Profile for YipHarburg

KITSCH MUSEUM

Can't help thinking how excited BigFatBlonde would have been.

That is a pity. I saw Grammer in SWEENEY TODD and it was embarrassing. His MACBETH was dismal. He played the same character for twenty years... his acting muscles are pretty atrophied by now and George is a much more difficult role than you'd think. George is the gracious peace-keeper - with splash of theatricality - who is divided by the selfish wants of his son and his love for his partner. Grammar's schtick is playing pompous. He would be much more suited for Dindon. I saw both the origina...

Is Channing confusing a backstage visit from Merman with seeing Merman in GYPSY? Those two qoutes from Merman are clearly lines from the GYPSY. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2hEMG6D_Tw&NR=1

What is Jennifer Holliday up to? No one sings "angry" better!

Well I remember for WHOREHOUSE, NINE and GRAND HOTEL they were essentially one-set with all action bordered by the constant reminder of the set's strict parameters. For me they were like watching the show in a snow globe or a petri dish. I remember having a similar reaction seeing the first act of GREY GARDENS.. but in that case the sense of confinement re-enforced the central character's oppressive circumstances. In act two the frame was broken and audience's imagination was less restricted....

She reminds me of Mary Roach from AMERICAN IDOL. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUyKpfbB9M8 I wonder if they are related.

What I meant by "self-limited" was for those first three shows Tune chose to work in specific spacial confines ... so much so that the audience was forced to focus on the world only within the proscenium.. however so much musical material is emotionally expansive. It inspires your imagination to stretch the picture presented to you. However with Tune you are always forced back into the box. As an audience member I found it frustrating and claustrophobic. With the later two works Tune allowed ...

"Absolutely pal, and to quote our friend Jerry Robbins-"if it works- take it. Borrow it- steal it- make it your own" that's certainly what Tune did here" I see your point. After all Jews were dancing with bottles on their heads way before FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. At the end of the day I still don't see what is so great about Tune as director/choreographer. WHOREHOUSE, NINE and GRAND HOTEL made me feel claustrophobic with his self-limited use of space. WILL ROGERS and GOES PUBLIC were bigger canva...

I'm probably in the minority, but I've always found him to be a so-so director and choreographer. The "sit-down" segment of FAVORITE SON was the one bit of Tune staging that really sparkled for me. Oh well... Go to 1:15 to see the Tune version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9-1XutZfPY

It is heart-warming to see such positive reviews so far. I've loved this show all my life and I'm glad to see it alive on Broadway after so many years. Congratulations to everyone involved!

As much as I adore Ella Logan in the OBC recording, I find myself listening to 1960 revival most. It really is the best. Also, the film Soundtrack is pretty good.. if only for Petula Clark.

Interesting... I have privately thought of all the shows Sondheim wrote with Weidman as the "histories," a classification we use in the same way we describe a number of Shakespeare's plays.

Michael Bennett, I saw Caldwell and Lupone multiple times, Dunaway 1 1/2 times. As a showman and in-general performer I appreciate LuPone, as an actress I am not as enthusiastic. However, to be fair, LuPone did a splendid job. I remember McNally commenting that LuPone brought her innate sense of music to the stage, which I agree with. LuPone's big handicap was following Caldwell. Replacing was something I recall she never did as a rule, but at the time to be ask to follow Caldwell was somethi...

http://www.playbill.com/playblog/?p=2037 Caldwell created one of the most extraordinary performances I have ever seen. Caldwell filled your soul with a love of art and an appreciation for humanity. Truly Miraculous. Dunaway not only tortured her "students" but the audience as well. Same play, same set, same costumes, same director... but OY! Caldwell made you love theatre and art, Dunaway made you hate theatre and loathe art. Still.. I'll be first in line to see it. Either way it promises to ...

For my money, the "miscegenation scene" from SHOW BOAT is not only the best scene ever written for musical theatre, but probably the most important scene ever written in musical theatre. Without the success of that scene SHOW BOAT is just a soap-operetta. That scene alone took musical theatre to the next level which allowed for dangerous topics to be explored. Almost a century later it is still packs a punch that nothing the "so-called" shocking shows (from WEST SIDE STORY to SPRING AWAKENING...

A classic example of this is the original production of the musical version of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. Underneath the ugly set, laughable costumes and awkward staging was a much better show waiting to be discovered.

Did Dorothy have a gap in her teeth?

A wonderful talent with an enviable career. Thanks for the great performances, Marilyn!

Yay!!!!!!