Old revival of Anyone Can Whistle

joevitus said: "Love seeing this referred to as "old." Not wrong, just amusing to read (I was in my 20's when it happened). There was a cast recording released. Bernadette Peters as Nurse Apple, Madeleine Kahn as Cora, and Scott Bakula as Hapgood. Only Peters had the voice for it. There were new orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick (neither better nor worse than the original by Don Walker).Angela Lansbury, who narrated, had a cute line about having "once been a mayoress of a similar town for a very shot term." The cd is likely still available, if the recording can't be foundon iTunes."

This wasn't a cast recording of a production. It was a live recording of the Carnegie Hall concert referred to in the original post. A GREAT and fun recording, though! One I listened to endlessly in my car when it first came out. It was my first introduction to the show.

joevitus said: "Love seeing this referred to as "old." Not wrong, just amusing to read (I was in my 20's when it happened). There was a cast recording released. Bernadette Peters as Nurse Apple, Madeleine Kahn as Cora, and Scott Bakula as Hapgood. Only Peters had the voice for it. There were new orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick (neither better nor worse than the original by Don Walker).Angela Lansbury, who narrated, had a cute line about having "once been a mayoress of a similar town for a very shot term." The cd is likely still available, if the recording can't be foundon iTunes."

I frequently listen to Bernadette's tracks, but I do find it very hard to find something to like about the rest of the cast - especially Kahn. Is there anything here anyone can say to help me appreciate Kahn's performance? It's hard to not just want to go back to Lansbury.

qolbinau said: "joevitus said: "Love seeing this referred to as "old." Not wrong, just amusing to read (I was in my 20's when it happened). There was a cast recording released. Bernadette Peters as Nurse Apple, Madeleine Kahn as Cora, and Scott Bakula as Hapgood. Only Peters had the voice for it. There were new orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick (neither better nor worse than the original by Don Walker).Angela Lansbury, who narrated, had a cute line about having "once been a mayoress of a similar town for a very shot term." The cd is likely still available, if the recording can't be foundon iTunes."

I frequently listen to Bernadette's tracks, but I do find it very hard to find something to like about the rest of the cast - especially Kahn. Is there anything here anyone can say to help me appreciate Kahn's performance? It's hard to not just want to go back to Lansbury."

Well, she might already have been sick at that point with the cancer that would sadly kill her, so that may be the issue. Although, she was infamous for just putting almost nothing into live performances unless they were opening nights (Prince says she's why On the Twentieth Century didn't have a long run). The tempos for her songs are sluggish, and she doesn't seem grasp the satire (even of the musical styles that are being satirized, and that she was surely familiar with). It's just an awful performance. 

You're not confused. I remember this too, though unfortunately I don't remember when it was, or really anything about the production itself.

I think the company that produced it was called Opening Doors (or something like that), and they did a couple of other shows as part of a series. One of them may have been a Cole Porter revue, and possibly also a production of Oh! Coward!

The venue may have been the 45th Street Theater (between 8th and 9th Aves, more recently known as the Davenport Theater.

Thank you Barberg, Im relieved to know I wasnt just having a reverse senior moment.

Updated On: 5/7/20 at 07:04 AM