Alice Kane

So far so good, only because I can't decide what to get!!! When faced with a once-in-a-lifetime, life-altering decision like THIS, I say (as the Brits would) "GET THE LOT!" Alice

Thanks jedimaster for this exquisite recap - and your thoughts - on Lloyd Webber's sequel, Love Never Dies: The Phantom Returns. (Your report is beautifully written and gives a lot of 'food for thought.') Alice

Thanks! Will check them out! I'm sure you know this song, below....but it's one of my faves and I just heard it again today on YouTube: Lloyd Weber's "Tell Me on a Sunday" from Song and Dance. This is Betty Buckley's recording, and it's so haunting. I know the lyrics may seem 'cheesy' to some, but it seemed so relevant to that stage of life we all go through. URL and LYRICS: Don't write a letter when you want to leave Don't call me at 3 am from a friend's apartment. I'd like to choose how I hear the news. Take me to a park that's covered with trees. Tell me on a Sunday please. Let me down easy, no big song and dance. No long faces, no long looks, no deep conversation. I know the way we should spend that day. Take me to a zoo that's got chimpanzees. Tell me on a Sunday please. Don't want to know who's to blame, it won't help knowing. Don't want to fight day and night bad enough you're going. Don't leave in silence with no words at all. Don't get drunk and slam the door, that's no way to end this, I know how I want you to say goodbye. Find a circus ring with a flying trapeze. Tell me on a Sunday please. I don't want to fight day and night, bad enough you're going. Don't leave in silence with no words at all. Don't get drunk and slam the door, that's no way to end this. I know how I want you to say goodbye. Don't run off in the pouring rain. Don't call me as they call your plane. Take the hurt out of all the pain. Take me to a park that's covered with trees. Tell me on a Sunday please. P.S. Speaking of Betty Buckley, she used to live down the block from me and had 3 Shih Tzu (Gemma, Bridget & Jessie). I also had 3 Shih Tzu at that time and it was hilarious when the dogs passed by each other on the street - a little coven of long-haired 'aristocrats,' trying to upstage each other. (Am pretty sure I mentioned before that Betty had one of her dogs on stage with her in Edwin Drood and when she left the show, replaced by Loretta Swit!!, my twin's Lhasa, Oliver, and one of my Tzu, Keswick, were cast to "play the dog" - until the producers found it too expensive and the dogs were 'laid off.' That's show biz! Alice

The London production on a DVD(CD) -- YES!!!!!!!!!!!! If truth be known, that is EXACTLY what I I've been thinking about since you first told me of the FOLLIES event. Yeah, it's nice to see it on "The Big Screen" - but to OWN it, is sublime. (Tho I'll still check to see if my area theater adds another date.) In the meantime, 'godspeed' January 20th for you AND fingers crossed for an un-flawed event! Alice

OHH NOOOOOOO, Mr. Bill! New technology is great ---- until it is NOT! I'm SO sorry this special event went from 'dazzling to disintegrating' for you. I think it makes sense to wait to see it till January.....time seems to go fast, especially around the holidays. I've been searching to see if the East Coast experienced satellite problems, but so far I haven't found any articles. The times and theatres in NY in which I wanted to see this event have been sold out.....so I'm waiting to see if they add or change any of the showings. The clips I've seen online look amazing. I'm really sorry that this all got so screwed up....but I hope you make it to a January showing. I know how much you were looking forward to this unique FOLLIES, and I can't believe that such a major innovative event went so wrong. (A sign of "these times," I suppose!!!!) Alice

"Wow wow wow!" (as Gordon Ramsay would say ) I love wintertime, and Disney sure knows how to do the season right! Thanks for a 'technicolor' Report. Alice

HOW WAS FOLLIES (ala National Theatre in London)???!!!! Astonishing, I'm sure, but we need "NW reviews!" Alice

OMG. Are you sure this story wasn't patterned after our administration in Wash. DC?! (Thank goodness for The Resistance faction.) Great report as always, Chuck. I miss Europa Park -- and I've never BEEN there! So many needs....so little time.... Alice

Thanks! I always appreciate an "NW theater/music alert!" Alice

Ah YES! Now I remember - I saw the old VHS documentary of the 1970 cast recording of COMPANY!! I'd rented it from the NY Library. Thanks so much for your research and finding the current Amazon DVD. I may wait a tad later till it slips down a bit in price....but it's great to know where I can find it! I am soooooo tempted. P.S. KING KONG, the musical! Oh, yes! (He was my first furry love, before Remi!) Alice

I totally enjoyed every word and every picture in your Theme Report! Thanks for taking the time to be so thorough (and amusing!) Incredible park in every way. (Plus I must remember the Angry Corns if I ever find myself needing a Halloween costume. Such droll little cobs!) Alice

Sorry to hear that. Alice

I wasn't familiar with the Ocean Sunfish, and I just took a look on YouTube. What an astonishing species. Quite beautiful. Hope you find out where/if it was relocated. (Or else KT may never get married and will be traveling to theme parks with you and Robb right into Social Security.) Alice

