BARITONES AND BASSES By Peter Filichia
My recent experience with Jason Alexander has had me repeatedly playing the cast album of JEROME ROBBINS’ BROADWAY. I’ve particularly savored Alexander and company in one of Broadway’s greatest opening numbers: “Comedy Tonight.” Its lyric – “Baritones and basses” – started me thinking about Broadway’s best in those categories. There are plenty who could come […]
REMEMBERING SHELDON HARNICK By Peter Filichia
Whenever a great musical theater luminary dies, I listen to every cast album that represents this songwriter’s work in chronological order. This past week has been especially moving, thanks to the lyrics of Sheldon Harnick, who, we must be grateful, made it to 99. I started with NEW FACES OF ’52, to which Harnick contributed both music and lyrics to “Boston […]
JEROME ROBBINS’ BROADWAY REDUX By Peter Filichia
Jason Alexander gave me a brilliant pre-emptive strike. That was late ’88, I recall. He was about to open as the leading man of JEROME ROBBINS’ BROADWAY. In addition to performing, he’d write the continuity which he’d deliver as narrator. Robbins was both creating and recreating his previous successes. With an unprecedented 22 weeks of […]
LA CAGE AUX BOSTON By Peter Filichia
“Thank you, Boston!” So read the small round sticker that adorned the cover of some LA CAGE AUX FOLLES original cast albums. Given that hundreds of musicals had met with rapturous success in New England’s best theater town – SOUTH PACIFIC, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, MAME, CABARET and PROMISES, PROMISES among dozens of others – […]
THREE CHEERS FOR THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE By Peter Filichia
This week, you might wish that you lived in Pennsylvania. (Even if it’s hot as hell in Philadelphia.) For The Keystone State, as it’s chummily called, considers Flag Day – June 14th – a state holiday. Plenty of Pennsylvanians have the day off from work. Even if you don’t have the entire day at your […]
