It's May the Lusty Month of May

from the soundtrack of my life

From the Soundtrack of My Life: John Barrowman's 'Unusual Way'

i'm often asked to name my favorite pieces from the musical theater. it's a tough call because so many touch me. each piece generally holds something special and takes me to a memory. some happy so very very happy. some take me to a sadder place...perhaps even a darker place. but they nonetheless get to me each time i hear them.
some will always outshine the others always. 'being alive', 'on my own', 'what i did for love' 'storybook', 'somewhere', 'children will isten'' and 'far from the home i love' come to mind automatically.
and among these there is 'unusual way' from 'nine'. this is a happy memory, a better time, a great time. it was broadway 1982. i was mad for this tony winning musical. i still am. it ranks among my 'best'. the actress was shelly burch as claudia nardi. she got me and didn't let go. laura benati made it her own in the 2003 revival.

recently i was happy to hear john barrowman sing it. what i love about john is his daring. his 'i am what i am' attitude toward his career and musical choices. he also happens to be a really nice man. i first met him after a performance of 'sunset boulevard' in london. i then had the pleasure of sharing 'an american songbook' evening with him in new york. he was/is the most down to earth guy on the planet.

well anyway i digress....so here i share his brilliant 'unusual way' in a live version and a prerecorded version. i love the song and the man.

and just for the heck of it...ms laura benanti

Integrity

i congratulate and thank jason collins for coming out. now there is a role model in the professional leagues. will the day ever come, i think it may, when we stop having to say 'the first'? the first gay, the first black, the first latino/latina? the new day is dawning moves forward.

From the Soundtrack of My Life: Bette Midler

'hello in there'

Resurrection

the resurrection takes place today on hulu, hulu+ and itunes.

here come vicki and dorian. let the sparing begin again.

 some of the best of 'one life to live'

and one of daytimes best actresses gets back to work. kassie depaiva has been the heart of the show for quite a few years now as blair cramer. i hope they keep her as one of the show's central characters.

how  to watch 'one life to live'

Conan O'Brien at WHCD

Obama at WHCD

'House of Cards' Sendup at White House Correspondents Dinner

Audra McDonald: 'Mr. Snow'

from the soundtrack of my life and the musical 'carousel'.

this weekend on pbs 'live from lincoln center' we get to see an uncut true to the original version 'carousel'
audra mcdonald won her first tony award in the 1994 revival.

here audra sings 'mr. snow' from the show that won her that first of her tony awards. i love this woman.
 wow!

Two Words I Hate Together: Season+Finale

and this one tonight is killing me. see you in september.

Renewed

glad to announce that 'parenthood', 'law and order svu', 'beauty and the beast', and 'chicago fire' have been given full season pick ups for the fall.

What I'm Watching: 'Da Vinci's Demons'

the starz original is starting off just fine. what does history have to do with it? who cares. all history is eventually fabricated to make us believe what time chooses for us to believe. in this case just go with the wonder and the fun of it all. it's overall production values are worthy of any theatrical film. this is no cheap production. as da vinci tom riley is impressive. the supporting cast support admirably. give it a shot. happily it's already been renewed for a second season.

Pet Is Back

petula clark has released a new cd. at 80 years young there is just no stopping this legend. thank the gods.

here is  'cut copy me' from 'lost in you'. the voice is still there.

and it's already been remixed

To (Dis)Honor the GW Library Opening Today

perfect song from 'the best little whorehouse in texas'

and with great honor the late great charles durning performing it, 'sidestep' on the 'the dolly show'.

 rest in peace

Red Coats Everywhere

the season 4 poster for 'pretty little liars' was just released. soooo....we have all four of the girls in the infamous red coat. the 'real' reason behind this gives pause for thought. like could one of them be A. june 16th can't come soon enough.

