ALPHABET SOUP (1)

ALPHABET SOUP (1)

Time to shake things up and pick some shows at random. Well, perhaps not entirely at random. I made up 26 slips of paper, each one with a letter of the alphabet on it and put them all in my I-bought-this-in-London-but-I-have-no-idea-why blue coffee mug which, per the bottom of the mug, was made in Italy. Don't get me wrong; it's a nice mug, but why I schlepped it home to Chicago from London escapes me. I digress. I thought it would be fun to mix up the slips of paper, draw a letter, and just grab the first five shows on that letter's pile. In this case, it's six (same show, different productions).

Drum roll, please…. Today's letter is….

B

Let's begin!

To start things off, the glamorous Lauren Bacall welcomes us in classic Bacall style

Thanks, Betty! 

Young Jim Dale (45) and Glenn Close (33).

October, 1980 and February, 1981. This enormously entertaining show loosely based on the life of showman P.T. Barnum featured Jim Dale's outstanding Tony-winning performance as Barnum. His wife, Chairy, was played by a young, just-starting-to-get-noticed actress by the name of Glenn Close before she became GLENN CLOSE. Let's be honest here, Glenn may be a terrific actor, but she's never been much of a singer (she's on pitch and it's not painful, but you wouldn't want to buy an album entitled Glenn: Hello, Young Lovers), yet for Barnum, she sang her songs in a voice that displayed a dusky, earthy quality that complemented her character and performance. The Cy Coleman-Michael Stewart score is an energetic, bouncy affair and Mark Bramble's book gets the job done with swift efficiency. The circus aspects of the show were stunning and a preview of what was to come, even more stunningly, decades later in the revival of Pippin. Having said that, however, how many leading men cross from stage left to stage right on a tightrope?  Some fun stuff: Terrence Mann made his Broadway debut in Barnum; Judy Gibson was playing Joice Heth in October, but original cast member Terri White had returned by February to truly dazzle us with "Thank God I'm Old" and "Black and White;" SuEllen Estey subbed as Jenny Lind for featured Marianne Tatum in October; Joice Heth is traditionally played by an African-American actress, however, listed as the understudy for Joice is, wait for it, Mary Testa! Now that would have been an understudy performance to have seen! From the Show-Must-Go-On files: at the February performance, an announcement was made prior to the performance that Jim Dale was suffering from laryngitis and had missed the matinee, but he didn't want to miss two performances, so he would be performing, but hoped the audience would understand that his singing would not be up to par. We applauded like mad, and, yes, his vocals were ragged, but, frankly, no one cared. He was that good. Personal note: Barnum's lighting designer, Craig Miller, was a teacher and designer at Barat College when I did shows there in the early 70s and one of his assistants, Mary Jo Dondlinger was Sleeping Beauty to my Prince Charming in a "Fractured Fairy Tales" version of Sleeping Beauty at Barat. Because of the demands made on its leading man, the show may never be revived on Broadway. After its national tour closed early after only a few months on the road, Barnum finished out a long and successful run in New York and then slipped into undeserved obscurity. (Note: we saw a decent small-scale version earlier this year in Chicago and a well-received UK revival may be on its way to London's West End.) - at the St. James Theatre, New York

(Note: The Nite 'N Gale has been a fixture in Highwood since 1947. It was our favorite hangout when I did theatre at Fort Sheridan, across the road from the restaurant.)

June, 1972. It's been suggested that only the Brits can do justice to Noel Coward, and, for the most part, I tend to agree. However, Canadian Brian Bedford and American Tammy Grimes hit all the right notes in Coward's delightful comedy about ghosts, mediums and marriage. Not as sophisticated as other Coward plays like Private Lives or Design for Living, this play is more accessible than most Coward, which is perhaps why it is regularly done by amateur and community theatres. Make no mistake, however, this stylish production was anything but community theatre. Featuring a supporting cast of fine actors, Grimes and Bedford dominated the evening with their effortless acting and exquisite timing. This was their second Coward show together. The first was a Tony-winning production of Private Lives during the 1969-1970 season, which they would bring to Lake Forest in 1971. Following this show, they would appear together at the Academy Playhouse in The Tavern. Craig Miller (see above) designed the lights and resident costume and set designer at Barat, William Lane, provided the physical environment. (Note: I would make my first appearance at this theatre a few months later when I was cast as a last-minute replacement in Barat's production of Celebration.) The Academy Playhouse was a fixture on Chicago's North Shore for several summer seasons, providing star-driven, New York-quality theatre in the Chicago suburbs, until its founder, Marshall Migatz, was tragically killed in an auto accident. - at the Academy Playhouse (Drake Theatre, Lake Forest, IL)

