FINIAN’S IS SOMETHING VERY GRANDISH By Peter Filichia
En route to Finian’s Rainbow at The Irish Repertory Theatre, a song from Darling of the Day popped into my head. Not so surprising, you say, given that both musicals have lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, although their fates were markedly different: Finian’s closed as the sixth-longest book musical in Broadway history while Darling (at thirty-two […]
Another Milestone for A CHORUS LINE By Peter Filichia
Last week A Chorus Line celebrated a twenty-fifth anniversary. Not of its opening, which happened more than forty-one years ago. But a quarter-century ago on October 30, 1991, a plaque was installed in the lobby of the Shubert Theatre. It states that here was “Home of A Chorus Line, the longest-running show in Broadway history.” […]
THE SECOND TIME AROUND By Peter Filichia
In Say, Darling, Johnny Desmond sings, “It’s the second time you meet that matters.” It’s true of songs in musicals, too. Although a great opening number makes theatergoers assume that they’re going to see a good show, a second great number makes them even more confident that they’ll have a memorable evening. So what are […]
An Evening with Sheldon Harnick By Peter Filichia
Time to say “The best laid plans …” Last Monday, I did a one-on-one interview with Sheldon Harnick at a benefit for The Workshop Theatre, that West 36th Street bastion of new plays. This was on Oct. 17 – one day before the 50th anniversary of the opening of The Apple Tree, the penultimate Jerry […]
HEAVEN, I’M IN SIMPLY HEAVENLY By Peter Filichia
Love is simply heavenly but sex means you’re going to hell. So thinks Joyce in Simply Heavenly, the 1957 Broadway musical for which the illustrious Langston Hughes wrote book and lyrics to David Martin’s music. As was the case with so many women in the Eisenhower and pre-birth control pill era, Joyce (Marilyn Berry) believes […]
