Can Any Theater Queens Tell Me Whose Birthday This Is????????????????

                          I am sure most of you recognize the woman as being Angela Lansbury--and you are right. Some of you may spot that man as being composer Jerry Herman--and you are right on target!  But who is the kid?  He is actually the subject of this blog post.

                          The child in the photo is Frankie Michaels, who originated the role of Young Patrick Dennis in the musical, "MAME," when it opened at the Winter Garden on May 24, 1966.  That was 49 years ago, back then, and he was just ten. Which means, today, he is 59!!!!!!!!!

                           Frankie Michaels was born on May 5, 1956, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, no less.  There was a legend saying his birthday was a year earlier, which would have made him 5/5/55!!!!!!!!
But, he was only 10, when he hit Broadway, at the climax of the 1965-66 season.

                             He is one of Broadway's forgotten legends, even for a prepubescent, and he should not be. Because, to this day, Frankie holds the distinction of being the youngest TONY Award Winner in Theater History,  At the TONY Awards held in 1967, his performance in "MAME" won him the TONY for Best Featured Actor In A Musical.  And his record remains unbroken!  That is quite remarkable, for nearly half a century.

                              To give an idea of how unique Frankie was at the time, here are he and Jane Connell, the one and only Agnes Gooch, doing the show's classic opening number, "St. Bridget." Listen to the power and emotion in Frankie's voice, on that final verse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              As for what happened to Frankie, in the intervening years, he has a band of some kind, and still performs. Here he is, pretty much the way he looks today, on the left, with Michael Mayer!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Tennessee Williams was right, dolls!  Time is the enemy of us all!

                                Especially child performers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Doctor Is Retiring.....On Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                        "Doctor Zhivago" opened on Broadway the same night as "Annie" 38 years before--on April 21, 2015!  I knew it would never duplicate that 1977 show's success; in fact, I am surprised it ran this long--almost three weeks!!!!!!!!  The one I feel most sorry for is Lucy Simon, who, years before, wrote a brilliant musical called "The Secret Garden," a show long overdue for a revival, but where out there can you find the likes of Daisy Eagan, Mandy Patinkin and Rebecca Luker?????????

                           No matter how bad a show, it is always sad when one closes.  Actors and techies out of work, out of a job they gave themselves to, because the believed in it, or otherwise, believed in the paycheck, which forced them to believe in the show.

                            After Sunday, this show is History, and not of the sort to make anyone proud!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Which goes to prove the David Lean 1965 film is still definitive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Cinco De Mayo, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                        Girls, I ask you, what the hell is Cinco De Mayo?  I know it means "fifth of May."  It is also an excuse, as far as I am concerned, to drink some Frozen Margaritas after work!   Which you know I will do tonight!  But seriously, Cinco De Mayo has historic significance--it is to recall the victory of the Mexican Army over the French, at the Battle Of Puebla, on May 5, 1862!!!!!!!!!!!!

                         Like, who knew that?  I never even got this in World History class in high school!  The things you can pick up on here, girls, I am telling you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                          But I plan on picking up a Frozen Margarita, and I want all you to do the same!  After what is ahead for me, I will need it!

                            So, Happy Cinquo De Mayo, dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!  Have one on me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can Anyone Out There Tell Me If Celia Has Had The Baby, Yet????????????????????????

                               With all the attendant hoopla, this past week, about the Royal Princess--who doesn't even have a name, yet!!!!!!!!!!--no here has been able to tell me the news most of us herein town want to know, especially us Theater Queens--

                                  Has Celia Keenan-Bolger had the baby yet????????????????

                                  This is why I need a personal assistant, who could scout these things for me!  If she has given birth, no one has called me!  What has she had?  They were going to wait!!!!!!!!  What will it be called?  Because, while Celia is married to the hot and handsome John Ellison Conlee, (who was in "The Full Monty," on Broadway!) you just know this child will ever after be known as "the Keenan_Bolger Baby!!!!!!!"

                                    Fess up, Celia!!!!!!!!!!!!  Is it here, yet??????????  Could you at least have your cute brother, Andrew, let me know???????????

                                      I mean, the Royal Princess is important!  But so am I!  I mean, I am a Princess! Just ask anyone who knows me!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       Celia Keenan-Bolger's baby is royalty in the theater community!  So, inquiring minds want to know!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         How soon will that child trod those boards, Celia????????????????

