The Ladies Sing the Songs of Arlen & Koehler

Clockwise: Diana Krall; Judy Garland; Barbra Streisand; and Will Swenson with Patti LuPone & Audra McDonald.

This week, I am taking my inspiration from a songwriting team, composer Harold Arlen and lyricist by Ted Koehler. The duo began working together in the 1920s, and continued writing together through the 1940s. During that period, they both also worked with others. They wrote for vaudeville, as well as for Broadway and Hollywood. During the 1930s, they also wrote songs for The Cotton Club, Harlem's top nightclub. There the music was performed by some of the great names in Jazz, including legendary performer Duke Ellington. Many of their songs became hits, and the artists were lining up to sing them. That would be the artists back in the day, and the artists today. The first song we'll hear is "Let's Fall In Love", written in 1933. The song was originally intended to be a nice, upbeat song, but soon many singers were putting a swing beat on it, making it the song we all know. In 1999, Jazz artist Diana Krall recorded the song for her album 'When I Look Into Your Eyes', and often played it at live shows. So here is Mrs. Elvis Costello, although you might know her as Diana Krall, singing "Let's Fall In Love".

Now, whenever Judy Garland sings a song, it becomes a classic. And when she takes on a song with music by Harold Arlen, something magical happens. Such is the case when she sang a little song in the movie 'Wizard of Oz', called "Over The Rainbow". And it certainly was not the last of Arlen's songs Judy took on. There were so many, it would be hard to remember them all. But one such song was "I've Gotta Right to Sing the Blues", written for the Broadway show, Earl Carroll's 'Vanities', which opened in 1932. It was recorded by some of the great big bands of the day, like Cab Dalloway &His Orchestra, Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra, Lee Willey & The Dorsey Brothers, and Benny Goodman & His Orchestra. The song remained popular, so it is no surprise it was recorded for her 1957 album, 'Alone'. This is Judy Garland singing "I've Gotta Right to Sing the Blues" live on 'The Judy Garland Show' in the 1960s.

The next song was written in 1929, and could be one of the more popular songs, if not the most popular of the great songs they have written. They wrote the song as a Gospel-like song, and it was first recorded by Ruth Etting in the Broadway show, 'The Nine-Fifteen Revue'. The show was not a success, closing after a one week run. The song could have easily gone away, but that was not to be. When people think of the song "Get Happy", it is the huge musical number featuring Judy Garland singing "Get Happy" in the 1950 MGM musical, 'Summer Stock'. Soon the song was a signature tune for the singer, and over a decade later, when she was performing on her television show, Garland sang with while a young Barbra Streisand sang one of her early hits, Happy Days Are Here Again", written by Milton Ager & Jack Yellen. This was a showstopper, and Streisand was nominated for an Emmy for her appearance on the show. The moment was so iconic, it was recreated by Ryan Murphy on 'Glee', featuring Lea Michele and Chris Colfer. They were not the only duo to reference the pair. As part of a PBS Special, the glorious Audra McDonald invited her friend Patti LuPone to play Judy and Barbra as they sing "Happy Days Are Hear Again/Get Happy".

The final entry tonight was written in 1941, and first sung by Helen O'Connell and the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. But it was really more than twenty years before the most notable recording was made of the song, by a young girl in New York City. In October of 1962, Barbra Streisand recorded her first version of the song, and it was released as a single. The B-side was "Happy Days Are Here Again". I guess people liked it, because the following year, Streisand was back in the studio to record a new version for 'The Second Barbra Streisand Album'. This is a wonderful video of Streisand singing "When The Sun Comes Out" live on her 1965 television special, "My Name Is Barbra"

Have a great weekend!

Dark Monday • Blow Gabriel Blow

The magnificent Patti LuPone starred as Reno Sweeney in the 1987 revival of Cole Porter's sassy 'Anything Goes'. The show featured many of Cole Porter's iconic songs that LuPone sang eight nights a week in the Vivian Beaumont Theater. The revival opted to go in a slightly new direction, employing a swing band to sound more like Benny Goodman than Broadway musical. And it is impossible to go wrong with Patti LuPone in the lead, allowing her to put her own special twist on some classic songs. One of those was the glorious "Blow, Gabriel, Glow", which brought down the house in the second act each and every night. Enjoy this clip of Patti singing it at a 1988 performance at the White House, with the U.S. Marine Band.

