Thanks for More Things!

As the movie poster says,

"What the Dickens have they done to Scrooge?"

Albert Finney starred as Ebenezer in this 1970

musicalized Christmas Carol. 

Alec Guinness portrayed Jacob Marley,

Edith Evans was the Ghost of Christmas Past,

and Laurence Naismith (who played Chris Kringle in Here's Love)

was Mr. Fezziwig.

We'll hear the song that was nominated for

for the "Best Original" Tony award in 1971...
"Thank You Very Much!"

And that song/score written by Leslie Bricusse.

The movie has since been staged,

and performed at the Palladium with 

Anthony Newley as Scrooge

(and subsequently, Tommy Steele did the honors).

 

Ann Harada as Christmas Eve, and Stephanie D'Abruzzo as

Kate Monster (Stephanie holding Kate below)

were part of the original cast of 

Avenue Q.

The show won Best Musical, Book, and Score Tony Awards 

back in 2004.

Puppets designed (and built!) by cast member, Rick Lyon.

The musical played more than 2,500 performances

on Broadway,

then moved off Broadway for 10 more years!

The NYTimes review went something like this: 

" ...how Friends might be if it had Fozzie Bear and Miss Piggy arguing about their one-night stand, 

but with more angst, expletives and full-on puppet sex."

We'll hear Ann and Kate/Stephanie with

"The More You Ruv Someone".

In our MORE section on Sunday...

Linda Hurt as Velma Von Tussle sings

"Miss BaltiMORE Crabs"

from Hairspray.

That's Linda above, and with her bevy of "acceptable" dancers

for the Corny Collins show, below,

including Laura Bell Bundy, near left, who played Amber.

Gotta quote the Times again, cuz this Ben Brantley nugget says it all:

"So what if it's more than a little pushy in its social preaching? 

Stocked with canny, deliriously tuneful songs by 

Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman 

and directed by Jack O'Brien with a common touch 

that stops short of vulgarity, 

'Hairspray' is as sweet as a show can be without promoting tooth decay." 

In our goofy finale this Sunday,

we'll feature John Behlmann's over the top solo, 

"This Thing"...

that's him on the left, posing with cast members of Tootsie:

John, Julie Halston, Sarah Stiles, Santino Fontana, 

Lilli Cooper, Andy Grotelueschen, Michael McGrath, and Reg Rogers.

Music: David Yazbek. 

Prior to Tootsie,

John performed in plays, films and television...

All My Children, 39 Steps, The Wolf Of Wall Street, etc.,

and has lent his voice to video games, 

like World Of Warcraft.

At curtain call, 

John (center) reveals his Dorothy Michaels' tattoo,

as do other members of the ensemble. 

Yup, it looks infected. :)