BOOOO

I walked through CHELSEA MARKET today and thought I would let you see the Halloween stuff.
Lots of Kids all done up in Halloween drag.
Sweet.

SCARY

HALLOWEEN SPOOKS

Happy ALMOST Halloween..
My brain swirls to the sequence in MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS when Tootie, an adorable Margaret O'Brien, goes out on all Hallows Eve and makes her mark as a fearless warrior among a bunch of doubting peers.
When I was young we kinda did the same thing. We went out into the cool October night
and went house to house and dressed in various shreds and patches, all of our own creating as who could afford to buy a "real" costume? Armed with an old pillowcase for TREATS and a paper bag full of tricks we ventured into the eerie unknown. These paper bags included large colored stems of chalk for marking others who resisited and small amounts of flour to throw. Primitrive perhaps but so much fun.
Some people threw pennies, as well as candy, into our goodie bags. When a nickel or dime was found we thought we struck gold!
THe night was filled with goblins and witches and boney skeletal appartitions.
And all being watched and warmed by the glow of the carved pumpkins adorning the stoops under the shedding autumn trees.
The brisk air and the clear skies, playing follow the leader as we naughtily invaded the backyards and clmbed over garage roofs and balanced on the fences that divided the various properties. We rode our 24 inch Shwinns and English racers played stickball in the wide streets and on weekends we managed to gather at the PS 15 schoolyard and play dodgeball!
The black & white FREID-EISMAN CONSOLE TV in the front porchlike room was enough to keep me entertained. That and the 45 record collections we all loved.
Our house was a mock English tudor and my front bedroom was in the soothing flutter and dappled shadows of the swaying maples trees, or it seemed that way as the brnaches reached across the front lawn. I loved waking up in that many windowed room.
That one room was almost half of my current apartment.
The Halloweens were also full of the aroma of fresh baked cookies and goodies. But the most memorable and immediate aroma that I connect with the Fall Halloween season is the smell from the smoldering piles of raked leaves that lined the curbs in front of the houses. I can still see the trails of smoke rising lilke ghhostly sentinels along the street.
We could burn leaves then and with the garden hose nearby we set the piles on fire and the heady incense was a sure telling that the season had taken hold.
Everyone was responsible and careful and there were never any mishaps with fire.
I had my cousin living only about 3/4 of a mile away and I would ride my bike to his house and we would play all day and dig roads in the bakyard dirt for our model cars to ride on.
I don't remember what costumes we wore but one Halloween we had matching Hopalong Cassidy (a very popular TV Cowboy hero) western outfits. They were complete with big black hat,leather holsters and two silver six shooters, The high heeled cowboy boots were the authentic touch we were proudest of. It made us tall, if not in the saddle then in our mind.
My cousin was so cute they took his picture ,guns drawn, and hung it large in a Bank. Don't ask me why I just remember that, but I do.
We had costume day at school and that was always fun. I made the mistake of having my Mom throw a drag outfit together for me and I wore a pair of her platform red snake skin open toed ankle strap shoes.
My feet have NEVER been the same . How do you girls do it?
ANyway..tomorrow is many Halloween moons away from those eerie and wondeful younger days. I can't help but think ,as I look at the kids nowadays as they trot to the local school all done up as Ghosts and Ballarinas "I hope they eventually hold as much joy for these days as I do."

BOOOOO
xxx
KEYBORED

BROADWAY-AWAY

WAS BORED SO I THOUGHT I WOULD PUT SOME OLD BROADWAY PICS ON

ENJOY:

HELLO NY.NY.

Hello New York!

Hello.. US..Hello Cyber Global pals.

Am writing this as a speculative thing to see what it is like.

Thought we all could share here and give a few views of things.

New York is finally cooling off. It has been Humid and too warm for too long.

Global warming aside, New York holds heat of all sorts from all different sources. Among these are vents from huge buildings blowing onto the streets, sewers venting fetid air in billowing fumes onto the roadways, and the building themselves absorbing and emitting heat.

Also the large gatherings of people on the subway platforms and in the overly crowded restaurants and movie houses congealng in public venues with all the body heat is sometimes stifling . We are finally getting some relief with cooler weather.

