SHOW TIME

[Lankypeters]

Reading the separate thread on Jane Fonda's "33 Variations," I realize again how much I'd enjoy a place set aside here for reviews and comments about NYC theater -- or anywhere, for that matter.

 

I'm taking the liberty of starting this thread -- "Show Time" -- where members can weigh in on what they've seen. These comments are always interesting and often prompt good discussions. Hopefully, ongoing posts will keep the thread viable.

 

To start, has anyone seen "The American Plan"? I thought it was American Lit. 101 -- something between a hodge podge and a quilt of themes, characters and ideas from Williams, James, Hemingway, Fitzgerald. The work -- acting, writing, direction -- has integrity, but I don't think it's a solid piece. It's an early play, and I think that shows in that it's not quite together. The author draws from this and that, but never makes the piece entirely his own.

 

The lead -- Kieran somebody -- has an unbelievably hot body -- straps of sinewy muscle, not an ounce of body fat. I'm astonished that a) he's married; and b.) he doesn't work out. So he says.

 

I'd also like to hear any updates on "Guys and Dolls," a thread I started two weeks ago, but which has sunk.

 

 

Lankypeters

[foxy]

I saw "The American Plan" and enjoyed it. Some mention should be made that it was based on a story by Henry James called "Washington Square" written in 1880 and later made into a film by William Wyler called "The Heiress" starring Olivia de Havilland and Montgoemry Clift. I thought it worked well and agree that the actor in his bathing suit was pretty hot.

[foxy]

You did mention James....sorry.

[foxy]

I do like the idea of an ongoing thread of theater reviews. I think it's been suggested before but never caught on. Still it's worth another try. I'm up for it.

[Rick Munroe]

>The lead -- Kieran somebody -- has an unbelievably hot body --

>straps of sinewy muscle, not an ounce of body fat. I'm

>astonished that a) he's married

 

I don't get the connection. Are all married men supposedly out of shape? Maybe I'll rethink the whole thing...

[Lankypeters]

>>The lead -- Kieran somebody -- has an unbelievably hot

>body --

>>straps of sinewy muscle, not an ounce of body fat. I'm

>>astonished that a) he's married

>

>I don't get the connection. Are all married men supposedly

>out of shape? Maybe I'll rethink the whole thing...

>

 

I endeavored to, as someone writes in another post, be "tongue and cheek." I wanted to imply that only a gay man could have articulated every strap of muscle in his body as this man does.

 

As they say at the audtion, "Thanks. We'll let you know."

 

Back to the lessons.

 

 

 

Lankypeters

[Rick Munroe]

>I endeavored to, as someone writes in another post, be

>"tongue and cheek." I wanted to imply that only a

>gay man could have articulated every strap of muscle in his

>body as this man does.

 

LOL No wonder I didn't get the joke; it makes no sense at all.

[jackhammer91406]

BROADWAY BOUND MINSKY'S

 

My friend Oliver and I went last night to see a production here in Los Angeles that is bound for Broadway called MINSKY'S based on the movie THE NIGHT THEY RAIDED MINSKY'S.

I won't speak for my friend so that if he has a different opinion, he can offer it in a subsequent post.

 

I really like this show. The music is by Charles Strouse who has had some past success with BYE BYE BIRDIE, GOLDEN BOY, APPLAUSE and ANNIE.

Some really nice new tunes in this material.

Production team is pretty much the same as the team that produced THE DROWSY CHAPERONE.

 

The show had lots of laughs, outstanding performances and lavish sets.

Look for this show in New York along with 9 TO 5 which played here in Los Angeles late last year on the way to Broadway. Both are great IMHO.

[jackhammer91406]

DEAF WEST PRODUCTION OF PIPPIN

 

Oliver and I went back to the Music Center in Los Angeles last night to see Deaf West's production of PIPPIN at the Mark Taper Forum.

 

This show knocked me out. I was prepared for the fact that deaf actors play many of the leading roles with a "voice" actor as a shadow. I was totally unprepared for how irrelevant that would become after about three minutes and how much these "challenged" actors added to the material.

