Profile for Derrickg

Just want to mention the '94 JAY recording, notable for including the complete score -- all the original dance music, including Small House. While Valerie Masterson and Christopher Lee are not my favorite Anna and King, Tinuke Olafimihan is a fine Tuptim, and it's nice to have all the music. But for me it's one of those scores that requires multiple recordings.

The one time Gypsy won Best Revival (1990), it was up against the first revival of Sweeney, a musical so dark it actually makes Gypsy look sunny by comparison, the Dustin Hoffman Merchant, and a creaky 1921 Somerset Maugham revival, the rasion d'etre of which was to give Rex Harrison one last Broadway outing (this was back before the category was split in 1994 into plays and musicals). All that to say, I don't think that one win for Gypsy as a revival proves its popularity overall. And of cou...

I agree with much of what's been stated... Gypsy had been seen so often and South Pacific hadn't been on Broadway in many years, plus the LC production of SP was so gorgeous and respectfully done... But I would also say it's sort of the same reason Sound of Music won over Gypsy in 1959. R&H tell you something you want to hear... Like if you love God and your family you can beat the Nazis (it helps to be white and Christian), or if you're a hick from the sticks you can learn to overcome racism...

"Well, it was nice of them not to call the cops on the poor assistant who had to fish it out of a dumpster." Isn't that Michael Urie?

The DVD of the original Broadway cast was released in the summer of 2003, so the commentary is from after the KC production, which is the last time "I Love Fosca" was used, as far as I can tell. It was not in the Lincoln Center concert, the Chicago Shakespeare production, or the Donmar.

Just wanted to say, I think dramaturg without the e at the end is more accepted now. Also wanted to say, I think they must be thinking of Lynn Thomson with the use of the term dramaturg as a misnomer for script doctor.

I just kind of thought Ranson seemed right for the character. We'll see about the singing. I'm sure Mazzie will turn in a fine, professional performance, but I guess I don't see her as having the intensity for the role. I found her very effective in N2N because she was simple and real -- no small feat for an actress singing her way through a rock score. But for Margaret I think you need someone who can be more outrageous and powerful. And I'd prefer a steelier belt. Come to think of it, while...

I hate to be the dissenting voice, because I love the Carrie material and I'd like to see this revamp succeed, but I wasn't terribly impressed with the presentation last night. Of course, we just saw a tiny percentage of what is apparently a really rewritten show and I'd be happy to be proven wrong, but the one new song we heard -- "Shine" -- didn't strike me as any less generic and insipid than either of the two previous Sue songs, "It Hurts to Be Strong" and "White Star." And while Ranson s...

He was in the 2 parts of Henry IV @ The Public in 1991.

"And I hope Patti tells the story of her telling someone (me) about getting cast as Norma Desmond in a drag bar bathroom. She told me years later that I was the first person she 'announced' it to." She does say that! And it's hilarious. It's a fun book. While she leaves out plenty and obviously we're only getting her side of the story, I actually felt like I understood some of her "diva" behavior I've heard about more. Screaming and throwing things is a type of behavior I'll never really unde...

Now it can be told ... I had heard a rumor months before the Encores Gypsy was even announced that Laurents had agreed to direct LuPone in Gypsy for a summer run at City Center, with the understanding that there would be an after-life for the production and that he and LuPone both wanted Broadway (not London). I had some pretty strong doubts about it at the time, but it did end up happening, despite Brantley. Has anybody heard anything similar about this Damn Yankees? Personally, I wouldn't r...

Arthur does get cast as over 50 most of the time, it seems. In all three Broadway revivals this was the case and on the recent tour, Michael York was over 60 when he played Arthur. Just sayin'. :)

Amy Morton is going to be considered leading, so she and Deanna Dunagan will be up against each other. It's an interesting year... I can see it going several different ways... http://obsessedwithbroadway.blogspot.com/