Results tagged “Hollywood” from Blogway Baby

Television Gold! (or is that Television Yellow?)

I first saw Mitzi Gaynor in the movie musical Anything Goes with Bing Crosby and Donald O'Connor. One viewing of Mitzi doing "Blow Gabriel Blow", "Anything Goes" and "It's Delovely" and I was a huge fan! Such a fan, in fact, that the name "Mitzi" was on the short list of names for my second daughter (as was "Velma" and "Gladys"...I stopped short of "Daisy Mae").

My wonderful husband of 22 years bought me "MITZI GAYNOR RAZZLE DAZZLE! THE SPECIAL YEARS" for my birthday. Wow! This is an amazing must-see DVD.

From the DVD cover:

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Mitzi Gaynor's blockbuster film, Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC and the 40th anniversary of her first televised special, MITZI GAYNOR: RAZZLE DAZZLE! THE SPECIAL YEARS is an all new documentary that captures the creative excellence, the briliant fusion of song and dance, the glamorous Bob Mackie costumes and the non-stop excitement that were the hallmark of her glittering annual television events. For 10 years, Mitzi Gaynor's annual specials captured the imagination of audiences the world over. Now, for the first time in three decades, experience the groundbreaking Emmy winning performances choreographed by some of the most inflential forces in the world of dance: Peter Gennaro (ANNIE, WEST SIDE STORY), Danny Daniels (THE TAP DANCE KID), Robert Sidney (THE DEAN MARTIN SHOW) and Tony Charmoli (WOMAN OF THE YEAR). Including newly taped interview with Miss Gaynor, Bob Mackie, Kristin Chenoweth, Carl Reiner, Kelli O'Hara, Rex Reed and rare photos and footage from Gaynor's personal archive that illuminate the behind-the scenes stories and impact of her landmark television events.

The present day chats between Bob Mackie and Mitzi Gaynor are worth the price of the DVD on their own! It's so nice to see genuine affection between two artists, and to hear the stories behind the costumes. And what costumes! Mitzi wears sequins, beads, beads and more beads, short dresses, long dresses, dresses that zip up and zip down. As they were always in gorgeous, bright colors! It's like my dream wardrobe! (I can't help it, I like shiny stuff). And the guys costumes are just as amazing!

Speaking of guys, the specials are always just Mitzi and "her dancing boys". No other women in sight! And I recognized on of those guys as a dancer on the Carol Burnett show! I don't know his name but he played the Yankee soldier in the Went With The Wind skit! My favorite special is Mitzi and 100 Guys -- it seemed she had literally every male 1970s tv star on that show! From Captain Stubing to Mannix! Two of my favorite dances are EVERYBODY LOVES MY BABY and PRETTY FOR ME from her first 1968 special Mitzi (watched by 33 million viewers!).

Mitzi seems like such a level-headed woman, someone who really enjoyed her career, and appreciated the good fortune she had, and laughs a lot. There's none of that bitterness or regret, or exploitation/substance abuse stories you so often see in stars when they look back at the "good old days". Not only that, but she was happily married to Jack Bean for over fifty years! I would love to go out to lunch with Mitzi Gaynor and hear more cool stories!

Mitzi Gaynor is currently touring with a one woman show (of course!) called MITZI GAYNOR RAZZLE DAZZLE - MY LIFE BEHIND THE SEQUINS. Here's hoping she comes to Seattle!

Be still my heart.

Broadway's upcoming season will hereafter be known as the Season of Hunks! First, Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig will be appearing in A STEADY RAIN.

And now Johnny Lee Miller will be on Broadway this fall.

I have been a huge fan of Mr. Miller since I saw him in the films Mansfield Park and Afterglow. And nobody was as crushed as I was when they cancelled his television series Eli Stone (well, except for the writers...).

From Playbill.com:

Roundabout Theatre Company, in association with Sonia Friedman Productions and Ostar Productions, announced on June 10 that Jonny Lee Miller, of "Trainspotting" and the ABC series "Eli Stone," will be Sienna Miller's co-star in the fall production of Patrick Marber's After Miss Julie.

Sienna Miller will play Miss Julie, and Jonny Lee Miller will play John. Both will make their Broadway debuts in the American premiere of this updated (to the 1940s) version of August Strindberg's classic play Miss Julie, directed by Mark Brokaw.

