Celebrating Sir Derek Jacobi!

"It is not half so important to know as to feel."
-Rachel Carson, American biologist-ecologist (born this date in 1907, died 1964)

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
Greetings:

I hope this blog finds you well.

We made the un-official summer season is upon us again! After one of the longest and hardest winters in recent memory, it is welcome indeed. Yesterday, I was riding the bus into the city and I was noticing how lush and beautiful everything is. As I was enjoying how beautiful everything is, I couldn't help but think how tragic everything in the Midwest is. I can't imagine in my worst nightmares what those people are experiencing first hand. Take a moment today to think about the people of Joplin, Missouri and the rest of the Midwest.


As I wrote in an earlier blog this week, say "Yes"!. Roadblocks will come up from time to time. When these occur, are you able to put yourself in the other's shoes? Are they standing in the way of your bliss or are you standing in the way of theirs?
A wise woman once told me that she began every meeting by saying, "Either you're on my team or you're not. If you're not, please leave the room." Let that be your lesson for today, let's support each other! We've all had a lot of reminders lately of how short our lives can just be wiped out.

As I always do, I encourage you to go out and see a LIVE show. I'm going to write today about two events. One here on the east coast and one on the west coast.
THE ENSEMBLE THEATRE COMPANY OF NEW YORK (www.TETCNY.org ), a newly formed Equity nonprofit theatre company, is holding a series of fundraisers that I think you might be interested in. The first of which will be a meet and greet schedule for June 9th at 7.30p at The Riverside Church with Sir Derek Jacobi, who will be performing in KING LEAR at BAM later this spring.
Sir Derek George Jacobi, (born 22 October 1938) is an English actor and film director.
A "forceful, commanding stage presence",
Jacobi has enjoyed a highly successful stage career, appearing in such stage productions as Hamlet,Uncle Vanya,and Oedipus the King.He received a Tony Award for his performance in Much Ado About Nothing. His stage work also includes playing notable historical figures such as Edward II,Octavius Caesar,Richard III of England,and Cyrano de Bergerac.
In addition to being a founder member of the Royal National Theatre and winning several prestigious theatre awards, Jacobi has also enjoyed a successful television career, appearing in the critically praised adaptation I, Claudius, for which he won a BAFTA; the titular role in the acclaimed medieval drama series Brother Cadfael,and Stanley Baldwin in The Gathering Storm. Though principally a stage actor, Jacobi has appeared in a number of films, such as Henry V (1989), Dead Again (1991), Gladiator (2000), Gosford Park (2001), The Golden Compass (2007), The King's Speech (2010), and the forthcoming Hippie Hippie Shake. Like Laurence Olivier, he holds two knighthoods, Danish and British.
Jacobi, an only child, was born in Leytonstone, London, England, the son of Daisy Gertrude (née Masters), a secretary who worked in a drapery store in Leyton High Road, and Alfred George Jacobi, who ran a sweet shop and was a tobacconist in Chingford.
His great-grandfather emigrated to England from Germany during the 19th century.
His family was working class.Although a war baby, Jacobi claims a happy childhood. In his teens he went to the Leyton County High School and became an integral part of the drama club, The Players of Leyton.




Clips from three versions -- Sir Ian McKellen (1970 TV), Sir Derek Jacobi (1978 TV) and Fiona Shaw (1997 TV) -- are utilized in explorations of various issues in casting Shakespeare's young king.
commentary by Jerry Brotton, Royal Holloway, University of London...and Wendy Spon, Head of Casting at the Royal National Theatre.

Ian McKellen ... Richard II
Timothy West ... Bolingbroke
Directed by Richard Cottrell and Toby Robertson for early (1970) BBC colour transmission.

This is about the youngest Ian McKellen (age 31 in '70) we can view.
He did have some parts in movies released in 1969.
McKellen's earliest film/TV credits are for some TV work in 1964 and '65 which I bet would be very difficult to locate and view now.

Ian McKellen also performed, on TV in early 70s, George Tesman in "Hedda Gabler" with Janet Suzman, a Hamlet, a one-man show on Keats, and starred in Marlowe's "Edward II". These are begging for DVD release!
Charles Gray ... Duke of York
Derek Jacobi ... Richard II
John Gielgud ... John of Gaunt

Director: David Giles



Fiona Shaw ... Richard II
Richard Bremmer ... Henry Bolingbroke

Directed by Deborah Warner for TV, 1997.

King Richard II, a history play by William Shakespeare, is called "The tragedy of King Richard the second" in the 1597 Quarto.
Richard II (6 January 1367 – c. 14 February 1400) was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of that house's main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III. At the age of four, Richard became second in line to the throne when his older brother Edward of Angoulême died, and heir apparent when his father died in 1376. With Edward III's death the following year, Richard succeeded to the throne at the age of ten.



The Gathering Storm is a BBC-HBO co-produced television biographical film about Winston Churchill in the years just prior to World War II. The title of the film is the same as the title of the first volume of Churchill's largely autobiographical six-volume history of the war, which covered the period from 1919 to 10 May 1940, the day he became prime minister.
The film stars Albert Finney as Churchill and Vanessa Redgrave as his wife Clementine Churchill ("Clemmie"); Finney gained many accolades for his performance, winning both a BAFTA Award for Best Actor and an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor. The film also features a supporting cast of British actors such as Derek Jacobi, Ronnie Barker, Jim Broadbent, Tom Wilkinson, Celia Imrie, Linus Roache and Hugh Bonneville. Simon Williams and Edward Hardwicke both make brief appearances amongst the supporting cast. The film was directed by Richard Loncraine and written by Hugh Whitemore. Among the film's executive producers were Ridley Scott and Tony Scott.