 

I am a person who toiled for many years on many stages both live and film sound stages. What these kids did on that stage last night was brilliant.

 

An aside that may be of interest: There are some incredibly hot bodied hearing challenged men appearing in and out of clothing on that stage (and coming out into the audience.hmmm)

 

Can you tell I really enjoyed the evening?

[Lankypeters]

"West Side Story" with a hint of mint

 

From an NYTimes "Reader's Review" of WEST SIDE STORY, now in previews on Broadway:

 

"Tony [Matt Cavanaugh] is clearly homosexual....not that there's anything wrong with that. He is soooooooo effiminate he makes Maria and Anita look butch."

 

Perhaps carrying on the tradition of casting a gay actor as Tony? (Remember Larry Kert. Many do, I'm sure. For that performance and others, on stage and off.)

 

In the film, Richard Beymer certainly was loose-hipped.

[Lankypeters]

"West Side Story" with a hint of mint

 

From an NYTimes "Reader's Review" of WEST SIDE STORY, now in previews on Broadway:

 

"Tony [Matt Cavanaugh] is clearly homosexual....not that there's anything wrong with that. He is soooooooo effiminate he makes Maria and Anita look butch."

 

Perhaps carrying on the tradition of casting a gay actor as Tony? (Remember Larry Kert. Many do, I'm sure. For that performance and others, on stage and off.)

 

In the film, Richard Beymer certainly was loose-hipped.

[dcguy20]

RE: "West Side Story" with a hint of mint

 

Having seen West Side Story 3 times when it played in DC I can say that the actor playing Tony (Matt Cavanagh) is far from gay. His portrayal doesn't even veer in that direction. Not sure what that particular person is talking about.

[dcguy20]

RE: "West Side Story" with a hint of mint

 

Having seen West Side Story 3 times when it played in DC I can say that the actor playing Tony (Matt Cavanagh) is far from gay. His portrayal doesn't even veer in that direction. Not sure what that particular person is talking about.

[Rick Munroe]

RE: "West Side Story" with a hint of mint

 

>"Tony [Matt Cavanaugh] is clearly homosexual....not that

>there's anything wrong with that. He is soooooooo effiminate

>he makes Maria and Anita look butch."

 

In what way is an effiminate (sic) male "clearly homosexual"? Is he sucking cock on stage? How can you tell someone's sexual orientation from their behavioral traits?

[Rick Munroe]

RE: "West Side Story" with a hint of mint

 

>"Tony [Matt Cavanaugh] is clearly homosexual....not that

>there's anything wrong with that. He is soooooooo effiminate

>he makes Maria and Anita look butch."

 

In what way is an effiminate (sic) male "clearly homosexual"? Is he sucking cock on stage? How can you tell someone's sexual orientation from their behavioral traits?

[+ Lucky]

RE: I Feel Pretty

 

Maybe the song went to Tony's head, but I have no evidence that he is gay. But I do believe he is unmarried at 30. He seemed butch enough when playing the lead in Urban Cowboy.

 

There are five reader reviews of the show on the NY Times site, all giving it one star. That's not good, but we need to consider that these are previews. Hopefully whatever problems they have will be worked out, as I shelled out some bucks for good seats.

 

BTW, of the 5 reviews, only one mentions that Tony could be homosexual. I'll see what my gaydar says when I see the show.

 

http://www.geocities.com/matt_cavenaugh/urbancowboystill-behindthescene3.jpg

 

(After googling the question, I found this statement that the actor made to the Advocate in 2004: According to The Advocate, a respected gay news magazine, Matt Cavenaugh is not gay, though he was playing a gay character on "One

Life to Live" and would be happy to be a champion for GLBT youth.

 

"'Straight and single, Cavenaugh isn't worried about what people might

think. 'I grew up a kid in Arkansas, and I got attacked as a theater

fag in high school,' he says. 'So you know, most people think I am gay

because I sing and dance. It doesn't bother me.'"