After Miss Julie will begin preview performances Sept. 18 and open officially Oct. 22 at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway (227 West 42nd Street). This is a limited engagement through Dec. 6.

What could possibly top this? Nathan Fillion in a revival of LI'L ABNER!

Someone bring me my smelling salts -- I just fainted!

Okay, maybe I am a little disappointed that Hugh Jackman isn't returning to Broadway in a musical, but this will do!

From an article on Playbill.com :

Two major Hollywood box-office draws will join forces in the fall for a new Broadway play.

The New York Post reports that Hugh Jackman (Wolverine) and Daniel Craig (James Bond) will co-star in Keith Huff's A Steady Rain.

No official announcement about the production has been made; however, should it come to pass the drama will likely be the hottest ticket of the fall season.

Barbara Broccoli, who was a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang producer, will produce the Broadway outing.

A Steady Rain tells of two seasoned cops whose lifelong friendship is severely tested when a seemingly routine domestic disturbance call results in the death of a young boy. When the horrific truth of the situation is revealed, one of the two must take the blame for the fatal mistake.

A Steady Rain would mark Craig's Broadway debut. His film credits include "Defiance," "Quantum of Solace," "Flashbacks of a Fool," "The Golden Compass," "The Invasion," "Casino Royale," "Infamous" and "Renaissance," among others.

Jackman, who was recently seen on screen in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," earned a Tony Award for his work in the Broadway musical The Boy From Oz.He is also known for his film roles in the "X-Men" trilogy, "Someone Like You," "Swordfish," "Kate and Leopold," "Van Helsing" and the recent "The Fountain" and "Happy Feet" (in voice). His stage credits also include Trevor Nunn's staging of Oklahoma! at Britian's National Theatre and award-winning work in productions of Sunset Boulevard and Beauty and the Beast in his homeland.

A Steady Rain played a six-week sold-out engagement at Chicago Dramatists in fall 2007. The cast and artistic team, headed by director Russ Tutterow, remained intact for the 2008 run at Chicago's Royal George Theater.

Playwright Keith Huff is the recipient of a Drama-Logue Award, the Cunningham Prize, the John Gassner Award, the Berrilla Kerr Award, and three Illinois Arts Council Playwriting Fellowships. He has developed plays at American Repertory Theater, The O'Neill Theatre Center National Playwrights Conference, Steppenwolf, New York Theatre Workshop, New York Stage and Film, and The Public Theater. His plays have been produced nationally and Off-Broadway.

Now this is why I miss New York!

The Astaire Awards, presented by Ava Astaire in tribute to her Father and Aunt, will be held this year on June 1^st at 7:30pm in The Haft Auditorium at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.

Wow. What a night! Alan Cumming will host the evening, with Liza Minnelli presenting Stanley Donen with The Douglas Watt 2009 Lifetime Acheivement Award, Georfffrey Rush presenting The Best Choreography in Film Award and Bebe Neuwirth presenting the Best Male Dancer Award!

Here are the nominees from Broadwayworld.com:

BEST BROADWAY CHOREOGRAPHER NOMINEES:

9 to 5: Andy Blankenbuehler

Hair: Karole Armitage

Billy Elliot: Peter Darling

Guys and Dolls: Sergio Trujillo

Pal Joey: Graciela Daniele


BEST FILM CHOREOGRAPHER NOMINEES:

Mamma Mia: Anthony Van Laast

Slumdog Millionaire: Longines Fernandes

Center Stage Turn It Up: Aakomon "AJ" Jones

Make It Happen: Tracy Phillips

Fados: Patrick De Bana and Pedro Gomes

High School Musical 3: Kenny Ortega

Were the World Mine: Todd Underwood



BEST FEMALE DANCER NOMINEES: 

West Side Story: Karen Olivo

Rock Of Ages: Angel Reed, Katherine Tokarz, Savannah Wise

Guys and Dolls: Kearran Giovanni

You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W Bush: Pia Glenn



BEST MALE DANCER NOMINEES:

Billy Elliot - role of Billy: David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish

Billy Elliot - role of Michael: David Bologna, Frank Dolce

White Christmas: Jeffry Denman

Pal Joey: Matthew Risch



The Astaire Awards, established 26 years ago by the Anglo-American Contemporary Dance Foundation, recognize outstanding achievement in dance on Broadway each season. The awards were established with the cooperation of Fred Astaire to honor him and his sister, Adele, who starred with her brother in 10 Broadway musicals between 1917 and 1931. In 2008 the Awards were expanded to include dance in choreography for film as this was the métier that brought Fred Astaire to international fame and a permanent slot on every list of the top movie stars of the century.



