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Post by mamaleh on Jan 6, 2014 7:48:05 GMT -5
What a sweet photo. Love it.
Ellen
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jo
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Post by jo on Jan 6, 2014 9:18:06 GMT -5
Interestingly, the first words from Maureen's book Lip Reading, was her description of Hugh when they started rehearsals --
Also --
Jo
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jo
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Post by jo on Jan 15, 2014 17:57:19 GMT -5
Just shortly after the fabulous HEY, MR.PRODUCER concert tribute to Cameron Mackintosh, OKLAHOMA! opened in London. Here's a photo, circa 1998, of three Aussie musical theatre stars who appeared in that concert --  The more- than- 2- hour concert is arguably the best musical theatre concert ever - featuring musicals produced by CMackintosh. It even features a playful piano/song duet by Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber...and of course the introduction of one Hugh Jackman to international audiences singing OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNIN...Philip Quast sings his definitive STARS and David Campbell sings the lead in MISS SAIGON and MARTIN GUERRE. Michael Ball, Lea Salonga, Bernadette Peters, Judi Dench, Colm Wilkinson, Ruthie Henshall, Maria Friedman are also among other featured stars. I think it is still available on Amazon. Jo |
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Post by mamaleh on Jan 16, 2014 9:50:27 GMT -5
Agreed. I watch it every so often and marvel at the wealth of fabulous performances. I think it's where I first learned that Lloyd-Webber and Sondheim share a birthday. Odd now to think that Hugh received no entrance applause--because he was virtually unknown at the time.
Ellen
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jo
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Post by jo on Mar 2, 2014 18:59:05 GMT -5
Fan2 on BWW uploaded the photo --  It seems from the Instagram responses that there are quite a few totally unfamiliar with Oklahoma! Or were just kidding when they asked if this about "children of the corn" or "about new laws legalizing growing marijuana". LOL! I wonder what this project is all about? Surpirse us, Mr.Jackman  Jo |
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Post by jo on Mar 2, 2014 19:10:26 GMT -5
It looks like this is going to be part of the tourist/theatre fan attractions in the Times Square area -- www.playbill.com/news/article/160959-Broadways-Times-Square-Theater-Will-Be-Renovated-for-Broadway-Sensation-Film-ShowIt looks like this has been a somewhat long-gestating project ( article posted here was in April 2012) and the Playbill feature focuses more on what is happening to the Times Square Street theatre -- but there are hints about the project. We'll keep watching developments. But maybe the tweet from Hugh indicates that the project is now moving in terms of the film experience project ( although I am surprised that Bryan Singer is working on it at this point -- given that he is sill in post-production for DAYS OF FUTURE PAST) I hope Hugh is part of the team spearheading the project, not just be part of it as just a performer. Jo |
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Post by birchie on Mar 6, 2014 10:48:50 GMT -5
Did anyone catch Shirley Jones' caberet concert in NYC? I wonder if Hugh was able to go to one of the performances. Sounds like a good show: www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/concert-review-shirley-jones-at-686203Shirley Jones Celebrates Her Big-Screen High Notes in a Cafe Carlyle Cabaret: Concert Review
2:46 PM PST 3/5/2014 by Frank Scheck
The Bottom Line
A heartwarming evening of musical nostalgia from a performer who still exudes an image of chirpy, wide-eyed optimism.
Venue
Cafe Carlyle
New York City
(through March 4)
The Oscar-winning singer-actress performs songs from her classic movie-musicals "Oklahoma," "The Music Man" and "Carousel" in her cabaret show.
Shirley Jones is enough of a show business pro to know where her bread is buttered. Her show at New York’s Cafe Carlyle leans heavily on the classic film musicals that made her a star, featuring extensive material from The Music Man, Oklahoma and Carousel. It’s a heartwarming evening of musical nostalgia from a performer who still exudes an image of chirpy, wide-eyed optimism.
Turning 80 in a few weeks, the veteran actress/singer has inevitably lost some of the range of her lustrous soprano voice. But she still manages to hit more than a few of the requisite high notes, finessing the rest with admirable technical virtuosity.
The evening begins with a series of clips of her extensive film and television career, including the aforementioned musicals and her Oscar-winning turn as a prostitute in 1960’s Elmer Gantry. There’s also a snippet of her hugely popular ‘70s television series The Partridge Family, although, much to the dismay of the baby boomers in attendance, she delivered only a brief stanza of its theme song, "Come On, Get Happy" -- "That’s all the happiness you’re going to get," she teased.
In between such iconic songs as "If I Loved You," "Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man," "Where or When" and "You’ll Never Walk Alone," she regaled the crowd with amusing anecdotes about her life and career, many of which will be familiar to those who read her recent best-selling memoir. She prefaced her rendition of the cabaret war-horse "Send in the Clowns" with a story of its composer Stephen Sondheim telling her that it’s "the biggest piece of crap I’ve ever written." Reminiscing about her many handsome co-stars, she declared Burt Lancaster to be the best kisser and recounted how she fell in love with Richard Widmark, although they never had an affair.
She also amusingly described the start of her career, when as a teenager she impulsively auditioned for a production of Oklahoma during a visit to New York and instantly attracted the attention of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Within a few weeks she was in the chorus of South Pacific, and it wasn’t long after that she left for Hollywood to embark on her successful big-screen career. "I watch Turner Classic Movies every day," she announced. "Of course, I’m on it, too."
Among the show’s highlights are a swinging version of "This Can’t Be Love" and medleys from Oklahoma! and The Music Man given gently unobtrusive arrangements by her musical director, Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award-winner John McDaniel.
