Playing a few brand new (to me) musicals this week...Hallelujah, Baby (a Jule Styne/Comden and Green creation) started out trying to chronicle the African American experience over the first half of the 20th Century, but a funny thing happened on the way to the theatre. When Lena Horne split, and effervescent Leslie Uggams took over, it changed from edgy and intense and possibly REAL, back to sweet and fluffy Broadway-as-Usual. Despite that, it is still an interesting "piece of work" and I'm playing 2 selections, one a luscious Leslie ballad, called "My Own Morning." Breakfast at Tiffany's changed book writers, directors, and even its title, like underware and ALMOST made it to opening night, except David Merrick pulled the plug at the last moment, "rather than subject the drama critics and the public to an excruciatingly boring evening." Well, it ain't that bad!
Oh, and be sure to catch Elliot Gould singing a rather embarrassing "Momma" from I Can Get it For You Wholesale! Listen, if you dare...
Who Will Buy? (Ensemble, Oliver!)
Be Our Guest (Gary Beach and Ensemble, Beauty and the Beast)
Abboundanza (Rico Froehlich, John Henson, Arthur Rubin, The Most Happy
Fella)
Use What You Got (Sam Harris, The Life)
It Needs Work (Kay McClelland, City of Angels)
Bianca (Harold Lang, Kiss Me Kate)
Choo Choo Honeymoon (Sally Stark, Joseph Sicari, Dames at Sea)
Ambition (Nathan Lane, Heather Headley, Do Re Mi)
Slice (Robert Hooks, Hallelujah, Baby!)
My Own Morning (Leslie Uggams, Hallelujah, Baby!)
Who's Been Sitting in My Chair? (Elaine Stritch, Goldilocks)
If Mama were Married (Sandra Church and Lane Bradbury, Gypsy)
Momma Momma Momma (Elliot Gould, Lillian Roth, I Can Get it For You Whole-
Sale)
Lament for Ten Men (Ensemble, Breakfast at Tiffany's)
The Movin' Uptown Blues (Adam Grupper and Stuart Zagnit, The Wild Party)
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