Author: Chris Van Patten

"Crazy For You" – The Original Broadway Cast

Back in November, Encores! presented a rare revival of the 1930 Gershwin musical Girl Crazy. In effect, the experience was more like a history lesson to musical aficionados and scholars as the book and construction don’t quite hold up to the more sophisticated standards that have come our way. When there was an attempt to revive the show in the late 80s/early 90s, it became clear to the powers that be that the original show couldn’t work in an politically era of Broadway. That’s when Crazy for You was born.

The new musical was loosely based on the basic plot outline of the original: rich NYC playboy goes west, falls in love with local girl. Hijinks ensue. However, Ken Ludwig wrote a brand new story with new characters and situations, using five songs from the Girl Crazy score and interpolating thirteen other Gershwin songs. The new show was something of a backstage musical farce, with the young playboy putting on a Ziegfeld-esque show in the middle-of-nowhere Deadrock, Nevada just to impress that town’s only girl. Direction was provided by Mike Ockrent, the British director who had similarly resuscitated Me and My Girl in the mid 80s and the choreography was supplied by newcomer Susan Stroman. The show would mark Stroman’s first significant Broadway achievement and launched her career as one of the most important choreographers of the decade.

Starring as the two lovers were Harry Groener and Jodi Benson. The original Broadway cast also included the late, great Bruce Adler, Beth Leavel, Michelle Pawk, John Hillner, Jane Connell, Jessica Molaskey, Casey Nicholaw, and Stephen Temperley (who would go on to write Souvenir). After 10 previews, the show opened at the Shubert Theatre to rave reviews, with a particularly ecstatic Frank Rich proclaiming that Broadway had reached out and snatched the musical back from the British. The musical comedy won three Tonys: Best Musical, Best Costume Design (William Ivey Long) and Best Choreography. The show ran 1,622 performances on Broadway; a London company starring Ruthie Henshall opened a year later and ran for almost three years. A PaperMill Playhouse production recreated the Broadway staging, even featuring original cast members and was aired on PBS Great Performances.

I first saw Crazy for You at my high school when I was 14 years old. It was the school’s spring musical, and I was completely blown away. The script was funny, the music and lyrics were from the Gershwins and utterly sublime (my first real introduction to their work). It was enough to get me involved with the high school’s drama club, where I spent two glorious years. I also wore out a videotape of the PaperMill telecast. Our senior year, the high school took a trip (a field trip down memory lane, really) to see the show at the Westchester Broadway Theatre in Elmsford. Once again, they were recreating much of the original staging (and there were cast members from the PaperMill staging, too). The show starred Shonn Wiley and Meredith Patterson, who would both go onto starring in various Broadway roles and also get married along the way.

For what it’s worth, Stroman may have made a lot of waves with her direction and choreography of The Producers, but I don’t think she’s ever topped her breakthrough work in Crazy For You.

First up: Act One Finale. Ethel Merman became a star in Girl Crazy because of her delivery of “I Got Rhythm” late in that show’s first act. For Crazy for You, Stroman turns the number into a raucous, jubilant celebration lasting eight minutes. It’s a tap-heavy show (and this number especially), but it also exemplifies what would become her trademark: the use of props as part of the dance. Here is a rare video (found thanks to Robert Bullen of Confessions of a Chicago Theatre Addict) of the original Broadway cast performing “I Got Rhythm” onstage at the Shubert:

When the plot of Crazy For You is all wrapped up, and the inevitable happy ending is upon us, Stroman goes all out for a very Astaire-Rogers moment with the lovers rising while showgirls in folly girl headdresses appear. But wait – Stroman isn’t finished. There’s still the choreographed curtain call, with another boisterous reprise of “I Got Rhythm” (with all those tappers doing all those wings) leading to a company bow. Again, taped at the Shubert Theatre on 44th Street, here is the original cast. And yes, that’s Beth Leavel singing first.

