Sixty Years Ago Yesterday, "MAME" Opened On Broadway At The Winter Garden Theatre!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                  

                             What a glorious day yesterday was for musical aficionados.  I wonder if there is anyone still alive from the original cast of this show?  Frankie Michaels, who would be close to my age, and is still the youngest performer ever to win a TONY Award, passed away ten years ago on March 30, 2016, at the age of 60.  He should still be alive today.  Unfortunately, like many ex-child actors he fell into a life of alcoholism and profligacy.

                                 Hey, if there are any chorus members of the show out there still alive, I would love to hear from you.

                                     "MAME" remains a sparkling jewel in American Musical Theater.  I was fortunate enough to see a revival of it in 1983; in fact, I saw it three times.  Angela Lansbury was Mame, and Anne Francine was Vera Charles.  Francine was the first replacement for Beatrice Arthur in the original run and was a dead ringer for Arthur in this.  Jane Connell repeated her role as Agnes Gooch and was a pleasure to see and hear.  Also on hand from the original run were Sab Shimono as house servant Ito, John C. Becher and Willard Waterman.  Musical theater stalwart Barbara Laang was Sally Cato.  Unfortunately, Roahi Handwerger--aren't there stage names anymore??????--could not live up to the extraordinary performance of Frankie Michaels.  His young Patrick, which should have been a highlight, was not.  In fact, the last extraordinary child performance on Broadway was in 1977 when Andrea McArdle played Annie!!!!!!!!!!!  Where are the others?  And don't start with me on Sarah Jessica Parkder!!!!!!!  Ick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          Play your "MAME" cast recordings, darlings, and cherish the splendors and pleasures of a true Musical Theater masterpiece!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            Girls, before we know it, it will be time to "haul out the holly."

                                                                                 

                                   "MAME" may not be the greatest Overture ever written but is my personal favorite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!