 

"One life's new gay hunk" (The Advocate, August 31, 2004)

[+ Lucky]

RE: I Feel Pretty

 

Maybe the song went to Tony's head, but I have no evidence that he is gay. But I do believe he is unmarried at 30. He seemed butch enough when playing the lead in Urban Cowboy.

 

There are five reader reviews of the show on the NY Times site, all giving it one star. That's not good, but we need to consider that these are previews. Hopefully whatever problems they have will be worked out, as I shelled out some bucks for good seats.

 

BTW, of the 5 reviews, only one mentions that Tony could be homosexual. I'll see what my gaydar says when I see the show.

 

http://www.geocities.com/matt_cavenaugh/urbancowboystill-behindthescene3.jpg

 

(After googling the question, I found this statement that the actor made to the Advocate in 2004: According to The Advocate, a respected gay news magazine, Matt Cavenaugh is not gay, though he was playing a gay character on "One

Life to Live" and would be happy to be a champion for GLBT youth.

 

"'Straight and single, Cavenaugh isn't worried about what people might

think. 'I grew up a kid in Arkansas, and I got attacked as a theater

fag in high school,' he says. 'So you know, most people think I am gay

because I sing and dance. It doesn't bother me.'"

 

"One life's new gay hunk" (The Advocate, August 31, 2004)

[Rick Munroe]

RE: "West Side Story" with a hint of mint

 

>the actor playing Tony (Matt Cavanagh) is far

>from gay. His portrayal doesn't even veer in that direction.

 

I still don't get it. If Tony were to suddenly fall in love with Bernardo instead of Maria, I could understand someone thinking he were gay, but in what other way could his portrayal veer in that direction?

[Rick Munroe]

RE: "West Side Story" with a hint of mint

 

>the actor playing Tony (Matt Cavanagh) is far

>from gay. His portrayal doesn't even veer in that direction.

 

I still don't get it. If Tony were to suddenly fall in love with Bernardo instead of Maria, I could understand someone thinking he were gay, but in what other way could his portrayal veer in that direction?

[Rick Munroe]

RE: I Feel Pretty

 

>Maybe the song went to Tony's head, but I have no evidence

>that he is gay, but I do believe he is unmarried at 30. He

>seemed butch enough when playing the lead in Urban Cowboy.

 

What year is this? 1952? Butch does not equal straight, and unmarried at 30 doesn't equal gay.

[Rick Munroe]

RE: I Feel Pretty

 

>Maybe the song went to Tony's head, but I have no evidence

>that he is gay, but I do believe he is unmarried at 30. He

>seemed butch enough when playing the lead in Urban Cowboy.

 

What year is this? 1952? Butch does not equal straight, and unmarried at 30 doesn't equal gay.

[Lankypeters]

BLITHE SPIRIT

 

Any news or gossip on the Rialto about BLITHE SPIRIT. The cast would seem to be perfect. Lansbury and Everet (sp?) in particular have the deft and light touch for Coward.

 

But if Rupert has a light touch, will some theatergoers conclude he's "sooooooo gay"? And if Lansbury wears a suit, will she strike aisle sitters as "sapphic."

 

 

Lankypeters

[Lankypeters]

BLITHE SPIRIT

 

Any news or gossip on the Rialto about BLITHE SPIRIT. The cast would seem to be perfect. Lansbury and Everet (sp?) in particular have the deft and light touch for Coward.

 

But if Rupert has a light touch, will some theatergoers conclude he's "sooooooo gay"? And if Lansbury wears a suit, will she strike aisle sitters as "sapphic."

 

 

Lankypeters

[Lankypeters]

RE: "West Side Story" with a hint of mint

 

>>the actor playing Tony (Matt Cavanagh) is far

> If Tony were to suddenly fall in love

>with Bernardo

 

And then Anita sings

"A boy like that

Who'd fuck your brother......"

 

>

 

 

Lankypeters

[+ deej]

RE: I Feel Pretty

 

[h2]WE GET IT ALREADY[/h2]