dagblog - Comments for "Oh Showboat, Why Do I Love You?"

Ha! "Throw the bum out!"

MrSmith1 — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 16:57:18 +0000

In reply to We had a "move down" maneuver

Ha! "Throw the bum out!"

Amazing. What a wonderful

MrSmith1 — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 16:47:00 +0000

Amazing. What a wonderful memory. I have had a couple of those moments; times when you knew you were witnessing something very special. My mom used to talk about seeing Judy Garland at the Palace in the 1950's when she made her big comeback, and so when Garland returned to play the Palace again for the last time in the late 60's, I decided as either a Christmas or Mother's Day present, to take my mom. She was reluctant to go because she didn't want to spoil the golden memory she had of the earlier time, but she eventually decided to go with me. We sat in the rear of the orchestra and being very young and naive, I didn't quite understand why there seemed to be so many nice looking young men in the seats surrounding us. Critics had said that Garland's voice was not what it used to be, but that night, she was really as good as ever, and the crowd went crazy for her. I had never experienced that kind of electricity before. What a performance. It was an experience I'll never forget.

I had the unforgettable

NCD — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 15:27:46 +0000

In reply to Oh Showboat, Why Do I Love You?

I had the unforgettable experience to hear William Warfield sing Ole Man River with orchestral back-up on a summer evening in an outdoor amphitheater at a Michigan music institution around 1984. He was there to lecture, up from Illinois.

There were at least 500 in the audience on wooden bleachers or on the gently sloping ground, surrounded by forest. There were some other performers, and there were loads of small children making a hum of noise and movement.

Warfield appeared towards the end, he was dressed in a stunning white suit and slacks, a huge figure with broad shoulders, 'barrel' chest and a voice that needed no amplification. He sang just one song. As his deep baritone tones rolled out the melody, total silence suddenly prevailed, all eyes turned to the stage, including the children. Even those who had never heard of Show Boat (including yours truly), realized they were witness to a stunning American song, by a man unsurpassed in its performance. "tote that barge, lift that bale, get a little drunk and you lands in jai---ai----ulll......llllll..." He lived until 2002, he was in his 60's in the 80's. I note Wikipedia says his 'voice was declining' into the 70's and on, there was absolutely no hint of decline that night.

We had a "move down" maneuver

Oxy Mora — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 13:53:15 +0000

In reply to 76 Trombones ... Do you mean

We had a "move down" maneuver. Get the cheap seats then eyeball any empty orchestra seats and move down after intermission. My room mate once stood up in the balcony after I moved down and yelled, "throw that bum out" pointing in my direction but the curtain was just about to go up and the ushers clamped him, not me.

76 Trombones ... Do you mean

MrSmith1 — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 03:26:30 +0000

In reply to Smith, you just about have me

76 Trombones ... Do you mean that it has the same melody as another song in The Music Man, Goodnight My Someone? Meredith Wilson just slowed the tempo and altered the rhythm slightly and turned a march into a love song, then put the two together in one scene were they are sung as counterpoint ... Theater used to be an integral part to most New Yorker's lives, because it was only slightly more expensive than seeing a movie. Now, it has become so expensive that seeing a play or musical has to be a special occasion, which forces the producers to produce more spectacle type shows so people feel as if they got their money's worth. When I was young we used to 'second act' a lot of shows after they had been running a while and we knew they weren't selling out. We would sneak in with the audience returning from intermission and grab an empty seat and enjoy half a show for free. P.S. I like the online TCM store. They have a great selection of old movie musicals.

Thanks, barefooted. I have

MrSmith1 — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 03:22:55 +0000

In reply to Bravo, Mr. Smith! You've

Thanks, barefooted. I have been lucky enough to see some amazing Broadway productions over the years. I remember seeing Sondheim's Company with my parents during the first or second week of its run. I was so excited and thrilled by it, but my mom and dad actually told me that there weren't any tunes they came out of the theater humming (Which, funnily enough, was to became a frequent knock against Sondheim by the critics, a knock, by the way, I don't think he deserves) Anyway ... Thanks again for the kind words.

Bravo, Mr. Smith! You've

barefooted — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 01:00:15 +0000

In reply to Oh Showboat, Why Do I Love You?

Bravo, Mr. Smith! You've written a lovely, heartfelt homage to a wonderful art form. Yet more than that, you expressed your love and appreciation in such a way as to make us all feel it, too.

I saw Phantom of the Opera on Broadway in December of 2000. We got all dressed up, hired a snazzy car and finished the evening with dinner at an upscale restaurant with an amazing city view. It was a dream weekend in New York. We bought Christmas presents at the gift shop in the World Trade Center ... I haven't thought of that in awhile.

Thank you for this, it's just grand.

Smith, you just about have me

Oxy Mora — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 23:49:37 +0000

In reply to Oh Showboat, Why Do I Love You?

Smith, you just about have me in tears. What a wonderful piece and I share your emotions.

And I am jealous of anyone who can partake of N.Y. shows, musicals or otherwise.

In the late 70's I was on assignment in London, during the blackouts (a miners strike, I think) and one could get into any performance by showing up thirty minutes ahead of time. I gorged myself, unbelievable. There was kind of a cult thing, going to SuperStar every week on Friday night. I saw every bedroom comedy that had ever been staged.

I guess you know about "76 Trombones"

I was going to ask you, what's the best source for the old musicals on DVD.