Though principally a stage actor, Jacobi has appeared in a number of films, such as Henry V (1989), Dead Again (1991), Gladiator (2000), Gosford Park (2001), The Golden Compass (2007), The King's Speech (2010)The King's Speech is an epic British drama film, telling the true story of the man who became King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II. After his brother abdicates, George ('Bertie') reluctantly assumes the throne. Plagued by a dreaded stutter and considered unfit to be king, Bertie engages the help of an unorthodox speech therapist named Lionel Logue. Through a set of unexpected techniques, and as a result of an unlikely friendship, Bertie is able to find his voice and boldly lead the country through war.
Like Laurence Olivier, he holds two knighthoods, Danish and British.
His insights will I am sure be of interest to any serious acting student or anyone with an interest in film or theatre.

As mentioned this event will be held on June 9th, starting at 7.30p. The ticket price is $35 for presale tickets and $45 at the door.
The second best known fragment from this play (after the "TO BE OR NOT TO BE"), Act 5 Scene 1.
(BAM’s “King Lear” – “The Kings Speech” and the soon to be released film “Anonymous”) – will be taking questions after a brief dialogue.

Advance tickets of $35 are available at www.tetcny.org
(tickets at the door are $45)

For additional questions please contact
Kevin G. Shinnick at 646.321.6407 or kgshinnick@tetcny.org
or
Christopher Clawson at 616.328.1404 or cclawson@tetcny.org

All proceeds go to benefit The Ensemble Theatre Company of New York www.tetcny.org

Mission Statement: To offer hands on experience and support to the next generation of theatre artists and audiences; to produce quality – intelligent theatre that will engage, inspire, entertain and challenge those fore mentioned with forgotten/retired theatrical productions; to celebrate the essential power of the theatre and an ensemble cast to illuminate our common humanity.






490 Riverside Drive
To read more about The Ensemble Theatre Company of New York and this event, please go to www.TETCNY.org . To advertise in this events program, contact CHRISTOPHER CLAWSON CClawson@tetcny.org All other inquiries please contact Kevin G Shinnick KGShinnick@tetcny.org

“Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.” - Oscar Wilde

It is the position of The Ensemble Theatre Company that learning must also come not only from education but also from experience. Their goal is to expose a new generation of artists and craftsman to the history of theatre while expanding their knowledge of their craft and contributing to their passion – offering them their first opportunity at professionalism. They will offer them, hands on experience with respected professionals in their particular craft.

“I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.” - Oscar Wilde

Collaborating with area theatre institutions (NJ – NY – CT), to offer enrolled students the opportunity to further their education and theatre training, The Ensemble Theatre Company reaches out to college theatre programs, performing tech schools as well as area High Schools/Performing Arts High Schools to become members of their program. Having said that, their program is open to anyone over the age of 17 with a background in the theatre arts.

This experience gives the students the opportunity to learn first hand the essentials, not only planning a performance of this kind, but actually being part of quality work as well as learning the continued history of the theatre. Their main goal is to expose their interns/students to practical theatre, something more then that of on a college or community level. Their mission - to contribute to the development of their craft and training on an ongoing basis. Students will work along side professionals with a combined goal of furthering their education and putting on the best possible performance for the audiences of New York City.

In seeking to strengthen and sustain their programs, they are sking for your help. Won’t you Become a sponsor – become a supporter and donate to their cause? Simply go the their website and ask how YOU can get involved. We can all make a difference!

•Make a corporate contribution: Become a major sponsor to The Ensemble Theatre Company. If you would like to join them in supporting this outstanding organization, please once again go the their website- checks may be made payable to The Ensemble Theatre Company of New York.

Your support means a lot. Together, with your support, you will bring the theatre community together as well as raise funds for these important and worthwhile programs. In addition, you can benefit by making your tax deductible donation.

For additional information please call 616.328.1404 or email christopher_clawson@yahoo.com
and they will be happy to assist you.

AND if you are on the west coast: Shanna Carlson, Cathi Walkup and Linda Kosut TONIGHT - at Savanna Jazz in 3 completely different sets (they'll each be singing in every set) accompanied by the Benny Watson Trio with Benny Watson, piano; Carla Kaufman, bass; Jack Dorsey, drums.
FRIDAY, MAY 27
7:30pm ~ 11:30pm
Savanna Jazz
2937 Mission St. @ 25th, San Francisco

"The Ladies at Savanna"
Cover: $10 cash at door
Reservations: 415.624.4549

Savanna Jazz was just voted one of Downbeat Magazine's 2011
Top 150 Great Jazz Venues in the world.
Join us for good food, libations and fabulous music!
www.savannajazz.com


* Visit them online ...

www.shannacarlson.net ~ www.cwalkup.com ~ www.lindakosut.com

“Carlson's gently swinging way...carries with it conviction and displays with abundance a talent for
conveying the inner message of the lyric in a
bedroom-warm contralto.”

