And The Day Continued On!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                We did not stop with "The Wizard Oz," darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  From the Film Forum, we walked east, winding up having a bite to eat at B and H Dairy,  at 127 Second Avenue. From there, we headed over to Theater For The New City, over at 155 First Avenue, to see the Charles Busch play, "The Confession Of Lily Dare."

                                    At first, I wasn't sure if I would make it.  We certainly did not plan things, this way. I believe David bought the tickets for this long before we knew Film Forum would be showing 'Oz.'  And, to make matters worse,  several days before all this, we discovered the Quad Cinema at 8PM, last night, was screening Robert Altman's 1975 masterwork, "Nashville."

                                    Again, decades ago, I could have done it, but not now!

                                   Anyway, the Busch play was fun, with loads of laughs.

                                   As expected, it was packed with movie references.  Let me count what I observed--"San Francisco," "Barbary Coast," "Stella Dallas," "All About Eve," "Show Boat," "The Sin Of Madeloln Caludet,"  any number of Joan Crawford or Susan Hayward vehicles, and, because of the young Lily's opening costume, Hayley Mills in "Pollyanna."

                                   Oh, and the cemetery scenes used as a framing device, between Louis and Emmy Lou, who act as flashback narrators, reminded me of Truman Capote's "Among The Paths To Eden."

                                     But, girls, I am telling you it was a camp riot, with Busch writing some scenes of genuine tenderness.  I must single out Jennifer Van Dyck, whose Aunt Rosalie made prostitution a house of camp horror, and her operatic turn as Louise seemed to channel both Dorothy Comingore in "Citizen Kane," and Blythe Danner!  I kid you not!  While Nancy Anderson with her blonde boop-dee-boop curls, and like sounding voice, seems to parody the early Bernadette Peters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      The plot is simple--low class, destitute mother, turns over her daughter to finer folk, and watches her life from afar.  Just like "Stella Dallas" or "To Each His Own."

                                      Thanks to Carl Andress (I don't think he is related to Ursula!!!!--masterful direction, everything  moves at Keystone speed, allowing the actors quite a workout in a short amount of time!  I could tell they relished every bit of it!

                                        I also had no idea yesterday was the closing performance!  Sorry, girls, I so wanted to send you to this one!

                                         But I have a message for Carl Andress--you gotta see me!!!!!!!!!!

                                         I want you direct me in "Portrait Of A Madonna!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"