The Clock Is Ticking Down On My Sixties.......Just Three Days To Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    "Watch those birthdays marching by, gaily, one by one,                                                                               "Keep in step, and don't be shy, growing up is fun!"                                                                                      ----Paul Tripp, "Birthday House (1963)

                                  Sure, growing up was fun, when you are seven!  But seventy!  Aaargh!!!!!!!!!!! Sometimes I crawl out of bed to make coffee.  Others, I leap out of bed with boundless energy.  It is called age, darlings.  And the older I get the more I realize the old saying was right--it IS a privilege!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Three days from today, I turn 70.  I can hardly believe it.  I am here, and I am not in a rocking chair, with a knitting needle......Oh, no, darlings, not me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                I am writing this in advance because on the day I will not be here.  I will be in NYC, staying at The Algonquin, where I am looking forward to seeing Hamlet, the cat, and we will be seeing a couple of shows.

                                 Two shows I know we will be seeing are "Communion," a one-man exploration of his experiences at being gay and Catholic.  It may not be Jennifer Jones, but I can relate to it and am fascinated to hear what he says.

                                     The other show, on Wednesday, will be "The Roommate," with Mia Farrow, and Patti LuPone.  Please, girls, both of you be there!  Please!  I especially want to see Mia!!!!!!!!!!!  Forewarned is forearmed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        As for the rest here is what interests me--

                                       "Once Upon A Mattress"                                                                                                                               "SIX"                                                                                                                                                             "Our Town"                                                                                                                                                   "Stereophonic" (maybe)                                                                                                                                 "Sunset Boulevard"

I Am So Honored To Share My Birthday, November 18th, With One Of The Legends Of The American Musical Stage--Dorothy Collins, The Original Sally Durant Plummer In 1971's "Follies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                   The stars must have been aligned for me, darlings.  I must have been meant to spend my life in the arts, having been born the same week as so many of my favorite Musical Theater performers.

                                   It is no surprise, then, that I was drawn to "Follies" and Dorothy Collins.  The show is one of my favorite musicals, and she was the definitive Sally Durant Plummer.  Oh, my God, how I would love to sing "Losing My Mind" in that pink dress!  But no one sang it as plaintively as Dorothy Collins did.  She was extraordinary, and her memory and legend live on, as she is honored on her birthday, right here on this blog!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     I wouldn't mind playing Sally in "Follies" myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     Here is Dorothy Collins' signature rendition of "Losing My Mind," from "Follies."  Beautiful and heartbreaking!  Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

November 17th Is A Very Special Day--The Birthday Of Musical Theater Legend Neva Small!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  Most of you know Neva from her role as Chava in the 1971 film version of "Fiddler On The Roof.'  But she started out as a child actress on the Broadway stage.  She actually auditioned for one of the younger daughters in the original Broadway production of 'Fiddler.'  She did not get it; instead, it took composer and lyricist Bob Merrill to recognize Neva as the legend she was.

                                     He was crazy about her work in "Henry, Sweet Henry," back in 1967, and created for her the number that made her a Legend Of The American Musical Stage--"I Wonder How It Is."

                                      If "RAGS" had been done ten years earlier, it surely would have been Neva belting out the dramatic title tune.  Nothing on Judy Kuhn, who was brilliant, but what a song that would have been for Neva.

                                     It was "The Prince Of Grand Street" with Robert Preston, that Merrill saw as making Neva into a big star.  Alas, it never made it to Broadway.  Still, if one searches, one can hear the number Merrill wrote for Neva to make her stand out--"A Place In The World."

                                       And Neva shares a place in my life, darlings.  Not only because our birthdays are next to each other (though two years apart; she will be 72), and the 'Fiddler' film, but I have seen Neva in shows and concerts, as well as meeting her at The Actors Temple, and 54 Below.  She was so charming and gracious.  At 54 Below, she signed my album cover of "Henry, Sweet Henry," which proudly hangs on the wall in our foyer.

                                         So, Happy Birthday, Neva.  Enjoy being a grandmother or whatever your heart desires.

                                         And let us hear from your talent, once in a while!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Here is "I Wonder How It Is," the number that made Neva Small a Legend Of The American Musical Stage."  Enjoy!