But to give you a chance to see Patti dressed as Reno Sweeney and putting down a great performance, here is a clip of her singing "Anything Goes" at the 1988 Tony Awards ceremony, the song that brings down the first Act with a bang!

You can purchase the 1987 Broadway Revival Cast album on iTunes and Amazon.

Dark Monday • Not While I'm Around

It is Monday, and time to take a look at the world of musical theater. I was happy to remember a wonderful clip of the great Patti LuPone and the always adorable Neil Patrick Harris singing in Stephen Sondheim's 'Sweeney Todd'. The two performed together in a 2001 concert version of the show, with LuPone tackling the role of Mrs. Lovitt, and NPH taking on Tobias Ragg. Here are the astoundingly talented singing the sharming song, "Not While I'm Around".

You can purchase the performance of 'Sweeney Todd' on DVD from Amazon.

A Little Cole In Stockings

Clockwise: Judy Carland; Della Reese; Patti LuPone; and Betty Carter.

In this tribute to the great Cole Porter, I put together a group of ladies I think have style and substance that makes people stand up and listen. After all, to sing Porter's songs, you need a little something extra, or your song will never be heard over the din of a bunch of others singing some of the greatest songs written in the 20th Century. So, yes, these ladies hitch up their stockings on their way to the microphone, and sing for all they are worth. And that is a lot! I will begin with one of the all-time great voices, Judy Garland. Judy could pack so much punch into her voice, so much pain and anguish it felt like a punch to the stomach. Cole Porter wrote "From This Moment On" for the 1951 Broadway show 'Out Of This World'. Unfortunately, the song was cut while still in previews, but it resurfaced in another of Porter's shows. In 1953, the movie version of 'Kiss Me Kate' was released, and it included the song, which was not in the Broadway score for the 1948 opening. After all that, "From This Moment On" has become a classic, sung by some of the greats, like Judy.

The next song was so scandalous when it was written, you almost had to know it became a great Jazz classic. "Love For Sale" was written for the 1930 Broadway musical, 'The New Yorkers'. Sung by a prostitute outside a restaurant 'advertising' her wares, it was originally sung by Kathryn Crawford, with three girlfriends as back-up singers, in front of Reuben's, a popular New York restaurant. When the criticism of this started to mound, the production made the decision to have the song sung by Elisabeth Welch, who sang with back-up singers in a scene set in front of Harlem's Cotton Club. Of course, Crawford was white, and Welch African American. Sadly, this was thought to be an acceptable compromise by all. That said, the song is a great one, and here you can listen as it is sung by the great Della Reese.

When the musical 'Anything Goes' opened on Broadway in 1936, few could have foreseen the success of the score, much of which has entered in to the Great American Songbook, and sung by some of the greatest Pop and Jazz singers of the last century. That would include a little ditty originally given voice by the bold and brassy Ethel Merman on Broadway. "I Get A Kick Out Of You" quickly was recorded by many, and that continued to be the case. It doesn't hurt that there have been Broadway versions, film versions, television special versions, revival versions and West End versions. In one of those, the stellar Patti LuPone took on the role of Reno Sweeney in 1987, earning the Tony Award for Best Actress In A Musical. Here Patti sings the beautiful "I Get A Kick Out Of You".

There is a beauty in the haunting quality to Porter's "Ev'ry Time You Say Goodbye", a classic that debuted in a 1944 musical review put on by Fanny Brice's second husband, Billy Rose. However, the song seemed irresistible to the singers since, whether they were men or women. Where there are beautiful versions by Annie Lennox and Ella Fitzgerald, among others, I chose the stunning one by Jazz great Betty Carter. Carter was known for her nimble vocal technique, and was considered by many to be the best Jazz singer ever. Listen to her singing "Ev'ry Time You Say Goodbye" and you will understand why they said that.

Hope you are having a fantastic Saturday night!