I have been out and about and taking some pictures and enjoying that hobby.

Went to a bit of theatre and saw DIE MOMMIE DIE..first Preview Oct 10th and again as recently as last week. It had gotten tighter andfunnier. I spoke with Charles Busch afterwards and he said they cut a good 20 minutes from the show. It is 90 minutes of mad fun and Charles' Angela Arden is a superb hoot.

Bob Ari as Sol, Angela's husband, is spot on and so funny. The suppository scene is even funnier the second go round.

I highly recommend it.

On October 11th I got tickets for the first preview of YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN.

http://www.youngfrankensteinthemusical.com/

I had great trepidation about the ticket price. As we are all are aware, the $450 Premium seats have caused, to use a Mel Brooks title; HIGH ANXIETY.

After much searching on the web for cheaper tickets..: One site had a price of $114 for Center Balcony..I gagged but it was a birthday evening and I was willing to go there.

However..once I navigated through all the website clicks abd screens the price of combined tickets was $288!!

I gave up got out of my apartment and went to The Hilton Box Office on 42nd Street. I was aware that I would have to spend MORE than the $114 per seat and swallowed hard when I asked if she had anything in the $120 range.

"No, I'm sorry we are all sold out of that price for Oct 11th."

Oy .. Here goes my unemployment check.

"We have box seats available."

"OH MY GOD!" thought I.."Here goes 2 weeks of Unemployment checks."

I said "Ok how much are they?"

"$76 each..so $152 plus tax."

When we sat in the House Right second Box we were very pleased. It was a scewered view but we saw everything just fine.

So if you want to see this show I would suggest asking for the Box Seats first.

I thought, as did my friends who were there that evening, that the show wasn't as strong in score or structure as THE PRODUCERS.

It had some wonderful moments including some terrific scenery by the wonderfully creative Robin Wagner. Andrea Martin was ultimately the top perfomance that evening. She was in control and totally enjoyable and professional and sharp as a tack in her HE'S MY BOYFRIEND number.

Roger Bart was terrific as Victor Frankenstein but suffered from what seemed to be Gene Wilder inserts into his character, especially the high pitched yelling.

Sutton Foster has a voice of an Angel and one drifts into it as into a luxury Spa. One of the most fulfilling sounds on any current Broadway stage. She has wonderful comic timing and her ROLL IN THE HAY-ride number is not only wonderful to hear but gloriously intriguing to watch due to the stunning moving scenic effects and the physically adroit "horses" pulling the cart.

She is comis although not a commedienne. Up against masters like Andrea Martin and Megan Mullaly had to be a tough go.

Mullalay sings with the power of a Merman and has presence of someone much larger than her actual diminutive size. Such is the magic of the charisma performers embody. The other really wonderful performance is by the fellow who plays Igor, Christopher Fitzgerald. He and Andrea Martin are a superb team when they are in comic-tandem.

Shuler Hensley is also a joy filling very large shoes.

The outstanding number is unfortunately not written by Mel Brooks but by Irving Berlin: PUTTIN ON THE RITZ.

Susan Stroman tends to over work her ensemble dancers and singers. Her creative tirpcichorical gimmickery works overtime in this show as it has in past productiuons, but with less inpact. In this production the principals are meshed into, what I considered over lengthy numbers, and half way through the first Act Finale one tunes out.

I thought the Ancestor's number was gratuitous and again overstaged.

Generally the acting style was uneven. The overall effect was amusing with some good yuks. One would expect at least that in a Brooks barrage of boingy banter.

However there was a level of Ad Lib and / or commentary on one's own performance or on others in a scene. that too may times was unworthy of this master of fun.

Interestingly Andrea Martin who is as full a comedic performer as a Carol Burnett, and in possession of as many enjoyable facial postures, formed her performance carefully and witheld the urge to overwork her ability with great result. She is so in control of her character and her audience . Her performance it is a joy to , well, enjoy!

Fred Applegate as Inspector Kemp was more effective as the Blind Man in an iconic scene which was like a moment suspended in time through this twisted musical whirl.