In addition to the Awards Ceremony, the show will include some of the best live Broadway and Hollywood dance numbers! Holy Top Hat Batman! Not only that, but a friend of mine and extremely talented playwright, Randall David Cook, is writing the show (you know, the stuff that is said between numbers and awards, and creating the order of events!) So that means I am one degree of separation from Liza...just sayin’!

i have a sudden urge to put on my tap shoes!

Mack David and Hal David -- Legendary Songwriting Brothers!

Wow, talk about songwriting talent running in the family!  Mack and Hal David are brothers (Mack was older by nine years). Hal David is probably most famous for his collaborations with Burt Bacharach (“What The World Needs Now”, “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” just to name a couple!).

Now, I knew Mack David was a songwriter, but I never knew just how extensive and famous his song catalogue was, and that he sued Jerry Herman over “Hello Dolly”, claiming that it was partially taken from David’s “Sunflower”;  they settled out of court.

Here is Mack David’s impressive bio off the fabulous Songwriters Hall of Fame website

Mack David was born in New York City on July 5, 1912. He originally thought of becoming an attorney, and attended Cornell University and then St. John's University Law School. When his younger brother Hal David was considering careers, Mack advised his brother against becoming a songwriter and urged him to take up a more stable profession. However, he failed to follow his own advice, and instead of following a career in law, Mack David began writing songs on Tin Pan Alley.

His song "Moon Love", written with Mack Davis and Andre Kostelanetz, and based on a theme by Tchaikovsky, was a hit in 1939. In 1945, he wrote the words for Duke Ellington's "I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So," and in 1947, he had a hit with a novelty number "Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba", written with Jerry Livingston and Al Hoffman.

While primarily a lyricist, David sometimes also contributed to a song's music, and he wrote both words and music for 1948's "Sunflower" (years later, he filed an infringement of copyright lawsuit over resemblences between this song and Jerry Herman’s “Hello, Dolly").



In 1948, David moved to Hollywood, where he became active in film and television. His songs were featured in the score for the Disney animated featureCinderella (1950), written with Jerry Livingston and Al Hoffman. These songs include "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes", "The Working Song", and the film's hit song "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo", which was nominated for an Academy Award in 1950. For another Disney feature Alice in Wonderland (1951), the same team wrote "The Unbirthday Song".

The nomination for "Bibbidy Bobbidi Boo" was the first of eight Academy Award nominations David would receive. The other nominations came for his songs "The Hanging Tree" (1959, title song, with Jerry Livingston), "Bachelor In Paradise" (1961, title song, with Henry Mancini), "Walk On The Wild Side" (1962, title song, with Elmer Bernstein), "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1961, title song, with Ernest Gold), “Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte" (1964, title song, with Frank De Vol), "The Ballad of Cat Ballou" (1965, from Cat Ballou, with Jerry Livingston), and "My Wishing Doll" (1966, from Hawaii, with Elmer Bernstein.).



Another great success came in 1950, when he wrote the English-language version of "La Vie en Rose" (French lyric by Edith Piaf, music by Louigny). And in 1961, the Shirelles had a hit with his song "Baby, It's You", written with Burt Bacharach (whose collaboration with Mack's brother Hal David has become legendary) and Barney Williams. Mack David and Jerry Livingston wrote theme songs together for many successful television series, including Caspar the Friendly Ghost, 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Bourbon Street Beat and Surfside 6. Their theme song “This is It” for 1960's The Bugs Bunny Hour also became a hit. In addition to those already mentioned, Mack David's collaborators included John Green, Jimmy Van Heusen, Alex Kramer, Joan Whitney, Count Basie and Franz Waxman. Mack David died on December 30, 1993 at his home in Rancho Mirage, California.

Boy, I'm really glad he decided not to become a lawyer!

ROBERT MCKEE Story Seminar in New York City!

Aka “Shut up and listen!”

