Remembering The Happy Time

The composing team of Kander and Ebb are typically first remembered as the creators of the edgy, flashy, razzle-dazzle music of such shows as Cabaret and Chicago. It would be wrong, however, to think that this was all that they were capable of. In fact, the team’s work often tended towards a reflective, gentler style of musical comedy found in such shows as Zorba and The Rink. One show that really seemed to embrace this subtler, character-driven approach to storytelling was 1968’s The Happy Time.  

More or Loesser: 15 Great Songs by Frank Loesser

When I sat down to write a “Top 15” list of Frank Loesser songs, the composer-lyricist behind such Broadway musical hits as Guys & Dolls, The Most Happy Fella, and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, I soon realized that narrowing it down to the fifteen best would be a futile task. Loesser was such a master of melody, character development, and found wonderful places for heart in the most comedic of places. So, instead of boiling it down, I just picked 15 songs by Frank Loesser to create a playlist that I hope beyond hope that you will enjoy as much as I reveled in putting it together. More or Loesser, every single one of these is a gem. 

Predicting the 2019 Tony Winners

As I typically do, I have made my pre-Tony Award predictions, my educated guesses as to who will win in each category. This is not particularly my forte, but I am going to do my best here. If anything, it should at least make for some entertaining reading to see just how wrong I can be about what the masses like. How do I reconcile that perception with my own personal opinions and come up with a choice in each category? I just listen to my gut that will most likely be bursting with crow on Monday morning. 

The Best Musical Tony Award Debate: 2005

The 2005 Tony Awards represented a season where all four Best Musical nominees could have easily walked away with the Best Musical prize, each show offering something very different and special. It will make for a great debate. The nominees that season were Monty Python’s SpamalotDirty Rotten ScoundrelsThe Light in the Piazza, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, so you can see how this would be a contentious season. I’m also going to say in advance of discussion that I definitely have my favorite amongst these shows and I will try to remain unbiased.