Dark Monday • Sutton Foster, Patti LuPone & Audra McDonald

Top: Barbara Cook. Bottom: Audra McDonald; Sutton Foster, and Patti LuPone.

For tonight's Dark Monday, I had discovered this wonderful trio of women who raised their voices to honor a true Grand Dame of the musical theater, Barbara Cook. Ms. Cook was featured in the Kennedy Center Honors in 2011, and Sutton Foster, Patti LuPone and Audra McDonald where chosen to sing a few songs Cook had sung over her long and illustrious career.



The clip began with Sutton Foster singing Everybody Says Don't, from Stephen Sondheim's Anyone Can Whistle. Then it was time to hear Patti LuPone sing the glorious Come Rain Or Come Shine, written by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The amazing Audra McDonald comes out to sing Till There Was You from The Music Man, with music and lyrics by Meredith Willson. Finally, a chorus led by McDonald sings Make Our Garden Grow from Candide, with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Richard Wilbur. Cook was in the original cast of both Candide and The Music Man, as well as featuring the music of composer Sondheim in An Evening of Mostly Sondheim.

Happy Birthday, Stephen Sondheim!

Today is Stephen Sondheim's 82nd birthday. In tribute to this great composer, I thought I would find some performances of his songs by some interesting performers, something I think I managed to accomplish. I will start with a brilliantly written song from the musical 'Company'. The show offered up several wonderful songs, but I really did love this version by Madeline Kahn, a woman with impeccable comedic timing. Watch this clip as she sings "Getting Married Today".



I just love Tim Curry's voice, so when I found this clip of him singing "Losing My Mind" from 'Follies', I was ecstatic. I can overlook the lack of a stirring picture because the audio is just so damned good.



Do two voices get alone any better than those of Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters? I am not sure it is possible, especially when they are singing the devastatingly gorgeous "Move On" from 'Sunday In The Park With George'.



Now, I could hardly do this post and leave off La LuPone, could I? She has such and amazing voice, and such strong control of it, is seems only right to end the post with her beautiful "Being Alive" from the musical 'Company'.



So Happy Birthday, Mr. Sondheim!

GLEE Redux • Hold On To Sixteen

Rachel stops by the school to pick up her homework, and runs into Quinn, who tells Rachel she plans to get MS. Corcoran fired, and announces when she tells everyone about it, she will get Beth back. Rachel argues with her, and asks her to think more about her daughter, and less about herself. Rachel meets up with Finn, who decides they need to get Sam back if they are to have a chance at Sectionals. Kurt is having a time as he thinks he and Rachel are both doomed to be baristas for life, not able to get into NYADA. Soon Warbler Sebastian comes up to flirt with Blaine, and to irk Kurt. He announces to Kurt he plans on stealing his man. Rachel and Fin find Sam dancing in a strip club as White Chocolate, as apparently all the seniors at Ohio and Kentucky are 18 at the beginning of the year. Rachel goes up to Sam, tips him a buck, and makes an appointment to talk after the show. Finn and Rachel ask him about coming back, but he needs to talk to his parents. They, of course, allow him to do it, despite the fact they will miss him greatly. Back in the chorus room, the kids are getting together. They fear they will not get the chance to perform, even though the competition is at McKinley High. Then Sam comes in, and is greeted by Santana with a list of barbs. They hug, and Sam sings his first song of the season. He brings a bit of country when he sings Toby Keith's Red Solo Cup.



The boys of New Directions are dancing, struggling to figure out what they will do. Quinn talks to Sam about resuming their relationship, but Sam wants nothing to do with it. Sam wants to add some sexy moves, from his time as White Chocolate. Tina and Mike have a fight when he asks about him applying to dance schools. He has already applied to Stanford, to the pre-med program. They fight. Sam finds Mercedes, and talks to her. Yes, he heard about her boyfriend, by he wants her back! Finn follows Blaine to the gym, and apologizes to him, saying his jealousy made him not treat him right. But he wants to win, and without Rachel around, Blaine is the most talented member. He hopes they can all work together. Tina goes to talk to Mr. Chang, and bring him a tape of Mike dancing in West Side Story. Of course, Mr. Chang wants nothing to do with any of it. As the New Directions get ready for competition, The Troubletones stop by and offer to work together once they win the competition. The New Directions are insulted, and Quinn smacks back at Ms. Corcoran,hinting she knows about her relationship with Puck. The first act of sectionals goes on. The Unitards are up, and they sing Buenos Aires from Evita, starring Patti LuPone.



