Profile for J. BOWDEN HAPGOOD

Best: The Music Man (1962 with the amazing Robert Preston) West Side Story Worst: Bye Bye Birdie ( one of my favorites on stage; the script changes for the film are detestable.) South Pacific (not just the gels but also for the acting: WORST I've ever seen in a musical. Gotta question Joshua Logan's directorial abilities.)

I've heard stories of men bringing small TV sets to the theatre during football or baseball playoffs so they could watch the game during the performance. Never actually seen it myself, but some friends swear it happens. Anyone else see this happen?

I really like "Flower Drum Song" which is usually deemed the most minor of Rodgers & Hammerstein's achievements; but personally I feel it is their best score.

Until Webber started soiling Broadway my least favorite "popular" show was "Fiddler"; But now I absolutely loathe "Phantom", "Joseph" and (worst of all:) "Cats". Just total dreck. I also hate "The Wiz" which I don't think anyone has mentioned yet. Love "Urinetown", "Avenue Q", "Finians Rainbow" "Music Man" and "Lil Abner"

"COMES ONCE IN A LIFETIME" from Subways are for Sleeping "HALF A SIXPENCE" from Half a Sixpence

My former girlfriend once told me about a horrible high school production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" that she appeared in. I'm not familiar with the show, but evidently there's a scene in the show where Jesus is up on the cross and a chorus of Roman guards are dancing around him stabbing him with fake spears. Somehow at one performance a REAL spear used elsewhere in the show got mixed up with the fake ones: so at one point in the dance the Roman guard with the real spear stabs at the actor p...

There's going to be a production of "It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's Superman" at the Wagon Wheel Summer Theatre from July 6th to July 16th. This is a rarely produced Strouse/ Adams musical from 1966. I've heard the score and it is a blast. I know this is the longest of long shots BUT: Is anyone in the Chicago area interested in seeing this production next month?