It's A Miracle, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!! Our Lady Of 76th Street, In Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Has Returned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            Sometime ago, girls,--I believe it was last Fall, I wrote about the Virgin statue I refer to as Our Lady Of 76th Street, in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.   Since we first moved here, three years ago on the 23rd of this month, when leaving together for work, with my beloved, we would walk past this huge, gated gray house on 76th Street, with a gated front yard, a lovely floral garden, and a statue of Mary--yes THE Mary--on a pedestal.  The gates were always open, which meant. to me, Mary was all inclusive!  Like Sister Camille!  So, every day, I would stand by the gate, and chat up Mary, asking for help, getting through the day, whatever was on my mind.  It got to be a habit!!!!!!!!!!

                            Then, one morning, while we walked by, we discovered the gates were open, the pedestal in place--but Mary was gone!!!!!!!!!!!  I was devastated!  So were others; one morning as I was commiserating with my beloved, another couple walking by commented on the loss of this beautiful statue.  Several days later, a sign appeared, roped around the tree behind Mary, saying She was out for repair, and would be back!!!!!!!!!!!!  We yearned for that day, but it seemed like it would  never come.  While waiting, I prayed to the pedestal, because I knew Mary was there, in spirit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            Well, miracle of miracles, dolls!!!!!!!!!!  Yesterday, having returned from Pennsylvania, we went out for some lunch, and lo and behold, when we came to the house, there was Mary!  Looking fabulous, darlings!  Like she had been to Elizabeth Arden, and then a hair appointment with Arriette at Bloomiongdale's, and had the most fabulous makeover!!!!!!!!!!!!!  She looked great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              It was a true miracle!  But it also made sense.  When we left Bay Ridge for the weekend, on Friday May 1, Mary was not there.  She must have arrived sometime on Saturday, May 2, while we were having my father's party; so no wonder she could not be there!  I cannot tell you how comforting it was to see Mary there, and I want to express a personal thank you to the residents of that house, for bringing her back!

                                And May, of course, is the month of Mary!  With the 98th Anniversary of Fatima coming up!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Which goes to prove, dolls, there is more to faith than just Jennifer Jones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How Does One Recover From A Centennial Birthday Party??????????????

I am writing this from home, girls, because I just HAD to take today off!!!!!!!!!

How long has it been since I had a wild weekend?  Ages!!!!!!!  And there was a lot going on this week, what with "Valley Of The Dolls," that bi-annual perennial, being shown Thursday night, at Chelsea Classics, with Hedda Lettuce!  Anyone who has been with me on here, long enough, knows most of the classic lines, because you have already heard them on here!

Then, Friday night, May 1, was the Night Of the Thousand Stevies.  That would be Stevie Nicks, of course, and it was held in some hotel in town, where  everyone dresses as Stevie, in the era of their choice, and, with Stevie usually there,  I can almost guarantee a hand held, group rendition of "Rhiannon!!!!!!!!!!"  So, things were wild enough here!

Who thought they could get any wilder, in Pennsylvania, said by Sally Eaton (the original Jeannie in the musical "HAIR") to be the "conformist capital of the U.S.;" she was from Warren. PA!  No, darlings, there was no social activism where I was, only social activity.  On the afternoon of May 2, at the enchanting and romantic William Penn Inn, my father's Centennial birthday party was held.  Hell, he had already been 100 years old for two days--his actual birthday was April 30--but for him, it was nothing!

For those of us who attended--over three dozen--it was a chance to dish and reminisce, not only about my father , but our shared mutual pasts.  This was a birthday party and family reunion combined, and some of us had not seen each other in at least a decade.  In some cases, several decades!!!!!!!!!!

I had the first glass of wine I had had in months!  Let me tell you, I needed it, darlings!  I was hoping the Virgin Mary would walk in, but then, we did get the Papal Blessing!   And it was too bad ANNA and MERYL could not make it!  But for those who did, it was an experience!  The colors were ravishing, the fashions stunning, the food luscious, and the children enchanting!  It was definitely the party of the year, put together both by my sister and myself!  Which is why I am at home recovering!

To my faithful readers, I wish you could have been there!  To those who were--THANKS FOR COMING, DARLINGS!!!!!!!!!!!

See you in another hundred years?  Well, my father, MAYBE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just A Quick Post To Welcome A New Month!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  Before we take off for points unknown, in Pennsylvania, I wanted to share this with you, girls!  Every may 1, I play Julie Andrews singing "The Lusty Month Of May," from "Camelot."   And, of course, I will share it with you!  Here it is!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    Much better than Vanessa singing it in the 1967 film version.  Better to watch her getting kicked around by Lynn in the crappy 'Baby Jane' remake!

                                      May is also the month of Mary, with the 98th Anniversary of Fatima coming up, this month!

                                        Happy May, Mary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!