CAPSULE COMMENTS By Peter Filichia
Would we see a picture of Abraham Lincoln in a casket? Rumor had it that such a photograph was enclosed in a time capsule that was 134 years old. In 1887, it had been placed in the pedestal that supported the statue of General Robert E. Lee in Richmond, Virginia. After the statue had been […]
SHOW BOAT JUST KEEPS ROLLING ALONG By Peter Filichia
So here we are in 2022, which will mark a number of significant anniversaries for certain Broadway musicals. This new year will celebrate them for CHAPLIN (ten years), THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE (twenty), CRAZY FOR YOU (thirty), NINE (forty), GREASE (fifty), I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE (sixty) and NEW FACES OF 1952 (seventy). Most […]
HOW THE GRINCH ATONED FOR HIS CHRISTMAS THEFT By Peter Filichia
‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through my house you could hear the album I’ve played each holiday season since 2007. That’s when DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS received its world premiere recording. A few members of the original Broadway cast came to the studio: Patrick Page was The Grinch as Rusty […]
A NEW NEW DEAL FOR ANNIE By Peter Filichia
Too bad that five unsung heroes of ANNIE LIVE! weren’t able to get applause that the five stars of the show received. The studio audience for the Dec. 2 event was happy to be there to witness the latest iteration of the Thomas Meehan-Charles Strouse-Martin Charnin classic. They were happy to see Celina Smith, who […]
LET’S GO BACK TO DEAR OLD SYRACUSE By Peter Filichia
Actually, logic would decree that Michael Portantiere should hold his concert version of THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE on Dec. 21, not Dec. 29. For the twenty-first is actually “The shortest day of the year” where daylight is concerned. The Richard Rodgers-Lorenz Hart score sports a song by that very name. Perhaps Portantiere was considerate in […]