They are good, and everyone is frightened. Rachel follows Quinn in the hallway. She tells Quinn to beware of telling about Ms. Corcoran, and doing something she might regret. Rachel knows what that is like. Quinn goes to Ms. Corcoran, and spills about her the plan to tell Principle Figgins about her relationship with Puck. Shelby tells her to enjoy her youth while The Troubletones are up next, and Santana and Mercedes sing a mash-up of Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive.



and Destiny's Child's Survivor...



It is not surprising that the girls kill it on stage. It is time for the New Directions to take to the stage and Tina leads with The Jackson 5's ABC.



At the beginning of the song, Mr. Chang comes to see the performance. Mike sees him in the audience, and is overjoyed. The song ends, and the kids perform Janet Jackson's Control. It starts with Quinn talking about talking control of her life, directed at Ms. Corcoran.



And Finn follows that up taking the lead along side Blaine, Sam, Artie and Puck. They sing Michael Jackson's Man In The Mirror.



Of course, they get a standing ovation at the end of the performance, including from Mr. Chang. He actually smiled! Mike seems so proud. Puck gives Quinn a big hug, and Finn and Blaine fist-bump. Everyone is excited back in the chorus room. Mr. Chang tells Mike he must follow his dreams, and and he will support his son. Mike is so happy, but has missed the deadlines to apply to dance schools. But Tina already applied for him. Then it is time to find out the results. Third place goes to the Unitards. Second goes to the Troubletones, meaning the New Directions win!

Quinn sees Rachel in the Principal's office, and thanks her for stopping Quinn from making a big mistake. Quinn knows she doesn't want to grow up quite yet, and might want to apply to Yale Drama School. Rachel offers to help with the application. They are kinds friends, after all. Maybe she could help her with a few other things. Quinn goes to see Brittany, Santana, and Mercedes, to see if they will rejoin the New Directions. Mercedes isn't good with that idea, not ready to take a back seat again. But Quinn negotiates a deal, and soon the girls are singing with the kids in the chorus room. They join together on a joyous version of We are Young, originally performed by Fun featuring Janelle Monae.



Next week, Christmas will come early for the kids!

GLEE Redux - The Purple Piano Project

Honestly, I missed the Season 3 Premiere as I was at a high school soccer match, but just finished watching it, and thought I'd continue to do my coverage of the show, in my own special way. I use the original artists when possible of the songs from the show, but in relationship to the GLEE storyline. Hope you enjoy.

The show opens with intrepid reporter/blogger Jacob Ben Israel vlogging with a vengeance, hitting the kids one by one to establish who are seniors and who are not, and that while Sam and Mercedes dated, he is gone now. It has Finn questioning himself and his future, until a rainbow slushie-facial brings him back to life as a gleek.

We also see Mr. Shuester waking up with Miss Pillsbury, and the inherent sexual tension/frustration in that relationship. Sue is running for political office, and looking for a sure-fire policy to garner votes. Lauren Zizes has dropped Puck and Glee club, cause both were hurting her 'cool factor.' Kurt tries to convince Blaine to join him at McKinley High, cause he misses his boy-toy. Quinn is MIA, only to be found with pink hair, a nose ring and a cigarette firmly in hand, a member of the Skanks. Quinn rebuffs attempts by Santana, Brittany and Rachel to return to Glee.

Mr. Shue gets a donation of some pianos, which he promptly paints purple and plans to place around the school to get the kids singing, and drumming up auditions for the three spots left vacant by Zizes, Quinn, and Sam. Sue is not impressed, and attacks a piano played by Mike & Tina, and insults the kids as well. This inspires her in her political life, and she takes a stand to eliminate all Arts programs in public schools. Mr. Shue is infuriated by Sue's stance. He plans to fight her, and she wants none of it, if it should interfere with her campaign.

