|
|
Post by JH4HJ on May 26, 2012 12:30:13 GMT -5
[mamaleh - Posted December 22, 2008 05:02 PM]
Harvey did get a few facts not exactly straight (no pun intended): He said "Six of the 12 songs in TBFO were from LEGS." Hmmm...last I noticed, there were more than a dozen songs in TBFO, more like two dozen. Tsk, tsk, Harvey.
|
|
|
|
Post by JH4HJ on May 26, 2012 12:35:34 GMT -5
[JH4HJ - Posted December 22, 2008 06:32 PM]
Yes, Ellen, there were a lot more than 12 songs in TBFO, but off the top of my head I can only think of five from Legs.
When I Get My Name In Lights
All I Wanted Was The Dream
Only An Older Woman
Sure Thing Baby
and, Come Save Me, which I believe was *written* for Legs Diamond, but cut from the show very early and never made it onto the OCR.
Can anyone else add some more to the list?
I know a couple more songs were cut, including "Ain't I Somethin'?" which I mentioned before. It came at the very beginning of the show, when Legs gets released from prison. It was done in a style sort of like Elvis Presley's Jail House Rock (with the other convicts joining in from their cells).
I have heard rumors that there is a demo out there somewhere that Peter did of *all* the songs intended for the play. I've never been able to track down a copy. If anyone can come up with a lead on that, I would be eternally grateful.
ASIDE:
I have since had the pleasure of hearing some of Peter's demos. Sadly, they're not ALL Peter (he's got at least two male and two female "studio" singers performing his songs with him). One of the "rejects" "To Overcome Passion and Acquire Perfection" (originally slotted late in Act 2, if I remember correctly) is a stunningly haunting tune with beautiful lyrics.
|
|
|
|
Post by JH4HJ on May 26, 2012 12:39:44 GMT -5
[JH4HJ - Posted September 29, 2009 12:51 AM] Here's the synopsis, so you can get a better grasp of the play. Enjoy!     If you're familiar with some of the songs from TBFO, I think it's interesting to see/hear what a difference the tempo change makes in the interpretation of the lyrics. Sure Thing Baby is particularly noteworthy for comparison. ...and, any excuse for my fave publicity photo --  |
|
|
|
Post by JH4HJ on May 26, 2012 12:45:48 GMT -5
[JH4HJ - Posted September 30, 2009 01:49 PM] quote: Was all that from the souvenir program? I think Mona confirmed that they never had a souvenir program. I guess the reviews were so lousy, which I attribute to meanness more than anything else, they didn't even bother. It seems they were prepared for one though. When the (vinyl) album came out (after the play had already closed, I think) it was a gatefold filled with fabulous photos. (Check earlier on this thread - I scanned it, and Mona added some shots of the theater.) These are from the little booklet that comes with the CD. Here are the rest of them, and a Legend, so you can tell what he looked like for each of the major numbers. (Gotta love that "Now You See Me, Now You Don't" costume.)    If any of you have some time to spare while you're in NYC, you can watch a video of Legs Diamond (free!) at the Lincoln Center (Theatre on Film and Tape) Library. The quality of the video tape isn't great, but it's a fun show and Peter is in top form. Even I won't say he's The World's Greatest *actor* - but he does a damn good job (hardly any Aussie accent)... his singing and dancing have never been better and the rest of the cast is wonderful. Here's a fun tidbit - check out photo #4 Those big champagne glasses were palm trees in the previous scene, then they turned around to reveal the girls "bathing in bubbly" for "I Was Made For Champagne." Peter kept them after the show. I've heard they were in his Central Park West apartment for a while (must have had a *high* ceiling!) and he used them in a couple of subsequent stage shows. Do you remember the girls "dressed" as champagne glasses for Rio during Hugh's Aussie tour? I think that was a "tip o' the hat" to Legs Diamond.  Here's the original poster/window card:  |
|
|
|
Post by JH4HJ on May 26, 2012 12:46:39 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by JH4HJ on May 26, 2012 12:49:13 GMT -5
[chessie - Posted November 26, 2011 03:37 PM]
This was a fascinating read - glad you found it, Ellen.
It appears that by the time the show was really beginning to gel, the critics and negative word-of-mouth based on earlier performances had doomed it to failure. I was impressed by the comment that, in spite of all of the seemingly insurmountable difficulties they had to deal with, everyone associated with the show remained positive and worked as a cohesive unit toward its improvement.
As Peter liked to say after "Legs" had closed: "It wasn't that bad, was it?"
|
|
|
|
Post by JH4HJ on May 26, 2012 12:50:04 GMT -5
[mamaleh - Posted November 27, 2011 08:30 PM]
Last year Harvey Fierstein was on THEATER TALK, the PBS show hosted by Michael Riedel and Susan Haskins. I was disappointed to hear this, but Fierstein got to talking about LEGS and said while the material Peter produced was good, the show just "didn't work" with him in the lead. He later saw it performed with understudy Larry Kert and "it worked." He feels it would have been a hit had Peter stayed with just the creative end and left the acting to an experienced Broadway actor such as Kert. I saw LEGS at the Lincoln Center archives several years ago and enjoyed it, but seeing it live is always a different animal. I guess we'll never know.
|
|
|
|
Post by JH4HJ on May 26, 2012 12:51:37 GMT -5
[JH4HJ - Posted December 04, 2011 05:25 PM]
This is wonderful. Thank you so much for posting these links. It's nice to have a little more background on this production.
