I Know She Is Doing Housework, Darlings, But The Important Thing Is Both She And Her Daughter Are Dressed For It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            The 1950s had a dress standard that pales beside what passes for attire today.

                            Even when doing housework, one had to look their best.  Suppose the doorbell rang, with a neighbor coming over for an impromptu cup of coffee?  This decade ran on coffee, and now people are running with coffee, not to it.  Something has gone wrong with dress standards in America.

                              Thank God we still have Blythe Danner, and memories of Slim Keith and Baroness Pauline De Rothschild!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Even in the 1980s we had Rue McClanahan as Blanche Deveraux!  How I want that gorgeous rainbow-colored robe.  Blanche showed how even in this age a girl can still dress well.

                                 So, why don't they, darlings?  Lack of taste? Standards?  Or is it even worse?

                                  As John Adams said in "1776," "Is anybody there?  Does anybody care?"

If Only The Heights Players Could Have Extended The Run, Or Moved This To Another Venue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             When I found out The Heights Players were going to be doing Sondheim's "Merrily We Roll Along," after the extraordinary Broadway production and film version thereof that I had seen, my first thought was they had to be kidding.  And questions abounded in my head--which version were they going to do?  Because before Maria Friedman put her definitive stamp on it, each iteration I had seen was different in so many ways. What songs?  What kind of presentation?  And after the magnificent work Friedman had done with it, the last thing I wanted to see now was a trumped up 'Merrily.'

                               Well, darlings, look at the egg on my face!  This 'Merrily' was the best thing I think I have ever seen The Heights Players do!!!!!!!!!!!  I am prejudiced on behalf of the show, which may have something to do with it--having seen the original 1981production twice!!!!!!!!!  And then the celebrated Original Cast Album, which certified its cult status, leading to future productions.

                                  Girls, I am happy to report that director Marie Igrisano Isner has done right by the show.  She has given audiences the 2023 production that knocked every one of us who saw it off our feet.  The leads are terrific, and she even dresses Sean Costello and Alex Cook similarly to Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe, playing Franklin and Charley. The costumes here were designed by Andrea Bernardo and Sarazina Joy Stein, who do not get hung up on time periods, but have everyone dress representationally.  Which is pretty much the way Isner stages the show, and it works wonderfully, allowing the characters and songs to come through as they should.

                                      Kudos must also go to Kat Sinclair for playing Mary differently.  For starters, she is not plus sized, which frees up the role, demonstrating all you need for Mary is a terrific actress and singer.  Kat's reprise version of "Not A Day Goes By" broke my heart, as did Cook's rendition of "Good Thing Going.  Note how this song is threaded throughout the production--first as a series of notes by Frank, then Cook's rendition, Gussie's torch version, and then listen to "Who wants to live in New York?"  It is "Good Thing Going" with an up tempo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      It is interesting the leads are miked, but the ensemble is not.  Words are important with all Sondheim shows and I think the director and musical director Anne Rebold wanted to make sure the beauty of both the music and lyrics came through as clearly as possible.  A wise decision.

                                      'Merrily' is a very personal show for me.  I feel as though I was in on it from the beginning, when, back in 1980, 1981, a coworker of mine at the NYU Bookstore kept auditioning for something but would not tell us what.  When she was cast and told us we were all excited and I was excited about the new Prince-Sondheim show.  Of course, I had heard all the negative stuff prior, but when I saw it the first time, I loved the performers, and I loved the score.  But what was not right was Prince's staging, because he, of all people, was not able to find the proper way to stage it.  And neither were the other iterations I eventually saw.  To think it took 42 years, and Maria Friedman, to get it right. I am so thankful I lived to see it.

                                        The show is very personal also as it causes me to reflect back.  I will say this--the older I get, and the further 'Merrily' moves back, the more it breaks my heart.  When I saw it in 1981, I thought of "Our Time" as a beautiful song.  Now, decades later, it moves me so, making me wonder did I do the right things with my time???????????  Rather like in "A Chorus Line," with "What I Did For Love?," or when one of the dancers says, "These bodies don't last forever."  Both resonate for me now, when they did not back in 1975.

                                           This 'Merrily' has closed, and I wish it could have been extended so others could have seen it.  It will be a benchmark in the history of The Heights Players, and I have come to believe henceforth that this will be the show's definitive version.

                                              May future productions find equally extraordinary casts as this one.  I know the talent is out there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, Darlings, Please Bring Back The Old Lunch Counters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     They weren't just for lunch, darlings. though that was their function most of the time.

                                     I can tell you they were pertinent to my childhood and youth.  In childhood, Mother and I would head to the Brunswick Mall on Georges Road in North Brunswick, New Jersey, not far from where my grandmother lived.  We would head to the counter at Woolworth's, where I would always order the same thing--a hot dog and a milkshake.  In those days, unaware of my health issues, all I knew was that I was a fussy eater, and my mother was grateful to get anything into me.  As I got older, I sat up straight in my seat, wanting to get discovered like Lana Turner, after hearing the story about she and Schwab's.

