We Won't Be Home Tonight, Girls, So Don't Let That Stop You From Watching 1943's "The Phantom Of The Opera!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                     Though not nearly as good as Lon Chaney's, it is worth a look.  It is a tale of vengeance and loyalty.  Erique is an aspiring composer who has a manuscript stolen from him by an unscrupulous publisher.  When he confronts the publisher, his secretary tosses a bottle of acid in Erique's face, hence the disfigurement.  Susanna Foster, with a promising voice, was the Lucille Bremer of Universal.  You see, Lucille scored big in MGM's classic, 1944's "Meet Me In St. Louis."  But how does one top that?  One can't, and so they could not find anything for Lucille to do until 1945's "Yolanda And The Thief," which did nothing for her, and that was that.

                                    Same with Susanna Foster. She plays the Christine Daae figure, but I am not sure if she is called Christine, but I do believe that in this version she is his daughter!  Go figure!

                                      Still, it is better than the last two weeks of crap "Svengoolie" was showing.  And this was shot in Technicolor, so it should have an interesting visual landscape.  Worth watching if you are at home.

                                         But wait till next week, darlings!!!!!!!!!  I cannot reveal secrets right now, but I promise you "Svengoolie" will end the year with a BANG!!!!!!!

                                           Have fun tonight, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The fun starts, of course, at 8PM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas, Darlings, From Our House To Yours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      That is our annual Christmas table in our living room, with my mother's Christmas tree, homemade, and almost 60 years old.  To the left is Krampus, who comes visiting at Holiday time, and on the right is Baby Gojira in his Christmas outfit.  He and Little Pippin send love to all, and so, too does Krampus.

                                         What would the Holidays be without tradition?  While our living room is all set for Christmas, we have got to get the kitchen ready for Chanukah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             Imagine, both on the same day!   It will be a full, eventful day, darlings!

                                              So, whatever you celebrate, Happy Holidays, dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today, We Welcome Winter! But Is This The Longest Day, The Shortest Night, Or What?????????????????

                                             I was taught that the shortest day of the year, which we have building up to since June 22, is December 22.  So, when is the shortest night?

                                              I have never been able to figure this out, but I do know that December 21st is the first day of Winter, and boy, do we have snow to show for it.  Winter arrived swiftly, like that Bugs Bunny cartoon, which makes me wonder what we are in for.

                                                 Goodbye to Autumn, and hello, Winter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                 Looking forward to some cozy long reads come January!!!!!!!!!!!!

Audra And "Gypsy" Have Arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But How Long Will They Stay?????????????????

                              Though I was only four years old when Ethel Merman opened "Gypsy" on Broadway, I was old enough to have seen her.  I did not, but I have seen every "Gypsy" since.  For me, Patti LuPone is the Rose of our generation.  That production was perfect.

                                 As a "Gypsy" purist, I am leery of this production.  Danny Burstein will be a perfect Herbie, but what about Audra?  For starters, look at the picture.  Doesn't it look non-organic and overly staged?  I mean, come on.  And if this is "Everything's Coming Up Roses," she looks optimistic, not embittered, as she should.  Audra, Audra, what are you doing?

                                    Yes, she goes back and forth with the head and chest voices.  That cannot be good for her vocally.  She may act up a storm, but what about her singing?  It is interesting to me that every review I have read, even Jesse Green in "The New York Times," tip toes around that issue.  They try to praise Audra without addressing the most important component needed to play Rose.  There is definitely an elephant in this living room!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        There is no excuse for an insufficient Rose.  Without that, there is no "Gypsy."  Now, I am not seeing the show until January 26, so there is room for improvement.  Audra, you better be up there, because I know how Rose should be played, and if it is not right, I will send you notes like Trish Hawkins did to Sara Paulson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            "With what I have inside of me, I could have been better than any of you!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Girls, I Just Love Saturn Queen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                      As one queen to another, isn't she fascinating darlings?????????????

                                                     Saturn Queen is from the moon of Titan around Saturn.  She is the arch enemy of Imra Ardeen (Saturn Girl) and a choice member of the Legion Of Super Villains during the DC Silver Age of Comics.  I mean, just look at that costume.  You don't see artwork like this anymore, dolls.

                                                         Like her arch enemy, her powers are super telepathic.

                                                         There was also someone called Saturn Woman, who had Allison Hayes like hair, and the thinnest waistline; the kind all us girls would like to have.  She was from the Silver Age, too.  I don't think she was a villain, but I am not sure how she fit into the scheme of things.

                                                              But villain or not, Saturn Queen's hair and costume are just fabulous!

                                                                They may give some aspiring fashion designers some ideas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And Happy Birthday Today To Jake Gyllenhaal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       With that perfectly wavy hair, those dazzling eyes, and that charming smile, Jake Gyllenhaal looks good at 44.  I think he will look good at any age.  Don't you agree, girls?  How many of us looked that good at 44???????????

                                          Jake is a charmer and a consummate actor.  He will be playing Iago to Denzel Washington's Othello in the coming year, on Broadway.  And those are two heavyweight roles.

                                           Which is why Jake is such a consummate actor.  He does musical theater marvelously, what with "Little Shop Of Horrors," and "Sunday In The Park With George."  The great thing about Jake is he takes risks, and does not allow his good looks to get in the way of what challenging role he may be taking on.

                                                So, a Happy Birthday to Jake Gyllenhaal.

                                                 Don't you just want to sigh, girls??????????????

It Opens Tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And We Shall See!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                        The word on the street, girls, is that Chowsie, the dog, steals the show.  And let us hope our good friend, Caroline, the cow is on hand.

                         As for Audra, well, she sounds like she is trying, but that is not good enough.  I heard she is singing most of the score through her head voice.  I mean, come on!  This score is tough enough, without having to resort to tricks, and if she does that throughout, I worry about her voice holding up. They better get it right, by January 26. when I, The Raving Queen, visit the show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                          Still, there is a good omen in the air.  This production is relighting the renovated Majestic Theatrre.  And just 67 years ago, you know what opened there?  "The Music Man" with Robert Preston and Barbara Cook!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             So, maybe this "Gypsy" has a chance!

                               I cannot wait to see the reviews tomorrow, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!