Lane Bradbury and Sandra Church

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/9/13 at 10:36pm

The original June and Gypsy, with Ethel Merman.

I was thinking about them tonight while I watched Lane give a powerful performance as Harvey Keitel's abused wife in Scorsese's "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore."

Both Lane and Sandra are still alive.

I wish someone would bring them on a Tony telecast to be presenters or spotlight them in an interview somewhere. We have a lot of "living history" still with us from the Golden Age. Maybe they don't want to make public appearances much anymore. Maybe nobody's asked them.

Lane was also in the original "Night of the Iguana" and "J.B."

Sandra played Madge in "Picnic," replacing Janice Rule in the original run.

[jv92]

Posted: 8/9/13 at 11:21pm

I doubt anyone watching the Tonys in the near future other than us would be delighted to see them together, best. Sad state of the Tonys.

Lane Bradbury was interviewed for the PBS documentary on Jerome Robbins-- basically she told the "baton story" , intercut with Sondheim interjecting sympathetically.

Is Sandra Church still in "the business?" I actually did think she had passed away until you brought this up.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/10/13 at 12:12am

Did Sandra and Styne end up together?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 8/10/13 at 2:00am

Sandra Church, Lane Bradbury, Jule Styne, Columbia Records producer Goddard Lieberson, and Stephen Sondheim during the recording session of "If Momma Was Married" for the Original Broadway Cast Recording of GYPSY:

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/10/13 at 6:30am

I found this photo of Lane from 2005 online. She still looks great, particularly a half-century after Gypsy!




As for Sandra, I don't find any remotely recent photos of her online, which leads me to believe she's not only out of the business, but out of the public eye altogether. She currently lives in San Francisco, according to Wiki-wacky-woo-pedia, and it also says that there were rumors she would marry Jule Styne, but she didn't. A few years later, she married someone else.

It also says that it came down to her and Suzanne Pleshette for the role of Louise in Gypsy. Suzanne was a stronger actress, but Sandra was a stronger singer, so she got the part (this is from Arthur Laurents's autobiography).

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/10/13 at 6:31am

Lane Bradbury

Updated On: 8/10/13 at 06:31 AM

[D2]

Posted: 8/10/13 at 7:42am

Lane is a very good friend of mine.

We're currently working together on a cabaret evening for her, called LANE BRADBURY: LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU AGAIN.

It's being "tried out" on September 8th in L.A., and again in New York the following week, September 15.

PM me for details if you're interested.

And she is an absolute sweetheart; funny, earthy, warm, and enchanting.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/10/13 at 8:04am

I love it, D2! This is so very cool.

It's wonderful to hear that Lane is still performing, and of your involvement with the show. I wish you great success with it, and I hope the BWW left-coasters and right-coasters turn out to see it.

Please keep us posted with the details!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/10/13 at 8:20am

I'm more excited for this show than anything coming to Broadway this season!!

[D2]

Posted: 8/10/13 at 8:23am

We're working on a Facebook page for the show; I'll post the link when it's done.

ETA: And here it is:






Lane Bradbury: Let Me Entertain You Again

Updated On: 8/10/13 at 08:23 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/10/13 at 8:45am

I was hoping you'd chime in!

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/10/13 at 10:55am

As someone who got to meet Lane (through D2) I can only chime in and say amazingly talented woman, lovely to the core, and the show is a little piece of magic waiting to be unwrapped.

The stories that woman has... (which thankfully, D2 is working to share with many).

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/10/13 at 12:43pm

Very exciting about Lane's show!

I always heard Church got the part because Styne thought she was va va va voom.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 8/10/13 at 12:45pm

I'm excited since I'm designing her costume for the show!

I also got to meet YouWantItWhen at the last run through!

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/10/13 at 1:25pm

Far too brief - but yes, we got to finally put faces to names!

BTW - it sounds like you did a fabulous job at Chicago at the Bowl.

[D2]

Posted: 8/21/13 at 9:36am

Bumping to post the link to purchase tickets to the show:


Lane Bradbury: Let Me Entertain You... Again

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/21/13 at 10:10am

Any info for us in SoCal?

[D2]

Posted: 8/21/13 at 10:16am

I just sent it to you, YOU.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 8/21/13 at 10:27am

Would someone mind telling "the baton story"? I haven't heard it.

[D2]

Posted: 8/21/13 at 11:02am

She tells it in the show.

[BewareTheUndertoad]

Posted: 8/21/13 at 11:27am

I'd like the info for the SoCal people too please!

[thommg]

Posted: 8/21/13 at 11:40am

Lane was also in a Movie Of The Week titled Maybe I'll Come Home In The Spring with Sally Field, Eleanor Parker, Jackie Cooper & David Carradine. It was one of my favorites. It took me a long while but I found it on DVD as a double feature with another film. I always enjoyed her performances.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/21/13 at 12:00pm

I think BWWers on both coasts should go support D2, Diva, and Lane and report back to us "fly-over people." *




* This shilling opportunity was brought to you by best12bars, Fanta, and Slinky.

[D2]

Posted: 8/29/13 at 7:42am

Diva is putting the finishing touches on Lane's costume; it's gorgeous!

If you'd like to see LANE BRADBURY: LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU, AGAIN on either coast (and you'd better!) here is the information for your tickets:

In Los Angeles on Sunday, September 8 at 7:00 PM
Lee Strasberg Institute, Marilyn Monroe Theatre
7936 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046

Tickets are $25 at the door / Seating is limited so reservations are strongly suggested.

Contact: [e-mail] for reservations

In New York on Sunday, September 15 at 7:00 PM
June Havoc Theatre, Abingdon Theatre Company
312 W. 36th Street, 1st Floor (btwn 8/9 Aves.)
New York, NY 10036

Tickets are $20, $25 and $30 (premium seating).


Lane Bradbury: Let Me Entertain You... Again IN NEW YORK

[StageStruckLad]

Posted: 8/29/13 at 9:59am

Thanks for the heads-up! I just got tickets for the NYC show. Hope she has some fun Ethel Merman stories.