Three Broadway Luminaries, In Such Quick Succession.........How Tragic!

                                Peg Murray,  who died on November 29 of this year, was a fixture on the soap opera circuit,  when  it was strong on television.   She appeared, over the years on "Love Of Life," "Another  World," and  "All My Children."

                                 But she  won a TONY Award,  for Best Featured Actress In A Musical, for her role as  Fraulein Kost, in the original,  Harold  Prince  production of "Cabaret," which opened in 1966.  She had one of the  most difficult roles in musical theater, as the character, though crafty, starts out as a sympathetic,  almost Fantine type, then gradually,  to the audience's  horror, evolves and trasnforms herself  before everyone,  on stage and  seated,  into the Perfect Nazi.

                                    Not an easy role to play, but no one played it like Peg.  Later, after Lotte Lenya left the show, she  stepped into the  role  of Fraulein Schenieder.  How I would have loved to have heard her rendition of "What Would  You Do?"  It may not have touched Lenya's, but I am  sure it touched audience's hearts.  She also appeared in "She Loves Me," "The Subject Was Roses,"  "Something More," and as  Fraulien Schneider  once more  in  the 1987 revival of  "Cabaret."

                                      She was 96 when she died.   A long, professional  life.

                                       Rest In  Peace, Peg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              Then,  on December 20, Ann Reinking passed away.  She was a mere 71, and died in her sleep,  while visiting a brother  in Seattle.  Shocking  as this  may be to some,  as  far as I am conceerned, she was Broadway's  Number Two  Dancer, of  my generation.  Number One will always be  Donna McKechnie.

                                Which is  not to say Reinking  was  lacking  in  talent  or  skill.  She first  caught  my eye in the Andrews  Sisters' musical,  "Over  Here!," back  in 1974.   I  also saw her, at the Palace Theatre, with Joel Grey,  in "Goodtime  Charley," back in March of 1975, where she was choreographed by Onna White.

                                 "Chicago,"  in 1976, brought she and Bob Fosse together.  I saw the original production, with Liza stepping in for Gwen Verdon,  so Reinking, then, may or not have been in the ensemble.  Near  the end  of the run, she stepped  into the role of Roxie Heart,  a role she would go on to repeat in the ENCORES! revival of 1996, with Bebe Neurwith,  as Velma, and the two would go on in these roles,  when it  moved to Broadway, where the production is  still running.   It netted Reinking a TONY Award for Best Choreography.   

                                      And don't  forget,  she played a variation of herself,,  in  the 1979 Fosse bio-pic, "All  That Jazz."  Oh,  the names were changed,  but Theater Queens  know whom it was  about.

                                        Reinking had Cyd Charisse legs  that "went  on forever," as well as a very tecnical  style of dance.  If lacking  in  the warmth of McKechnie,  there was no mistaking  her talent and style.

                                        Another dennizen of Broadway bites the dust!  No  wonder the lights are dark!

                                           And, just today, I learned of the passing of Rebecca Luker, whom I had seen in  "The Secret Garden," back  in 1991, and "The Sound Of Music" revival of 1998.  What a gorgeous voice Rebecca had, and how tragic for Theater Queeens,  and  most especially, for Danny Burstein, her husband of 20 years, who waged a battle with Covid, which he  still struggles with,  while  his wife was battling ALS, (Lou Gherig's  Disease) having been diagnosed,  months earlier. And which was her cause of death,  at only 59!   I pray Rebecca did  not suffer, and  I pray for her husband Danny at  this time of loss.  What a sad year 2020 has been in  so many ways.

                                             Now, Rebecca's  voice graces the heavens.  With Barbara Cook, Marin Mazzie,  and now Rebecca,  up there, Heaven is  sounding better all the  time!

                                               Rest  In  Peace,  Rebecca!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               May we all  do our part  to save Broadway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!