Sugar Babies? — Page 2

I reviewed the original Rooney/Miller SF pre-Broadway production for KALX-Berkeley (college radio). I remember little about it except having a great time. There was a Sally Rand fan dance at the time - which I don't think made it to Broadway. While in SF, I think it was almost a different show every night, as they kept putting in and taking out bits.

I do remember Rooney's opening number about it being time for a burlesque show. He was a dynamo. As for Ann Miller, the juxtaposition of those legs which seemed longer than Rooney's body - and his bad boy leer - and her unabashed sexiness - just a real match.

Lastly, I don't know if Geoff Hoyle can sing, but he could do the vaudeville bits (so could Bill Irwin for that matter) and actually Rooney couldn't "sing".

Updated On: 4/24/07 at 03:22 PM

"Would an audience today buy the vaudeville/burlesque schtick?"

Absolutely. It's all raunchy, innuendo humor. They'll laugh 'til they pee.

Some of them literally.

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I've done my share of shows over the years, and it was a laugh in one of the sketches for "Sugar Babies" that was the longest I've ever been a part of.

We held for something like 30 seconds every night. The stage manager would time us. (which is really friggin' LONG if you think about it in "real time")

It was incredible! And the longer we stood there, the more the laugh grew.

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Rhonda Burchmore, who played the Soubrette in the Australian and West End production, has released an episode of her YouTube series discussing Sugar Babies and working with Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney. Fabulous stories!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3KAV--U_2I