A Gentleman's Guide: Murder Most Foul

 Starring Jefferson Mays, playing 8 D'Ysquith family members,

(at center in red, as Lord Adalbert),

and Bryce Pinkham as Monty...

"Gentleman's Guide" opened in 2013,

winning the Tony for Best Musical.

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Lutvak and Robert L. Freedman.

 "Poison In My Pocket,"

with Catherine Walker, Bryce (with saw) and Jefferson,

here as Asquith D'Ysquith, Jr. 

(Say that 3 times fast!)

 "You're A D'Ysquith!"

Rachel Izen as Miss Shingle, and Bryce.

 "Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun",

the one murder Monty DIDN'T commit.

Jefferson in his 8 D'Ysquith characters...

was called "dazzling" by the critics,

and the show noted for its "fizzily witty turns of phrase."

Go see it...it's still running!

Playlist for Sunday, May 24, 2015: On Rye, with a Pickle.

 You know you've been away from Broadway too long when something as good as A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder has been running for 2 YEARS and you haven't seen it yet! I've actually been starting to have those dreams again...You know, the ones where you can't find the nearest subway stop, cuz you've FORGOTTEN where the 1 Train is?  And then you look for your favorite deli to console yourself with a chopped liver on pumpernickel, and it's gone...it's just (POOF) vanished?  Oh, no...that's not a dream, that's real life...but really, I have to get back. Without a Manhattan sojourn, I may just end up losing some of my pithy style, and start wearing sweatshirts. And this is bad.

So let's "transport" ourselves this Sunday to a matinee of "Gentleman's Guide"...and ask the musical question, "Why Are All The D'Ysquiths Dying?"  We'll also delve into some little known shows, like Jamaica (with Lena), Oh Captain! (with Tony), and the interesting (FLOP!), cult (FLOP!), and quirky (FLOP!) My Favorite Year...that last one has some snappy tunes, Tim Curry, Lainie Kazan, spectacle and show biz...so why didn't it work, O Crystal Ball of Broadway?

Classics like Irene and the MGM movie of Kiss Me Kate will also make appearances, so don't think I've gone all new and/or esoteric on you.  I might not remember the express stops on the 4 train, but I know a grand ole musical when I hear it! 


You're A D'Ysquith (Rachel Izen, Bryce Pinkham, A Gentleman's Guide To Love And
                    Murder)
Poison In My Pocket (Bryce Pinkham, Jefferson Mays, Catherine Walker, A
                    Gentleman's Guide)
Why Are All The D'Ysquiths Dying? (Jefferson Mays, Ensemble, A Gentleman's
                    Guide)
Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun (Jefferson Mays, A Gentleman's Guide)
The World Must Be Bigger Than An Avenue (Debbie Reynolds, Irene)
They Go Wild, Simply Wild, Over Me (George S. Irving, Irene)
I'm Always Chasing Rainbows (Debbie Reynolds, Irene)
You Made Me Love You (Monte Markham, Debbie Reynolds, Irene)
You Made Me Love You (George S. Irving, Patsy Kelly, Irene)
The Word Is Love (Ensemble, Starting Here, Starting Now)
Crossword Puzzle (Loni Ackerman, Starting Here, Starting Now)
Flair (George Lee Andrews, Starting Here, Starting Now)
I Don't Remember Christmas (George Lee Andrews, Starting Here, Starting Now)
We Open In Venice (Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson, Ann Miller, Tommy Rall,
                    Kiss Me Kate)
Too Darn Hot (Ann Miller, Kiss Me Kate)
So In Love (Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson, Kiss Me Kate)
From This Moment On (Bob Fossee, Bobby Van, Tommy Rall, Kiss Me Kate)Wunderbar (Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson, Kiss Me Kate)
Twenty Million People (Company, My Favorite Year)
Shut Up And Dance (Lannyl Stephens, Evan Pappas, My Favorite Year)
Welcome To Brooklyn (Lainie Kazan, Evan Pappas, Tim Curry, Ensemble, My Favorite
                    Year)
Life Does A Man A Favor (When It Leads Him To The Sea) (Tony Randall,
                    Oh, Captain!)
We're Not Children (Paul Valentine, Jacqueline McKeever, Oh, Captain!)
I've Been There And I'm Back (Edward Platt, Tony Randall, Oh, Captain!)
Push De Button (Lena Horne, Jamaica)
Little Biscuit (Ossie Davis, Josephine Premice, Jamaica)
Napoleon (Lena Horne, Jamaica)
Racing With The Clock (Michael McKean, Richard Poe, Ensemble, The Pajama Game)
The Three Of Us (Michael McKean, The Pajama Game)
Hernando's Jive (Instrumental, The Pajama Game)
A New Town Is A Blue Town (Harry Connick, Jr., The Pajama Game)
The Pajama Game (Company, The Pajama Game)

Sweeney, the first, the best...

 The original cast of Sweeney...

from the left, Jack Eric Williams as Beadle Bamford,

Ken Jennings as Tobias,

Edmund Lyndeck as Judge Turpin,

Merle Louise as the Beggar Woman,

Joaquin Romaguera as Pirelli,

Len Cariou and Angela Lansberry as our romantic duo (!),

Victor Garber as Anthony, and Sarah Rice as Johanna.

 Sarah and Victor...Green Finch and Linnet Bird,

and Johanna!

 Victor was 30 when he joined the cast of Sweeney...

And here he is in Godspell,

the Toronto production of 1972,

in which he appeared with Eugene Levy, 

Gilda Radner, Martin Short, and

the musical director was...OF COURSE...Paul Schaffer.

Kinky! Best Boots of 2013

 The Sex is in the Heel!

