It Took BARBRA--BARBRA--To Ruin "At The Ballet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                            I still think "At The Ballet" is one of the best musical numbers ever staged, and one of the greatest show tunes ever written. It survived "Glee," and it survived concertizing, with Audra McDonald, Megan Hilty, and Kelli O'Hara.

                              What it cannot survive is BARBRA STREISAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               First, here is the Original 1975 Cast. Notice how it does sound. Raw, emotional, a song about people wanting to be in ballet, but having to settle, because they were so desperate to dance.

                                 What BARBRA has done is taken all the guts out of it. She is so far from reality she does not recall a time when she had salad days.  When she was just a young thing coming up, that gays and others talked about, following their sojourns to the Village.  She is so out of touch with reality it does not exist for her.

                                    So, she gets two other women, who can sing--Anne Hathaway and Daisy Ridley, who are the right ages, at least,-- and makes the song a love song to prima ballerinas. The song now sounds like a trio, not of hard bitten performers, but dance divas!  Now, Sheila may be, as the saying goes, "the over aged chorus girl in the piece," but BARBRA, honey, you are REALLY pushing it, there, hon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  You are older than Kelly Bishop, the ORIGINAL Sheila, who is the only one who should be allowed to do the piece at that age.  As well as costars Nancy Lane and Kay Cole!

                                     But, BARBRA is BARBRA; she is so in love with herself, she feels she can get away with anything!

                                       Just disgusting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       Hey, BARBRA, don't pop a hip, trying to do Cassie, now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What Ever Happened To David Marshall Grant????????????

                                    The other night, as the TONYS were parading actors who have appeared in various franchises of "Law And Order," I began to wonder about one of what I call the REAL actors out there. And that is David Marshall Grant.

                                     I found out his birthday is coming up. So, a happy premature birthday, David. It is exactly a week from today.  What is astonishing is that, on that day, he will be my age--61--which meant we would, had we been, been in school together.  David looks ten years younger than yours truly, as far as I am concerned, dolls.

                                      No one taps into emotional angst better than David. Nor looks better, while dong it. Indeed, there was so much yumminess, both visual and dramatic, in the original "Angels In America," who could take one's eyes off the stage?  Or David, when he was on it???????????

                                        Then, David became a playwright, with "Snakebit."  I wish he had written more.  I wish he would direct; I would love to work with him.  It seems like he is now more on the other side of the footlights, which is great, but some of us would like to see more of him, acting.

                                          We want to see more of you, David!  Think about it, in the year ahead!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Flag Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                But, darlings, how does one celebrate Flag Day, during a period of national mourning?

                                                 Yes, it is yet another June 14, which means my friend Mary Anne has another birthday--one of the easiest to remember, next to my beloved's.

                                                   So, amidst this national tragedy, happy birthday Mary Anne!  May you get some solace and celebration out of this day, despite recent occurrences.

                                                    And may the rest of us be reminded, by what the flag exemplifies, that such tragedies are always senseless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Orlando. What Can I Say???????????????

                     
                                 I mean, really, what can be said that hasn't been said before? When will the necessity for this kind of repetition stop??????????

                                  I awakened Sunday morning, looking forward to hearing Sister Camille, my coffee, and with acceptance that the evening's TONY Awards would turn out to be a relatively sedate and boring affair.  I had accepted that.

                                    The moment I heard what had happened in the wee hours at the Pulse Night Club in Orlando, Florida, all thoughts cleared from my mind.

                                      Yes, it was a gay night club, and yes, as a LGBT community member, I am outraged.  But I would be outraged no matter what community it was. Fifty killed, and even more injured--who knows how seriously????--is nothing any community or culture should be forced to face.

                                       Sister Camille was cancelled.  Though I am certain she was watching and praying. We were on the same page.  I hoped Sandy Hook would be the last of it.  It wasn't, and neither, unfortunately, will Orlando be.

                                        It could have been anywhere. But it was Orlando, this time.

                                         Omar Mateen, the 29-year-old mass shooter, now deceased, is not only looking good for Bitch Of The Week, as far as I am concerned, he has nailed Bitch Of The Year.  I don't want to think about what could be worse.

                                            I thought of staying home today. But what would that have accomplished?

                                             Our home and neighborhood grieve for Orlando--my beloved, myself, Baby Gojira, Ramsey and Jr., Cujo, Missy, and Chloe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   All send concern and love.

                                               And a social protest song--Peter Paul, and Mary doing "Blowin' In The Wind."