The kids are afraid to play the piano in the lunch room, until Finn and Rachel talk them into getting up to sing The Go-Gos' We Got The Beat.



After the joyous performance, a food fight kicks off, and spaghetti flies. The kids are dejected, realizing that failure at the national championships last year has weakened their fragile positions at the school. While they are cleaning up the mess, Sugar Motta, whose daddy donated the pianos, comes in to audition for Glee, saying she was inspired because she was so much better than the kids. She sings Hey Big Spender from the music Sweet Charity.



Not surprisingly, she is terrible. Shue wants to honor the policy that all who apply are in Glee, but the kids want none of it. They have winning on their mins, and she won't make that happen. Shue has lunch with the amazing Coach Beiste, who offers to rough up Sue for him. Shue realizes he has to fight this one himself. "If Sue wants to declare war on the Arts, then General Shuester is about to launch a counter-offensive." Miss Pillsbury is turned on!

Rachel and Kurt, with plans to move to New York and pursue careers in musical theater, get together to prepare for a 'mixer' for a respected Musical Theater school that is nearby. They sing a nice jazz version of Ding-Dong, The Witch Is Dead from The Wizard of Oz.



Cheerio Co-captains Santana and Becky assist Sue at auditions for the cheering squad. Shue and Miss Pillbury show up, and he Glitterbombs Sue while Emma videos it before they take off. Blaine stops by to see Kurt, and soon announces he is transferring to McKinley to be with the man he loves. He sings a very special and sexy version of It's Not Unusual by Tom Jones.



While Santana and cheerleaders dance with Blaine, they are spraying lighter fluid on the piano. As the song ends, Quinn tosses a cigarette on the piano, and it bursts into flames. Kurt and Rachel go to the NYADA mixer, and discover a room full of, well, themselves. Divas and Gay boys explode on them, and are soon performing a number, Anything Goes from the Cole Porter musical, complete with dancing.



The duo are devastated, and are crying in the car in the parking lot. Finally, Kurt shakes himself off and brings Rachel out of her misery. She smiles, and makes him smile too. They will help one another get into NYADA.

Shue is dreading telling Sugar Motta she wasn't a good singer, and can't be in Glee. Miss Pillbury offers her thoughts, including how his strength is making her hot! He tells Sugar, and Sue catches up with him, to say the video of the glitter-bombing added 7 points to her campaign. He goes to Glee, and Blaine joins the group. Finn is upset, cause he thinks Blaine set the piano on fire, but Santana points out it was her and the Cheerios who did that. Shue says it is true, and kicks her out of Glee, and tells her not to come back until she can be loyal to the group. She leaves. Mr. Shue tells the kids he needs their loyalty for them to win Nationals. Rachel announces they will mount a production of West Side Story, and Kurt is running for class president. And like the pianos, who are beaten and worn, the kids might be bruised, but they can still make beautiful music. Rachel gets up to sing You Can't Stop The Beat from Hairspray!: The Musical and is soon joined by all the kids.



Till next week...

Dark Monday - RIP Arthur Laurents

Top: Arthur Laurents. Bottom left: The crew for West Side Story, including Bernstein & Sondheim. Right: Mr. Laurents.

Last Thursday, May 5, 2011, the theater lost a giant when writer/director Arthur Laurents passed away. He was preceded in death by his partner of 52 years, Tom Hatcher in 2006. Mr. Laurents was 93 years old. In a 2000 memoir, Laurents was quite open about his relationship with Hatcher, as well as a previous relationship with actor Farley Granger.


Arthur Laurents with partner Tom Hatcher.

Mr. Laurents wrote the libretto, now more commonly referred to as the book of the musical, for some of the great shows of the last 50 years. Starting in 1957, he wrote West Side Story, followed by Gypsy in 1959, Anyone Can Whistle in 1964, Do I Hear a Waltz? in 1965, Hallelujah, Baby! in 1967, The Madwoman of Central Park West in 1979, and Nick & Nora in 1991. I was lucky enough to see Nick & Nora in preview and thought it was a far better show than the critics declared it to be, and that Barry Bostwick and Joanna Gleason were quite good in it.



