Broadway Never Dimmed The Lights For Philip Bosco! And Now Galt MacDemott Has Died!!!!!!!!!!!! How About It??????????

                               From Christmas to Broadway, but this time, darlings, the news is sad.

                               Galt MacDermot, the composer of the iconic 1968 musical, "HAIR," passed away at his home on...would you believe it, girls?....Staten Island!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I mean, I know people actually live there, but to think REAL ARTISTS do?  Or did?  I may have to change my opinion about Staten Island.  He died on December 17 of this year, at the age of 89, and just one day before his 90th birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  If MacDermot had written only "HAIR," he would not need to have done anything else.  But he also wrote the score for 1971's "Two Gentlemen Of Verona," first done in Central Park at the Delacorte, moving to Broadway's St. James Theatre, where it opened on December 1, 1971.  In the cast were Raul Julia, Clifton Davis, and "Hair" Off-Broadway alum, Jonelle Allen. In the chorus, were two then up-and-comers, Jeff Goldblum, and Stockard Channing!

                                 Mr. MacDermott then wrote a musical adaptation of the William Saroyan novel, and 1943, MGM, Mickey Rooney movie, "The Human Comedy."  It opened at The Public Theatre, in the Anspacher auditorium, on December 28, 1983, where I was fortunate enough to see it.  It had an impressive cast--Bonnie Koloc as Kate, Don Kehr as Marcus, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (Yes!!!!!!!!!) as Bess. child actor Josh Blake, fresh from "RAGS," as Ulysses, Rex Smith as Spangler, Gordon Connell as Grogan and "HAIR" Broadway alum Leata Galloway as Diana.

                                 People went crazy for it downtown, and at the end, I was audibly sobbing into a handkerchief;  it was that moving.  It only played downtown for 76 performances, and I am privileged to have been at one of them.  But some things should not be moved, and I knew that right away.  But the show got such raves, Joseph Papp moved it to Broadway's Royale Theatre, where it opened on April 5, 1984.  I knew, by the show's intimacy at the Public, it would not survive such a traanfer.

                                    The Public production is one of my memorable theatergoing experiences.

                                     But back to "HAIR."  You know what is coming, girls! There is no way I can end this post, without mentioning that MacDermott wrote the music for my favorite song in it, "Frank Mills," which had a profound influence on my life, and made Shelley Plimpton, before she had Martha, a Legend Of The Musical Stage.

So, here is Shelley Plimpton...…..

And here she is singing "Frank Mills" on the Off -Broadway recording, when "HAIR" opened at The Public Theatre--I believe in the Anspacher--back on October 7, 1967.  Shelley is more up tempo here. She is more heartbreaking on the Broadway Cast recording, so give that a listen.

Rest In Peace, Galt MacDermott.  The Age Of Aquairius would never have happened, without you!!!!!!!!!!