When I realized I hadn’t been back east for almost two years since I moved to Seattle, I decided a trip to New York was in order. And what better reason to fly 5 hours than to attend Robert Mckee’s famous “Story” seminar. Yes, I had read his book, aptly named “STORY”, but I wanted to experience it first hand since I had heard so many great things about his seminars. So my husband and I signed up,  and started packing!

From the website:

Over three intense days, McKee's Story Seminar effectively demonstrates the relationship between story design and character. Quality story structure demands creativity; It cannot be reduced to simple formulas that impose a rigid number of mandatory story elements. Robert McKee's course teaches you the principles involved in the art and craft of screenwriting and story design, and proves the essence of good story is unchanging and universal. Whether on the big screen, on television, in novels, on stage and in ALL creative work, everything works in the shadow of classic story design.

The seminar ran Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9am -8:30pm. Yikes! I haven’t sat for that long in a long time. And it didn’t leave much time to see any shows! I did manage to squeeze in a matinee of EXIT THE KING (Geoffrey Rush is amazing!) and the last 30 minutes of TOXIC AVENGER!

I thoroughly enjoyed the seminar, and having Robert Mckee basically talk us through the book really helped solidify the concepts and ideas in my mind. And he runs these workshops with a iron (and grumpy) fist. No questions allowed except at break time (by then, you’re too scared to ask!) and no cell phones at all. If your cell phone rings by mistake, you have to pay him ten dollars. If it happens again, he kicks you out. And he loves to go off on tangents (aka rants) on the current sad state of movies, and various political topics. Perhaps his grumpiness had something to do with the fact that he had just badly hurt his back playing golf and had to sit the entire time.

One of my favorite parts of the seminar was the screening and anaylsis of CASABLANCA (the seminar really is geared towards the cinema, but the fundamentals of story apply to other mediums as well, such as musical theatre). Plots, subplots, text, subtext all unfolded before us. Interestingly, I don’t remember CASABLANCA being so funny! I chuckled constantly throughout the film. That is until the iconic farewell scene as the last plane out is about to take off. It was then that I realized, to my  horror, that I had left my cell phone on from the last break! Oh no! What to do, what to do? And my cell phone sounds like a jet engine when you turn it on or off!

I thought about making a run for the door, but then in a moment of pure genius, I waited until the screen was full of loud, rotating airplane propellers and I pressed the off button. The jet engine sound of my phone was muffled by the movie! Robert Mckee remained blissfully unawared of my cell phone situation, and I watched the last few minutes of the film peacefully (ignoring the disgusted glare from my husband who couldn’t believe what had just happened!).

Mckee does this story seminar around the world, as well as single days devoted to genres (love, comedy etc.) .I would highly recommend his seminar to anyone who is in the business of telling stories.

The end.

Well then. Apparently, Access Hollywood learned **exclusively** that Fergie (aka Stacy Ann Ferguson) of the Black Eyed Peas has been cast in the upcoming movie version of the musical Nine. This is Fergie's first major movie role, although she has appeared before on screen in Grindhouse and Poseidon.

From an article on Access Hollywood:

While there are several female leads in the film, including Academy Award winners Kate Hudson (announced Wednesday), Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren and Marion Cotillard, as well as Academy Award nominee Penelope Cruz, Fergie’s role will be significant.

The musical revolves around the women in the life of the male lead character, Guido Contini, who will be played by two-time Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis. The show is loosely based on the life of Italian director Federico Fellini, and inspired by his masterpiece, “8½.” “Nine” opened on Broadway in 1982 and was revived starring (amongst others) Antonio Banderas (and later, John Stamos), Mary Stuart Masterson, Jane Krakowski, Chita Rivera and Laura Benanti.

I have definitely heard Fergie sing, and I saw her host Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve in Hollywood. However, I have never seen her "act." It shall be interesting to see how she does. Also, I am particularly intrigued by the selection of Daniel Day-Lewis as Guido Contini. He may have been in something where he sings, but I don't know about. I wonder if he will pass the BlogwayBaby test? We will most certainly find out...

According to "International Musician"(Official Journal of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada),

"The legendary group of Los Angeles-based studio musicans known as The Wrecking Crew was inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk June 25, 2008. The RockWalk is the only sidewalk dedicated to honoring artists whose work has made a significant impact and lasting contribution to the fields of rock and roll, blues, and R&B music. Members of The Wrecking Crew had their handprints, faces, and signatures forever etched into the sidewalk among inductees that include Eric Clapton, Elvis Presley, and Bonnie Raitt. The Wrecking Crew backed dozens of popular performers in Southern California during the 1960s and can be heard on television theme songs, film scores, popular hits, and even commercial jingles. Earlier this year, the group was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame, in Nashville, Tennessee."

