I Told You So!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I Told You So!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                Trust a Raving, or Theater Queen, to know the score, and I nailed this one good, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  In a way, theater history is repeating itself.  Forty years ago this year, back in early 1978, I saw one of the last previews of the original production of "On The Twentieth Century," at the St. James Theatre.  Madeline Kahn, a brilliant comedienne, was cast as Lily Garland, and, though she was hitting those excessively high notes in this difficult score, she seemed to be just making it, and eventually, she had to drop out of the show, replaced by her understudy Judy Kaye, whose opportunity here did something for her career, leading to a TONY Award a decade later, for "The Phantom Of The Opera."

                                       I knew even then Madeline would burn out.  I could hear it in her voice.

                                    Well....and I knew this would come to pass.....something similar seems to be happening, over at the Beaumont, with its "My Fair Lady" revival!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     This is Kirsten Anderson, and she is the understudy to TONY Nominee Lauren Ambrose (when are they going to stop designating her as this, and tell the truth, calling her a TONY loser????????) in the role of Eliza Doolittle in the show!  Starting with this Sunday's performance, July 8, Sunday matinee goers will see Kirsten, rather than Lauren.

                                       They may be the lucky ones.  David and I have tickets for the show on Saturday, August 4, so we should see Lauren.   Unless she is so pissed about this she will start playing hooky.  In which case, there goes the career.

                                          The decision to do this cannot be clearer to me.

                                           Lauren Ambrose can't cut the mustard!  Vocally, that is!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           I had my suspicions, when all the ads and excerpts for this show featured very little of anyone singing, most of all Lauren.  What few notes I heard sounded only OK, but more like the score for her songs had been transposed down a bit for her.  And with that, she can't even sustain???????????  Lauren, hon, it's time to face musical theater facts--this is not your turf!  Go back to drama, where I have actually seen you do some fine work.

                                             I don't want to sound joyful, but I knew this would happen!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              And remember, you heard it first, here, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!