It was hard not to compare these wonderful performances with those "etched in stone" characters created for the film. Kenneth Mars as the not so Bionic Police chief Kemp was so engraved it would be gargantuan to overshadow let alone emulate.

The late and fascinatingly talented Madeline Kahn would have been proud of Megan's chirppy Elizabeth and her Huge Streaked Haired Bride in the second Act's dynamic solo turn.

I am going off on this show as it is the one everyone who loves musicals will want to see, and should.

Is it as solid a show as THE PRODUCERS? No. Is it a solid entertaining evening? Yes. Are the tickets overpriced?????:::::: OH YES.

The FARNSWORTH INVENTION http://www.farnsworthonbroadway.com/?gclid=CKTjhYGqtY8CFQ0uHgodWTwHWw written by WEST WING-er Aaron Sorkin, is a thought provoking and historic journey through the world of how and when exactly and who exactly invented Television.

I thought the performances were also outstanding and sometimes riveting. Hank Azaria shines. The ensemble cohesiveness and machine like function is wonderfully choreographed by Des McAnuff who is an extremely capable director of musicals and plays. This piece fills in so much of the machinations of media when it was a floundering infant in search of a clearer picture in and of itself.

I highly recommend this entertaining play.

Among my travels I went to see TOOTS SHOR at the Quad. This documentary directed and conceived by Shors' granddaughter brings us intimately into the New York nightclub life of one of the great restaurants and restauranteurs in New York history. Gangsters and Judges and Celebrities and Commomers shared food, laughs, drink and the social elan of the gregarious Mr. Shors.

These places were a true offspring of the cultural shifts in their time. East of Broadway and in the 51st through 53rd street Jazz Alley era.

Not only does it give a true vision of a tenacious,people loving and opinionated man but an open window into a time that seemed more glamorous and socially adept than any so far.

Along with that I would also recommend THE GHOSTS OF 42ND STREET by Anthony Bianco. To my taste this book should be a required textbook /primer

for anyone interested in the theatrical history of New York and the men who shaped and formed the streets of dreams.

It is a fascinating book which should have had more specific photos of the many theatres that flanked both North and South sides of what is called Forty Duece.

I loved that the NEW VICTORY theatre which is where major Children's shows are now performed was actually the REPUBLIC Theatre owned and built by Oscar Hammerstein the First and had many incarnations: It was originally leased to David Belasco and his name shined above the entrance for years and housed plays of import and taste. This Republic became, in the 30's, MINSKY'S BURLESQUE where Gypsy Rose Lee made her mark and where you could get an orchestra seat for 35 CENTS!!. A striptease house now a Children's theatre! Now that's New York!

I thought I should start this blog with some of my recent thoughts and experiences in today's NY. And I hope not to bore with my opinion but....

This city is undergoing extravagant changes and so many landmark, or SHOULD be landmark, places are being obliterated for speculative condos and office buildings in what should stay residential neighborhoods.

I site the Church of St.Vincent de Paul on 23rd Street..Where Edith Piaf was married in the 30's with Marlene Dietrich in attendance as her Matron of Honor. It is being marked for destruction by the Archdiocese of the Catholic Church. A charming and beautiful house of peace. Redone in 1939 with terrazo floors and Tiffany stained glass windows with Stations of the Cross "plates" by Limoge affixed around the church walls.

It was and is still a place of worship for the French , French Canadians and French immigrants and visitors. Stunningly painted scenes above the altar and the sense of history (built in the late 1800's) is palpable.

Visit it before they destroy it as cavalierly as they swept the Morosco and the Helen Hayes from our Broadway history.

I also still ache from the blatant horrific death of the Art Deco beauty of the Bonwitt Teller building for the Trump Tower in all it's glassy garish glory.

I suggest also the Forbes Museum on 5th Avenue near 13th street. It is an amazing little jewel and once housed a huge Faberge Egg collection, now sold off to Russia. But the joy for me was the extensive Toy collection. wonderful.

I am gabbing on beyond my digital dexterity.

I apologize for that and my tangled typing.

Hope to get more thoughts and views on her again soon.

Hope also to hear from anyone out there and share some of your experiences.

Meantime

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

XXX
KEY BORED