W. Royal Stokes JAZZ TIMES
inda Kosut performs "Summer In the City" with Norman Curtis at the piano, Max Perkoff on trombone, Tom Hubbard, bass and Scott Latzky, drums in NYC, June 1, 2007. Norman co-wrote this song with Oscar Brown Jr.
GO SEE A LIVE SHOW TONIGHT!
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Tomorrow's blog will be about Horace Vandergelder!

Please contribute to the DR. CAROL CHANNING & HARRY KULLIJIAN FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS: http://www.carolchanning.org/foundation.htm
TILL TOMORROW...HERE'S TO AN ARTS FILLED SUMMER!
Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com

Mark Nadler and 1961

"Please be responsible for the energy you bring into this space"
Quote heard on Oprah Winfrey's Final show

Happy Thursday!
I heard the above quote yesterday on Oprah Winfrey's final show. It was like attending a master class on moving on with dignity and grace. She has demonstrated what success SHOULD BE for 25 years!
Giving...not taking.
Oprah is my role model in terms of how to lead a career. The words that Oprah spoke yesterday resonated loudly with me. My hope is that every artist takes responsibility for the energy they bring into the room.
One person I know who ALWAYS takes responsibility for the energy he brings into the room is Mark Nadler.
I remember the first time I saw Mark. It was at The Five Oaks. He came into the room like a whirling dervish with sequined tennis shoes with taps on them. He played the piano like Liberace, sang like Pavarotti, and danced like Eleanor Powell.
There would be no forgetting this guy. I've watched him grow as an artist over the years, both solo, and as a duo (mostly with KT Sullivan). I loved and miss his Broadway Hootenanny's at Sardi's. THAT was a party! I have enjoyed him at The Algonquin over the years. He has also become a supportive friend over the years. We've sat in the audience of each other's shows. We have broken bread in each other's homes. I was even at his dog's Bark Mitzvah many years ago with our dog Chip. His dog and ours have since gone on to doggie heaven. At the time of that, we ended up in the NY Times!
Well, tonight, Mark is premiering a brand new show for ONE NIGHT ONLY!It is a celebration of 1961, the year we both were born! Maybe we should do a duet at the end of the show of "I'M STILL HERE".
Mark Nadler: Crazy 1961
Lots of exciting things happened in 1961: ,JFK became president:

On November 22, 1963, when he was hardly past his first thousand days in office, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was killed by an assassin's bullets as his motorcade wound through Dallas, Texas.
Kennedy was the youngest man elected President; he was the youngest to die.
Of Irish descent, he was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1917. Graduating from Harvard in 1940, he entered the Navy. In 1943, when his PT boat was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer, Kennedy, despite grave injuries, led the survivors through perilous waters to safety.
Back from the war, he became a Democratic Congressman from the Boston area, advancing in 1953 to the Senate. He married Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12, 1953. In 1955, while recuperating from a back operation, he wrote Profiles in Courage, which won the Pulitzer Prize in history.
In 1956 Kennedy almost gained the Democratic nomination for Vice President, and four years later was a first-ballot nominee for President. Millions watched his television debates with the Republican candidate, Richard M. Nixon. Winning by a narrow margin in the popular vote, Kennedy became the first Roman Catholic President.

Yuri Gagarin became the first man to venture into space.
Gagarin became an international celebrity, and was awarded many medals and honors, including Hero of the Soviet Union, the nation's highest honor. Vostok 1 marked his only spaceflight, but he served as backup crew to the Soyuz 1 mission (which ended in a fatal crash). Gagarin later became deputy training director of the Cosmonaut Training Centre outside Moscow, which was later named after him. Gagarin died in 1968 when a MiG 15 training jet he was piloting crashed.


Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space and the first man to orbit the Earth making a 108-minute orbital flight in his Vostok 1 spacecraft.
Yuri A. Gagarin was born in a village of Klushino near Gzhatsk (now in Smolensk Oblast), Russia, on March 9, 1934. His father was a carpenter. After graduating from secondary school in 1949, Gagarin went to several technical schools before joining the Orenburg Higher Air Force School (Russian Air Force) in 1955.
He graduated with honors from the Soviet Air Force Academy in 1957. Soon afterward, he became a military fighter pilot. By 1959, he had been selected for cosmonaut training as part of the first group of USSR cosmonauts. He began his cosmonaut training in 1960, along with 19 other candidates.

Barack Obama was born:
Official photographic portrait of US President Barack Obama (born 4 August 1961; assumed office 20 January 2009)

The performer, actor, and pianist Mark Nadler came into this world. Join Mark TONIGHT in celebrating his 50 years as he takes a trip down memory lane.
Mark Nadler has a range that goes from romance to comedy to manic energy. He’s known as “the crazy man on the piano.”
The year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. As MAD Magazine pointed out on its cover for the March 1961 issue, this was the first "upside-up" year—i.e., one in which the numerals that form the year look the same as when the numerals are rotated upside down—since 1881, and the last until 6009.January was a busy month in 1961!
January 17
President Dwight Eisenhower gives his final State of the Union Address to Congress. In a Farewell Address the same day, he warns of the increasing power of a "military-industrial complex."

Patrice Lumumba of Republic of Congo is assassinated.

Jan. 20: John F. Kennedy inaugurated as President of the U.S.

January 20 – John F. Kennedy succeeds Dwight Eisenhower as the 35th President of the United States of America.

January 24 – B-52 Stratofortress, with two nuclear bombs, crashes near Goldsboro, North Carolina.

