Bacall, Baking, and Bloomers!

Applause opened in 1970, with music by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams

(of Bye Bye Birdie and Golden Boy fame).

Lauren Bacall (in her Broadway singing debut)

  was cast as Margo Channing,

and the story updated to the 1970s,

with disco balls, gay hairdressers, and Ron Field's frug-ish choreography.

Ms. Bacall supposedly identified with her Margo role:

"The Margo Channing of Applause and myself were ideally suited.

 She was approaching middle age. So was I. 

She was being forced to face the fact that her career 

would have to move into another phase 

as younger women came along to do younger parts. 

 So was I. 

 And she constantly felt that the man she was in love with 

was going to go off with someone else, someone younger of course, 

and I, too, had had those feelings."

 

 Accepting her Tony Award from Walter Matthau.

 "But Alive", above, with Lee Roy Reems.

The orginal production, which lasted 2 years on Broadway, 

also starred Bonnie Frankln (above, singing "Applause"), 

Len Cariou, and Penny Fuller.  

Replacements for Lauren included Ann Baxter 

(who of course played Eve Harrington in the movie, All About Eve), 

and Arlene Dahl.

A television version starred Bacall and Larry Hagman. 

Lauren's next Broadway appearance was in 1981 when she played  

Tess Harding in Woman Of The Year, 

with music by Kander and Ebb.

Another Tony came her way!

Her co-stars included Harry Guardino (above), Marilyn Cooper, 

Grace Keagy and Roderick Cook.

 It ran for almost 2 years...and replacing Lauren were Raquel Welch (?), Debbie Reynolds, and on tour, Barbara Eden.

 From this show, we'll hear 

"It Isn't Working" and "Happy In The Morning".

 

  Mary Louise Wilson, above, born in 1931,

 ate "the cake she had"

in Grey Gardens...and won a Tony award

(along with co-star Christine Ebersole) 

for her portrayal of Big Edie Bouvier, below.

 Above, Little and Big Edies, Ebersole and Wilson.

The LA production featured Rachel York and Betty Buckley in these roles.

 Ernest In Love,

with music by Anne Croswell and Lee Pockriss

played a scant 103 performances when it first opened in 1960.

It was revived by The Irish Rep in 2010,

which is where these photos are from.

We'll hear from the original production

which managed to release a cast album...

 Algernon and Jack's "Muffin Song".

 Interesting side note:
Ernest's composer, Lee Pockriss 

wrote pop songs back in the 1950s and 60s.

"Catch a Falling Star", "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini,"

and "Tracey" are just a few of his tunes.

He later wrote Tovarich with Anne Croswell,

the film score for The Subject Was Roses,

and songs for Sesame Street.

Below, an advert for the all-female Tokyo production of Ernest In Love!

 Jessica Molaskey,

torch singer, Broadway denizen, actress,

was born in Wolcott, Connecticut in 1962.

Broadway shows like Tommy, Chess, Crazy for You, City Of Angels, 

Sunday In The Park With George,

 lots of off-broadway with Jason Robert Brown,

national tours, cabaret, and song-writing complete her resume.

We'll hear a song from her Make Believe album,

which features Broadway goodies like

"Right As The Rain"

from Bloomer Girl.

Below, Jessica performing with her husband,

John Pizzarelli.