GETTING TO KNOW ANNA LEONOWENS By Peter Filichia
If an event hadn’t happened eighty-nine years earlier – on March 15, 1862, to be precise – we wouldn’t have one of Broadway’s much-praised and oft-revived musicals. On that date, Anna and Louis Leonowens arrived in Siam. Because she did make the trip, we’ll soon be celebrating the seventieth anniversary of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s THE […]
WHAT DO CRITICS KNOW? By Peter Filichia
Matthew Gurren and James Campodonico have a point. They’ve written a musical called WHAT DO CRITICS KNOW? which I fondly remember from a presentation. It came to mind while I was perusing Anthony Slide’s SELECTED THEATRE CRITICISM, VOLUME 3, 1931-1950. I don’t own Volumes One and Two, and have no idea if there were ever […]
IN THE HALL DURING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH By Peter Filichia
To celebrate March as Women’s History Month, let’s take a look at The Women’s Hall of Fame. The idea for the Hall came from a man: Robert Moses, who set the wheels in motion just before he helmed the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. In order to honor the “Twenty Outstanding Women of the Twentieth […]
THERE’S MUCH MORE TO MARRY ME A LITTLE By Peter Filichia
Remember that great theatrical in-joke in DEATHTRAP? Sidney Bruhl, jealous of the terrific thriller that his student has written, tells his wife that it’s so good that “even a gifted director couldn’t hurt it.” Yes, some directors do believe that they can improve on what the writer(s) wrote. Ever hear about the production of SOUTH […]
MUSIC WHILE WAITING By Peter Filichia
Fifty-five years ago, audiences saw Charity Hope Valentine stuck in an elevator with Oscar Lindquist. As it turned out, she was the braver individual and helped calm down the claustrophobic. As the title character of SWEET CHARITY, Gwen Verdon was marvelous – so what else was new? – in showing Charity’s concern for anyone in […]