January 25
In Washington, DC John F. Kennedy delivers the first live presidential news conference. In it, he announces that the Soviet Union has freed the 2 surviving crewmen of a USAF RB-47 reconnaissance plane shot down by Soviet flyers over the Barents Sea July 1, 1960 (see RB-47H shot down).

I was also born in February 1961!
Here is the Peanuts comic strip that ran on this day in 1961:

In January, 1961, President Dwight Eisenhower announced that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba.

At the National Reactor Testing Station near Idaho Falls, Idaho, atomic reactor SL-1 explodes, killing 3 military technicians.

Italian sculptor Alfredo Fioravanti marched into the U.S. Consulate in Rome, and confesses that he was part of the team that forged the Etruscan terracotta warriors in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Cemal Gürsel forms the new government of Turkey (25th government)

January 9 – British authorities announce that they have discovered a large Soviet spy ring in London.

January 7 – Following a 4-day conference in Casablanca, 5 African chiefs of state announce plans for a NATO-type African organization to ensure common defense. The Charter of Casablanca involves the Casablanca Group: Morocco, the United Arab Republic, Ghana, Guinea, and Mali.

January 8 – In France, a referendum supports Charles de Gaulle's policies on independence for Algeria.

In May 1961. Most college students are finishing final exams, securing summer jobs or preparing for vacations. Thirteen students, however, have different plans. They are getting on a bus, unsure of what lies ahead of them as they attempt to integrate buses traveling through the Deep South.

On television, Laramie was one of the hit shows. It was the era of the western.

On Broadway, audiences were flocking to see The Pulitzer Prize winning, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING:

50 years later, audiences are flocking to see Daniel Radcliffe in How TO SUCCEED...

1961 The cold war continued to worsen with the USSR exploding some very large bombs during testing and then masterminding the building of the Berlin Wall separating East from West Berlin, America sent a battle group to Germany and Americans and Russians Glared at each other across the border, due to this uncertainty many Americans built backyard fallout shelters in case of nuclear war. To make matters worse the Americans financed anti-Castro Cubans for an invasion at the bay of pigs which was an unmitigated disaster. Popular music included Chubby Checker's “Pony Time” and “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” by the Shirelles, and top movies included "West Side Story" and "The Parent Trap.”
Come celebrate Mark Nadler and 1961 TONIGHT at The Laurie Beechman at 9:30!
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Thanks to Wikipedia as my main source of information.

Tomorrow's blog will be about Derek Jacobi!

Please contribute to the DR. CAROL CHANNING & HARRY KULLIJIAN FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS: http://www.carolchanning.org/foundation.htm
TILL TOMORROW...HERE'S TO AN ARTS FILLED WEEK!
Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com

Happy Birthday, Hal David...and more.!

"I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson, American Essayist and poet (1803-1882)

Happy Wednesday! Today is Lyricist Hal David's 90th birthday. I don't know about you but I can't imagine my life without the lyrics of Hal David. I grew up listening to his music. As I've written before, I have over 6000 songs on my Ipod. It is always on shuffle. I don't think a day goes by that at least one of Hal David's songs doesnt pop up on my Ipod! Thank you, Hal! And here's to the next 90 years! Because of your songs, there WILL be 90 more years!
HAL DAVID was born in Brooklyn, New York on May 25th, 1921. As a kid he studied violin and played in neighborhood bands.
A natural wordsmith, David wrote for the Thomas Jefferson High School newspaper, becoming editor in his senior year. He studied at the NYU School of Journalism before joining the New York Post as a copywriter while playing violin for various ensembles on the borscht circuit at weekends.
David is best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach.
While serving in the Army, Hal David was posted to the Central Pacific Entertainment Section in Hawaii. When World War II ended he returned to New York where, encouraged by his oldest brother, noted country and Disney songwriter Mack David, he set about earning a living as a professional lyricist.

In 1947 he sold his song "Isn’t This Better Than Walking In The Rain?" to bandleader Sammy Kaye and enjoyed further success when his composition "The Four Winds And The Seven Seas" charted for Guy Lombardo. Hal David composed many songs with Leon Carr including Teresa Brewer’s smash hit "Bell Bottom Blues".
In 1957 David met composer Burt Bacharach at Famous Music in the Brill Building in New York. The two teamed up and wrote their first hit "The Story of My Life", recorded by Marty Robbins in 1957.
Later that year Perry Como had a hit with their "Magic Moments". Subsequently, Bacharach and David wrote some of the most enduring songs in American popular music, many for Dionne Warwick, but also for The Carpenters, Dusty SpringfieldMary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), known professionally as Dusty Springfield, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s. With her distinctive sensual sound, she was an important white soul singer, and at her peak was one of the most successful British female performers, with 18 singles in the Billboard Hot 100 from 1964 to 1970.She is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the U.K. Music Hall of Fame. International polls have named Springfield among the best female rock artists of all time.

