Happy Feast Of The Ascension!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            Darlings, can you believe it has already been 40 days since Easter?  That's right, and that means today is the Feast Of The Ascension, the day when Jesus said farewell to his time on Earth, to go back to heaven, and preside over it, and us on Earth.  And the Apostles witnessed this.  He just was lifted up onto a cloud and vanished.  Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              Ascension Thursday is one of those reflective days, girls, and I don't mean your skin tones.  It is a time to reflect on people like Jesus, Bernadette and Sister Camille have done for us, and how we can do things that honor them.  I had a visit with Dexter and my new canine friend, Ruby, yesterday, and I am sure all would approve.  Even an animal friend I had not seen in a long time--Indiana Jones!!!!!!!!! He was so sweet, he sat right down, and was comforted by me.  As they all comfort me.

                            So, do your best on Ascension Thursday.

                            It occurs faster, each year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            

Congratualtions, Tovah Feldshuh, On 50 Years On Broadway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               I am sure all of us on here love Tovah.  To think she has been trotting the Broadway boards for half a century.  That's right, dears.  Makes some of us feel old.  I know I do.

                              May 13 is also the 106th anniversary of Our Lady Of Fatima, when Mary appeared in Portugal to Lucita, Jacinta, and Francisco, who are now saints.  But in 1973, on that day, a young actress named Tovah Feldshuh made her debut in the Christopher Plummer starred musical, "Cyrano," playing the minor role of a Vendor.  I am sure she stole the show, and she hasn't stopped since.  Not even in her opening movie debut scene as a murder victim in the ABC TV movie, "Scream, Pretty Peggy," also in 1973.  Nothing stops Tovah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              So, congratulations, Tovah, from all of us here on The Raving Queen.  May you have many more active years on the Broadway stage.  Theater Queens need their icons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Tovah Feldshuh certainly is one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Speaking Of Authors, How Come No One Plays This Anymore??????????????????????????

                       I had this very deck, when I was a child.  Wish I had kept it.

                      "Authors" is a game played similar to "Go Fish," but with literary figures, which could help some children learn.  I knew them all already, but I loved playing this game.

                         Now, I don't think it can be found.  Do stores still sell it?  Can one get it on E-bay?  If anyone knows, please tell me.

                         The funny things I think about, concerning youth.  Now, as I age, aspects of the past become increasingly important to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations To Two Of My Favorites!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           Both of these favorites were on my Top Five for 2022; in fact, "Demon Copperhead" was my Book Of The Year.  Recently, on May 8 (also the anniversary of my meeting David) there were two--mind you, two!!!!!!!!!!--novels awarded the Pulitzer Prize For Fiction.

                          I thought Kingsolver had won the Pulitzer for "The Poisonwood Bible," which I also highly recommend, but no, although she did win the Boeke Prize, and an Oprah Book Club Selection for it.  She should have won the Pulitzer, because then she would have two, but it is about time Kingsolver, one of our best American writers, won.  Her retelling of Dickens is brilliant.

                           Likewise, "Trust," by Herman Diaz offers triple narrative viewpoints on economy and capitalism, with the emphasis on narrative, not business school jargon, as I at first feared.  It also won the Booker Prize, and while I never thought about it in terms of the Pulitzers, I   But I am as happy for Diaz as I am for Kingsolver.

                            By the way, girls, if you are having a bad reading year, like me, where nothing blows you away, I offer these two selections, if you have not read them yet.  I kept 'Copperhead' in my book cabinet, so, who know, I may read it again.

                             I am always interested in the Pulitzers For Fiction.  I can't think of a year when two books won in this category.

                              Let's congratulate both authors, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           

I Feel As Though On A Never Ending Hamster Wheel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   To start with, girls, I am in a high state of anxiety waiting for my new debit card to arrive, after I had to cancel the other one.  Guess why?

                                                                       

                                    This past Saturday, we saw The Gallery Players in Park Slope do a superb production of Sondheim's "Assassins," perhaps his last really good score.  I have seen two previous productions--most notably the Roundabout's in 2004--and I don't recall it being as short as it was--one hour and forty-five minutes, no intermission.  At my age, that is hard on my bladder.  But when the music and performances are this good, it is well worth it.

