Do you believe in "the stars"? Like Nancy Reagan, do you schedule, then reschedule important meetings for a less "retrograde" moment? Hmmmm...I never really believed in this stuff, but as a product of my Age of Aquarius generation, I knew people who did. They'd draw up their monthly chart, with the aid of "Astrology Today", and note their risings and quadrants and 7th houses and "oppositions" (see, I'm using that terminology soooo wrong, that's how much I paid attention).
But Andrew Lloyd Webber and Stephen Sondheim are(were) both Aries. Which supposedly makes them:
"Courageous, determined, confident, enthusiastic, optimistic, honest, passionate, yet impatient, moody, short-tempered, impulsive, and aggressive." Again, hmmmm...
Those infamous Aries!
Above is Sondheim's chart, below is Webber's
(which I'm sure you could tell, right?)
Makes perfect sense. :)
In fact, they were both born on March 22nd (at different times and years, of course, but hey!), and they are(were) iconic Broadway composers. One of the repressed, inward, torn apart, neurotic NYC variety; the other operatic, BIG, MEGA, smoke and mirrors, BIGGER BUDGET, Brit variety. (You know the Team I'm on, of course. In fact, I rarely play shows of the Webber World on 2OTA. It's Sondheim Land for me.) But come this Sunday, we'll try to salute them both. Like Democrats and Republicans vying for equal time, I have 10 SS songs and 9 of ALW's. Shoot me for my bias.
All while trying to interject some Broadway Spring tunes. So those 2 hours will be chocked full...from Seven Brides to Sunset Boulevard, from The Follies to The Phantom, from Springtime For Hitler to Jeeves and Wooster. I should publish a program or playbill to lessen the confusion...oh wait! Below is the playlist/score card.
I did not spare the buttercream on these creations.
Listen in if you can, or catch the replay in the Audio Vault on Jazz901.org. As expected, more cake and maaannnny more candles will be on hand, and Aries will be squared or rising or "in alignment" for the entire 2 hours. :)
Pirelli's Miracle Elixir (Ken Jennings, Len Cariou, Angela Lansbury, Sweeney Todd)
Who's That Woman? (Phyllis Newman, Barbara Cook, Ensemble, Follies)
The Story Of Lucy And Jessie (Alexis Smith, Follies)
Not A Day Goes By (Bernadette Peters)
Spring, Spring, Spring (Russ Tamblyn, Howard Keele, Ensemble, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers)
Younger Than Springtime (Matthew Morrison, South Pacific)
You Must Believe In Spring (Ann Hampton Callaway, Liz Callaway, Sibling Revelry)
Overture/I Guess It Was 5 A.M. (Alan Campbell, Sunset Boulevard)
Let's Have Lunch (Kevin Anderson, Sunset Boulevard)
With One Look (Glenn Close, Sunset Boulevard)
On The Steps Of The Palace (Kim Crosby, Into The Woods)
Pretty Lady (Mark Hsu Syers, Patrick Kinser-Lau, Timm Fujii, Pacific Overtures)
Johanna (Bernadette Peters, Sondheim, Etc.)
It Might As Well Be Spring (Andrea McCardle, State Fair)
They Say It's Spring (Blossom Dearie)
Close Every Door (Men's Chorus, Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat)
Wooster Will Entertain (Steven Pacey, Malcolm Sinclair, By Jeeves)
The Music Of The Night (Michael Crawford, The Phantom Of The Opera)
Don't Cry For Me Argentina (Patti LuPone, Evita)
Barcelona (Dean Jones, Susan Browning, Company)
Anyone Can Whistle (Lee Remick, Anyone Can Whistle)
Old Friends (Lonny Price, Jim Walton, Ann Morrison, Merrily We Roll Along)
Memory (Betty Buckley, Cats)
Have Another Cup Of Tea (Company, The Likes Of Us)
Spring Is Here (Carly Simon, Torch)
Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year (Andrea Marcovicci, If I Were A Bell)
Later Than Spring (Elaine Stritch, Sail Away)
Springtime For Hitler (Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Ensemble, The Producers)
