HOORAY FOR IRVING BERLIN! — AND HERSHEY FELDER By Peter Filichia
It comes late in YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN. Lucy Van Pelt simply sneaks up behind the Beethoven-obsessed Schroeder and taps him on the shoulder. Once he turns around, she says “Hooray for Irving Berlin!” and runs off before he can say anything (or stone her). Hooray for Hershey Felder, the pianist-actor who wrote […]
NOEL COWARD’S SWEET POTATO – Sort Of By Peter Filichia
Fifty years ago this week, it began previews without a record company having signed on to do the original Broadway cast album. And considering that NOEL COWARD’S SWEET POTATO lasted all of forty-four performances, no company was willing to step up to the plate after the fact. Clive Barnes, then the powerful critic of the […]
SALLY, IRENE AND MARY By Peter Filichia
Shall we spend our September 4th celebrating the ninety-sixth anniversary of SALLY, IRENE AND MARY? The 1922 musical by Eddie Dowling – who’d have his biggest success twenty-two years later with THE GLASS MENAGERIE – was inspired by three recent smash-hits: SALLY (1920; 561 performances) IRENE (1919; 675 performances) and MARY (1920; 220 performances). IRENE, […]
THEY WERE MAID FOR MUSICALS By Peter Filichia
“Hell, I’d even play the maid to be in a show.” So sings Hattie Walker in FOLLIES on the last night of the Weissman Theatre’s existence, reprising the number that she had sung many years before. Playing a maid does seem to be the lowest of all theatrical assignments. ALLEGRO, BELLS ARE RINGING, CALL ME […]
Here Are the Answers! By Peter Filichia
Last week I gave you some trivia questions and brainteasers from the podcast I do most every Sunday on www.broadwayradio.com . Every question I detailed involved a musical whose cast album, be it an original and/or a revival, can be found here at Masterworks Broadway. Just in case you were flummoxed by the questions or […]