                                       Next Saturday, we are going to a birthday party in New Jersey, and will be out of the city for a few days.  And two weeks from that is my 50th high school reunion. Oh, my God, what am I going to wear??????????????????

                                           Oh, and this past Saturday we finally watched--

                                     That's right--1932's "The Old Dark House," which aired on April 8, but we had to miss because of the Easter Vigil.  It was worth it, with James Whale's direction. Girls, I am telling you, the Femm family is as crazy, if not more genteel, than the family in 1974's "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre."  I wonder if Tobe Hooper saw this, and it foreshadowed his film?  But you have to see it for

Eva Moore as Rebecca--

                     --who simply steals the show!  She is an anti-sin crusader, and does not like tramps, even though she and the rest had something to do with their sibling Rachel's death, and wait till you see her put the lesbian make on Gloria Stuart, in her sheer, white Jean Harlow style gown. Ah, the Thirties!  They knew how to make movies, then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           Next week, "Svengoolie" is showing Ray Milland and Rosie Grier in 1972's "The Thing With Two Heads."  Sure to be a camp riot, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           What else can I tell you?  Think it easy being The Raving Queen!  Try maintaining this schedule, and see how you do, girls!  But I do it all for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Now, if only I could get a luncheon date with ANNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, I Just Came Back On A Big "Wizard Of Oz" High!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                        Darlings, I cannot urge enough, especially those living in the tri-state area, to go and see what is probably the Twentieth Century's most iconic film as it plays every day at 11;30AM till May 18, at the IFC Center, at 6th Avenue and West Fourth Street.

                             From the opening symphonic credits to the technical wonder of a tornado recreation, that moment when Dorothy first opens the door, and one's eyes are almost blinded by color, not to mention the ecstasy of Garland's talent, and sadly what became of it, which is why so many like me cry at the end, this is a film experience, if never experienced, needs to be.  So, I want all of you to get out and support the IFC showing this classic gem.

                               It holds up again and again.  There is nothing like it.  Queens, and even a few Kings should make it a point to see it on the big screen.

                               Sure to surpass any other viewing one has had.

                              All aboard for Oz, dolls!  I may go back on Tuesday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

"Please, ENCORES!, I Want Some More!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                       More indeed was what I wanted and expected from this revival of "Oliver!"  Either director Lear Debessonet did not know how to approach the material she was dealing with, or she was hampered from tampering with a book that needs to be tampered with, by Cameron Mackintosh controlling the rights.

                           There are any number of wonderful moments, but the piece does not flow.  Especially in the second act.  I mean, breaking "Who Will Buy?" at the height of its lyricism for a dramatic scene, and then going back to it?  The whole impact of the number is blunted.  

                              And "Oom-Pah-Pah" as an En'tre Acte?  It was used better in the 1968 film, where Nancy causes a commotion and tries to get Oliver out of the tavern to deliver him to Mr. Brownlow on London Bridge, at midnight. Such suspense and tension, even as every "Oliver!" viewers know, as much as we root for Nancy, we know what has to happen, as Dickens wrote it.

                              Speaking of Nancy, while no one can surpass Shani Wallis, Lili Cooper is one of three showstoppers this revival has.  Her "As Long As He Needs Me" is thrilling.  Benjamin Pajak, in the title role, stops the show with his plaintive and theatrically arresting rendition of "Where Is Love?"  And he and Julian Lerner (The Artful Dodger) bring the show to life, with the entire company, in "Consider Yourself!"  If only the rest of "Oliver!" had this momentum, it would have been the classic it deserves to be.  Not since 'Merrily' have I seen a book that badly needs tampering with.   I wish I could have been in on this production, as I would have campaigned for many needed changes.  Thankfully, that does not involve the cast although---

                                  Raul Esparza as Fagin?  I questioned that initially, but when I saw the result, I was shocked.  Esparza camps it up to where he is playing it like some flaming queen!  That is NOT who Fagin is. That he was allowed to do this can only be blamed on Debessonet, who made many bad staging decisions with this production.

                                    But when it works, it works.  There is no passion lacking in any of the performers, so I would say, despite its flaws, see this "Oliver!" while you can, before another forty years pass.

                                     And let's have a revival of the film on a big screen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!