
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 […]

tick, tick … BOOM! NOW HAS A FILM AND A SOUNDTRACK By Peter Filichia
tick, tick … BOOM! NOW HAS A FILM AND A SOUNDTRACK By Peter Filichia Could he have ever imagined that this would happen with his one-man show? Back in the nineties, Jonathan Larson wrote a solo musical that he first called BOHO DAYS. On second thought, he named it 30/90; on third thought, tick, tick … […]

REMEMBERING STEPHEN SONDHEIM By Peter Filichia
He might not be happy that I’m starting with a lyric for which he didn’t write the music. In addition, he might be slightly miffed that it’s from his first show, much of which he pooh-poohed over the years. As for you, will you be surprised that I’m quoting a lyric that doesn’t involve an […]

CHICAGO’S STERLING SILVER ANNIVERSARY By Peter Filichia
Was the person projecting the lights onto the Ambassador Theatre show curtain making a prediction? The word CHICAGO has been seen in red sequins on that scrim since this revival began in 1996. At this year’s Nov. 16th performance, however, the lights that shone on it made the seven letters appear to be not red […]