Darlings, I Simply Cannot WAIT To Hear Jessie Sing "Children Of The Wind!!!!!!!!"

                                         Girls, I am telling you, I have the most exciting theater news of this week!  Celebrate with a Southern Peach Cobbler and Sweet Ice Tea!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           With "Nice Work, If You Can Get It" scheduled to close two weeks from today, I know you are wondering--as am I--what Jessie Mueller is going to move on to next.  Well, darlings, I have found out, and it is VERY exciting.

                                             Jessie is going to undertake performing in a workshop of the cult musical, "RAGS!!!!!!!!!"

                                              Now, this is doubly interesting, because, ironically, tomorrow afternoon, Monsieur and I are going to go and see the Beautiful Soup Theater Collective's production of said show.  He (Monsieur) has never seen it before, and since "RAGS," like "Merrily We Roll Along," has no real definitive version, but is performed differently every time it is done, it will be interesting to see what this group does with it!!!!!!!!!  It will also be the first time I have seen a production since 1991, when the Jewish Repertory Theatre did it, on a small scale, with a cast featuring Ann Crumb and Crista Moore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I was fortunate enough to see the 1986 original, but missed the Paper Mill presentation, which, I believe, was around 2000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             But, I forgot to tell you, this workshop with Jessie is being done at, and under the auspices of, the Roundabout Theater Company!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               What's that????????  "RAGS" at the Roundabout??????????  Could this mean a major revival of the show?????????  No one is saying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                  Now, when I first heard of this, I thought Jessie would be performing the role of Bella, who sings the memorable title song, the most dramatic moment in the show!!!!!!!!  She certainly looks young enough, and has the vocal chops for it.  But no--are you ready, darlings?????--Jessie Mueller will be performing the lead role of Rebecca, the mother, in this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                    That is right, dolls!!!!!!!  The Phenomenal Miss Mueller is stepping into the shoes of Teresa Stratas, Julia Migenes, and Ann Crumb.  The only one I am surprised who has not performed "RAGS" is Tovah Feldshuh, who is no stranger to musical theater, and would seem a natural for the show.  But maybe Tovah's vocal range cannot handle Rebecca.  But I bet she would be great, as Rachel, the Marcia Lewis role, singing "Three Sunny Rooms."

                                                      But, here is the grabber.  This is going to be tougher to get into than the NY Philharmonic "Carousel."  For one thing, it is only going to be one night--June 25, which is a Tuesday.  For another, it is a private performance.  Yeah, right; for whom??????? Which means I have to start calling in my favors once again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We'll see what happens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And, no, thinking of that line in "The Producers," I am not about to fuck anyone in this town to get in!!!!!!!!!!  I'm a housewife, for God's sake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                        If only I could get to Jessie herself, maybe I would stand a chance of getting in.  I am telling you, girls, this is going to be the theatrical event of this month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Jessie is obviously indefatigable; the curtain goes down on 'Nice Work' on the 15th, giving her just 10 days to be ready to perform "RAGS," a much more demanding, both vocally and emotionally, work than what she is in right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                          I have no doubt this will consolidate her rising star status!!!!!!!!!  But performers need audiences to watch them, to thrive!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, let us get a look at Jessie in "RAGS," darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                            Remember, "One room to sit, one room to eat, one to get....better acquainted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"