As a director, he helped make a star in 1962's I Can Get It for You Wholesale of a young, unknown named Barbra Streisand. He also directed the Sondheim show Anyone Can Whistle in 1964, the 1973 London production of Gypsy starring Angela Lansbury which transferred to Broadway the following year, The Madwoman of Central Park West in 1979, La Cage Aux Folles in 1983, Nick & Nora in 1991, the 2008 revival of Gypsy starring Patti LuPone, and the 2009 revival of West Side Story.



He was an important part of the creative team as the director of La Cage Aux Folles, with Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein. It was quite a sensation when it first came out, incorporating a few girls amongst the boys playing drag queens to up the inquisitive quotient. In 1983, this was thought to be rather risque and risky, although the audiences flocked to the theater to see it. Laurents went on to win the Tony Award for his direction of the musical.



He also worked in film, most notably as the screenwriter on the immortal The Way We Were and the dazzling The Turning Point. With The Way We Were, Laurents was able to utilize his time in Hollywood as a screenwriter, as well as someone whose political beliefs landed him on the famed blacklist, something touched on in the film. For The Turning Point, it is said Laurents was inspired by his love for ballet dancer Nora Kaye, with whom he had a relationship with in the early stages of his career. At the time of the film, she was married to the movie's director, Herbert Ross.



Rest in Peace, Arthur Laurents, you certainly left this world with plenty of beauty.

GLEE Redux - Born This Way

Tonight's episode features the music of Patti LuPone, Lady GaGa, TLC, Keane, West Side Story, Duck Sauce & Sammy Davis, Jr.

After the recap brings us up to date per usual, we jump into the show, with Mr. Shu wanting to get a booty camp going to help the dancing, but quickly Finn picks off Rachel with a stray arm, and breaks her nose. The doctor suggests she think about a nose job, and she is tempted. When she tells the other kids about it, Santana voices her thoughts that everyone has something they would change if they could, so Rachel should seek surgery. While heling Miss Pillsbury polish her food, Mr. Shu mentions he needs to teach the kids self-acceptance, and it occurs to him this is something Miss P could help with, as she has her own OCD issues. There will be an assignment that will feature Lad GaGa's Born This Way and Miss P. will help with the costumed.

After class, Santana contemplates what it would take to win the homecoming queen title. She thinks she needs the jocks, and see Dave Karovsky, and her gaydar alarm sounds. At a lunch with the kids and Kurt and Blaine, Santana has a brilliant idea, and hopefully will bring Kurt back to McKinley!

Lauren starts putting up signs to run for homecoming queen herself, which does not sit well with Quinn. After telling Puck she was a champion pageant kid, he is strangely turned on. He will help her. Quinn goes with Rachel to the doctor, cause Rachel wants her nose. They are inspired and sing their mash-up for the class, Unpretty by TLC and I Feel Pretty from West Side Story.



I Feel Pretty


Santana meets up with Karovsky, wanting to be his beard. She tells him she knows he was gay - she caught him checking out Sam's ass in the hallway. She thinks they can work together, become the homecoming king and queen, and be general heroes to the school, all the while hiding the fact they are gay and lesbian.

Quinn is not liking the lesson being taught this week, and points it out to Finn. He, on the other hand, is loving the lesson this week, and sings I've Gotta Be Me by Sammy Davis Jr. while dancing with the sexy and handsome Mike Chang.



Rachel brings out a a composite made by the doctor, and the kids all tell her it is a bad idea. Puck points out the girls with the nose jobs are always less hot, and Tina, with her blue contacts in, speaks of self-hatred in the self-mutilation.

Will tries to help Miss P by having her eat unwashed fruit. [Oddly, after the segment, there is a commercial about germs and biofilm in the mouth, unless you use Listerine. Go figure.] She doesn't see the humor,

Back in the chorus room, Karovsky is standing up in front of everyone, apologizing to a disgruntled group who dislike and distrust him. He also announces the change was due to the help of Santana. She comes up, and announces their 'love.' Both want to try to get Kurt back in the school, and they will start the Bully-Whips, to counteract the bullying in the school. There is much confusion.