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Love Trio

I can’t say I’m the biggest fan of the Andrew Lloyd Webber (some might recall my anecdote about being elbowed awake for snoring during Cats) but when PBS aired My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies back in 1999 (that long ago already?!) I was very much taken with the “Andrew Lloyd Webber Love Trio,” taking three of the Lord’s ballads and putting them together. Audra McDonald sang “Love Changes Everything” from Aspects of Love, Marin Mazzie sang “Unexpected Song” from Song & Dance and Judy Kuhn delivered “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” from Jesus Christ Superstar before the three finished together in a showstopping counterpoint.

Kate Baldwin at Feinstein’s

One of the great gifts of the holiday season was the chance to see Kate Baldwin’s debut at Feinstein’s back on December 13. The evening was a chance to celebrate her solo CD debut, “Let’s See What Happens,” one of the finest solo recordings released in the last couple of years. Her husband, actor Graham Rowat, made the following video of her evening, capturing her humor, elegance and of course, that stunning singing voice. For those of who weren’t able to be there that night, here’s a glimpse into that glorious evening. You can still catch Kate in Finian’s Rainbow at the St. James Theatre until January 17, it’s a performance you don’t want to miss. In the meanwhile, enjoy:

"Stars and the Moon"

It’s a song that I’ve heard often enough, whether on solo CDs or live in performance or even in acting classes. And it’s a song I’ve grown to despise as a result of all of those encounters. It doesn’t help that I’m not particularly sold on the show it’s from either. However, when traveling with Kari, Roxie and Sarah two months ago to Val-Kill and New Paltz, this rendition of that song popped on the iPod and I found myself rather impressed. Here is Betty Buckley singing “Stars and the Moon” from Jason Robert Brown’s Songs for a New World. This time, the song had the credence of someone who made it seem as though she actually lived every word. I haven’t changed my mind on the song itself, but whenever Buckles is singing it, I will gladly listen.

"I wish you the Cort Theatre in February!"

The revival of Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge is only one week into previews for its limited engagement at the Cort Theatre and already there is a second tenant lined up for the venue on 48th Street for the spring. The revival of August Wilson’s Fences starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis will open at the theatre on April 26.

The Cort Theatre hasn’t exactly been the most desirable house in the history of Broadway, it’s located on the “wrong” side of the street, seemingly out of the way from the rest of the major houses (on 48th Street, next to Sam Ash, near the Fox News Building). The medium sized theatre contains 1100 seats and is ideal for both plays and smaller musicals. However, even though it’s not as far from the vicinity of Times Square as the Virginia, Neil Simon or Gershwin, it still manages to feel remote. During the 50s, the show housed popular Tony-winning successes like The Diary of Anne Frank and Sunrise at Campobello. The longest run at the theatre was the Stephen Schwartz-Doug Henning musical The Magic Show, which ran 1,920 performance in the mid-to-late ’70s.

However, most shows that play at the Shubert owned and operated theatre have had a tendency to not do well (Radio Golf, Bobbi Boland, A Year with Frog and Toad, Barefoot in the Park revival, The Little Dog Laughed, On Golden Pond revival, Hollywood Arms, Marlene, Kat and the Kings – and this just a selection from the last ten years). However, non-profit transfers (The 39 Steps and The Heiress) and limited engagements (You’re Welcome America and The Blue Room) have found success there.

The first half of 2010 will keep the real estate occupied with two star-studded events – Liev Schreiber and Scarlett Johannson for 16 weeks in the Arthur Miller revival, and Denzel Washington and Viola Davis in the August Wilson. Perhaps the key to successfully housing the theatre is to maintain the movie star engagements that have been the great financial successes of the season to date (A Steady Rain and Hamlet).

Cubby Bernstein, the memorable wunderkind producer behind the Xanadu Tony campaign cursed someone over the phone with the quote in the title of this post. However, after You’re Welcome America and A View from a Bridge, the Cort Theatre in February may be a blessing after all.

