La Cage Aux Folles

While watching the PBS documentary "Broadway: the American Musical" I saw Jerry Herman make the following acceptance speech when winning the Tony Award for Best Score in 1984:

One of the shows La Cage beat for most Tony Awards was Sunday in the Park with George --which is, if you didn't know, my favorite musical, by my favorite composer of musicals, Stephen Sondheim, and very much NOT a show of the "simple, hummable show tune." I LOST MY SHIT. I started yelling at the TV, "HOW DARE YOU, JERRY HERMAN?????? WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE: IRVING BERLIN!?!?!?!?!?!"

So, naturally, I did NOT want to like La Cage Aux Folles. I even considered NOT listening to it as a Jerry Herman boycott* (Jerry Herman denied that this was a direct dig at Sondheim... but who does he think he's fooling?? Get off your high horse, Jerry!). However, this show did do a lot of good. It helped found the Broadway Cares: Equity Fights Aids organization, and clearly the message is good (whether you're gay or straight, anyone can get behind "I am what I am.")

Plus, Harvey Fierstein.

So, I begrudgingly started listening to it... and of course I really enjoyed it. Even despite my new cynicism towards Herman, I would still say the book and story are better than the music, but the music IS catchy as hell. It's not particularly special, deep or interesting music, but it's certainly simple and hummable.

I listened to the 2010 revival cast with Kelsey Grammar and Douglas Hodge. If you want to be completely delighted, watch this Tony Award performance of "The Best of Times" with Hodge:

So, Jerry Herman might be a total A-HOLE, but he did help make something really nice.

Plus, Harvey Fierstein!!


La Cage Aux Folles
Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
Book by Harvey Fierstein

*I wouldn't have been able to keep the Herman boycott up very long, anyway. I really, really like some of the music from Hello Dolly-- especially, "Put On Your Sunday Clothes."

(On a related Dolly/ Herman note, there is a line in La Cage when Georges says to Albi, "You came *this close* to getting that tour of Dolly!" I know Dolly Levi has been played by a man in drag before, and I believe it's being played by a man in drag RIGHT NOW in Los Angeles. But, in general, I need this to stop. There are so many roles for men in the theatre. There are so many DRAG ROLES for men in the theatre (Look at this show! Look at Kinky Boots! Look at Priscilla!). There are more than enough roles for men in the theatre and WAY less male actors than female actors. I can't take it anymore. To take a show with 3 named female characters and give one of them to a man is unacceptable. For every show you replace a role that was written for a woman and give it to a man in drag, you should have to produce 2 all-female shows.)

Cabaret

The problem with doing this little project is that when I really grow to love a show -- maybe something new to me, or (in this case) something I was very familiar with but just didn't really appreciate -- it's hard to leave it. I tend to get on these "kicks" where I will listen to one thing nonstop for... weeks... months... years. (I'm sure you Hamilton fans can understand.) But, if I did that, I'd never finish this. And it's not that I have a deadline or something, but there is just clearly more to discover.

I've spent the last several weeks with Cabaret. Remember a few months ago saying how I wasn't the biggest fan of Kander and Ebb? I think Cabaret was why. I had seen the movie when I was a teenager and I did NOT like it. The 1998 revival was happening right when I was really starting to connect with musical theatre and it really.. scared me. It was just too racey for me or something. The raciness of Chicago, which I saw with my family, was nothing compared to this, so it just seemed like a show that I didn't need to know about. We did it in college my senior year (I was not in it) and I remember GASPING at the end of "If You Could See Her," and I certainly was moved, but it wasn't hitting.

But, oh, it HIT the first time I listened to the revival a few weeks ago. I was sitting on the 7 train with my face drawn and my eyes wide open (I caught my reflection at one point in the window). Similar things would continue to happen with every listen. I had to put it on hold for a few days, because of Christmas, but when I came back, I was at Queensboro plaza, ready to transfer to the N train and Natasha Richardson was singing "Cabaret" and I was CRYING and walking and trying to avoid eye contact.

I think it's getting to me now more because of the landscape of the US. Things are not good. And I can't help thinking about refugees, and the Muslims being persecuted and the African Americans being persecuted and the LGBTQ community.... and people like Trump, who IS a modern day Hitler (I don't think he even believes the things he says -- I think he's doing it for attention -- but I don't understand WHY or what his end game is, and either way, he is the worst person currently living). There is so much denial in Cabaret. So many people like Cliff who speak out when they know people agree with them but are quiet when they really need to do something. People like Sally who would rather pretend nothing is wrong at all. People like Fraulein Schneider who feel like they have no choice but to accept whatever comes her way. I guess it'll always be like this. And that's even more upsetting. So, it's been a weird couple of weeks.