Gene Pitney. Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 – April 5, 2006)ANOTHER AQUARIAN! was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and sound engineer. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic and was among the group of early 1960s American acts who continued to enjoy hits after the British Invasion. Pitney charted 16 Top 40 hits in the U.S., four in the Top 10. In the UK he had 22 Top 40 hits, and 11 singles in the Top Ten. He also wrote the early 1960s hits "Rubber Ball" by Bobby Vee, "He's a Rebel" by The Crystals, and "Hello Mary Lou" by Rick Nelson. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Tom Jones, Jackie DeShannon, and others in the 1960s and early 1970s. Bacharach and David hits include "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head", "This Guy's in Love with You", "I'll Never Fall in Love Again", "Do You Know the Way to San Jose", "Walk On By", "What the World Needs Now Is Love", "I Say a Little Prayer", "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me", "One Less Bell to Answer", and "Anyone Who Had a Heart".
Dusty Springfield "The Look Of Love" (1967) Music written by Burt Bacharach & lyrics written by Hal David and performed by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass

"The Look of Love" is a popular song. Since its first appearance in the 1967 James Bond film Casino Royale, it has become synonymous with lounge and easy listening music.

The song was sung by Dusty Springfield for the Casino Royale soundtrack, and was nominated for an Oscar. Springfield re-recorded the song the same year in London and released the song as the B-side of "Give Me Time". Claudine Longet recorded the song on her 1967 album of the same title. Lainie Kazan also recorded "The Look of Love" (arranged by Pat Williams) on her 1967 album Love is Lainie. Sergio Mendes' hit rendition on the Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 album Look Around, reached #4 on the pop charts after their performance in the Academy Awards telecast in March 1968. The lead vocal on this single was handled by Janis Hansen, not Lani Hall, a rarity in the early Brasil '66 canon. In 1969, soul group The Delfonics also covered the song on their album La La Means I Love You. During 1970, Isaac Hayes covered the song for his 1970 album ...To Be Continued. While Hayes used the same lyrics, his cover includes a unique instrumental which has been heavily sampled on R&B and hip-hop records.
The duo's film work includes the Oscar-nominated title songs for "What's New Pussycat?" and "Alfie"; "The Look of Love", from Casino Royale; and the Oscar-winning "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head", from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. In addition, "Don't Make Me Over", "(They Long to Be) Close to You", and "Walk On By" have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
David's work with other composers includes Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias' "To All the Girls I've Loved Before", with Albert Hammond; Sarah Vaughan's "Broken Hearted Melody", with Sherman Edwards; the 1962 Joanie Sommers hit "Johnny Get Angry", also with Edwards; and "We Have All the Time in the World", written with John Barry and sung by Louis Armstrong, for the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service. David co-wrote with Paul Hampton the country standard Sea of Heartbreak, a hit for Don Gibson and others.
"To All the Girls I've Loved Before" was a 1984 cover of Albert Hammond's song by singers Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson, which appeared on Iglesias's album 1100 Bel Air Place. A breakthrough for Iglesias in the English language market, the song peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the RPM Top Singles. "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" went to number one on the country chart and was one of two entries on the country chart for Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson as duo (second was song called Spanish Eyes, which peaked at #8 in late 1988).It was Iglesias' biggest hit in U.S.A. and Canada, and Nelson's biggest European hit. The record also appeared on Australian, New Zealandian and South African charts, and was very well sold. The song has become Iglesias's signature English-language tune, prominently performed at his concerts since the single's release. Thanks to this song, 1100 Bel Air Place became Iglesias' world-wide best selling album. In 1984, Nelson & Iglesias were also named "Duo of the year" by Country Music Association, and To All The Girls I've Loved Before was named single of the year by Academy of Country Music.
The song has been covered by many artists including Merle Haggard.Merle Haggard has always had his guitar hardwired to the gutbucket pulse of Middle America. Back in the Vietnam era, he seemed the essence of a historic political migration: white males fleeing the feminized, antiwar, politically correct Democratic Party. He was your basic Reagan Democrat, fully loaded with a resonant, iron-edged voice and the ability to write razor lyrics that stuck in the mind and the craw. His brilliant anthem—Okie from Muskogee—became a rallying cry for those who were disgusted by the "hippies out in San Francisco" smoking marijuana and burning draft cards. His next patriotic volley had this chorus: "When they're runnin' down my country, man, you're walkin' on the fightin' side of me." Merle is more than happy to talk politics, given that he has an album, The Bluegrass Sessions, which was a political and musical return to his family's Okie and New Deal Democratic roots.



Most recently, in 2010, Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette recorded her version of the song re-written as "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" for her upcoming studio album.
Nelson played rhythm guitar on the recording.
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Tomorrow's blog will be about Mark Nadler and 1961!

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TILL TOMORROW...HERE'S TO AN ARTS FILLED WEEK!
Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com

Say "YES"!

(me with Patty Gay at the premier of CAROL CHANNING: LARGER THAN LIFE at The Tribeca Film Festival April 23rd, 2011)
"If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin."
Ivan Turgenev, author (1818-1883)

Happy Tuesday!
What a great quote!I have reached a point in my life where I say YES more than NO. That is, if it doesn't take me off of my career path. And even then, I try to say yes. I love it when someone says "We really need to get together!" then I say "Pick a date and a time" and then they say, "Let me get back to you". I am a very decisive person and I accomplish things. My request for all who read this today is to say YES to opportunities that come your way. You will be amazed at how much better your lives will be and how much more enriched your lives will be. Please send me your YES stories and I will publish them.
Today, I want to write about a few people who are saying YES!

