No, No, Nanette Question- Page 4

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 7:13pm

I would certainly love to see Debbie Reynolds on stage. And she has a whole new fanbase thanks to her Will and Grace role - she would sell tix.

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 7:55pm

It wasn't until I watched the features on the "Connie and Carla" DVD did I find out that Debbie Reynolds is a gay icon!!! (They almost took my membership card away from me!)

I see a float in the next Gay Pride Parade...

I read about the Carnegie Hall concert version (with Judy Kaye as Lucille) in Ethan Mordden's book on 1920's musicals "Make Believe."

Posted: 6/30/06 at 8:34pm

I said earlier Michael Berresse might be too young to play Billy. I just read that he's 41. Perfect age - He'll do A CHORUS LINE for a year and go right into NANETTE!

[alterego]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 11:20pm

But will he sell tickets?

Posted: 6/30/06 at 11:35pm

Debbie Reynolds and Rosie O'Donnell will sell the tickets.

Listen to us - Like there's a production in the works! Well - We can dream can't we?

[alterego]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 11:44pm

I think we who have contributed to this thread deserve a BWW medal for keeping this thread going for over a week. Let's face it, sadly this messageboard seems to be controlled by those who only seem to know of WICKED, RENT and shows from the last ten years, not those of us who can remember the 1925 musical! Three cheers for us!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 11:48pm

"not those of us who can remember the 1925 musical!"

You might want to rephrase that.

[alterego]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 9:17am

Whoops! ...not those of us who can remember the REVIVAL of the 1925 musical.

[blueroses]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 9:27am

As an aside, I just wanted to add that I had the pleasure of meeting Helen Gallagher a few times several years ago, and she was a funny, sweet and VERY bright lady. She was a teacher and mentor to a friend of mine at HB Studios, and they became very close. We went to see her in a play called Tallulah Tonight (about Tallulah Bankhead) and she was absolutely unbelievable.

Of course, I am too young to have seen her in Pal Joey and No, No Nanette. But then again, she'll always be Maeve Ryan to me.
Updated On: 7/1/06 at 09:27 AM

Posted: 7/1/06 at 10:18am

I also saw Helen Gallagher in TALLULAH - She was superb. I had a friend in it and he adored working with her. I did get to see her in NANETTE - Brilliant! A great pro.

[blueroses]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 11:38am

I loved when she used to sing "Danny Boy" on Ryan's Hope.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 12:13pm

Does anyone know whatever happened ro Roger Rathburn? He seems to habe done this one show then vanished.

Here's something odd. The British seem to have loved NO NO NANETTE more that we North Americans. The show originally ran twice as long in London than on Broadway. British studio cast recordings were made in the 1950s (one LP side backed by SHOW BOAT on Fontanna); and two in the 1960s (Studio TWO/EMI and Saga) plus the London revival cast (Sony West End.)

The only American made recordings are one side of an Lp in the Readers Digest OPERRETTAS set (its also included on the CD) and the 1971 Broadway cast (Sony).

The French loved it to (and the French don't gereally like musicals) - For years I used to see an odd Pathe LP with selections from NO NO NANETTE backed by ROSE MARIE...all sung in French!

[allofmylife]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 12:27pm

Since someone brought up the fact that this board seems to serve the interests of Wickedettes and Renters, I must say I was excited to see there was a radio station link on Broadwayworld.com. I was then disappointed to discover they only play music of shows since 1990. Maybe they've changed that policy, but I wouldn't know as I never tuned in again.

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 1:32pm

Not to threadjack, but, regarding broadwayworld radio, even if the show is older, they use the newest recording, even if it isn't as good as the older recording.

Like the revival of "Fiddler on the Roof", not only does no one on that album sound even remotely Jewish, they sound as if they don't even know any Jews...

[sondheimfan2]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 1:59pm

Not to threadjack either, but does anyone remember Bobby Van and B. Peters doing a number from GOOD NEWS on TV in the late 70s or early 80s? This thread reminded me of Vana's performance. The song was "The Best Things in Life are Free" but I can't recall the TV program. Maybe the Tonys?? The Merm also sang "I Get a Kick Out of You" on the show.

Anyway, this is my first posting after reading this message boards for a year...NNN is one of my favorite shows, and I'm blown away that so many people love it too. It is ripe for a revival. Thanks to all of you in restoring my faith in humanity!!

[blueroses]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 2:01pm

This thread has prompted me to order the 1971 No, No, Nanette cast recording in honor of the fabulous Ms. Gallagher!

[sondheimfan2]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 2:07pm

Me, too. I have the OCA of the revival--which CD version do I want?

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 2:12pm

Dear sondheimfan2,

I remember something like that, too. Do you remember Carol Burnett on the show singing "Ladies Who Lunch"? If so, then it was the first of three specials about the Broadway musical hosted by Sylvia Fine Kay (Danny Kaye's wife) that was on PBS ages ago (that I would kill to have a DVD of).

