Now comes word of a new anthology of crime fiction inspired by the songs of Stephen Sondheim entitled Every Day a Little Death. Sounds like it’s right up my alley as I like Sondheim and I like crime fiction. But I’m so swamped with other things right now and I’m backlogged with reading material that … Continue reading Every Day a Little Death
Sondheim
Hamlet Act III Scene ii line 254
I have been working on this post for several days and I just can’t get it into a form where I’m satisfied that I’ve said what I want to say. So I can either scrap it or just hurl it out into the ether and get it over with. I’ve decided to hurl it. Here … Continue reading Hamlet Act III Scene ii line 254
The X Words
I read the news today, oh boy, and it made me very angry. Rather than stewing about it, I wrote this blog post to sublimate my anger. A production of the Stephen Sondheim/John Weidman musical Assassins at Northwestern was cancelled when Black students protested its use of the N-word in one of its songs. They didn’t … Continue reading The X Words
“You’ll have none of mine”
Back in the 1970s I used to subscribe to two audio magazines, High Fidelity and Hi-Fi/Stereo Review (later renamed to just Stereo Review). They each had reviews of pop, jazz, and classical records, feature articles on music and musicians, and reviews of the latest audio equipment, most of which I couldn’t afford. I enjoyed both magazines and … Continue reading “You’ll have none of mine”
Paul Ford, Broadway Pianist and Arranger, Passes Away
News from broadwayworld.com: BroadwayWorld is saddened to report the passing of Broadway music director, conductor, and arranger, Paul Ford. According to friends on social media, Ford was found unresponsive in his home in New York City this afternoon. Ford began his professional career in the late 1970s and quickly became a sought-after rehearsal pianist and … Continue reading Paul Ford, Broadway Pianist and Arranger, Passes Away
AJ and the Civic Club
When I did my series on my days in Harrisburg and my friendship with AJ Moulfair awhile back, I wasn’t subscribed to the newspaper archive. Now that I am, I found some articles that have stirred some memories. For example, in either August or September of 1979 I threw a party, and of course, AJ … Continue reading AJ and the Civic Club
His One and Only Hit Song
I’ve been saving this video but I don’t know why I’ve saved it so long. I came across it several months ago and it’s been taking up a tab in my web browser ever since, waiting for me to embed it in a blog post. Well, the time has come. Here is Professor Dominic Broomfield-McHugh … Continue reading His One and Only Hit Song
Was Lansbury the Best Rose?
I’m not really in a position to name the best actress who ever played the role of Rose on Broadway as I’ve only actually seen two of them, Angela Lansbury and Bernadette Peters. They were both terrific. Of course, I’ve also seen, I think, every film and video of Gypsy that’s ever been made. Nor … Continue reading Was Lansbury the Best Rose?
The Black Rose of Audra
I had tickets to see the revival of Carousel on Broadway back in, I think, 1994 that featured Audra Macdonald as Carrie Pepperidge. Simone, Chris, and I had so enjoyed our New York adventure in seeing Sondheim and Lapine’s Passion a few months earlier that I ordered us tickets for what sounded like a terrific production. … Continue reading The Black Rose of Audra
A Barber in Berlin
There’s going to be a new production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street opening at the Komische Oper Berlin on December 8, directed by Barrie Kosky. From the trailer that’s been released it looks like a brilliant production. If I weren’t so allergic to travel, I’d love … Continue reading A Barber in Berlin