Leslie Kritzer! Happy Birthday!!I first saw Leslie Kritzer in 2001 (Wow! Has it really been 10 years!?!?!) at The Papermill Playhouse in FUNNY GIRL! I was blown away. I knew instantly that Leslie was destined for STARDOM!
"HELLO, gorgeous!'' Borrowing a line from Fanny Brice, Leslie Kritzer greeted her reflection in her dressing room mirror with moxie that was as much a part of the actress as her role.
I next saw Leslie in A Catered Affair on Broadway in 2007. Leslie, I want you to know, Leslie, I am a fan!
Leslie starred in ''one of the best roles ever written for a woman in musical theater,'' she said,(at the time of FUNNY GIRL) though just three months prior, she was filling out time cards as a temp. At that time, aside from a production in the off-Broadway run of ''Godspell'' and a couple of musicals in college, Ms. Kritzer's resume was on the short side.
On stage, however, there is little evidence of inexperience in the young dynamo with Judy Garland's chops and Liza Minnelli's looks, right down to the dazzling, slightly off-center smile. Ms. Kritzer has an electric stage presence and is deliciously goofy, eliciting perfectly timed laughter with a pliable face that rivals Jim Carrey's. And her impressive vocal range, from a smooth low alto past high soprano, is rare at any age.
Watching her deftly handle the rigorous 13 songs, the dance numbers, the comedy and the dramatic character evolution that make up the two-plus-hour show, it's hard to believe that she hasn't been performing this role for decades, she so embodies it. What makes it all the more impressive is that few actors, or theater companies outside of summer stock, dare to attempt Jule Styne's and Bob Merrill's grand spectacle that propelled Barbra Streisand's career nearly 40 years ago. (Source: NY TIMES INTERVIEW: Actress Takes a Step Into Fanny Brice's Shoes By JILLIAN HORNBECK AMBROZ
Published: April 22, 2001) Happy Birthday, Leslie!

Yesterday, it was announced that ENCORES will be doing GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES next season!
New York City Center's 19th Encores! season will open in City Center's newly restored and renovated theater on February 8, 2012 with Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along. Merrily We Roll Along is a musical with a book by George Furth and lyrics and music by Stephen Sondheim. It is based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.(Harold Prince and Stephen Sondheim, Merrily We Roll Along, 1982)
Merrily We Roll Along is a musical about friendship and the compromise of youthful ideals, based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. Merrily We Roll Along begins in 1980 and moves backward in time, from 1980 - 1955, telling the story of three friends whose friendship is tested by time, events, ambition and fate. It charts the rise of a songwriting team during the years of Sondheim's own early career, and includes some of his most brilliant and bruising songs, including "Not a Day Goes By," "Old Friends," "Our Time" and "Opening Doors." Although unsuccessful in its original 1981 Broadway production (which ran 16 performances at the Alvin Theatre), Merrily has gained stature and reputation over the ensuing years, beginning with a reconfigured version at the La Jolla Playhouse in California in 1985, directed by frequent Sondheim collaborator James Lapine. Mr. Lapine will return to the project as director of the Encores! production. Merrily We Roll Along will run February 8 - 12, 2012.

Read more: http://broadwayworld.com/article/Encores-2012-to-Feature-MERRILY-WE-ROLL-ALONG-PIPE-DREAM-GENTLEMEN-PREFER-BLONDES-20110523#ixzz1NHU5VYYh

Encores Season will continue with Rodgers and Hammerstein's rarely seen Pipe Dream on March 28¸ Outcasts yearning for a better life populate the bordellos and flophouses of a 1950s California seaside town in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Pipe Dream, based on John Steinbeck's novel Sweet Thursday. Pipe Dream opened at the Shubert Theatre on November 30, 1955 and ran for 246 performances. It was nominated for nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Pipe Dream has not been seen on the American stage in more than two decades, owing to a technicality involving the underlying rights. This Rodgers and Hammerstein rarity includes "All at Once You Love Her," "The Next Time It Happens" and the wistful ballad "Everybody's Got a Home but Me." Pipe Dream will run March 28 - April 1, 2012.


Followed by Jule Styne and Leo Robin's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes on May 9. Leo Robin (April 6, 1900 – December 29, 1984) was an American composer, lyricist and songwriter. He is probably best known for collaborating with Ralph Rainger on the 1938 Oscar-winning song "Thanks for the Memory," sung by Bob Hope in the film The Big Broadcast of 1938.Robin was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and studied at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and Carnegie Tech's drama school. He later worked as a reporter and as a publicist.

Robin's first hits came in 1926 with the Broadway production By the Way, with hits in several other musicals immediately following, such as Bubbling Over (1926), Hit the Deck, Judy (1927), and Hello Yourself (1928). In 1932, Robin went out to Hollywood to work for Paramount Pictures. His principal collaborator was composer Ralph Rainger, together they became one of the leading film songwriting duos of the 1930s and early 1940s, writing over 50 hits. Robin & Rainger worked together until Rainger's untimely death in a plane crash on 23 October 1942. Robin continued to collaborate with many other composers over the years, including Vincent Youmans, Sam Coslow, Richard A. Whiting, and Nacio Herb Brown. Leo Robin collaborated with Rainger on the 1938 Oscar-winning song "Thanks for the Memory," sung by Bob Hope in the film The Big Broadcast of 1938, which was to become Hope's signature tune.

