Imagine, as I write this, sitting in the Winter Garden Theatre 55 years ago, as the curtaian is about to go up on the opening night of "MAME." If time transport were possible, this is one thing I would want to witness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
First, the orchestra plays the most fabulous Overture; one of Broadway's best. The lights come down, then up, as they focus on Jane Connell as Agnes Gooch, and Frankie Michaels (still the youngest TONY Award Winner in history) as Young Patrick Dennis, stepping out on stage, and the music, with their voices, segues into "St. Bridget."
Oh, my God, girls, can you imagine????????????????????????????
That was 55 years ago tonight, darlings. Almost to the time I am now writng this!
Alas, Time has moved us all on. To think that Angela Lansbury--Mame, hersellf!!!!!!--is the only surviving lead cast member, at 95!!!!!!!!!! She will be 96 in October!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, get your "MAME" cast album out, and relive the triumph of the opening night of a true Broadway musical masterpiece!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When we used to have them. Alas.......................
And I always said, many of our best musicals played the Winter Garden Theatre, which is why I still dream of playing there.
Here is the opening number, "St. Bridget," just as it sounded tonight, 55 years ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4 comments:
Now I’m crying...
Heaven help those who had to settle for the movie with Lucille Ball at Radio City Music Hall vs Angela Lansbury live at the Winter Garden!
Imagine, Warner Bros thought Angela "couldn't open a movie" so went with Lucy instead! Fortunately Angela went on to get her revenge with a decade long run of "Murder She Wrote" while Lucy flailed and floundered like a fish on dry land.
Victoria,
Me,too. Isn't it gorgeous?
They don't write them like this, anymore!
My Dear,
The only thing worse than Lucille Ball's
"MAME," was what Richard Attenborough did
to "A Chrous Line."
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