Darlings, Can You Believe It??????? Claudette Sutherland Is Still Alive!!!!!

Those who follow the antics on here will no doubt recall that I was not exactly blown away by the current Broadway revival of 'How To Succeed'. And it was frustrating, because I SO wanted to be. After almost a week, I was still feeling this malaise, so I pulled out my copy of the Original Cast (1961) recording, which I had not listened to in ages, and sat back!!!!!!

Oh, my God!!!!! The Overture was sharper; I swear they did something to the orchestrations in the revival. And don't you mess with orchestrations!!!!! Robert Morse and Rudy Vallee were as brilliant as remembered, not to mention Charles Nelson Reilly. But, in the small but important role of Smitty, who worked in personnel, the great Claudette Sutherland made show stoppers of her two songs, "Been A Long Day," and the production number, "Cinderella, Darling!!!" The American Indian rhythms as Claudette begins, "You're a real live fairy tale/A symbol DIVINE", singing in a clarion voice that should have steered her to a major career on Broadway. Instead, for Theater Queens, this is what Claudette is remembered for. I was not even sure she was still alive. I mean, she would have to be getting into her 80's!!!!!!

Well, girls, guess what????? Claudette is alive and well, and living in L.A. which is what many New York actors did, who wanted to make a go of things. She has worked steadily in television, playing minor parts, but always getting work. But her star turn NOW is at the West Coast division of AMDA, where she teachers creative writing!!!! I want to fly out right now, and study with Claudette!!!! Wonder what she would think of this blog????

And I wonder if she could be coaxed again into singing "Cinderella, Darling????" I bet she could still do it!!!!! Her rendition taught a lot of us about projection!!!!!!!

Once a legend, always a legend, loves!!!!! And the legendary Claudette is STILL alive!!!!!!

No wonder I have been singing "Cinderella, Darling" all day!!!!!!!!!!!