The Bronx is up, the Battery's down, and Jimi and Tommy are right here delving into the Americana classic of a musical On the Town. Lenoard Bernstein (or is it Bernstein), Betty Comden (the bombshell that she is) and Adolph Green (he’s there too) have devised a wonderful, timeless(?) classic in this show which might, indeed, be the FIRST true musical comedy!
SHOW NOTES
It’s like she’s in the room with us! Enjoy the incomparable Christine Pedi…or, perhaps, the real Liza Minnelli answering “Vogue’s” 73 questions.
Tommy’s never seen it, have you? Enjoy The Simpsons musical Springfield Springfield.
Come along with Jay Armstrong Johnson as he takes us on a tour of the newly re-renovated Lyric Theatre for the 2014 production. Did he mention the pit? It’s for the big orchestra. It’s really big. And they have it. In this show. And they really want you to know about it.
The Boettcher Concert Hall (home of the Colorado Symphony) is truly a magnificent space. Next time you’re in Denver, see if you can grab some tickets!
Or if you end up in Glasgow instead, come and enjoy one of Acquire’s musical theatre sing-throughs! Maybe you’ll spy a familiar (single!) podcaster in the company…
We owe a good chunk of research for this episode to Dr. Katherine Baber and her article "Manhattan Women": Jazz, Blues, and Gender in On the Town and Wonderful Town. If you’re doing work in this area, this is a publication worth a read.
And then here’s something for our boys on the front lines! Chattanooga CHOO CHOO!
Or maybe this is why you’re in the show notes: enjoy a baby-faced Lea DeLaria and an even babier-faced Jessee Tyler Ferguson on the Rosie O’Donnell show.
Can’t get enough of Lea DeLaria? Here she is at the Newport Jazz Festival with a swingin’ take on The Ballad of Sweeney Todd.
And, if you want to join Tommy on his whirlwind cab tour of places-that-don’t-exist-anymore in NYC, here’s our itinerary. Buckle up!