NW, Am happily astonished to hear your news that COMPANY is being revised in London... with a gender-change in the lead!! Boy, you REALLY are on top of all that is going on in theater! With LuPone and Craig , tickets probably won't be available for DECADES!!! Like you, I'm curious as to how they will be handling 'gender' in the songs. Thanks for the article. I will definitely be following this production. (Hopefully, a book is already in the works!) By the way, speaking of "Ladies Who Lunch," (my fave number), did you see the old documentary of Elaine Stritch desperately trying to get the song recorded for the album in a NY studio in 1970? What a classic bit of 'backstage frolic!" That's one of my top documentaries, but I saw it ages ago and don't remember where/when/how I saw it. I know that You Tube has 'some' of it, but not the entire 'misadventure.' Maybe it was on the original album CD??? A most INCREDIBLE glimpse of the one and only Stritch! TKTS, by the way, is still alive and well - though no more "A Chorus Line" for thirty dollars!! Can't believe you saw the original TWICE! I saw many of the original cast, but don't remember what the heck I paid. Life was good! (Though roller coasters weren't yet 'in their prime.") Alice

Patti LuPone! Another legend! And you saw her in the original EVITA!?!? You're killing me! Did you happen to see on television a few years ago, LuPone teaching a group of young actor/singers? She was an amazing instructor! She totally 'got thru' to her students, and you could see their transformation in just a day of incorporating her special tips. As for a musical thriller - "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" LuPone's (or Ebersole's) 'hit song' would HAVE to be: "But Ya ARE, Blanche, Ya ARE!" (And if Disney produced it...lol...'REMI' could be 'on the plate!') Nooooo, not my sweet Remi! P.S. I hear that hip surgery is so much improved these days, so I'm hoping she'll be bouncing back SOON. Alice

NW, Whoa! You've had some of the BEST Broadway thrills, ever. What a coup getting to see so many legends! So many of my faves. I really applaud you for all you've seen! You made me remember stuff I'd almost forgotten about. Being a kid growing up near to Bdway, I realize now how lucky I was to see some of the classics (and performers like Zero Mostel, Robert Morse, Julie Andrews (& her amazing Camelot co-stars). One of my luckiest "breaks" (as a performer) was getting an theatrical callback from John Dexter directing EQUUS - but alas NO! I didn't get the part (OR meet Richard Burton!). It's fun to recall and to share with you your similar theater/film/TV memories. My funniest memory - moving to the realm of TV - was finding myself in a Madison Ave. dressing room boutique with Marlo Thomas. I loved her in That Girl, and, at the time (years ago!), looked a bit like her which got me into some nice auditions. ANYWAY, there I was, trying on stuff and, a few feet away, Marlo was trying on nightgowns!! I couldn't decide whether to say anything (and risk being 'uncool'), but decided I'd kick myself if I ignored this opportunity....so as I left the dressing room, I just made a quick comment thanking her for her dedication to feminism, telling her how much I enjoyed her work as an actor, and welcoming her to NYC - she'd just relocated to NY. (She was very polite and graciously thanked me.) My twin sister, Lynn, always laughs at that story and says, "WELL! I bumped - literally - into Lauren Bacall - in our neighborhood, and Ms Bacall apologized profusely to me to for "not paying attention and walking into me." LOLOL!) Thanks, NW, for sharing your love of performing and performers. (Hey! Maybe someday we'll be ole folk in a nursing home, perusing our "scrapbooks," together. ) Alice

047.jpg QUOTE>UNQUOTE Er......I'm betting on the Eli Roth hostel. (Does one have to reserve a fluffy fluffy locker filled with medicine and goo.. and 'bloody apron,' etc etc...??) Super duper Trip Report, Chuck! Thanks. Alice

Liampie, welcome to The Un-united -OOPS - The UNITED States of America. Irony, roller-coaster reviews and satirical snark! The perfect threesome! What a pleasure to hear a little "wink wink nudge nudge" humor from a visitor 'across the pond.' Your coaster reviews are a real treat and your observations on many U.S. theme park guests are right on target. The 'obesity thing' is sad and getting downright scary. What makes me really nuts is that we are now a nation where it's become so much cheaper to feed our families fast food. Some of the country's poorest neighborhoods have virtually no fresh food supermarkets, but are CLOGGED with block after block of fast food eateries. And the price to feed a family on 'burgers and fries' costs less than a QUARTER of what that family would have to pay for normal, fresh healthy food. Yes, it IS up to people to make "smart" decisions when planning their mealtimes, BUT it makes me so angry that the poorest people in our nation are the ones targeted to struggle with diabetes, heart troubles, high blood pressure, et al throughout their lives. (I LOVE the occasional junk food, myself, but the food industry here seems to be working hand-in-hand with the Big Pharma companies to derail our nation's health.) By the way, believe it or not, I just saw a BBC documentary that said that Great Britain now has the MOST morbidly obese citizens in Europe. Wow! When I lived there many years ago, that was nowhere in evidence! Anyway, back to my MAIN reason for writing you: Thanks for such a wise, witty and hilarious Trip Review!! (And great coaster tips!) Alice PS. Love your Shih Tzu pic in your profile! (As you may have noticed, my user name is "Obey the Shih Tzu!" Your pic says it ALL about the breed.)

