Jackie Mason to Bring Laughing Room Only to Brooks Atkinson Theatre - playbill.com

[theaterbuff]

Posted: 6/16/03 at 7:12am

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/80154.html

Jackie Mason knows how to sing?

[AndrewClay]

Posted: 6/16/03 at 7:31am

When has that ever stopped anyone before from appearing on Broadway with music?

Andrew

[IssaMe]

Posted: 6/16/03 at 9:55am

He doesn't really have to sing but he does. He is surrounded by singers and dancers in a vaudeville type revue. It begins with a skit about Jackie wanting to star in a big Broadway musical rather than a one man show - he sets out to produce one and there is a skit about this.

What follows are a bunch of skits - many of the "Sugar Babies" type (this started as a burlesque revue cowritten by Jackie with the creator of "Sugar Babies", Ralph Allen, who later dropped out and is now working on "Scandals" his own burlesque revue.).

Jackie participates in the skits and acts as a host with his one-liners and stories...which of course will be topical.

He sings a couple songs (written by Doug Katsaros) - solo and with the cast - including a wonderful song about Manhattan which is really, really touching.

Jackie's songs include "Only in Manhattan", "This Jew Can Sing",
"Zimbabwe", and participation in others.

Most of the revue is old-style schtick skits and some of it quite funny. The cast is really, really wonderful - Barry Finkel, Ruth Gottschall, Cheryl Stern, Robert Creighton, Darrin Baker.

It is really like "Sugar Babies" but with Jackie adding his own personality and style.

[flaemmchen]

Posted: 6/16/03 at 10:57am

So THAT'S why he's playing in a larger theatre. He usually plays the Golden or the Royale--I was wondering why all of a sudden he was going to play the Brooks Atkinson. I love Darrin Baker and Ruth Gottschall, so I might just have to go.

[IssaMe]

Posted: 6/16/03 at 11:06am

Both Darrin and Ruth shine in this show - they are hysterical.
The whole cast is funny - and Jackie - well, Jackie is just Jackie and therefore brilliant in doing what he does best (that may NOT be singing but he makes it so funny that you can't help but laugh and enjoy).

[PigletH13]

Posted: 6/16/03 at 12:01pm

ugh...and I really am not much of a Jackie fan anymore...but if IssaMe says its good...I gotta believe it!