What Is Going On With Raul Esparza, Over At City Center's "Oliver????????????????????"

                                       David and I saw the show on Sunday, and I will have more to say in the review tomorrow, but Raul seemed to be working at his peak.  I noticed when he took his curtain call that he looked sweaty, but then there is a lot of physicality to his approaching the role of Fagin.  I get it.

                                        Friends of ours went to the evening performance, where they learned an ensemble member had Covid, and Raul was out of the show and his cover, Gavin Lee, was going on.  Gavin also went on last night, so is he taking over the role for the entire week?

                                        Inquiring Theater Queens want to know--what is going on with Raul Esparza?  This was his big musical theater comeback, after the hissy fit he pulled over the 2012 flop, "Leap Of Faith," at the St. James Theatre.  He swore himself away from musical theater, like an enraged diva queen!  So, if he is playing games at "Oliver!," only a two-week run, he is not being career smart. What could have reignited a slipping career could now wreck it, for sure.  Anyone out there know what is really going on?  Please feel free to comment on here.

                                          May this week go smoothly for cast and crew of "Oliver!!!!!!!!!!!"

Girls, Let's Vist The Island Of Dead Dolls, In Mexico City!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           Who would have thought, darlings, that I would have had any reason or desire to go to Mexico?  But the Island Of Dead Dolls, which I only recently heard about, is fascinating.  A macabre collection of dolls somewhere in a large city.  An island unto itself. It sounds eerie and fascinating; just  the perfect trip for all us girls.

                              I don't know much about Mexico, outside of Tijuana, and "The Night Of The Iguana," and I am telling you, both did not give me a good opinion of the place.  But now with this, I cannot wait to go there, and see this macabre collection.

                               No to mention how it started, and why.

                                Girls, make sure all your dolls do not end up here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some Special "Svengoolie" News, Girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              Having seen the monthly schedule, I must say May is not a good month for "Svengoolie." "Blacula," where Drac goes Black, is the best offering of the month, and you must join us for this tale of vampiric sexual rapacity, featuring, of all people, Denise Nicholas, from "Room 222."

                                  Channel 9 used to show this all the time when I was young, back in the Seventies.  I have not seen this in decades, so it should be fun.  Join us all tonight for this very special event.

                                     I must reveal to readers that next week's offering is to be avoided at all costs--1966's "The Ghost And Mr. Chicken," with Don Knotts!!!!!!!!!!!  Forget it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     But 1972's "The Thing With Two Heads," the two heads being Ray Milland and Rosie Grier, should be a camp delight; on a par with Virginia Leith's performance in 1962's "The Brain That Wouldn't Die."  I have to admit this one has potential, and I have never seen it.

                                       May closes with another showing of 1959's "The Killer Shrews," starring, of all people, director Sidney Lumet's father!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Wait till you see the dogs in masks!  Crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you have never seen it, it is worth one look, but we have seen it twice already, so enough is enough.

                                         One consolation--we did tape 1932's "The Old Dark House," so we will be screening that one week this month, so we can all discuss it, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            All this worries me.  First "Sventoonie" tanks, and now "Svengoolie" offers up second rate, not worth viewable, fare.  Could he be tanking, too?

                                             What will we do with our Saturday nights???????????

                              How about some vampiric sexual rapacity????????????????????????

"Destroy All Monsters" Raises Some Interesting Questions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    This is an artist's rendering, girls, of the final scene in 1968's "Destroy All Monsters," which Svengoolie showed on his show, last week.  The monsters are all gathered on Monster Land (eventually renamed "Monster Island") to bid goodbye to their human friends and their film fans, as this was to be Toho's finale to the giant monster universe.  According to Svengoolie, this film was such a box-office success that it was decided to keep the monster franchise going.

                                     Good thing, because Gojira is the best thing to come out of it, which continues his stardom, demonstrated by his being the best performer in the film.  Rodan demonstrates he is a team player, by flying in and out at crucial moments, not getting in the way of Gojira.  Unlike Mothra, who just squirms and pouts, and, from the footage, won't be seen on any screen with any other monster; most of Mothra's shots are close-ups where  only he is on camera!  Bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         There is a monster, a small one named Minya, who is a male, and is said to be Gojira's child.  Yet, the year before, Gojira made a movie, 1967's "Son Of Godzilla," where he had a child named Gadzookie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          Just how many children does Gojira have?  And who gave birth to them?  Toho has never answered these questions and needs to.

                                            Kudos to Gojira and Rodan for their teamwork.  And thank heaven the title turned out to be a misnomer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             Long reign Gojira's stardom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Darlings, It's Cinco de Mayo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                        Girls, my posting has been sporadic, what with doctor appointments this month.  Nothing disastrous, just follow ups, required more as I grow older.

                          But you know what Cinco de Mayo means to me?  It is the one day in the year I allow myself to eat Mexican.  I love it, but it does not love me.  Putting int en francais, darlings, the consequences mean I will spend a lot of time in la salle de bain !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                          Right now, I am good, as I am not dining till dinnertime, with David.  Who seems to have a cast iron intestinal tract.  Wish I could say the same.

                           For those who can imbibe, I wish you unlimited Sangria and Margaritas. Have some on me, dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            Another day to celebrate!  Take them as they come, for we surely need them!!!!!!!!!

Darlings, We Have GOT To Go To The Karl Lagerfeld Exhibit At The MET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             I mean, ANNA had something to do with it, in line with the Costume Institute, so that is reason enough alone.  As The Raving Queen, I have to get to as many designer exhibits as possible, and this is one not to miss.  It runs from May 5-June 16.  If I have to walk, crawl, or purchase tickets online, I am going.

                              ANNA, I am telling you, you are missing out not having me on staff!

                              Join me, girls, and help support fashion and glamour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              I mean, it matters!  It really does!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anna, ANNA, What is Going On????????????????????????????

                           Ben Platt, current TONY nominee for Best Male Musical Lead, and one-time front runner, until Josh Groban came along in "Sweeney Todd," is the best-looking feature at The 2023 Met Gala.  I suppose the designs were in prep for the opening of the Karl Lagerfeld exhibit, but let me show you what I thought was the best design.  Are you ready, darlings????????????

                                 This!!!!!!!!!!!!  Why??????????  Because it is awash with color.  The rest of it, as shall be shown, was a black and white washout.  Maybe that was Lagerfeld's style, but it is definitely not mine.  ANNA, how could you????????????????   

                                   Let's take a look--

                                     I mean, an almost naked girl in a see-through hoop skirt?  Not only is this politically questionable, it is a fashion faux pas!  This is glamour???????????  Phfffft!!!!!!!!!!  Remember what I said awhile back about Faith Domergue, girls?  She would be appalled" And so am I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Cecil Beaton and Schiaparelli must be turning over in their graves!!!!!!!!!  Who can blame them?????????????

                                    As for the rest--

                                      Darlings, despite how much color you may think you see, let me tell you it all came down to black, white and silver.  Just as dull as it can be.  OK, Karl is being launched, but can we have some variety?  On the clothes, rather than the floor?  Colors, textures, the right cut--that is what fashion is all about.

                                         Glad I did not pay my $50K to go.  Hell, I am having enough trouble getting into "Sweeney Todd."  Sure, I will go to the exhibit, but dressed in my best--which means color!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          ANNA, ANNA, you really need me to work with you.