There is a great documentary film on this group of musicians by Denny Tedesco (son of Tommy Tedesco, member of "The Wrecking Crew") called, of course, The Wrecking Crew.

From an interview with Denny Tedesco on the website:

"The Wrecking Crew were a group of Studio Musicans in Los Angeles in the 60s who played on hits for the "Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Sonny and Cher, Jan & Dean, The Monkees, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Mamas and Papas, Tijuana Brass, Ricky Nelson, Johnny Rivers, and were Phil Spectors Wall of Sound."

It's amazing not only that one group of musicians (including one woman, Carol Kaye on bass) could produce and influence so much great music, but that the general public hasn't any idea how important they were to the sounds, feel, emotion and signature riffs of a song. Based on my experience in Nashville, I know that if you get a great set of studio musicians together, who regularly play together, and give them only a number chart of a song, they will create fabulous intros, riffs, and rhythms and help bring a song to life. In fact, it's pretty much business as usual, that if there is a great intro, or solo on a demo, the record label will reproduce that when the star artist records the song.

The Wrecking Crew Rocks!

Here's another one that I omitted...Billy Elliot, the incredible movie, has opened on the West End. It's directed by Stephen Daldry and written by Lee Hall and Elton John.

Sir Elton, who has written the songs for the musical, said he was proud and excited to be working on the show and added: "I was profoundly moved when I first saw the film. I cried my eyes out when Billy achieved his dreams with the full support of his family and friends."

For my part, I'll never forget the scene of incredible poverty where, after their mother had died, the family is forced to chop up the mother's piano for firewood. I still shudder when I think of it.

OK, I think that this just about wraps it up. If anyone can think of any more Hollywood to Broadway transplants, let me know!

All About Eve (1950) became Applause (1970)

Woman of the Year (1942) became Woman Of The Year(1981)

Nights of Cabiria (1957) became Sweet Charity: A New Musical Comedy (1966)

Smiles Of A Summer Night (1957) became A Little Night Music (1973)

Sunset Boulevard (1950) became Sunset Boulevard (1994)

It (1927) became The It Girl (2001)

8 1/2 (1963) became Nine (1982)

Sweet Smell of Success (1957) became Sweet Smell of Success (2002)

The Captain's Paradise (1953) became Oh Captain (1958)

The Night of the Hunter (1955) became The Night Of The Hunter (1998 Concept Cast) (also a literary source but best known as a film)

Here are a bunch more Hollywood to Broadway transplants:

The Wizard of Oz (1939) became The Wizard of Oz(1988)

High Society (1956) became High Society (1998)

Swing Time (1936) became Never Gonna Dance(2003)

Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) became Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002) (though little of the original score was used)

Beauty and the Beast (1991, Animated) became Beauty and the Beast (1994)

The Lion King (1994, Animated) became The Lion King (1997)

They say it's the hot trend in musicals today -- adapting a popular movie to the stage -- but while The Producers (2001), adapted from The Producers (1968) and Hairspray(2002), adapted from Hairspray (1988) grab all the attention, the trend has actually been around for a while. Here's a sampling of a list that seems to grow every day.

David Merrick, the legendary impressario, actually loved to adapt film material and he became famous with some of these productions:

42nd Street (1933) became 42nd Street(1980)

Marcel Pagnol's Marseilles Trilogy (1929) became Fanny: A New Musical (1954)

The Apartment (1960) became Promises, Promises (1968)

Some Like It Hot (1959) became Sugar (1972)

Destry Rides Again (1939) became Destry Rides Again (1959)

State Fair (1945) became State Fair (1996)

And here's a bunch more non-Merrick examples:

Mary Poppins (1964) became Mary Poppins (2004)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) became Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (2002)

Meet Me In St. Louis (1945) became Meet Me In St. Louis (1989)

Singin' in the Rain (1952) became Singin' In The Rain (1996)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) became Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1985)

And continuing into the future, stay tuned for White Christmas, based on the 1954 movie of the same name.