“Bea Arthur and I first met when we did Mame together in 1965. She became and has remained ‘My Bosom Buddy’ ever since. I am deeply saddened by her passing, but also relieved that she is released from the pain. I spoke to Matt, her son, yesterday and I was aware that her time was imminent. She was a rare and unique performer and a dear, dear friend.”
– Angela Lansbury on the death of her beloved friend and former costar, Bea Arthur
The Mark Hellinger Theater on West 51st Street was originally built by Thomas W. Lamb in the 1930s as a movie palace for Warner Bros. Herman Levin, our producer, took a gamble when he chose the venue as a home for My Fair Lady, since, before our occupation, it had been a bit of a white elephant and was situated a few blocks uptown from the main Broadway area. But it was a beautiful theater, especially the front interior of the building, the lobby being exquisite and ideally matching the elegance of our show. Though a little shallow backstage, it was one of the largest and best equipped of the New York theaters, and it had a seating capacity of eighteen hundred people.
Much later, in 1970, the Nederlanders purchased it, but after a string of flops, they leased and eventually sold it to the Times Square Church in 1989. Various parties have tried to reclaim the building as a legitimate theater in the years since, but to no avail – which is truly a shame, since Broadway must and should preserve every great theater it can.
– Julie Andrews in her memoir Home, now available in paperback.
“Ella Logan was written out of Kelly before it reached the Broadhurst Theatre Saturday night. Congratulations, Ms. Logan.”
Howard Taubman, chief critic of the New York Times, leading off his opening night review of the one performance disaster Kelly on February 7, 1965.
For an informative and fascinating look at the creation of this musical, check out Lewis Lapham’s article “Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly?” for the Saturday Evening Post. The article is reprinted as the final chapter “The Nadir” in Second Act Trouble: Behind the Scenes at Broadway’s Big Musical Bombs, a compilation of first hand accounts of various troubled musicals with annotation by Steven Suskin.
“It will be the performance of a lifetime. Like Julie Harris in The Belle of Amherst.“
-The Generalissimo, as played by Alec Baldwin
From Peter Filichia’s Diary on 1.30.08:
‘Staying on the subject of the presidency, Bruce Haberkern wrote that “With the events of this month’s Inauguration, it might be a chance to revisit the Bernstein-Lerner unsuccessful musical, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The musical had a lot to do with the black servants’ participation in maintaining the White House, especially in the lyrics of ‘Take Care of this House.’ Today their descendants are actually taking care of that (White) House.”
Kevin Daly mentioned 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, too, and cast Victoria Clark in the Patricia Routledge role should the show ever materialize. (Given the estates’ feelings about the quick flop, that will only happen when the show goes into the public domain.) But Daly came up with an even more fetching idea that really should happen — and could: “Let’s have the upcoming cast of Blithe Spirit present a one-night concert performance of High Spirits for their Actor’s Fund performance.” If it happens, I’m there!’
Hey Bernstein and Lerner estates, let’s talk, shall we?
This year, as you watch the lights dim on a performance that has meant something to you, that has made something happen in your heart or your head, you may see the real human being through the mask of the fictional characters a little more vividly. The chorus kid with the megawatt smile, the all-but-legendary musical diva with a devoted following, the up-and-coming young leading man — when the curtain falls they will all return to being actors anxiously awaiting their next engagement, at a scarily perilous time for everybody. So keep clapping, please, and a “Bravo!” or two would surely be appreciated.
– Charles Isherwood in today’s NY Times article “Big Finales, All Together Now: A Month of Broadway Closings”
“I talked to Jeremy on the phone, and he told me that he discovered that he had a very high level of mercury,” Mamet said. “So my understanding is that he is leaving show business to pursue a career as a thermometer.”
-David Mamet, on Jeremy Piven’s abrupt departure from Speed the Plow due to illness “attributable to a high mercury account. (Seriously, kids).
“Vulnerable, angry and thoroughly transfixing, [Amy] Morton has forged one of the great theatrical performances of the modern era. Like the rest of this remarkable show, it stares out from the stage with surety and terror.”
– Chris Jones, in his review of the London transfer of August: Osage County in the Chicago Tribune’s Theatre Loop
“You know you’re in for a lively evening when a play about a family reunion includes a fight director among the team. And how satisfying that he’s called Chuck, too.”
– Christopher Hart in the Sunday Times
“Maybe Letts invites comparisons, a tad too obviously, with other canonical greats: Eugene O’Neill, Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee. But what’s really joyous is his emergent Chekhovian talent for weaving a broad tapestry, depicting a whole extended household. He combines that with pin-sharp detailing which rings painfully true. Amy Morton’s Barbara is unforgettable, howling with grief, then distractedly brushing her hair.”
– Kate Bassett in the Independent
“Watching manipulative, mischievous Dunagan, or bruised, angry Morton or brassy Rondi Reed or any of Anna Shapiro’s terrific ensemble, you ruefully ask an obvious question. Could a British cast bring such commitment and conviction to this subversive take on Oklahoma!? Surely not.”
– Benedict Nightingale in the Times
“Angela Lansbury, the most glorious words in the English language!”
posted on ATC 11/18/08 by user ‘young-walshingham’