A Black Day For Musical Theater!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Take a close look at the iconic cover of the Original Cast Album of "Carousel."  See the woman, to the right of John Raitt, holding her hand on Jan Clayton's shoulder?  That is Jean Darling, and she was the original Carrie Pipperdige, when this masterwork first opened at the Majestic Theatre on April 19, 1945.  Jean was just 22 when she sang "When I Marry Mr. Snow," the first time the world heard it, and Jean's version was definitive, until Audra McDonald came along, and made it her own, with a fresh, new take. That was almost a fifty year span--1945 to 1994!!!!!!!!!!

                              Jean Darling was also a child star; born in 1922, she appeared in several of the "Our Gang" silent shorts.  She also appears uncredited in the Laurel and Hardy classic "March Of The Wooden Soldiers," and as a young Jane in an early version of "Jane Eyre," both in 1934.

                                But to us Theater Queens, Jean will always be Carrie. What a gorgeous voice she had!  I plan to go home and listen to it tonight!  You do the same!

                                   Rest In Peace, Jean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!