Team Ivy vs Team Karen

now there is actually something to compare. ivy get's to sing the really good 'don't forget me' when the pretty awful 'bombshell' has it's opening night on broadway on the show within a show 'smash'. karen got to do it when it premiered in boston. i think they both did it great justice. two different interpretations: two different takes.  argue amongst yourselves.

this 'bombshell' would bomb on broadway. with the exception of this song and 'let me be your star' the music and lyrics were amateurish and pedantic. it is not making it on tv so who the hell thinks it will make it for almost $200.00 a pop. duh.

that said this song is wonderful and gets a nod from the soundtrack of my mind yet again.

katherine mcphee (karen)

megan hilty (ivy)

From the Soundtrack of My Life: 'What Kind of Fool' and 'Guilty'

 i love these duets between barbra and barry gibb. their harmonies are amazing. their voices just worked so well together. true musical perfection.
both compositions rank at the top of mr gibb's amazing list of hits.

happy birthday barbra

Is Helen Mirren Kidding?

i just wasted @4 hours of my life watching helen mirren dupe us yet again. with the exception of 2009's 'the last station' this oscar winner has done nothing but pick up a paycheck for mediocrity. not that i ever thought she should have won that oscar. best impression of the year? yes! best actress? not!

but as things went downhill since then, the lowest of the low just recently happened. has anyone seen 'hitchcock? don't bother. it's a frackin' bore beginning to end. and mirren is the worst part of it. she called this one in on someone else's many many dimes. she made a totally miscast scarlett johansson look oscar eligible. slacker. but we are not yet finished with this dame....

then comes hbo's abysmal 'phil spector'. good god. forget al pacino who goes over the top as often as he can. it's beyond expectation at this point. the film and pacino are a mess. but it is ms mirren as attorney to spector that kicks the dead horse of a movie once it is already down. not to be outdone by pacino she too gets a fright wig. she gets the same frightening make up as pacino. what she doesn't quite get is this film is about pacino's character. the look may be 'right' in her mind but her acting is mindless. she, pacino and this film are disasters. 

pacino has done some good work recently. especially on stage. mirren not too much. o yes yes yes she is playing elizabeth 2 for the 3rd time in london this season. and that sums up helen mirren: stick with the queen as it seems to work for you. perhaps you can take the role on the road and then on a carnival cruise...a very very long carnival cruise. all the rest we can divide between christie, dench and smith. stay away from the screen or start learning to read a script, interpret it and forget the paycheck. do your job. as an actor act as if you care at the very least.

Warren Cole: Performer of the Month on 'The Following'

a few episodes into 'the following' the character roderick showed up on the scene into the cult. a cold calculating sadist arrived. perhaps more sadistic than cult leader joe caroll. for a few weeks i watched driving myself crazy knowing i had seen this actor before. then it dawned on me he was wes mitchell from the short lived, dammit, 'common law' from 2012. damn! what a transformation. wes was a sweet guy in 'common law'. a bit too fastidious for his own good but a damn good guy. then the 180 to roderick on 'the following'. i need no more proof of what a damn good actor he is. his transformation was not physical. it was internal. and then it showed externally. damn. i've used the word damn a lot here. why? because it damn well fits.

'Don't Stop Believing' Rachel and Lea

so last week on 'glee' rachel barry auditioned for a revival of 'funny girl'. a part rachel, and her alter ego lea michelle, was born to play. instead of 'doing' barbra rachel choose to go back and find the song that brought her and her friends together as 'glee'. impressive move/writing. 'doing' barbra would have been appropriate but not daring. lea's rachel went bold. it was impressive. and it was all about her believing...in herself and her talent.

so once again from the soundtrack of my life
'don't stop believing' rachel's audition

behind the scenes

and finally then let's revisit rachel/lea doing a barbra 'funny girl' song. and yes with a good director lea should play fanny brice. she needs that good director to help her make fanny her own and not an impersonation. the girl has the talent and it should be utilized. i long to see her do it. i believe in her talent although i was weary at the start of the series. she has grown and  matured into a performer to be reckoned with. brava!