There is a meeting in Principal Figgins' with Karovsky, Kurt, Mr. Hummel, Finn, Mr. Karovsky, and Mr. Shu, all trying to get Kurt back. After much talk, Kurt asks for a moment with Dave, and asks for the truth. Karovsky spills about Santana's involvement. Kurt demands Dave start a PFlag chapter at the school, cause Karovsky needs to be educated. But he will return. Puck demands an hour of Rachel's time before she makes a final decision about the surgery. On the courtyard, Mercedes announces that Kurt is back, and he is greeted by his McKinley friends. But there is another group that would like to talk to him, The Warblers. While Blaine will still have him in the evenings and on weekends, they will miss him. They sing Somewhere Only We Know by Keane.



To signal he is not only back, but he is ready to join the others, even if there is some nervousness. Kurt sings As If We Never Said Goodbye from the show Sunset Boulevard. The songs was first sung by Patti LuPone in the original London production. I gotta say, he nails this!



After a commercial break and I wipe a tear from my eye from Kurt's performance, we come back to Lauren pulling Quinn aside, and we discover her name is really Lucy Quinn Fabray, prior to a nose job and losing 70 pounds. Will Lauren release the photo-proof, and kill Quinn's chance to be homecoming queen? Continuing the fight for self-acceptance, Puck delivers Rachel to Kurt, who tells her show must think about remaining the amazing and singularly spectacular self, as he performs the viral hit Barbra Streisand by Duck Sauce. With the help of the other kids, he performs it in the mall.



We return to Miss P going to a therapist, and she spends the entire session disinfecting the chair. This a light and steady voice, she tells her she needs to treat her illness once she accepts it. There is an air of acceptance in Miss P. Back in the hallways of the school, we find the girls in the school are now looking up to "Lucy" and she is leading the polls. And Quinn respects Lauren cause she walks the halls like she owns them, just he way she was born.

Brittany gives Santana a "Lebanese" t-shirt, cause of Santana's girl-loving-ways. She is disappointed Santana doesn't love her enough to wear the shirt. The kids get together to perform, all with a t-shirt with the perceived weakness they want to own. Rachel comes in to show off her "Nose" t-shirt, and announces she will not be getting the nose job. Kurt starts the song with the t-shirt that says "Likes Boys" and things like "four eyes," "big mouth," and "bad attitude," among others. Miss P joins the group with her "OCD" shirt, matching Mr. Shu's "Butt Chin" shirt. Kurt is singing Born This Way by Lady GaGa.



There is much joy as the kids perform on the stage, while there is a lack of joy with Santana and Dave, who were watching from the seats, restrained by their own imposed handcuffs.

Dark Monday - Patti Lupone: A Memoir

Broadway diva Patti LuPone will be releasing her Patti LuPone: A Memoir on September 14th, according to Broadway.com.

The legendary Patti LuPone is one of the theatre's most beloved leading ladies. Now she lays it all bare, sharing the intimate story of her life both onstage and off--through the dizzying highs and darkest lows--with the humor and outspokenness that have become her trademarks.

With nearly 100 photographs, including an 8-page four-color insert, and illuminating details about the life of a working actor, from inspired costars and demanding directors to her distinct perspective on how she developed and honed her Tony Award-winning performances, Patti LuPone: A Memoir is as inspirational as it is entertaining. And though the title might say "a memoir," this is ultimately a love letter to the theatre by a unique American artist.

You can hear part of it in her own voice here. Here is a clip of her discussing her memoir.



Ms. LuPone has a rich history in the theater, singing in some of the best musicals to hit Broadway in the last few decades. Here she sings a duet with and other Broadway superstar, Audra McDonald. The amazing voices join to sing Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again.



Here she sings Being Alive from the Sondheim musical Company. The clean, clarion vocals are trademark LuPone, not to be mistaken with anyone singing today.



For more about Patti LuPone, check out her official website here.

Dark Monday - Gypsy

One of the great musicals out there, Gypsy has stood the test of time. The 1959 musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Gypsy was based on the 1957 memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous striptease artist. There was also the 1962 film version, starring Rosalind Russell and Natalie Wood. It became ingrained in the modern culture, with Mama Rose being the quintessential stage mother, and you'd have to search far and wide to find a gay man who has not shouted out 'Sing out, Louise' at one time or another.



