December 14, 1932- George Furth: "You need to marry somebody, not just some body." Furth first came to my attention as the writer of the book for the musical Company (1970), which I have always loved, but somehow seems even more astoundingly good today than when I first saw it … [Read more...]
#ICYMI: Stephen Sondheim’s “Take Me To the World” 90th Birthday Celebration Was Amazing! Watch
A super-starry line-up of Broadway favorites toasted Stephen Sondheim with a once-in-a-lifetime concert event on his 90th birthday. A benefit for ASTEP. Hosted by Raul Esparza ASTEP was conceived by Broadway Musical Director Mary-Mitchell … [Read more...]
#BornThisDay: Composer / Lyricist, Stephen Sondheim
Screen-shot from Charlie Rose (2015), PBS March 22, 1930– Stephen Sondheim: "The outsider feeling, somebody who people want to both kiss and kill, occurred quite early in my life." Today we celebrate the birthday of Stephen Sondheim, my favorite theatre composer … [Read more...]
Stephen Sondheim’s “Follies” Is Finally Going to be the Movie It Was Always Meant to Be
"Good times and bum times, I've seen 'em all, and my dear, I'm still here!" After countless failed attempts over the last forty-some years, the Tony and Olivier Award-winning Stephen Sondheim musical, Follies, is finally … [Read more...]
Director Richard Linklater Will Film Musical “Merrily We Roll Along” Over the Next 20 Years!
Linklater at the premiere of "Where'd You Go, Bernadette?" in New York, August 2019 You gotta get stars of the right age for a project like this. Beanie Feldstein, Blake Jenner and Ben Platt will star in an adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim musical [Read more...]
#RIP: Broadway Legend, Hal Prince
Masters Of Broadway, via YouTube Born Harold Smith Prince in 1928, in New York City, he is known in the biz as ''Hal'' Prince, and if you are not a theatre person, all you need to know is that over the span of his 70-year career, he took home 21 Tony Awards, more than any … [Read more...]
#QueerQuote: “Everybody’s Just Lovin’ Everybody Else Just Too Much For My Money.” – Elaine Stritch, on Showbiz
Elaine Stritch (1923 - 2014) Why did I choose the career that I chose? I want to be talked about. I want to be written about. I want everything about me! And I don’t make any bones about that.” Stritch is one of my favorite showbiz figures, plus she's my Doppelgänger. I wish … [Read more...]
#BornThisDay: Composer, Mary Rodgers
Mary Rodgers was a composer and songwriter whose musical Once Upon A Mattress (1959), based on the Hans Christian Andersen story, The Princess And The Pea, is playing somewhere in the world every day. She was part of a line of musical theatre composers: Richard Rodgers, … [Read more...]
#QueerQuote: ”Good Times and Bum Times, I’ve Seen ‘Em All and, My Dear, I’m Still Here.” – Carlotta Campion, ”Follies”
I'm Still Here is a great show-stopping number from the great Stephen Sondheim musical Follies (1971) where it is sung by former Follies showgirl named Carlotta Campion. The role was originally played by Yvonne De Carlo. I'm Still Here was written during the Boston … [Read more...]
#QueerQuote: “You Gotta Have a Gimmick, If You Wanna Have a Chance.” – Miss Mazeppa in “Gypsy”
Faith Dane was the original Mazeppa in Gypsy (1959) the landmark musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and book by Arthur Laurents. Dane was a friend of From Here to Eternity (1951) writer James Jones. He gave her a bugle as a gag gift. He … [Read more...]