Brief Encounter at "Ragtime"

It’s a New Year and to get things going, I made Ragtime my very first theatre trip of 2010. I had bought a ticket for this particular performance thinking it was going to be the final one, as announced last Monday. However due to a spike in ticket sales, the cast was given a one week reprieve, and ticket sales have gone up significantly since the notice was posting. A case of too little too late, perhaps, but it was nice to see a frenzy at the Neil Simon box office, and a sold out mezzanine.

The show itself is sublime, as I’ve previously mentioned. I’m very much in love with this particular production of the musical and am sad to see it go. So were those folks who sat next to me at this particular performance. To my right was a gentleman with his college-age son. The father had seen and loved the original and found himself overwhelmed by the impact of this particular performance. He expressed bewilderment at the negative reviews for the show from the major critics. His son was looking for a show to see this coming week (the production’s last) and seems have chosen to partake in this show’s lottery (and I wish him good luck, as it looks to be the hottest ticket in town for the next few days).

However, it is the woman seated to my left whom I’ll never forget. We didn’t say anything before the show started, and not even when the lights came up for intermission. However, throughout the show there had been some vociferous responses from the audience. The lights dimming brought on an explosion of applause, and when the curtain rose on that tableau vivant of the entire cast, the house gave an ovation similar to that of the first preview, lasting approximately 30 seconds.

It was toward the end of intermission when James Moore, the musical director and conductor emerged to cheers, bravos and a mini standing ovation by those in the mezzanine wondering who was being applauded by the orchestra. The lady turned to me and asked what all the excitement was about; why the audience reactions were so heightened. I explained to her that many of the folks were fans of the show who had bought tickets thinking it was the closing performance. She said “But it isn’t today, right? I thought they moved it to next Sunday.”

I said yes and also mentioned that there were people in attendance who were ardent admirers and most likely repeat visitors who had purchased tickets thinking it was the last performance (and admitted that I was one of those people). She looked at me with this expression of wonder and said to me, “I’m 81 and I started going to the theatre when I was 16, and I have never seen an audience react like this.” I did a double take, as the patrician and elegant lady looked closer to 61 than 81. When I told her that she didn’t look her age, she quipped, “There’s good lighting in here.”

When the show was over and we were all getting ourselves together to leave, she turned to me and asked, “When did this show start?” I told her the dates of the first preview and opening night. She paused and shook her head slightly and said “What a shame. Such a good show, and to see all those wonderful people working so hard now out of a job.”

The lady also spoke of how it’s not something her generation is used to; that they were raised on musicals were lighter in tone and in subject matter, such as Oklahoma! or Brigadoon. She said that to her Ragtime wasn’t a musical, but more of an operetta. The lady qualified her answer by telling me that it didn’t mean she didn’t like the production – she in fact loved it. She elaborated further:

“But we didn’t handle these subjects with as much honesty then as this show does now, so for my generation it’s a bitter pill to take. I would like to have seen other sides of the story: I’m of Italian descent and my family faced similar unwelcome when they arrived in this country. This is how it happened and that can be hard to accept. What a beautiful, beautiful production.”

Having someone with 65 years of Broadway history behind her, and admittedly little time to talk I asked her what her very first show was.

She responded, “My cousin was enlisted in the military and fighting in WWII. While he was away, his father (my father’s brother) died so when he came home on furlough my father wanted to do something nice for him, so he bought the two of tickets to see Oklahoma! and, oh it was such a night!”

Me: “Original cast?”

She: “Oh, yes! Alfred Drake and Celeste Holm!”

Needless to say, I was enraptured with her. I asked her the next question: “In 65 years of theatregoing, what was your all-time favorite?”

She smiled very broadly at me and said, as she put her hand over her heart, “I’ve loved so many… but I really loved My Fair Lady – and the original cast on that one too.” The last part was added on with bragging rights – rights very much deserved. I observed that the theatre was just around the corner (the former Mark Hellinger) and she said, “You have a better memory for that sort of thing than I do, young man. But I’ve got this large drawer filled with every playbill.” She paused, and smiled wistfully. Then she looked at me, still smiling, and said, “I’ve had a very good life.”