I completely agree with Peter - "It wasn't *that* bad" at all, and the music (much of which turned up in TBFO) is fantastic.
... and OMG - that photo of Harvey Fierstein! I almost didn't recognize him.
|
|
|
|
Post by JH4HJ on May 26, 2012 12:52:24 GMT -5
[CarouselKathy - Posted April 30, 2012 01:54 AM]
Musical Theater West is doing a reading of LEGS DIAMOND at Long Beach State University (California) on July 22, 2012.
|
|
|
|
Post by JH4HJ on May 26, 2012 12:53:07 GMT -5
[chessie - Posted April 30, 2012 11:46 PM]
Interesting! I've wondered if Legs had ever surfaced anywhere since its original run.
|
|
|
|
Post by JH4HJ on May 26, 2012 12:53:40 GMT -5
[mamaleh - Posted May 01, 2012 09:42 AM]
LEGS is exactly the kind of show Encores! was intended for, although the City Center series has morphed into doing largely hit shows from the past, with some notable exceptions, such as the recent PIPE DREAM. I would love to see LEGS done with a charismatic lead.
|
|
|
|
Post by JH4HJ on May 26, 2012 12:54:25 GMT -5
[JH4HJ - Posted May 14, 2012 03:49 PM]
...and the tickets are *so* cheap! (um - plus an easy grand for airfare, hotel, etc. - dammmit)
If Hugh were doing this - no question.
If it were anywhere in my neighborhood - absolutely.
If it were a FULL production, I would certainly consider it.
...but *just* a reading - sorry, no. I'll have to pass on this.
If we just dig up some scripts/bootlegs/demos - we could do THAT right here in my living room. Who's game?
Kidding aside, if any of the West Coast OZalots go to see this, I would love to hear all about it. The songs are wonderful (many of them were in TBFO), the book isn't great but it's not *that* bad - but the sets and costumes contributed a lot to the style of the era. I'm curious about how it will work in a "bare bones" setting.
|
|
|
|
Post by peter61892 on Jun 18, 2012 12:40:56 GMT -5
Legs had some great songs in the soundtrack,which I own and still play,along with his other albums.
My two favorite Peter Allen albums: It is time for Peter Allen,and Captured Live at Carnegie Hall.
It's almost like being there again,if you close your eyes,listen to the performances.
"All I wanted was the dream"...........Peter Allen
|
|
|
|
Post by mamaleh on Nov 6, 2012 10:34:01 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by birchie on Nov 6, 2012 12:02:46 GMT -5
Thanks Ellen, that was a great find. That guy seems to have several videos from the show on his channel. Sue |
|
|
|
Post by JH4HJ on Nov 7, 2012 16:35:54 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing this, Ellen. Yes, birchie, the guy posted a few nice clips. I'll say it one more time... Legs was NOT such a bad show (and Peter did a wonderful job). I've paid much more money (in recent years) to see things that were far less entertaining. There are some fabulous songs in this show - All I Wanted Was The Dream should be a classic - and When I Get My Nome in Lights deserves to be a frequently performed Broadway standard - and Peter got robbed when the score didn't get a Tony nomination. Oooohhh - Don't get me started.   |
|
|
|
Post by chessie on Nov 8, 2012 0:45:05 GMT -5
Thanks for the link , Ellen. That was delightful. I was so disappointed that the show closed before I had the chance to see it. The songs were wonderful, and thankfully some of them enjoyed a bit of a revival with TBFO.
And yes, Valerie - he was robbed.
Carol
|
|
|
|
Post by mamaleh on Nov 12, 2012 21:45:10 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by mamaleh on Dec 2, 2012 8:50:38 GMT -5
The reading takes place tonight in Long Beach, CA. It's open to the public; tix are only $25. Wish it were closer to home.
Ellen
|
|
|
|
Post by JH4HJ on Mar 8, 2013 11:59:43 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by birchie on Mar 8, 2013 13:02:12 GMT -5
There are a couple of clips from the Press Reel on YouTube -- <snip> Thanks for the links Valerie! Sue |
|
|
|
Post by mamaleh on Mar 8, 2013 14:26:30 GMT -5
Great to see all those clips--especially the full curtain call speech. Love that sense of humor: 'Ain't gonna be seein' it at the Tonys." If only.
Thanks so much, Valerie!
Ellen
|
|
|
|
Post by chessie on Mar 8, 2013 23:44:56 GMT -5
Those clips are just wonderful - such a joy to watch. ;D
Thanks so much, Valerie.
Carol
|
|
|
|
Post by JH4HJ on May 1, 2013 18:24:58 GMT -5
Experimenting with this new video option.
Hopefully, you will see "Knockers" from the Legs Diamond press reel.
I don't like it when YouTube makes "recommendations" at the end of the video. I UNselected that option - but it seems to be doing it anyway. Is that happening when you view this video?
|
|
|
|
Post by mamaleh on May 2, 2013 6:37:30 GMT -5
Yep, "Knockers" at the Hotsy Totsy club came up in all its glory. Thanks, Valerie. Such fun to see.
At the end, four other video choices appear in boxes.
Ellen
|
|
