May Hold The Attention, But A Classic It Isn't!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         Last week, girls, through connections, we got cheap tickets to see the musical "Hell's Kitchen," and I was curious about this musical which was the foregone conclusive nominee to win the TONY Award.  Yet it did not.  With gasps through the audience, the winner was announced as......"The Outsiders."  Through my TV I could hear gasps in the audience.  So, I was curious to see "Hell's Kitchen."  Now, I confess, I am curious to see "The Outsiders."  But, really, can they be so dissimilar????????

                                         When I think of the great youth musicals centered around NYC I think of "West Side Story," "HAIR," and Elizabeth Swados' masterpiece, "Runaways."  These shows not only had grit, but cohesive scores holding the books together, and the music was so compelling it could be listened to again and again.  And still is.

                                           Now, far be it from me to question Alicia Keyes' talent.  I love when she covers her own songs.  But shoehorning them into the fabric of the book is not how to write a book musical.  Sure, I loved the finale, which, of course, was "Empire State Of Mind."  But what has that to do with all having gone before?

                                            One thing more I have to say before launching into the performers.  What is all this about Manhattan Plaza being some kind of slum?  I knew about it as soon as my little feet hit the pavement of this city for the first time as a resident.  In fact, back in 1993, I was in the apartment of composer Al Carmines, while I was rehearsing his oratorio "Christmas Rappings," which I performed in 1993.  Let me assure you these apartments are not slums, and I would still kill to get into one of them.  But face it, even if I had placed myself on the waiting list in 1993, I would still be waiting.

                                               Who is this book writer Krisoffer Diaz?  He has written a too ordinary story of teenage angst, especially when one has an artistic child.  I should know.  I too was an artistic child, and while I put my parents through a lot, it was nothing compared to what Maleah Joi Moon as Allie puts her mother, Jersey, played by Shoshana Bean, through. The saying goes that the worse thing than being a kid going through puberty is being the parent of a kid going through puberty.  I can attest only to the first, but the story concocted here is as old as Sophocles, and with a lackluster score, who cares?

                                                 The role of Allie is the kind of role that, in better musical hands would have made Maleah Joi Moon a Broadway star, just like when Melba Moore sang "I Got Love," in "Purlie," back in 1970.  But no song in "Hell's Kitchen" matches that.  Shoshan Bean has a great voice as does the rest of the company, but it is all for naught.

                                                   The staging is ablaze with light that I feared would trigger my seizure disorder, while the dancing is repetitive, and Camille A. Brown's choreography is just too frenetic, lacking the poetry of her dance influencers, Jerome Robbins and Michael Bennett, whose influences can be seen throughout the musical.  But they worked with good composers who gave them scores they could work with.  And Michael Greif directed this, still living off his post quarter of a century glory of "Rent."  Give it up, Michael.

                                                    If it were still running, I would tell you readers if you wanted to see a musical that is edgy yet groundbreaking, run to "Illinoise," by the great Justin Peck.  Alas, "Hell's Kitchen" is still running, while "Illinoise" closed, and that is a sad commentary on today's culture.

                                                   And loud????????????  I had a headache coming out of the theater.  The last time that happened with me was in 1993, with "The Who's Tommy."  But that was a worthwhile evening as the music was better.

                                                    Honestly, girls, musical theater is at the point where it needs to find a new direction if it is going to draw audiences of all generations.  Reconstitution is not the answer; innovation has always been.

                                                        I wanted to inform you, girls. But, really, my review of "Hell's Kitchen" could be summed up in two words.

                                                         Skip it, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Incongruity Of Labor Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             To me, this will always be the unofficial end of Summer.  And every year it comes all too quickly.  That it is a holiday having the word "labor" has always struck me as contradictory.  Labor is work, so why celebrate that?

                                                Well, darlings, because it is work, no matter how small, like this blog, that moves the engine of society forward.  Now, don't get me wrong, dears, I am not a venture capitalist. Far from it; hell, it was established, as soon as I was out of college that I was not the corporate type, and in the cruelest of ways.

                                                  There are in some jobs that are more strenuous than others--construction workers, home care aides, and those who work in care facilities. If any group deserves a holiday, it is these people; in fact, they deserve more than a day.  And not just them, but all of us who have labored through their lives, including students of all levels.

                                                      Yes, Labor Day is saying goodbye to Summer.  It is the last cookout, the last outdoor get together, a time for bottling up memories to relive of the Summer of 2024.  

                                                          But never lose sight, darlings, that it means so much more.

                                                          Think about it.

May You September Be As Pink And Colorful As This, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                       Can you believe, girls, that we are in the "ber" months?  That is right, the last third of the year, when things begin winding down.  I have a feeling that since we had a relatively mild August that September will be a sizzler.