But, as far as the actual musical itself is concerned, there are no longer any doubts in my mind about the work of Kander and Ebb because, despite what I had previously refused to see, Cabaret is phenomenal and maybe the most important musical ever written.

I did listen to the original cast and the revival. I liked the revival better 98% of the time, but I do like the Finale better with the original. So much was changed from original to the Sam Mendes revivals and most of it for the better. I wish I could see Joel Grey's (not the movie) original performance so I could compare him with Alan Cumming. I watched the recorded stage version from the 1993 (or so) London revival -- the first with Alan Cumming. I mean, he's fantastic, but I think if you listen to the Broadway revival audio recording, you will hear better performances and acting than what I *saw* from the London cast. Natasha Richardson was insanely good. Sally shouldn't be too good of a singer (and none of these ladies were -- although obviously Liza was, but they were obsessed with Liza, so whatever. It's a movie, I forgive them) and no one was really THAT great, except Alan Cumming, whose voice can be gorgeous. That role is... I don't know. It's THE role. I mean, you think about musical theatre now, and you're asked to name the most iconic roles... the Emcee is in the top 3. Maybe #1.

I had read so much about Cabaret over the past week, and you're welcome to do your own research and go over it. I can't explain it. What I can tell you is that Cabaret has destroyed me, and it's GOOD that I need to stop listening to it and thinking about it, because it's too hard. (Ugh, why is this meta??) However, I am SO THANKFUL it finally "hit" me and that I listened to it during this time in our lives, because it is so, so important to hear these lessons.

Cabaret
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Book by Joe Masteroff

Bye Bye Birdie

Bye Bye Birdie is the end of the B's, and in the month that's been the hardest to do this project (because I want to listen to Christmas music!), that's quite a relief.

I wouldn't say BBB is one of my favorite musicals of all time, but I do love it. I started loving it when I was in high school, myself. I never related to Kim, though. I was always looking for the day I could play Rose. I may never be able to actually play Rose, as she is a dancer, but maybe she doesn't HAVE to be a dancer? What? It's in the script? Oh, screw you.

I had the OBC recording on CD when I was younger, and when I was downloading it on Apple Music to listen to I THOUGHT I was downloading the same version (Chita Rivera has top billing and they both said Broadway cast), but I accidentally listened to the London cast several times through and was really confused. But, there were some interesting changes (and just a year or so apart).

So, on Broadway, Susan Watson played Kim and she's like your perfect human girl. I mean, even if we're talking ONLY about her singing voice (and let's assume we are), it's flawless. She has great control, her voice is crystal clear, it basically sounds like a Disney princess. So, she's singing "How Lovely to be a Women" -- which is a ridiculous song to everyone else, but completely NOT ridiculous to Kim. She believes the FUCK out of those lyrics. And with Susan Watson singing, you're like, "Wow. No wonder Kim is so popular. She sounds like the vocal embodiment of a Beauty Pageant Winner."

"How Lovely to be a Woman" includes the lyrics,

When you're a skinny child of fourteen
Wired with braces from ear to ear
You doubt that you could ever be appealing
Then hallelujah, you are fifteen and the braces disappear
And your skin is smooth and clear
And you have that happy grown up female feeling...

WHAT HUMAN FEMALE SUDDENLY HAS CLEAR SKIN AT AGE 15?!?!? If anything, my skin was WORSE from 14 to 15. It's not like she's turned 22. She's 15 and still a child. She's not even the age of the Little Mermaid, yet. BUT, she truly believes she is a "woman" now, and as a listener, because Susan Watson sounds amazing and perfect, you believe it, too.

Now, what's interesting is that in the London cast, the girl who plays Kim, Sylvia Tysick, does NOT sound like a perfect human girl. She sounds like a kid. A kid who really believes she is a "woman" now, but that we, the audience, definitely DO NOT. I mean, she can sing just fine, but her voice isn't special, it's not flawless. To me, this is the more believable Kim. Everyone is the worst in high school and has absolutely no idea that they are the worst. That's why American media is so dumb: they get 20-somethings, who are past all their terrible awkwardness, to play high schoolers. It's just not realistic.

I mean, I have heard Bye Bye Birdie hundreds of times, but it really took listening to Sylvia Tysick's Kim to be like, "Oh. I get it. I REALLY get it." AND I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT ONE SONG, FROM ONE CHARACTER!

