A Superb Thurber Carnival
By Peter Filichia – A Thurber Carnival, the original cast album that Masterworks Broadway is re-issuing this week, could just as easily be called A Character Actors’ Carnival. If you’re a vintage stage, movie or TV buff, you’ll immediately recognize the distinctively dry voices of Tom Ewell, Peggy Cass, Paul Ford, Alice Ghostley and John […]
A Tale of Three Dollys
By Peter Filichia — Dolly Gallagher Levi has certainly kept her promise. For nearly half a century, she’s been telling us that “Dolly’ll never go away again”– and she hasn’t, not since Hello, Dolly! started its pre-Broadway tryout at the Fisher Theater in Detroit in November, 1963. This week marks the 48th anniversary of Dolly’s […]
Say Gwen
By Peter Filichia — This month’s Friday the 13th can be considered both lucky and unlucky for Broadway. It would have marked the 87th birthday of Gwen Verdon, and we’re all pretty sad that we don’t have the lady around to celebrate both her and her achievements. But, oh, aren’t we lucky that her parents […]
And the Year Starts Up
By Peter Filichia – So what was the first recording in 2012 that you chose for your listening pleasure? For the twentieth straight year, I started New Year’s Day by playing the CD that I got in late 1991: And the World Goes ‘Round. It’s the recording of the revue that celebrates John Kander and […]
For New Year’s Eve Stay-at-Homes
By Peter Filichia — As that famous Frank Loesser song asked, “Here is the jackpot question in advance: what are you doing New Year’s Eve?” Most will party, but many know that it’s a good night to stay in and do comparatively nothing. Sometimes Dec. 31 can mean panic in the streets – which might […]
