Another Musical Theater Week!!!!!!!!!!!! With Sammy Williams The First to Be Honored!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        I call this period of the month, November 13-18, Musical Theater Week, because so many iconic figures of musical theater, including yours truly, were born this week.  I share the week with two of "A Chorus Line's" original cast, and my own with Dorothy Collins of the original "Follies."  So, it was in the stars for musical theater to become a part of my life.

                                        Now, Sammy (or Sam, as he prefers, today) was the originator of the role of Paul in "A Chorus Line, " back in 1975, downtown at the Public, and uptown at the Shubert.  I saw him at the latter on October 25, 1975, and still remember how impacting his performance--hell, everyone's!!!!!!!!!!--was.

                                          I was 20, then.  Soon, I will be 63.  I can't believe it. No more than I can believe that Sammy turns 69 today.  And guess what comes, after that?

                                           Those dancers.  They keep those bodies, I am telling you.  I never danced. My voice was my instrument.

                                             So, Happy Birthday, Sammy!  Another Musical Theater Week begins, and you are the one to start it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              I bet you could dance "A Chorus Line" full out, this evening!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              Here is Sammy, in the Original Production, doing the Paul monologue.  No one did it with more conviction.