June, 2013. A riveting, provocative play about our involvement and missteps in the early days of the Afghanistan conflict. Reminded me of what a dark period the Reagan/Bush years were. Excitingly acted, with another terrific turn by the always-reliable Terry Hamilton,  this production had the production values one expects from TimeLine. Full of intrigue and suspense and everyone not being who they initially appear to be, this play was a wonderful discovery. Especially topical now with potential increased U.S. involvement in the Middle East. - at TimeLine Theatre, Chicago

It's intermission and once again here's the legendary Betty Bacall showing off some serious bling.

Those are some "little momentos," Betty! Moving on....

November, 1973. As a young gay man, I found Simon Gray's acerbic comedy about a day in the life of an alcoholic university lecturer in London during which he loses his wife, colleague/officemate/possibly lover and probably his last vestiges of self-respect to be very funny, very dark, very modern and even a bit titillating. Was/is Ben Butley gay? Straight? Bisexual? Asexual? All of the above? None of the above? In Brian Bedford's sturdy performance, one never got a definitive answer about Butley's sexuality, which kept the sometimes talky play always engrossing, yet you knew absolutely that Bedford himself knew all the ins and outs of his often unlikeable, often funny and ultimately sad character. This First National Company also featured solid performances by Paul Jott as Joseph Keyston, the main object of Butley's abuse and affection, Sarah Laughlin as a sympathetic and understated Anne Butley and, recreating her Broadway role, Barbara Lester as Edna Shaft, Butley's "competition" at the university.  For a long while, this was one of my favorite plays.  - at the Studebaker Theatre, Chicago

(Sidebar: In Chicago back in the 70s and into the 80s, most touring musicals played the Shubert or, for a relatively short time, the McVickers and plays were produced either at the Blackstone or the Studebaker. Of these four theatres, only the Shubert, now called the Bank of America Theatre, and don't get me started about corporate naming, still operates as a professional theatre. The Blackstone was purchased by DePaul University and renamed the Merle Reskin Theatre (but at least it's still in use!). The McVickers was demolished and an office building now occupies the space. The Studebaker became the Fine Arts Theatres and was the primary place to see art films and less commercial movie fare. I saw "The Crying Game" there. The theatres were closed years ago. I'm not sure what is there now. I suspect just empty space. I'm including some pictures I found on the Internet of the Studebaker. I don't remember the theatre being as elaborate as the B/W picture. To me, it was always the "plain Jane" of Chicago theatres: comfortable, functional, but not especially pretty.If memory serves, it seated about 1200.)

November, 2003. Thirty years after I saw Butley in Chicago with Brian Bedford, I had the opportunity to see this Huntington Theatre Company production while on a layover in Boston. The intervening thirty years somewhat diminished the initial luster that Butley held for me, but it still remains a solid work even if it is very much a period piece and one which absolutely must take place in the early 1970s. The draw for me was top-billed Nathan Lane as Butley and he didn't disappoint. He ranted, he raved, he implored, he was adorable, he was abominable. It was a tour-de-force that only on very few occasions veered into "Nathan Lane-ism." Beautifully designed by Alexander Dodge, Michael Krass and David Weiner and skillfully directed by Nicholas Martin, this production was blessed with a remarkable supporting cast of both local Boston talent and New York veterans. Playing the pivotal role of Joseph Keyston was Benedick Bates, the (very, very hot) son of the late Alan Bates, who originated the role of Butley in London and New York and recreated his role in the film version. A layover evening well spent in the fabulous city of Boston - at the Huntington Theatre Company (BU Theatre), Boston

August, 2002. Bob's introduction to the wonder that is known as Barbara Cook. Although technically a concert on the stage of the Vivian Beaumont Theatre with just two (amazing) musicians, Wally Harper on piano and Jon Burr on bass, this had the feel and the vibe of an intimate musical. Words cannot describe how Barbara Cook can take a capacity audience at the wide Vivian Beaumont, tell her fascinating stories and gloriously sing her way through a catalog of exquisite songs and make that capacity audience somehow feel that she is talking and singing just for you. She was a 2011 Kennedy Center honoree. She is a true theatre treasure. - at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre, New York

That's it for now. More later. Ta.