                                               Its questions are still being asked.

                                               When will they stop????????????????????

The TONY Awards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ho Hum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   The first thing I want to know is, what the hell was Cate Blanchett wearing?  Because the generally elegant looking actress was clad in something suggesting she had just arrived from a downtown, B and D, S and M  club.  Assuming any still exist.

                                    BARBRA and "Hamilton" were one big yawn. Notice how BARBRA, with everyone connected to "Hamilton" on stage, refused to abdicate being up there!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      If Lin Manuel Miranda was not so impassioned in his delivery, showing a genuine commitment to and belief in the project, "Hamilton" would have never held up.

                                      How dare Sara Bareilles take the moment from Jessie Mueller by singing "She Used To Be Mine?"  Notice how when Jessie picked up the song, so was the audience picked up by her remarkable delivery of this song; reason enough to see the performance.

                                        Can anyone tell me the names of the "Hamilton" actors who won last night?  Or the last name of Cynthia, who played Celie, in "The Color Purple?"  I can't. Why?  Because none of these performers are going anywhere after this. There are no future Audras here. How dare Cynthia rob Laura and Jessie???????????????

                                         Nice tribute from Cordon at the opening, regarding Orlando.  You will be hearing more from me on THAT whole thing, later.

                                           Where were some real presenters--like the Keenan-Bolgeres, MERYL, Mary-Louise Parker?  Though with that bitch, Claire Danes, up there, I doubt Mary-Louise would not want to set foot near the Beacon.  I would have loved to scratch Claire's eyes out! Who's the better actress, Claire?  Huh?????????????

                                             Nice to see Bebe Neurwith and "Chicago."  Too bad she did not do more.
And where were folks like Donna McKechnie, and Blythe Danner?

                                              In the Memoriam, why wasn't Frankie Michaels,  Broadway's still youngest TONY winner, not mentioned?????????????

                                                It was a TONY show I could care less about. The only thing I would like to see is "The Crucible." And maybe "The Humans," since two REAL actors, Jayne Houdyshell and Reed Birney, won the Featured Actor/ Actress In A Play Award.  I would like to see them.  And I would like to see Jessica tackle Mary in 'Long Day's Journey.'  Can she be heard beyond the second row??????????????//

                                                   And lastly, if "Spring Awakening" is hauled out for yet another TONY telecast, I will turn it off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   Meanwhile, I am waiting for the ENCORES "Runaways!!!!!!!!!"

Is It TONY Weekend?????????? Or "Hamilton??????????????"

                             Well, girls, here we are, the day before the TONYS, which may have accounted, as much as the colonoscopy, for my feeling bitchy this week.  I have to agree with an article I read--usually there is some kind of suspense, especially over what wins the Best Musical award.  But that is a no-brainer, because even non-theater folk sense "Hamilton" cannot be stopped from its winning juggernaut, so there IS suspense lacking there.  As for me, I don't care, because, if you look far afield, there is plenty of suspense in other categories.

                              Will "She Loves Me" take home Best Musical Revival, as it should?  Will "The Crucible" and "A View From The Bridge" cancel each other out?  And how about Laura Benanati, and Jessie Mueller???????

                                How will "She Love Me" be showcased?  And "Waitress?"  Will Tony viewers get to see and hear Jessie so heartrendingly sing "She Used To Be Mine??????????"   Oh, my God; I hope so!!!!!!!!!!

                                  How will the non-musical nominees be showcased?  Or, will they?

                                  And lastly, why is an excuse ALWAYS found to showcase "Spring Awakening?"  I don't care if it performed by an ant farm. it is STILL a piece of crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    So, cheer up, dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!  There STILL will be plenty of suspense tomorrow night on the TONY Awards!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      I can't wait to dish with you, on Monday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I Am Really Feeling My Bitch, This Week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Well, hardly, darlings!  But I seem to inspire emotions on here, especially from ID (Investigation Discovery) watchers.  If ever I went to a convention, and revealed who I actually was, here online, I would most likely be attacked by a mob.  What a blog post that would make. Maybe it would go viral.

                                   Really, I may not be Little Nell From The Country, but I am a simple thing, at heart.  I love my beloved, the neighborhood dogs, my books, and other creature comforts.  Wouldn't I look fabulous in that outfit, girls?  Just in time for Summer!

                                     Tomorrow we celebrate (a little early, as it is mid-week) Auntie Alvin's birthday!  What an adventure that will make!

                                       I will be sure to tell you all about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!