She and her daughter stopped to collect themselves in another row and we said our goodbyes. I took the opportunity to thank her for her recollections and tell her how genuinely happy I was to meet her. She thanked me for the conversation and wished me well as we went our separate ways. I never got her name, and while I would have loved to put the name with the piece I think part of the magic of my experience is in its anonymity. Talking with this woman was as much of a highpoint as was the show onstage. I hope when I’m 81, that I’m still as vibrant and excited a theatregoer as she is.

Let’s give the waltz a chance.
Let’s dance, and let’s see what happens.
Let us carouse while Strauss caresses the strings.
Even the shy may fly on musical wings.
They say music can do the most unusual things.
Let’s take a step or two or three, and let’s see what happens.
Let us pretend, my friend, it’s only a spree.
And if a great adventure happens to happen,
Won’t we be happy it happened to you and me?

Happy 2010, Everybody!

>Let’s give the waltz a chance.
Let’s dance, and let’s see what happens.
Let us carouse while Strauss caresses the strings.
Even the shy may fly on musical wings.
They say music can do the most unusual things.
Let’s take a step or two or three, and let’s see what happens.
Let us pretend, my friend, it’s only a spree.
And if a great adventure happens to happen,
Won’t we be happy it happened to you and me?

Happy 2010, Everybody!

The Year of Living Cinematically

Another year has gone by, and I have kept up my list of films watched in their entirety for the calendar year. Same premise, same Moleskine. No TV movies or miniseries are included. The only difference from last year’s list is that I’ve marked the films which I’ve never seen before with an asterisk.