Wow! The smiles on all your faces could electrify the Disney light parade! (Hmmmmm...maybe next year you can do something with electric lights....like the "moving Strip of Bacon!") You definitely got the best shots ever! (The costumes were SO cool and The Headless Horseman pix were priceless!) Thanks for 'taking us all along with you' on your special not-so-scary party. BOO! Alice

NW - You've sure seen some great shows! (I must admit a special passion for A Chorus Line!...and I DO have real fondness for some of the shows of Broadway's "Golden Age" - King & I; Carousel, etc....those musical scores were hauntingly beautiful. (I found via research a 1950's NY Times theater page, and there were literally 50 or so award-winning shows to choose from. What a feast!) In answer to your question, like you, I'm a member of AEA, SAG & AFTRA (now merged with SAG). But my work has been Off-Broadway and tours - straight plays such as (& here I'm aging myself! ) Barefoot in the Park, Butterflies Are Free, etc. Also did some film bits. Those were great times, but there just are just so few straight shows being produced these days. I miss it, but like you, I follow the theater to see what's up (and play my CDs). Too bad ticket prices have hit the stratosphere!!! I've been to Vancouver only once - on my way to skiing at Whistler/Blackcomb. What a lovely part of the country - must be an ideal city to set roots! I truly adore NYC....though it's occasionally frustrating not having a car. (I am 'theme-park deprived.') P.S. One of my favorite theater experiences was seeing Elaine Stritch on Broadway in her one-woman show, At Liberty! (She stayed backstage afterwards to talk to those of us who wanted to say "Congratulations!") She was one AMAZING lady!

NRTHWND, somehow I just KNEW you'd have that Follies book! (Tho it's weird how many of my friends in the theater never heard of it! ) How cool that you corresponded with Ted Chapin - and with Sondheim, himself. Those letters/cards must be real 'keepers!' Oddly enuf, Sondheim lived in this huge turn-of-the-century building across from me -the Apthorp - Bdway & 79th...but, alas, I never 'ran into him.' (Unless we were waiting at the fish counter in Zabar's together.) To answer your question, I missed out on the recent revival with Bernadette Peters. (And, as for Elaine Paige....I ADORE her!) Bernadette (along with the sadly deceased and much missed Mary Tyler Moore) runs the annual "Broadway Barks" festival in Schubert Alley each year, and works very hard to put together a day to benefit the city's homeless dogs. She's got unbelievable energy! Cool event! You're probably right about the National Theater production of FOLLIES leaning more towards a "concert" than the true spirit of a show.....but with Imelda Staunton in the cast, I think she'll make it as 'real' as she can. P.S. A little theater humor. As an actor, I never made it to Broadway (I'm not a musical performer), but my first Shih Tzu and my twin's Lhasa Apso appeared in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. At least SOMEONE in my family got to 'tread the boards of the Great White Way!!!' Alice

Anybody with new info. on this broadcast production, I would LOVE to hear from you! I am an all-time bonafied FOLLIES FREEK. And I know of what I speek. Big TIme. Thanks in advance! NRTHWND - As a "bonafied Follies Freak," you may already have this incredible book - BUT - if you do not, you should see if you can find a copy of 'Everything Was Possible' - The Birth of the Musical FOLLIES, by Ted Chapin. (Came out in 2003 and it takes you from the crazy casting days to the drama-filled rehearsals to the 'nurturing' of its stars to the pressure-filled try-outs and, finally!, OPENING NIGHT on Bdway. It's one of my favorite Broadway memoirs. And the photos are gems! Hope you find it. I saw one of the first Bdway revivals of the show, Follies, and it's definitely a Sondheim treasure. (Will be checking out the broadcast production you mention....that should be amazing.) Alice

Huh?! You turned down the opportunity to visit a "cute dog?!?!" "Oh, the humanity!," sez my Shih Tzu! Alice

Chuck, your 'A to Zed' Trip Reports never fail....to make me laugh.....and to learn. Your wit is as dry and crackly as the post-Macy's Thanksgiving Day foliage in November. And your photos - rides, 'culture,' food - are delightful, delicious, de-lovely! Thanks! Alice

Oh lawdy! That looks like SO much more fun than 'hitting the gym.' I just KNOW I'd have to attempt everything there at least once! Or die trying. (My National Shih Tzu Club had its annual show in St. Louis one year, and I was moaning that there was nothing exciting to do in the area. So sad that I didn't know about the museum... .) Thanks for the incredible pix and videos! Alice