Guess What Today Is????????????????????????

                                                             "I met a boy called Frank Mills,

                                                                    On September 12th, right here

                                                               In front of the Waverly."

                                                              --Shelley Plimpton, as Crissy, in

                                                                 "HAIR," Broadway 1968 

                                                       Of course, darlings, we can never forget what yesterday was.  I even remember where I was that day, and the horror at seeing the second tower fall.  I thought I was in the middle of an apocalypse.  Well,  maybe I was.

                                                         Because of 9/11/2001, today can get lost in the shuffle.  But theater aficionados know today is "Frank Mills" Day."  From 1978 until 2000 (because 2001 stopped it!) I would annually stand in front of the Waverly Theater (now the IFC) on Sixth Avenue, near West 4th Street, in the West Village, and sing this song.  I sing it regularly, for a vocal exercise I do each morning; if I can handle "Frank Mills" I am ready for anything.  It is a special gift I have that I can convey the vulnerability and innocence required to perform it.  Since Shelley Plimpton, only Allison Case, in the 2009 revival has matched her for perfection.  That is a time span of over forty years.  Because casting directors, in casting "HAIR" generally are not as detailed about casting Crissy as they need to be.

                                                            Shelley still owns the song, though, and you can hear her in the preceding post.

                                                              Even after coming through a heart procedure on Thursday, I still feel up to singing "Frank Mills," though I don't know if I will go in to Manhattan and do it.

                                                               So, a Happy "Frank Mills" Day To everyone on here, Shelley especially, and, of course to Allison.

                                                                Oh, and "Angela and I {still} don't want the two dollars back.  Just him."