The rest of BBB did not make me think so much. But, I do love it. I consider it the first Rock Musical. It's very true to life and completely unpretentious. It's funny and charming and joyous. Even though the music is pretty generic (except for Conrad Birdie's songs: the first rock songs in a musical), there is one SPECIFICALLY interesting part during the intro to "An English Teacher" (my favorite song from this show) that I have loved since I was 16 years old. Generic or not, this musical is a HIT. People still love it and even if you've never seen any musicals, you've probably heard "Put On a Happy Face" or "Kids" at least once in your life.

I love it, too. If I were grading these, Bye Bye Birdie would be a solid A.

Bye Bye Birdie
Music by Charles Strouse
Lyrics by Lee Adams
Book by Michael Stewart

PS - I barely mentioned Chita Rivera, but can we talk about her as a singer, not a dancer, for a moment? She is so wonderful. She is a fucking inspiration. I love her. Also, Dick Van Dyke, holy hell. So perfect. I think of Dick Van Dyke and instantly smile, because I think of his smile.

By Jupiter

I should have known that my composer crush on Rodgers and Hart would come crashing down, and it did with By Jupiter, and that makes me sad, because I really wanted to like it. I especially wanted to like it knowing loosely what the plot was based on (it's basically that gender roles are reversed in the world of the Amazon women). 

HOWEVER, the character of Sapiens (a male in the world of the Amazons), creates a problem. He is foppish and ridiculous, only caring about clothes, and he's like a whiney baby. And in a world where the gender roles are reversed, this is problematic. I don't believe that they think that all women act the way Sapiens acts. And granted, ANY character, male or female, in this position, is obviously being used for comedy. And I'm sure it IS funny (although maybe also annoying) on stage. But wouldn't it be better for HUMANITY if the men acted like men "normally" act, and the women were still in charge of everything? Why can't that be a thing? Because men would never let it happen? (Men wrote this show, and they had the chance to let that happen, and didn't, so obviously not.)

Plus, in the end, the invading army of "regular" men defeat the Amazon women because the foppish Sapiens screws the women over. So, no, I did not enjoy this musical.

It could be better musically, too. They ARE better than this.

By Jupiter

Music by Richard Rodgers

Lyrics by Lorenz Hart

Book by Rodgers and Hart

Bullets Over Broadway

The Christmas season is a hard time to be listening to musical theatre. I WANT to listen to Christmas music, plus, I'm still not over Bridges, so I wanted to listen to that, too. Unfortunately, I had to listen to Bullets Over Broadway, which is maybe better than it seems. It SEEMS like a cop-out. If you're Woody Allen, and you don't want to have your movie be made into a musical, then just DON'T let it happen. But, if you finally decide to let it happen, why on earth would you choose existing songs from the period with new lyrics? WHY?

I'm no fan of Woody Allen, but I feel like he could do better than that decision.

So, there was nothing interesting in the music to this show, except for some good performances (especially Betsy Wolfe). Also, as my BFF from college would say, "there are many plots." SO much is going on. 

My friend Sheffield said the show was a lot of fun. It might be if you're actually watching it. Maybe. It's not fun taken out of context, though.

Bullets Over Broadway

Music and Lyrics by VARIOUS

Book by Woody Allen

Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story

I listened to this... but what's the point? You can't learn anything about a musical from a jukebox musical. I'll just listen to Buddy Holly's recordings if I want to listen to Buddy Holly.

Brooklyn (BKLYN)

I hated this show so much that I didn't even want to finish listening to it. Yes, the singing was great, but that was the only thing that was even GOOD. The story was dumb, the music was dumb, I felt like it pandered to the audience, AND it was wildly out-dated. A show with homeless people under the Brooklyn Bridge?? Puh-lease. If you live near the Brooklyn Bridge, you're paying $5000 a month for a one-bedroom.

My friend Allison sung "Once Upon a Time" for our senior showcase in 2007 and she was great. That was my only interaction with this show until this past weekend. I didn't like the song then (although Allison sang it amazingly), but I HATED how they used it in context to this show. It was the "Achy-Breaky Heart" of Brooklyn* ("oooooooh, this song is a HIT! Let's have it reprised and have the melody and/or lyrics added into several other songs!"). Meanwhile, every other song, even if it was sung just as well, was forgettable.

*I say it was the "'Achy-Breaky Heart' of Brooklyn" because from what I understand, Billy Ray Cyrus would perform that song a minimum of 3 times during his concerts because no one cared about any of his other songs