The list of women to play Rose is impressive. In the original production, Ethel Merman played the role, followed by Angela Lansbury in 1974, Tyne Daley in 1989, Bernadette Peters in 2003, and Patti LuPone in 2007. And that is just the Broadway production original casting, not replacements. There was also a 1993 version for television starring Bette Midler. Interestingly enough, Merman and Peters were nominated for Tony Awards, Lansbury, Daley and LuPone won the Tony, both Russell and Midler won Golden Globes, and Midler was nominated for an Emmy.



It is a simple story of a woman who had dreams of stardom, only to be sidetracked with marriage and kids. On her own with two daughters, Louise and June, she tours the smalltime circuit to make Baby June [based on real-life actress June Havoc, sister of Gypsy Rose Lee] a star. Baby June runs off with one of the boys in the chorus, and Mam Rose decided to make Louise a star, whether she likes it or not. She ultimately pushes Louise to be a vaudeville entertainer, and her stage name becomes Gypsy Rose Lee. She is infamous for never 'taking it all off' but instead offering a seductive dance. Eventually, Louise becomes a star and she and Mama have a falling out, leading to Rose telling Louise she made her a star.



The music was magical, and the lyrics inspired. Take, for example Some People, the first time you are introduced to Mama Rose. This is not a woman who will be content being a stay-at-home mother, no sir. She has dreams, not only for herself, but for her girls, too. Here is Patti LuPone in a fan video, that might lack a little in quality, but certainly Patti's performance shines through.



Perhaps the most famous song from the show is Everything's Coming Up Roses, a song in the show used by Mama Rose to bring up the spirits of Louise and Herbie after Baby June and the boys have left the show in the lurch. Here it is sung by original star, the incomparable Ethel Merman.



As Herbie, Louise and Mama Rose set their sites on a new show, they discuss the relationship in Together (Wherever We Go). Whether or not the singers are telling the truth about their own motivations, it certainly defines a good relationship. Here are Bernadette Peters, John Dossett, and Tammy Blanchard singing it. I also remember a time when this was a total must-sing song at any amateur night or talent show.



When the show they are talking about falls through, and Mama Rose turns down Herbie offer of marriage, she takes Louise from the respectable Vaudeville circuit to the shady burlesque halls. It is here Rose and Louise get a lesson from the girls about what it takes to be a stripper in You Gotta Have A Gimmick. I took this clip from the 1962 movie.



When they were just starting out and Baby June was the star of the act, she sang the song Let Me Entertain You with the innocence of a pre-teen child. When searching for a song for Louise to do her first strip number, Mama Rose pulls out the sheet music, and Louise makes it her own. As the performance moved forward, you see more polish and less innocence from the song that is no longer sung by a kid. Soon she was a pro. This is Natalie Wood, from the movie.



The big end to the show is Mama's Turn, the song that captures the breakdown/meltdown/epiphany/anger/disappointment of Mama Rose once Louise tells her she needs to back off, and let her live her own life.



Currently, there is no production of the show on Broadway or touring.

Dark Monday - Evita

It was 1979, and the musical Evita was all the rage. The music and lyrics were written by the hot young duo of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. And by hot I am meaning professionally, because there is no way at any given point in time Webber could be considered physically hot. It starred a young woman who had many roles on Broadway prior to this, but used the role of Eva Peron to skyrocket to fame. Patti LuPone was a tour de force in the role, and earned endless praise. Another breakout star was Mandy Patinkin in the role of Ché Guevara, with his amazing voice and vocal range, and an acting ability that saw no bounds.



Evita was the story of Eva Peron, and her rise from commoner to the first lady of Argentina. It is thought she slept her way to the top, chewing up and spitting out many on her way, and this musical doesn't disagree with that point. But with her booming voice and amazing charm, LuPone keeps the story interesting and the character human. Here is Patti singing Don't Cry For Me Argentina in a special event.



The production won 7 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Lead Actress In A Musical for LuPone, and Best Featured Actor In A Musical for Patinkin. It opened in September 1979, and closed in 1983 after more than 1,500 performances.