LOOK MA, I'M DANCIN'


I did "Funny Girl" at the Meadowbrook with Denise Lor (a popular TV singer from "The Garry Moore Show") and Johnny Desmond (another popular singer who was the first replacement in the Broadway/Streisand production)


I recall that Desmond had his own take on things: "Barbra did it this way," much to the chagrin of Ms. Lor who wanted to do it her way which caused some occasional friction in rehearsals.  That all eased considerably once the show opened and everyone realized that Ms. Lor was quite capable and had the role in the palm of her hand.  She was very, very good!

Unfortunately, that was not my case, at least not in rehearsals.  I was playing the role of John (which I don't remember at all) and also in the chorus.  The choreographer (Jim Smock) had been in the Broadway version and insisted that this chorus would do the original choreography by Carol Haney (and overseen by Jerome Robbins).  And some of it was a "killer" particularly a number in the first act called "Coronet Man."  It involved playing an instrument (faked) and intricate steps culminating in dragging a chair off stage along with dragging your feet (toes down)  Jim ran me through it till I was blue in the face and my toes were red.  But I got it.   By opening night, I had decided that I was a dancer.  Maybe not a great one but a dancer, nonetheless.  Below is a picture of the original number with Ms. Streisand.  Use your imagination and you can see me there.  I'm the one on my knees with the coronet (what else?) I'm sure Barbra would have been proud.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BERNADETTE

Image
I first met Bernadette Peters when we were both in a production of "The Boy Friend" (With Yvonne de Carlo) at the Wedgewood Dinner Theater in Glen Cove, Long Island. She had previously been a child performer starting at the age of three on the TV show "Juvenile Jury" and went on to many other venues of the day  (She did "Name that Tune" when she was five.)  And there are many other credits, I could relate. So, she  was a seasoned performer when we met. Almost every night, after the performance of "The Boy Friend," and before we started the trek back into the city, a bunch of us would retire into the bar, where Bernadette would usually sing a number or two with the pianist.   She was remarkable.  She would turn a song like "You made me love you" into a soulful agony with tears streaming down her face as she neared the end.   Just remarkable. Soon after she was doing "George M" on Broadway and "Dames at Sea'  of
Read more

PUZZLES, CONTESTS AND SUCH

Image
I have always been intrigued by puzzles of all sorts starting out with jigsaws in my youth and eventually graduating to Crosswords, Jumbles, Sudokus, Cyphers, Word Searches and a myriad of other types of posers.   And I do my fair share...….the New York Times Sunday Crossword is by far my favorite and I am proud to say that I can now solve it in ink!  (After many years with the no.2 and an eraser) On the contest side, I've entered here and there...……..New York magazine ran a weekly challenge back in the day and had numerous types of things to do.   For instance (and a classic)….Make up a name using other names (the old "if so-and-so married so-and-so" game). If Anna Maria Alberghetti married producer David Merrick, divorced him and married comedian Jackie Cannon, divorced him and married composer Norman Paris, her name would be Anna Merrick Cannon Paris.   You get the picture? Well, after a few honorable mentions in the New York contest, I finally won one.   The cha
Read more

THE BEAR

Image
I have found one wonderful way of combatting the "blues," i.e. those days when you are overwhelmed with loneliness.  It is the bear.  And that is his name....."Bear."  He hails from an upstate New York department store called Newberry's in the town of Warwick.  He came into our lives for no particular reason.....he just looked like he needed some love.  So we took him in.  He resided with us up north among other assorted stuffed kin. And now in Florida, many years later, he sits beside me, fairly near, he - on the sofa, me - in my chair.  He's been there for quite some time now and watches me with his ebony black eyes, snuggled and cozy in his best (and only) sweater.  He did venture forth to sit beneath the Christmas tree last December,  but usually he is happy on the sofa (which I know he thinks belongs to him.)  And perhaps it does. He never bothers anyone and is most tolerant of the cat should she come sniffing around.  He seems to like the same tele
Read more