Love Actually (2003) 1/1
Anne of the Thousand Days (1969) 1/4
*Death at a Funeral (2007) 1/6
*The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (1965) 1/7
*Burn After Reading (2008) 1/8
His Girl Friday (1940) 1/9
*Back to Bataan (1945) 1/10
Topkapi (1964) 1/19
The Philadelphia Story (1940) 1/21
*Morning Glory (1934) 1/21
The Little Foxes (1941) 1/24
Network (1976) 1/26
Good News (1947) 1/27
*Doubt (2008) 1/28
Vertigo (1958) 1/30
*The Big Sleep (1946) 1/31
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947) 1/31
The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) 2/1
101 Dalmatians (1961) 2/2
Once (2007) 2/2
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) 2/2
*The Big Chill (1983) 2/2
Tootsie (1982) 2/2
*Twelve O’Clock High (1949) 2/3
*The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) 2/5
*Be Kind, Rewind (2008) 2/5
*Red River (1948) 2/5
*Radio Days (1987) 2/6
Guarding Tess (1994) 2/7
*Lars and the Real Girl (2007) 2/8
*Only Angels Have Wings (1939) 2/9
*Made for Each Other (1939) 2/10
My Fair Lady (1964) 2/11
*Five Easy Pieces (1970) 2/13
Barefoot in the Park (1967) 2/15
*Darling (1965) 2/16
*Slumdog Millionaire (2008) 2/17
*Ghost Town (2008) 2/23
*Julius Caesar (1953) 2/24
*The Public Enemy (1931) 3/6
*Watchmen (2009) 3/7
Howards End (1992) 3/13
*Milk (2008) 3/21
*Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) 3/22
*Synecdoche, New York (2008) 3/23
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) 3/25
Pinocchio (1940) 3/31
East of Eden (1955) 4/2
Some Like it Hot (1959) 4/5
So Proudly We Hail (1943) 4/5
Paper Moon (1973) 4/6
Never on Sunday (1960) 4/9
Key Largo (1948) 4/10
*The Actress (1953) 4/11
The Rose Tattoo (1955) 4/13
*Zelig (1983) 4/13
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) 4/15
The Trouble with Angels (1955) 4/18
Anatomy of a Murder (1959) 4/18
The Rainmaker (1956) 4/20
Stalag 17 (1953) 4/26
North to Alaska (1960) 4/27
The Goonies (1985) 5/3
*Last Chance Harvey (2008) 5/8
Inherit the Wind (1960) 5/11
*Star Trek (2009) 5/11
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) 6/1
State Fair (1945) 6/1
The Quiet Man (1952) 6/2
*The Hangover (2009) 6/5
The Godfather (1972) 6/13
Splendor in the Grass (1961) 6/22
*Hairspray (2007) 6/23
Last Chance Harvey (2008) 6/23
*You Can Count on Me (2000) 6/25
Amadeus (1984) 6/26
It Happened One Night (1934) 6/27
Stagecoach (1939) 6/28
Saboteur (1942) 6/30
*Rooster Cogburn (1975) 7/1
*The Lost Patrol (1934) 7/2
The Wild Bunch (1969) 7/3
Roman Holiday (1953) 7/4
*Mary, Queen of Scots (1971) 7/5
Clue (1985) 7/6
Animal House (1978) 7/10
*Untamed Heart (1993) 7/11
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) 7/12
*Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) 7/13
*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) 7/15
A Night at the Opera (1935) 7/16
I Confess (1953) 7/17
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) 7/17
*The Iron Giant (1999) 7/19
Notorious (1946) 7/20
The Court Jester (1956) 7/24
*The Baxter (2005) 7/29
*Please Don’t Eat the Daisies (1960) 7/30
Doctor Zhivago (1965) 7/30
The Parent Trap (1961) 7/30
*The Paper Chase (1973) 7/31
*Monster House (2006) 7/31
Imitation of Life (1959) 7/31
Oklahoma! (1955) 7/31
*Walk Hard (2007) 8/2
*Little Nellie Kelly (1940) 8/6
*For Me and My Gal (1942) 8/6
*In the Good Old Summertime (1949) 8/6
*The Courtship of Eddie’s Father (1963) 8/7
The Awful Truth (1937) 8/10
*Happy-Go-Lucky (2008) 8/16
*Chocolat (2000) 8/28
*Troll 2 (1990) 8/30
*The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) 8/30
*Gran Torino (2008) 8/30
*Babette’s Feast (1987) 9/5
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947) 9/7
Sweeney Todd (2007) 9/11
Where Eagles Dare (1968) 9/12
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967) 9/13
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) 9/18
*Bad Little Angel (1939) 9/21
*A Perfect Couple (1979) 9/25
The Grass is Greener (1960) 9/26
*Lovers and Other Strangers (1970) 10/8
Halloween (1978) 10/31
Big Trouble in Little China (1986) 11/5
*Sunrise at Campobello (1960) 11/8
*Tell It to the Judge (1949) 11/15
Reds (1981) 11/17
*Li’l Abner (1959) 11/26
Elf (2003) 11/30
*Susan Slept Here (1954) 12/11
*Invictus (2009) 12/14
*Bolt (2008) 12/14
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) 12/15
Gone with the Wind (1939) 12/15
*George Washington Slept Here (1942) 12/19
*The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941) 12/20
White Christmas (1954) 12/21
Going My Way (1944) 12/21
Holiday Inn (1942) 12/22
Bad Santa (2003) 12/23
*Christmas in Connecticut (1945) 12/25
Scrooged (1988) 12/25
The Lion in Winter (1968) 12/25
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) 12/25
*Brideshead Revisited (2008) 12/26
Orange County (2002) 12/26
*The Fisher King (1991) 12/26
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) 12/27
Fiddler on the Roof (1971) 12/27
Star Trek (2009) 12/29
Adventures in Babysitting (1987) 12/29
The Simpsons Movie (2007) 12/30
Edward Scissorhands (1990) 12/30
The Dirty Dozen (1967) 12/30
The Thin Man (1934) 12/31