The format was that she presented numbers from the different eras of musicals: Pre-R&H, Rodgers and Hammerstein and the modern day. The Rodgers and Hammerstein show was Oklahoma! (Carol Burnett sang "I Cain't Say No") and the modern show was "Company" (besides Carol singing "Ladies Who Lunch", Bernadette and, I believe, Richard Chamberlain sang "Barcellona." "Good News" might have been the Pre-R&H show.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is how I spent my childhood: watching specials about Broadway on PBS.

And my sister was surprised when I told her I was gay...

[sondheimfan2]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 2:25pm

Thanks---you're right. Sylvia Kaye Fine did indeed host them. I must have only seen the first program because I only remember the 20s and 30s numbers. Also, The Merm sang "Anything Goes" and was joined by none other than Rock Hudson! As a young teen I remember recording the show from the TV to my cassette player (pre-VRC days).

Thanks for the memories!

[wildcat]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 8:06pm

MUSICAL COMEDY TONIGHT hosted by Sylvia Fine

Ep. 1: GOOD NEWS
"Good News"...Ensemble
"The Best Things in Life Are Free"...Bobby Van & Bernadette Peters
"Varsity Drag"...Sandy Duncan & Ensemble

ANYTHING GOES
"I Get a Kick Out of You"...Ethel Merman
"You're the Top"...Rock Hudson & Ethel Merman
"Anything Goes"...Ethel Merman & Ensemble

OKLAHOMA!
"Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'"...John Davidson
"I Cain't Say No"...Carol Burnett
Dream Ballet...Gemze de Lappe & Blane Savage
"Oklahoma"...John Davidson & Ensemble

COMPANY
"Another Hundred People"...Sandy Duncan
"Barcelona"...Richard Chamberlain & Bernadette Peters
"The Ladies Who Lunch"...Carol Burnett
"Side By Side By Side"...Richard Chamberlain & Full Company

Episode 2:

FINIAN'S RAINBOW
"This Time of Year"...Sylvia Fine
"How Are Things in Glocca Morra"...Nancy Dussault
"When I'm Not near The Girl I Love"...Jack Lemmon
"The Begat"...Burton Lane

SOUTH PACIFIC
"Soliloquies"/"Some Enchanted Evening"...Sergio Franchi & Bonnie Franklin
"Nothing Like a Dame"...Larry Storch & Men
"Wonderful Guy"...Bonnie Franklin
"Honey Bun"...Bonnie Franklin & Larry Storch

LADY IN THE DARK
"The Circus Dream"...Lynn redgrave, Richard Crenna & Danny Kaye

SWEET CHARITY
"Big Spender"...Annette Charles, Lorraine Fields & Girls
"If My Friends Could See Me Now"...Juliet Prowse
"Something Better Than This"...Prowse, Charles & Fields

Episode 3:

LEAVE IT TO JANE....Ensemble
THE MIKADO...Christine Andreas, Peter Noone & Clive Revill
OH BOY!
"They Didn't Believe Me"...Florence Henderson

"Leave it To Jane"(reprise)...Christine Andreas
"Cleopatterer"...Beth Howland

"Fascinatin' Rhythm"...Gregg Burge

A CONNECTICUT YANKEE
"Thou Swell"...Dick van Dyke & Donna McKechnie
"To Keep My Love Alive"...Elaine Stritch

"Heatwave"...Patti LaBelle & Alvin Ailey dancers

BOYS FROM SYRACUSE
"Falling in Love With Love"...Roberta Peters
"This Can't Be Love"...Donna McKechnie & Dick van Dyke
"Sing For Your Supper"...Kaye Ballard, Peters & McKechnie

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 8:21pm

Roger Rathburn started out as an English teacher. After NANETTE he went back to teaching.

[wildcat]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 8:25pm

"I could have been Mrs. Rathburn
Mrs. Roger Rathburn
Mrs. Phi Beta Kappa Rathburn
The English teacher's wiiiiiiiiiiiife!"

[Horton]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 10:19pm

How is this at all about my first question! Joking--we get off topic so easliy

[TheEnchantedHunter]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 10:30pm

"It's a bit of a wink, as if to say, "Do you believe this?" without ever being obnoxious about it. It does what Drowsy Chaperone THINKS its doing..."

Bless you, smaxie.


Winthrop Paroo
River City, Iowa

[alterego]

Posted: 7/1/06 at 10:37pm

Wildcat - do you have copies of these television shows? If so I'm on my way to your place now!

I read somewhere that Roger Rathburn did one other show after NANETTE (I believe he did the whole run), what I can't remember, but I do know it didn't last long. I think he returned to teaching.

Blueroses - I'm thrilled that we've encouraged you to buy the revival cast CD.

If only there had been an Australian cast album! The best I can manage is some tracks taped from a television special called ' Sounds of Nanette' !