STARTING HERE WITH MALTBY, SHIRE AND ROSENBLUM By Peter Filichia
“My first reaction was that all of the songs were losers.” “A terrible idea.” That first quotation, reported by Joshua Rosenblum in his excellent new book CLOSER THAN EVER, came from lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr. The second quip came from Maltby’s longtime writing partner, composer David Shire. Understand that Maltby wasn’t evaluating such Broadway abominations […]
LISTENING TO THE GREAT GATSBY By Peter Filichia
Although the title is printed in gold, on a black background, it also offers one tiny dollop of a different color. There’s a shining burst of green situated atop the first “T” of THE GREAT GATSBY. It’s on the just-released original cast album, too, of the new musical playing on Broadway – and at the […]
AS FOR FRANK LOESSER’S TRUE MASTERPIECE… By Peter Filichia
And then there was another loss that may have been the unkindest cut of all… As we discussed last week, although GUYS AND DOLLS was the biggest hit of the 1950-51 season, Frank Loesser’s music and lyrics lost the Best Score Tony to Irving Berlin’s CALL ME MADAM. Eleven years later, history re-embarrassed itself. HOW […]
FRANK LOESSER’S BAD LUCK By Peter Filichia
Seeing the recent, brilliantly staged reading of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING by The National Asian Artists Project started me thinking. Frank Loesser had twice provided the music and lyrics for the biggest musical hit of the season. And yet, in both instances, he lost the Best Score Tony to other composer-lyricists. […]
SO MANY TONY QUESTIONS! By Peter Filichia
And now that the books have been officially closed on the 2023-2024 season and the Tony Awards, I’ve been answering a great many questions from relatives, friends and (let’s face it) frenemies. Q. Did you think that THE OUTSIDERS would win Best Musical? A. Yup! I had no doubts at all. No matter that some […]