Set List
If I Loved You
Send in the Clowns
This Can’t Be Love
Where or When
Seventy Six Trombones/Goodnight, My Someone/'Til There Was You
As Time Goes By
Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man
You Made Me Love You
Oklahoma/Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’/People Will Say We’re in Love/Out of My Dreams
You’ll Never Walk Alone Sue |
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Post by birchie on Mar 11, 2014 12:35:18 GMT -5
This nice little interview with Joan Roberts, the original Laurey, was done in 2011 but posted on YouTube today:
Sue
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jo
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Post by jo on Mar 11, 2014 16:58:05 GMT -5
Thanks for the clip, Sue.
I have only seen write-ups about the development of the show, but never a personal perspective from someone involved with the original staging.
How old is OKLAHOMA! now? It still is a refreshing musical to watch!
Jo
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alma
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Post by alma on Mar 11, 2014 20:23:21 GMT -5
Thank you, Sue! That was REALLY interesting.
Alma
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Post by carouselkathy on Mar 12, 2014 0:19:16 GMT -5
That was wonderful! I've been reading and listening to anything about Rodgers and Hammerstein since I was eleven years old, and this clip has now been added as one of my favorites. Sometimes I wish I could travel back in time to attend that OKLAHOMA! opening night, March 31, 1943!
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Post by birchie on Mar 12, 2014 10:33:58 GMT -5
That was wonderful! I've been reading and listening to anything about Rodgers and Hammerstein since I was eleven years old, and this clip has now been added as one of my favorites. Sometimes I wish I could travel back in time to attend that OKLAHOMA! opening night, March 31, 1943!Oh, what a thrill and what an eye opening experience that would have been! "No gags, no girls, no chance..." indeed! Sue |
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Post by jo on Mar 21, 2014 9:18:16 GMT -5
On March 21, 2002, the revival of OKLAHOMA! opened on Broadway, based on the Royal National Theatre staging. Curly was played by Patrick Wilson. Here is a clip from the show on the energetic number THE FARMER AND THE COWMAN -- www.broadwayworld.com/videoplay.php?colid=709615#.UyxJnNHNv_QCompare with the original restaging of THE FARMER AND THE COWMAN by the Royal National Theatre in London, where the lead cowman was played by Hugh Jackman -- www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjVQqGlj4A8I wonder what would have happened had Hugh joined the revival on Broadway? Would the Wolverine role have been cast with someone else? Jo |
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Post by mamaleh on Apr 15, 2014 13:49:42 GMT -5
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Post by jo on Apr 23, 2014 6:07:08 GMT -5
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Post by jo on Jun 26, 2014 19:51:04 GMT -5
Probably and arguably the single most influential endorsement of the Royal National Theatre revival of OKLAHOMA! were the words of Mary Rodgers-Guettel, daugher of composer Richard Rodgers and a composer in her own right, saying that it was the best performance of the musical that she had ever seen! Sad news about her passing -- www.broadwayworld.com/article/Broadway-Composer-Mary-Rodgers-Guettel-Passes-Away-at-83-20140626#Mary was the mother of composer Adam Guettel who also had some nice words about how Hugh so naturally segeued from written dialog to song and vice versa. |
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Post by mamaleh on Jun 27, 2014 11:48:01 GMT -5
Yes, sad news. (There are also comments under the Broadway thread.) There are still too few female composers for the musical theater. What a talented, incisive lady. May she rest in peace.
Ellen
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Post by jo on Jul 8, 2014 7:34:38 GMT -5
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Post by jo on Jul 8, 2014 8:08:46 GMT -5
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Post by jo on Jul 8, 2014 8:33:24 GMT -5
On a personal basis, this also brings back some memories for me. *By accident, I came across the unknown Hugh Jackman because I decided to get tickets to this Rodgers and Hammerstein musical play. I was there on a business trip and had not planned to see Oklahoma! initially. But since I was a great Rodgers and Hammerstein fan, I thought I would settle for this their first musical (which did not overly impress me as a film adaptation, with Gordon McRae and Shirley Jones) as one of the rare times that I would see an R&H production live. Actually, at that time I would have wanted to have seen the much-acclaimed revival of Carousel ( had it still been showing then). Little did I know!  *I miss London and England - I have such great memories of the place and the country, which I had visited many times in the past  ...and the West End, too -- such great memories of musicals and plays seen there! *One play I did see at the Theatre Royal Haymarket was a revival of Neil Simon's "Prisoner of Second Avenue", with the hysterically hilarious Richard Dreyfuss and Marsha Mason. Jo |
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Post by jo on Jul 8, 2014 9:17:37 GMT -5
Another reunion for Hugh and an oldtime friend from the Oklahoma! days -- She played Gertie Cummins, the girl with the hysterical laugh who was trying to get Curly's attention away from Laurey This is how Rebecca looks now --  She's been in a few musical theatre productions, including the lead role in the new stage musical adaptation of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY ( there was some buzz about a Broadway transfer in 2015, but that has not been confirmed). The show has closed at the West End, though. Jo |
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Post by jo on Jul 8, 2014 10:50:58 GMT -5
When you see these photos side by side -- Hugh hasn't really changed that much It is the same twinkle in the eyes and the dazzle in the smile!  |
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Post by mamaleh on Jul 8, 2014 12:01:09 GMT -5
Neither has Maureen Lipman. She looks great!
Ellen
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Post by jo on Jul 8, 2014 12:40:01 GMT -5
And the older versions both brim with confidence! The older Hugh shows the confidence of someone who is now on top of his career and is very happy with personal relationships while Maureen shows the maturity of having lived many golden years!
Jo
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alma
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Post by alma on Jul 8, 2014 14:34:15 GMT -5
Hugging "Curly"... and then hugging "Baldy"... Alma |
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OZalots HQ - a place to celebrate The Boy(s) From OZ
...and the West End, too -- such great memories of musicals and plays seen there!