                          And I am making a promise, and will do my best to keep it, that this year, on September 12, I will stand in front of the Waverly, and sing "Frank Mills."

                              Of course, the day before that is a day of mourning for America, when the World Trade Center twin towers were destroyed.  As well as a city's confidence.  Who could have foreseen this?  Or Covid?

                            I hope September means better health for all out there, but for some of us here.  I hope it allows for lots of reading time, so I can reach my 100-book goal.  We return to St. Andrew on Saturday, and I hope things are fine there.  And that I can work with the musical director.

                            September means more than the schoolhouse.  So, whatever it means for you, darlings, I wish you the best.

                               And it is only 30 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

August Farewells Are Perhaps The Saddest Of All!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Like the song says, "The summer smiles, the summer knows."

                             I would be pensive too at the end of this month.  Two thirds of the year have gone by--already?????????--and tomorrow we enter the "ber" months, where the year begins to wind down.

                              Even though I have been out of school for close to fifty years, saying goodbye to August is kind of a farewell to Summer, even though there are three weeks to go.  After this Monday, Labor Day, it really is all over.

                                 And it went so fast.

                                But look to crisp coolness, cozy winter nights reading a book, or drinking a hot toddy.  I will stick with my black coffee.

                                 Summer had its ups and downs.  But the one of 2024 will always be remembered.

                                 "See you in September," darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Remember When We All Wanted To Be Career Girls, Darlings?????????????????

                              Speaking for myself, I could not wait.  None of the pressures of school, with homework and deadlines.  Just straight nine to five, and then on to your real life.

                                Or so I thought.  Once ensconced in the work force it became a "grind."

                               Just look at the careers girls had to choose from.  My younger self might have opted for ballet, but I opted for the one in the middle, the librarian.  After all, I do wear glasses.

                               As much as nursing was in my blood, thanks to my mother and sister, I could not deal with bodily fluids, pricking someone with a needle, or advanced math and science.  So, maybe I did make the right choice after all.

                              Girls today have so many options.  Make the right choices, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              And make sure to have a life after work.  Bag a husband!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This Iconic Shot And Scene Made Drew Barrymore A Star!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Next Saturday, girls, the Film Forum is running "E.T." at 1PM, and, darlings, I want to be there!  I have not seen this film since it came out in 1982--my God, I was still in my twenties--and I am curious to see if it holds up.  Whatever happened to Peter Coyote, who plays sort of the villainous figure? I am sure Dee Wallace has long retired, because what use is there for her in the films being made today?

                              I recall this film having beauty, charm and a poignant message.  I cried real tears when I first saw it, and no doubt I will cry real tears again.

                                E. T. is so cute, who wouldn't want to protect him?  And the climactic bike ride, with the John Williams score should prove to be stunning.

                                 I hope we can make this showing of this special film.

                                 Wouldn't it be great if Drew made a personal appearance?

                                   To think, it has been 42 years, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!  42 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Girls, Join Us Tonight At 8PM, As "Svengoolie" Sees August Out With "War Of The Colossal Beast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                           This is the one about the giant one-eyed cyclops in a diaper!

                                           Things get complicated here, dears.  You see, this 1958 film was a sequel to 1957's "The Amazing Colossal Man," which was a big hit.  Glenn Lagan played Glenn Manning in the first film, who grew to enormous height, memorably ripping off a sign at a major Vegas nightclub, and then falling to his death into the Boulder Dam..

                                               In this film, he emerges, one-eyed and still wearing that diaper--how he maintains it and what he does about his bodily functions is never explored, but I can't help wondering--and now, with Duncan "Dean" Parkin playing Glenn Manning, the Colossal Beast goes on another rampage; this time worse, as the damage from the fall has caused his mind to go and he is slowly losing his grasp on reality.  Instead of the absent or uncredited wife--who might have been smart enough to exit this flick--in the 1958 film, we have Sally Fraser, as Joyce Manning, his sister.  Sweet, huh?

                                                  Did this film need a sequel?  Not really, but the Technicolor death scene--yes, it goes from black and white to color--is fun in a perverse sort of way, and everyone fussing over this gigantic thing gets pretty camp.  He should have either taken up with Allison Hayes as the 50 Foot Woman, or Dorothy Provine as "The 30 Foot Bride Of Candy Rock."  He should have gone with Allison.  He needs a strong woman to support him.  And, oh, my God, wash that diaper!

                                                        Little Pippin is so excited about this film tonight.  You wouldn't want to disappoint him, dears, so join us at eight as "Svengoolie" closes out August in some kind of style.

                                                          But a gigantic diaper???????????  Ewwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!