On November 16th, Two Iconic Musicals Opened On Broadway--22 Years Apart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              The first, of course, was "The Sound Of Music," the last collaboration between Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.  Yes, Julie Andrews owns it now, but six years before, Mary Martin and Company introduced it to the world.  So, on this day, we honor that.  It paved the way for a cinematic legacy sure to outlive us all.  And can you name the Broadway actors who originated the roles of the Von Trapp Children?  I can, and here they are--Lauri Peters, as Liesl, William Snowden as Friedrich, Kathy Dunn as Louisa, Joseph Stewart as Kurt, Marilyn Rogers, as Brigitta, Mary Susan Locke as Marta and Evanna Lien as Gretl.  Marilyn Rogers, who originated Brigitta, died on October 10, 2010, just six days after her 63rd birthday.  She also originated the role of Amaryllis in "The Music Man" in 1957.

                               The opening was just two days before my fifth birthday, so I don't think my parents were inclined to haul me into NYC for a Broadway show, even though I would have loved it.  They were never too keen on NYC itself.  Especially my mother.

                                  I was singing "The Sound Of Music" before I realized it.  I had a 45RPM of Mitch Miller and The Children from "The Sound Of Music," singing "Do-Re-Mi."  I used to play that all the time and sing along with it.  Who knew?

                                    Realistically, this show turns 65 years old today.  Double that, and many more!

                            This is also a big day for "Merrily We Roll Along," which opened on November 16, at the then Alvin, now Neil Simon Theatre, in 1981.  Historical note, the actor pictured to the far left is not Jim Walton, but James Weissenbach, who was originally cast as Franklin Shepard, but was later replaced by Jim Walton, so there was no time to redo the cover pic.  Yes, this show opened 43 years ago, and because of Maria Friedman's 2023 Broadway production with the extraordinary cast of Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez, and Daniel Radcliffe, who most deservedly won a TONY for his touching portrayal of Charley Kringas, 'Merrily' is finally being recognized for the quality show some of us back then, such as myself, knew it was.  I am glad I lived long enough to see its validation, and I look forward to seeing at least one more 'Merrily' before I am done. Hell, I would love to be in 'Merrily.'

                         Happy Birthday to a show I have strong ties to, having met so many Original Cast members, seen the film documentary, and have admired its score for decades.  

                           You time has come, 'Merrily!!!!!!!!!!!'  Live on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            I can't think of a day to equal November 16 in Musical Theater History!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today We Speed Things Up On Here--November 16th Is The Birthday Of Two Legendary Theater Icons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      Let's start with the greatest showstopper in Broadway history--Donna McKechnie. She is somewhere in her eighties; my guess is she will turn eighty-four tomorrow.  However, she is not to be held back.  If "A Chorus Line" company anywhere needed her, she could go on as Cassie in a moment's notice.  She still performs, and choreographs, and teaches at the HB Studio.  She continues to astonish and amaze.

                                        Happy Birthday, Donna!   Continue your merry dance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                November 16 is the birthday of another icon--Martha Plimpton.  She would be famous alone as being the daughter of Shelley Plimpton, who introduced my favorite song from "HAIR," "Frank Mills."  But she has become quite an actress on her own, both stage and screen.  I always look for whatever Martha is appearing in, because I know she will give an arresting performance.  Tomorrow Martha turns 54, and still looks as youthful as when she first appeared on the scene.

                                   Happy Birthday, Martha!   This certainly is a special day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, This Is A MUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Barbie Christmas Cookie Dream House!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           Isn't this just precious, darlings?  And with pink frosting, no less.

                                           Of course, pink should be everywhere.  I just finished reading this 600 plus pager called "Caledonian Road," by Andrew O'Hagan, and the most important thing I learned is--when attending an evening party in London, one is required to wear something by Tory Burch.  I looked online, and found some beautiful pink suits, shirts, and ties.  Now I just need pink shoes to match.

                                             But back to Barbie's Christmas Cookie Dream House.  Darlings, let this inspire you to go wild this holiday season with pink--how about a pink Christmas tree?  I know they are out there!

                                               Really, kids, this Christmas house is a delight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              A MUST for anyone's holiday season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My God, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This Is A New York City Cockroach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                Girls, I am telling you, I was scared out of my mind!!!!!!!!!!!!   Several evenings ago, I went to the kitchen counter, late evening, before bedtime, to lay out my evening medications.  I suddenly saw something move, and you should have seen the size of it.  I screamed so loud, but David was already asleep, and did not hear me.  I told him, and I cowered in our bed, because I was afraid we were going to be menaced, trapped in our rooms, like helpless victims.  True, Baby Gojira was on hand but what could he do, and I was not about to let anything harm him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               This is what one is up against, living in New York City.  I am not about to leave, but I am not about to be overtaken by some cockroach.  Yet they are getting larger and more aggressive.  If one bites me, not only will I go to Urgent Care, but I will also think about checking for another locale.

                                How to avoid it?  Creepy, crawly things are everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                But I will not tolerate THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!