notes that I write about the CD particulars and go right to the review of the music...it is the same thing, without reading about the CD!  And please write again!

Jeff

P.S.:  Did you like the music from the New Broadway Cast of Promises, Promises?

SO LONG, FAREWELL!

Two Broadway shows are scheduled to close this week, both on July 11:

• Everyday Rapture - See you soon, I hope, Sherie Rene Scott!  And next time in a real, decent Broadway show, ok?
• Fences -  Another case where they made their money back, but no one really got to see the show.  At least this time, there is a proposed film version with this cast in the works.  $10.50 I can afford, $426.50 (couldn't they at lease waive the restoration fee for tickets this expensive?) not so much.  Come back soon, Viola.  And Denzel, if you come back, leave the arrogant superiority at home.  You are a great actor, but your people skills suck.

BROADWAY ON TV

Did you happen to catch "America Celebrates the 4th of July at Ford's Theatre" on TV Friday night?  I only saw part of it, but managed to see everything Broadway related - Montego Glover belted the hell out of "Colored Woman" from Memphis, Dick Van Dyke did an awesome medley of songs, and the touring cast of Mary Poppins including Laura Michelle Kelly and Gavin Lee did "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"  (I always want to learn that dance every time I see it!).

BROADWAY BY THE NUMBERS:

• 64: The number of performances left to see Ruthie Henshall in Chicago.  She leaves the show on August 29th (she's extended now three times, but don't wait!).

Happy Birthday last week to:

06/27: Michael Ball (Aspects of Love, The Woman in White)
06/28: Mary Stuart Masterson (Nine)
06/29: Emily Skinner (The Full Monty, SideShow)
06/30: David Alan Grier (Race)
07/01: Terrence Mann (The Addams Family, Cats)
07/02: Jarrod Emick (Damn Yankees, The Boy from Oz)
07/03: Betty Buckley (Sunset Boulevard, Cats, Drood)

The answers to this week's Broadway Puzzle:

A.  Taylor                              H.  title of show
B.  Fran Kubelik                     I.  Blithe Spirit
C.  Pippin                              J.  LaPaglia
D.  Wicked                            K.  Arthur Laurents
E.  La Cage aux Folles         L.  Goldman
F.  Hair                                M.  Memphis
G.  Jerry Mitchell                   N.  Twyla Tharp

Clue:  A mash-up of classic Broadway lyrics and a likely 2008 Broadway news headline.

Curtain Up!  Light the lights!  The Best Musical is In the Heights!


Comments?  Leave one here or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com.
Jeff