                                    Then youth came along, and I realized I did not have what Lana had to show what it takes.  So, my mother and I began hanging out at the lunch counter at W.T. Grants store on Route 27 in Edison.  There I always ordered the same thing--a cheeseburger, French fries, and a coke.  We knew some the waitresses' names--Helen, Rose, and others I forget.

                                     Girls, they wore the most exciting, colored uniforms with their names on them.  At this age, I decided I wanted to work behind a lunch counter, wearing maybe a pale green suit, carrying a pad and pen, and saying things to customers, like "Waddya have, hon?"  Oh, I thought this was the height of glamour......then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         Alas, that phase of mine did not last, and eventually even the lunch counters.  Looking back there was something of the social niceties about them; customers learned to respect each other, and one's boundaries.  Where did that go to?  Why can't it be brought back??????????????

                                          The old days, the old ways.

                                           Some of those need to come back, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

David And I Are Going To Become Image Consultants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Just like Pat and Kathy on "The Golden Girls," darlings.  Of course, I dress more like Kathy, and David, even casual, dresses better than Pat.  But with her, what can you expect?

                             What does an image consultant do?  Actually, it is a lot like Henry Higgins in "My Fair Lady."  Some dredge walks into your store and asks for help in remaking themselves.  And with all the knowledge of creativity, design, fashion and color we have at our disposal, we do just that.  You would not believe what I can do, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                David will be handling the books, with the help of Baby Gojira and Little Pippin, while I will handle the more social and creative aspects of the business.  Isn't that just me, darlings????????

                                  The operation will be in person, not online.  As soon as we have space and are up and running, I will inform patrons when they may come.  I look forward to making people more beautiful than they possibly thought.

                                     And we love challenges. So, when we are ready, stop by!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Coney Island In The Winter Can Be A Candy Coated "Doctor Zhivago" Kind Of Wonderland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           Actually, darlings, it depends.  Yes, one can wander through the snow and fantasize about looking like Julie Christie as Lara--don't we all?????????--but let me tell you the real scoop on this place come wintertime.

                             When snow is not on the ground, I have walked along this stretch in the dead of winter, with the wind blowing off the ocean with such force it almost knocked me off the boardwalk.

                               The parks where the rides have been encased in huge metal gates and fences with some fierce locks on them.  Only teens dumb enough to subway surf, or do what was done to a boy by his "alleged" friends on the Queensboro bridge recently, would venture inside.

                                 Guess what, guys?  It would be your last time.  Because the interiors are carefully guarded by German Shepherd dogs, and let me tell you, I have seen them up close, and, despite my ability to charm almost any living beast, these protectors are out to do a job, not cozy up to animal lovers.  Anyone who gets into the park with even one of these does not stand a chance!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   So, darlings, if you want to enjoy the snow and the setting, fine.

                                   But give these dogs plenty of space.  They are service dogs, but their service  means business!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     Cute they may be, but they are not there to pet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, Tonight The Sven Squad Is On Its Own!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 This is now the time of month, darlings, where Svengoolie takes a night off, and he leaves the show to The Sven Squad--Gweengoolie, whom I like, Nostalgiaferatoo, who is the best, and The Imp, who is not.  Tonight, they are showing something fresh and exciting--the 2007--my God, has it been that long? -- film of Stephen King's novella, "The Mist."  A mysterious mist engulfs a town, forcing some of the town's citizenry into a supermarket.  One of these is Mrs. Carmody played by the great Marica Gay Harden.

                                  Lambs, as soon as Marcia steps onto the screen the picture is packed up and hers. She steals every scene she is in, enlivening this film which would have been deadly dull without her, and which, until the twist ending, becomes that once Maricia is off camera.

                                   But while she is on, what a hoot!  Oh, and that twist ending?  Of course, I am not going to reveal it, but I can say that when I first saw this film in the theater 19 years ago, it chilled me.  Now, it seems prescient to our time.

                                     Join us all, including Baby Gojira, Little Pippin and Kerwyn for "The Mist" tonight.  Channel 13 isn't showing anything good tonight, so what is your choice???????????

                                      See you tonight at 8PM, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 

Girls, It Is Time To Bring Back The Grind House!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       There is trash, and there is trash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      I am not talking about the 2007 knockoff by Quentin "Talentless" Tarantino, but the real thing--the sleaze palaces of old that show provocatively exploitational films.  You know, like "Driller Killer--" oh my God, girls, such fun--or Russ Meyer's "Faster Pussycat, Kill Kill."

                                        There is even better stuff out there. Generally curated by overweight middle aged male losers still living at home with their mother--might be a serial killer--but whose one talent is how to build a theater and a rep for sleaze cinema.  Not porn, darlings, but sleaze.

                                        When West 42nd Street in Manhattan was Sleazeville, there were at least one or more of these grind houses.  How about branching out to the boroughs--oh, my God, the violence prone Bronx would be perfect for one, as would sleazy parts of Brooklyn and Queens.  I am not including Staten Island here, because it is already a grind house in itself.

                                           Of course, many of this material's patrons would have to come by Uber, as they would not be seen walking in these neighborhoods.  I mean, what chance would they have to stay alive???????????????  I include myself in here, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             But imagine a full evening of sleaze in a trashy environment??????????? What a different kind of fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               Sometimes, old is better than new!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!