Girls, I Did Not Know "The Ladies Who Lunch" Were Jewish!!!!!!!!!!

                                  When Stephen Sondheim wrote that now classic signature song for Elaine Stritch in "Company," back in 1970, I don't think he was contemplating it in terms of religious denomination.  Maybe because the first seasonal excursion on the town for Monsieur and I turned out to be a fund raiser for the Actors' Temple, it seemed that all the Ladies Who Lunch were from their local Hadassah chapter!!!!!!!!   And let me tell you, the show in the audience was as interesting as the show onstage. How often does that happen, lambs????????????

                                     What a gathering!!!!!!!!!  I have never seen so much Botox in one place!!!!!!  As Monsieur said, everyone had the same face, similar hair, all looking as though they had been to the same stylist and plastic surgeon.  It was frighteningly eerie.  Thank God those fun loving kids, Dan and Norma, were on hand, where no Botox is needed anywhere!!!!!!!  And that goes for the lovely Florence, who could teach some of these pickled mannequins a thing or two!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        But, of course, the show was the thing, and it was a sight to behold!!!!!!!!!

                                         Girls, it was SO NASTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I just loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           Poor Bernadette Peters got raked over the coals mercilessly last night, from her seeming obsession to want to play every Sondheim role, to her questionable vocal technique.  And Jenny Lee Stern was spot on, as Bernadette!!!!!!!!!  I am not sure if Miss Peters will attend; if she does, I would not want to be in the house, when she is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             Natalie Charle Ellis nailed Elena Rogers' much under praised performance in "Evita."  In some ways, it confirmed everything that has been said already, but seeing it exaggerated only makes one more aware of how truthful it actually is.  She also shines as Patti Lu Pone in a spoof of the concert she did with Mandy Patinkin (Marcus Stevens, who is also wonderful doing Ricky Martin's Che in the "Evita" spoof, which was Mandy's star-making role!!!!!!!!!).

                                               There were several highlights.  The "Into The Woods" spoof really skewered the desecration done to this classic, as well as the injustices done to both Donna Murphy and Amy Adams (superbly portrayed by the Misses Ellis and Stern!!!!!).  "The Book Of Moron" took on that overrated piece of tripe, "The Book Of Mormon," exposing it for what it actually is--and that audiences are going crazy over it, which says what about them????????  And the "Spider Man" spoof, with Ellis and Stevens as Julie Taymor and Bono, acting out the debacle of that horrid affair, demonstrating how Taymor has ended up on the Island Of Lost Directors. Another Lost Director, Diane Paulus, makes an appearance (Jenny Lee Stern, again!!!!) courtesy of the "Porgy And Bess" spoof.  Miss Paulus is on that island, but is soon to be released, whereupon she plans to destroy another show--"Pippin!!!!!"  Can anyone stop her???????????????

                                               And I could not get by without mentioning the "Annie" spoof, entitled "Granny!!!!!!!!"  Enough said.

                                                 What an entertaining evening, both onstage and off.  Theater Queens of all ages should flock to it, while those less knowing will still get it. The show is extremely accessible.

                                                     And it so NASTY, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!