Two Birdies in the Hand By Peter Filichia
The question was recently asked on Facebook. “Should I get the Broadway cast album of BYE BYE BIRDIE or the soundtrack?” Bless the poster for knowing the difference! Broadway stage musicals have cast albums; recordings from movies are soundtracks (for a film has a track of sound). And given that this week is the fifty-fifth […]
In Honor of Bob Fosse’s Ninety-First Birthday By Peter Filichia
“Was I ever eager, pushy, needy, scared, hungry, confident. I felt there was nothing I couldn’t do.” So said Bob Fosse in 1985. Considering that this was one year before he brought one new musical to Broadway – and a revival only five days later – he should have said “There’s still nothing I can’t […]
Gwen Verdon: The Merely Marvelous Big Deal By Peter Filichia
I’ve lately been spending a good deal of time with Gwen Verdon. Not literally, of course; sad to say, the legendary star left us nearly eighteen years ago. But through two different media, Gwen Verdon is getting the chance to return into our hearts and minds — or be introduced to them. For decades, we’ve […]
“Something Wonderful” Indeed! By Peter Filichia
Just when you think you’ve heard each and every story about Rodgers and Hammerstein, here comes a book to show you what you don’t know. Yes, Todd S. Purdum’s Something Wonderful does include the standard tales we’ve all heard since the Year One — or should we say Year 1943? Once again we read Mary […]
A SEVEN-INCH SPONGEBOB By Peter Filichia
We talked last week about the renaissance of some original cast albums on vinyl — twelve-inch vinyl, that is. Will there be a rebirth of seven-inch vinyl records, too? SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical is at least giving such a format a chance to make a comeback (or, as Norma Desmond would insist, “a return”). […]
