Many years ago, a modest musical
was a success Off-Broadway. Now
it is on Broadway. Dames
at Sea, book and lyrics by George
Haimsohn and Robin
Miller, music by Jim
Wise, directed and
choreographed by Randy
Skinner, at the Helen Hayes
Theatre, is charming, and just
plain fun. Six terrific
performers, John
Bolton, Mara Davi, Danny
Gardner, Eloise Kropp, Lesli
Margherita and Cary
Tedder, tap dance, sing and
act wonderfully. The music is
pleasant, and you cannot help
smiling as you watch the cast
delight you. The story of a
young girl from Utah in the 30s
becoming a star on Broadway
(although, the show is performed
on a battleship, when the
theater is destroyed) is the
usual nonsense. However, the
show is done with such panache,
that you cannot help but be
amused by two hours of enjoyable
musical comedy.
Off- Broadway, Trip
of Love, created, directed
and choreographed by James
Walski, at Stage 42, is a
Las Vegas style song and dance
spectacular. It is a trip down
memory lane, with popular songs
from the 60s, like Where
the Boys Are, These Boots Are
Made for Walkin', The Girl From
Ipanema, Moon River and Downtown All
the songs have colorful scenic
designs by Walski and Robin
Wagner and
lovely costumes by Gregg
Barnes. The seven principal
singers and dancers, and the
twelve member ensemble, are just
fine. The ladies are beautiful
and the men are handsome. They
sing and dance marvelously, and
are a delight to watch.
Rothschild & Sons, music
by Jerry
Bock, lyrics by Sheldon
Harnick, book by Sherman
Tellen, is a production of
The York Theatre Company. It is
a pleasant musical, starring Robert
Cuccioli as
the founder of the famous
banking family in the eighteenth
century in Frankfurt, Germany.
It is played without an
intermission, and the cast is
very good, under the direction
of Jeffrey
B. Moss. The opening night
party was held at Lexicon, 226
East 54th St, with guests Richard
Kind, Ted Chapin and Tom
Meehan.
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The Humans, by Stephen
Karam, at the Laura Pels Theatre, is
a production of the Roundabout Theatre
Company. It opens on Sunday October 25,
and my comments will appear in my next
column
Cause Celebre The Sunrise Gala at
3 West Club, 3 West 51st St, was a
splendid event honoring Jonathan
Tunick with
the Sunrise Artist Award. Susan Charlotte introduced
the program, as the guests enjoyed a
cocktail reception, followed by a
delicious dinner. Among the many artists
who attended were Louise Lasser,
Danny Aiello, Fritz Weaver, Sheldon
Harnick and Carole
Shelley. Penny
Fuller performed,
accompanied by Billy
Goldenberg at
the piano. It was a memorable evening.
I attended American Fashion Designer Jackie
Rogers Spring
2016 Collection at
10 West 56th St, which is a townhouse,
the former home of Elizabeth
Taylor and Mike
Todd. As Rogers was a friend to Salvador
Dali in
Paris, the theme of the Fashion
Presentation was entitled Homage
to Dali. As we sipped delicious
French wines, we enjoyed a superior
fashion show.
Alan
Alda, Candice Bergen, Elaine May and Diane
Sawyer hosted
a theatrical luncheon at La Grenouille,
3 East 52nd St, for Clever
Little Lies and
its superb cast. Patrick
Pacheco moderated
a press conference with playwright Joe
DiPietro, director David
Saint, cast members Marlo
Thomas, Greg Mullavey, Kate Wetherhead and George
Merrick. It was a lovely event with
delicious food and fine wines.
Cover Girl for August
2015 Social Life Magazine is
philanthropist Jean
Shafiroff, who
attended a reception in her honor at
Villagio on the Park, 40 Central Park
South. She looked lovely in an elegant
gown. The Italian restaurant served
scrumptious hors d'oeuvres, accompanied
by fine wines.
I attended a press screening of Burnt,
and a press conference the following
morning with members of the cast. We
were asked to hold our comments
until October 28, where they will
appear in my column on October 31.
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