For the first time, each musical will play for seven performances.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, adapted from the novel by Anita Loos, has a book by Anita Loos and Joseph Fields, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Leo Robin. Set in the Roaring Twenties, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes follows the madcap adventures of the original "dumb blonde," Lorelei Lee, as she sets sail for Europe with her best friend Dorothy Shaw. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes made a star of Carol Channing on Broadway and later cemented Marilyn Monroe's status as an American film icon and sex symbol in the 1953 screen version. "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" is the crown jewel in a score that sparkles with songs like "Bye, Bye, Baby," "A Little Girl from Little Rock" and "I Love What I'm Doing (When I'm Doing it for Love)." The original production, directed by John C. Wilson and choreographed by Agnes de Mille, opened at the Ziegfeld Theatre on December 8, 1949, and played a total of 740 performances. The show was revived by Tony Randall's National Actors Theater in 1995 and ran for 24 performances. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes will run May 9 - 13, 2012.

Read more: http://broadwayworld.com/article/Encores-2012-to-Feature-MERRILY-WE-ROLL-ALONG-PIPE-DREAM-GENTLEMEN-PREFER-BLONDES-20110523#ixzz1NHUxojXp

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Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com

Music Is In The Air! 3 Tenors In Search Of An Act, Happy Birthday, Lea Delaria, Jane Stuart...and more!

Happy Monday!
I think it was about 10 years that the late great Dottie Burman, Gerta Grunen, Danny and I went to Helen's (also gone) to see a show entitled 3 MEN IN SEARCH OF A TENOR. We were the only ones there! We had dinner and afterwords, we sent word that we would be more than happy to come see them on another night. They said that if we were willing to stay, they were willing to do a show. So we all moved up closer to the stage.
I felt like it was a command performance since we were the only ones there. They were brilliant and gave their all. As a matter of fact, because of that night, Paul Stephan became my musical director, for a while, and did most of the arrangements that I still use in my shows! If you've seen one of my shows over the past five years, you've heard Paul Stephan's arrangements. Well they are returning and I highly recommend you check them out! You'll have a grand time!
3 Tenors in Search of an Act2 - 2 Encore Performances
They had 5 sold out shows this spring, so they're bringing the show back to Don't Tell Mama's for 2 more performances!

Tuesday, June 21st at 9:15 pm
Friday, June 24th at 9:15 pm
$15 cover/ 2 drink minimum (cash only)
Don't Tell Mama's
343 West 46th Street Reservations HIGHLY SUGGESTED!
212-757-0788

"ADORABLE! A BEAUTIFULLY STRUCTURED SHOW! FUN! WELL SUNG! SMART! SILLY!
So what else can I say? Hmmm ... SEE IT!"
Sue Matsuki - Cabaret Hotline Online

"The primary thing to say about these singers is that their voices,
both singly and collectively, are fantastic! If the extraordinary audience response
was any guide, we can hope that the 3 Tenors will be back before 2017"
Jerry Osterberg - Cabaret Scenes


GO SEE THEM!


Today is Lea Delaria's birthday! I first saw Lea Delaria in Provincetown 23 years ago! She happens to be one of my favorite jazz singers.


"The Best Jazz Album of 2001"
The Times
"Lea DeLaria is blessed with one of the most beautiful voices around"
Q magazine

"The gal can certainly swing"
Time Out
Lea DeLaria has distinguished herself in every form of entertainment that she touches. Jazz Musician, Broadway Diva, Actor Writer and Stand-Up Comic, and it is plain to see why Ben Brantley of the New York Times describes Lea as, "Every inch a star."
Happy Birthday, and LOVE YOU, LEA!(Lea with Clare Teal and Simon Little on bass during "Well, Have You Evah" at the Wall To Wall Songbook, Pizza Express London. 16/10/07. Photo: Brian O'Connor)After two innovative CDs reinventing Broadway tunes (2000's Play It Cool) and rock and punk songs (2005's Double Standards), Lea turns her considerable talents to her first recording focused on timeless pop standards. But these classic songs like "Down With Love," "Night And Day," "Love Me Or Leave Me" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine" have never sounded so fresh and alive. "I styled this CD on the old school live recordings," Lea comments. "It is my hope that this CD will take you back to 1948 and the Village Vanguard. So please let me invite you to mix a cocktail and enjoy a smoke while you sit back and soak up the swing."
Lea's Book of Rules For The World
Lea's Warner Bros. debut pays homage to contemporary musical theatre, with jazz covers of Broadway show tunes..
Buy now at Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0440508541/qid%3D1141638039/026-3357374-7140452
Here are Lea's next 5 appearances. Boy, does she get around!
Reserve for at least one of these today: May 26, 2011
Lambda Literary Awards
School of Visual Arts Theater
333 West 23rd Street
New York, NY 10011


June 3, 2011
Wakefield Jazz
Wakefield (College Grove) Sports Club
Eastmoor Road
Wakefield, WF1 3RR
Tel: 01977 680542


June 18, 2011
Portland Pride
Tom McCall Waterfront Park
Portland, OR


July 19, 2011
Wall to Wall Songbook
Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho
10 Dean Street
London, England W1D 3RW
Tel: 0845 6027 017