The original cast of Kinky Boots,

with Stark Sands as Charlie, and Billy Porter as Lola.

Surrounded by the troupe of Angels (yes, all men in drag!),

Harvey Fierstein (book), Stark Sands, Jerry Mitchell (choreography),

Cyndi Lauper (music and lyrics), and Billy Porter.

Gene, Gene, and More Gene!

 In Les Girls, with Mitzi Gaynor, Kay Kendall, and Taina Elg, 1957,

music and lyrics by Cole Porter (his last film score).

This was Gene's last MGM movie, 

finishing the contract he had with them beginning in 1942.

The original "Les Girls" were supposed to be:

Jean Simmons, Leslie Caron, Cyd Charisse, and Carol Haney.

 

 1951...and An American In Paris.

Gene with George Guetary and Oscar Levant

is sure "S'Wonderful".

Filmed in Hollywood (not on the Champs Elysee!),

it featured the music of the Gershwins

and a script by Alan Jay Lerner. 

 

 Oscar and Gene

belting out "Tra La La" in the same movie.

Oscar couldn't sing, but he couldn't dance either.

 From Ziegfeld Follies, 1946...

Gene and Fred performed for the first (and only) time,

in "The Babbitt And The Bromide" which had 3 sections,

the first two choreographed by Gene, the third by Fred.

More Gershwin...

With Frank in Anchors Aweigh, 1945.

"If You Knew Susie," by Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Meyer.

First popularized by Eddie Cantor...way back in the 1920s.

Playlist for Sunday May 17, 2015: Ahh, Sweet Mystery of Life.

 The vicissitudes of life have swamped me! And this blog is a day late.  (Horrors!) Well, there is the lawn to mow, dandelions to decapitate, and all those demanding social affairs...ya know? And that's why I'm only 1 DAY LATE.

When people say they don't like Broadway, whattaya say to them? A friend of mine argues that Broadway musicals offer such a wide range of styles, there really HAS to be something for everybody.  Add to that the fact that 2 on the Aisle plays stuff from 1920 thru Today, and you have Range Indeed.  So tell 'em that, will ya? And then mention Kinky Boots.

Which is one of the shows we've got going for us this week. Which brought together the writing talents of Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein...and which brought 13 Tony nominations, and a Best Musical award (when Matilda was thought to have it nailed down, boxed up, and Fedex-ed to itself).  But then there's also plenty of Gene Kelly, from his movie musicals with Oscar and Frank and Fred.  And a couple of more obscure items from Redhead and New Girl in Town, with Gwen Verdon, from the 1950s.  And then Sweeney Todd bookending it all. 

Well, back to my social engagements. Followed by weed whacking.  :)



Prelude: The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd (Len Cariou, Angela Lansbury,    Company, Sweeney Todd)
The Germans At The Spa (Camille Saviola, Nine)
Guido's Song (Raul Julia, Nine)
Simple (Anita Morris, Nine)
Ti Voglio Bene - Be Italian (Kathi Moss, Ensemble)
The Right Finger of My Left Hand (Gwen Verdon, Redhead)
She's Not Enough Woman For Me (Richard Kiley, Leonard Stone, Redhead)
Erbie Fitch's Twitch (Gwen Verdon, Redhead)
At The Check Apron Ball (Ensemble, New Girl In Town)
Yer My Friend, Ain't Cha? (Thelma Ritter, Cameron Prud'homme, New Girl In Town)
Not My Father's Son (Stark Sands, Billy Porter, Kinky Boots)
Sex Is In The Heel (Stark Sands, Billy Porter, Ensemble, Kinky Boots)
Les Girls (Gene Kelly, Ensemble, Les Girls)
S'Wonderful (Gene Kelly, George Guetary, An American In Paris)
Tra La La (Gene Kelly, Oscar Levant, An American In Paris)
The Babbitt And The Bromide (Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ziegfeld Follies)
If You Knew Susie (Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Anchors Aweigh)
I Want To Be Happy (Jack Gilford, Ruby Keeler, Patsy Kelly, Helen Gallagher,
                   No No Nanette)
Too Many Rings Around Rosie (Helen Gallagher, Patsy Kelly, Jack Gilford,
                   No No Nanette)
Where-Has-My-Hubby-Gone Blues (Helen Gallagher, No No Nanette)
Promises Promises (Sean Hayes, Kristin Chenoweth, Promises Promises)
I'll Never Fall In Love Again (Kristin Chenoweth, Sean Hayes, Promises Promises)
Whoever You Are, I Love You (Kristin Chenoweth, Promises Promises)
Knowing When To Leave (Kristin Chenoweth, Promises Promises)
The Contest (Joaquin Romaguera, Sweeney Todd)
Green Finch And Linnet Bird (Sarah Rice, Sweeney Todd)
Wait (Angela Lansbury, Len Cariou, Sweeney Todd)
Johanna (Victor Garber, Sweeney Todd)
Finale: The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd (Company, Sweeney Todd)

A Berlin Pastiche...

 Marilyn...and "After You Get What You Want, You Don't Want It,"

as part of There's No Business Like Show Business, 1954.

Irving Berlin wrote it back in 1920, and it was first released by 

Van and Schenck (below)!

Al Jolson say "Let Me Sing and I'm Happy," in black face,

in the "musical drama" Mammy, 1930...

 Fred Astaire in Easter Parade, 1948,

singing/hoofing/looking good (in red socks)...to "Steppin' Out With My Baby."

Howard Keel and Betty Hutton squaring off in 

Annie Get Your Gun, 1950.

We'll hear "I Got The Sun In The Morning,"

featuring Ms. Hutton.