July 23, 2011
The Vortex
11 Gillett Square
London N16 8AZ
Tel: 020 7254 4097





Jane StuartA friend of mine is the manager of Bette Midler's New Leaf Restaurant in Fort Tryon Park. We decided to go in one Friday night with friends. We got an added bonus, Jane Stuart and Rick De Kovessey were appearing there. I became an instant fan! I also got an added bonus in the mix: Jane and Rick became friends. They even helped me celebrate my 50th Birthday this year!I booked Jane on one of the WEDNESDAY NIGHTS AT THE IGUANA that I was booking at the time and we try to catch Jane and Rick whenever they are appearing anywhere.
Well, Jane also has a great new cd out called "DON'T LOOK BACK". I love it. It is on my Ipod (which is always on shuffle...over 5000 songs!). My favorite selections out of many are BIRD OF BEAUTY (Take a listen: http://janestuartmusic.com/music_2011/Extract%20from%20CD%205%20-%20Track%205.mp3) and SUMMERTIME!
Elizabeth Ahlfors in CABARET SCENES wrote, "Kicking off this new release with a bang, jazz singer Jane Stuart’s silvery tones make her a potent force to be reckoned with. A refreshing sound on the jazz canvas and showing an innate sense of confidence, Stuart embeds “I Just Found Out About Love” with a lively punch worthy of more familiar names from the complex world of jazz. Backed by an incredible jazz ensemble featuring Rave Tesar’s genius on keyboards, Stuart’s alto croons with a driving, cool style that, occasionally, recalls the young Nancy Wilson in her swing mode."
Jane's website is http://janestuartmusic.com
Jane Stuart started her singing career at age 5, on a local TV show, “Moser Starlites”. Her song was, “Me And My Teddy Bear”. As a child she studied ballet at Ballet Arts in Carnegie Hall, acting with Eleanor Raab and Jim Tuttle and singing with Sue Seton and in later years Don Lawrence. Her great love of dance, especially tap, lead her to study at Charlie Lowe’s School of Tap and Personality in NYC, alongside, Christopher Walken, Alan Paul (Manhattan Transfer), David Winters (West Side Story) and Jeff Conaway. In later years Jane attributes her tap dancing skills to be the start of her understanding of jazz.Jane was born and raised in Jersey City, N.J. and then grew up in New York City. Jane attended high school at Quintano’s School For Young Professionals in New York City alongside friends and classmates, Bernadette Peters, Greg Hines, Bonnie Bedelia, Michele Conaway, Z (formerly known as Bruce Scott) and Patty Duke.On Friday, June 03, please join me at the New Leaf Restaurant Ft. Tryon Pk. (at The Cloisters) NYC
for Jane Stuart and Rave Tesar-keyboaad/Rick De Kovessey-drums/ Scenic and beautiful restaurant with outstanding cuisine.They will play jazz, R&B and everything the traffic will bear. They've been there regularly for the past 2 years and it's always a great gig!
Winner of The Blue Chip Award
For Best Jazz Vocals - IAJE-Jazz Journal
Jane is ALSO a vocal coach!Jane Stuart Vocal Coach

Contact:Jsmussic@aol.com

With over 40 years of experience as a professional in the music business, Jane Stuart, offers her students excellence in teaching. She has studied singing , music, acting and dance with some of the finest educators in NYC including, Don Lawrence, Sue Seton, Gary Dial, Jim Tuttle, Bill Hickey, Uta Hagen, Charlie Lowe and Phil Black.Jane’s Off-Broadway debut was in “Curley McDimple”, a parody of the Shirley Temple movies. Jane played the comedic role of the mean Miss Hamilton, (a montage of the many characters played by the great actress, Margaret Hamilton). She played this role for 3 years at the Burt Wheeler Theatre and then The Plaza 9 Theatre. Jane’s reviews were outstanding as she sang, tap danced and acted with the legendary Butterfly McQueen in this production. As a result of Jane’s fond memories of her experience working with Ms. McQueen, she was invited to contribute to Stephen Bourne’s book, “Butterfly McQueen Remembered”. Another great memory of this show was when Ms. Margaret Hamilton attended her performance and gave it her blessing. Margaret loved Jane’s portrayal.

Tomorrow is the birthday of my dear friend, Dawn Behrens!Dawn and I first met at The Igcita (Fil Jessee's International Guild for Celebrity and Tribute Artists) Dawn is a dead ringer (no pun intended) of Anna Nicole Smith and Marilyn Monroe. Dawn is in the Orlando, Florida Area but travels and is available for corporate and/or private events.Dawn is an entertainment writer and a professional Celebrity Impersonator. Dawn has done many portrayals including Marilyn Monroe, Anna Nicole Smith, Elvira,Lucille Ball,Mae West, Dolly Parton,and more! As Marilyn, she has performed live all over the USA, Puerto Rico, Germany and even toured Japan last fall. Dawn's shows were seen regularly on the Sterling Ambassador II in Port Canaveral for almost 10 years until summer 2008. Currently,she writes for Examiner.com, and is putting a book together. Live performing is still going strong with her "Lady Luck Show" for events and parties. It is a combination of audience interaction,comedy, and live jazz, standards . Also Dawn was chosen by Camille Terry to be a part of an ALL FEMALE show called the "Rackpack". It is a sexy, funny, and "uplifting" show celebrating women!!
Follow Dawn on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/#!/OrlandoDish
Become A Facebook friend of mine!
Follow me on Twitter
If you've seen one of my appearances/shows, add your thoughts to my guestbook at www.RichardSkipper.com

Tomorrow's blog will any other suggestions I receive!

Please contribute to the DR. CAROL CHANNING & HARRY KULLIJIAN FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS: http://www.carolchanning.org/foundation.htm
TILL TOMORROW...HERE'S TO AN ARTS FILLED WEEK!
Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com