Friday, August 20, 2010

Starting Here. Starting Now.

Everythings coming up roses!

Arguably (not for me) Gypsy is the greatest musical of all time. A dream collaboration of Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim with the terrific Arthur Laurents providing the book based on the legendary stage mother to Gypsy Rose Lee and June Havoc.

Here's two of my favorite performances of the penultimate moments that close out Act one - Everythings Coming Up Roses and the Finale - Rose's Turn providing examples of a comprehensive master work of that incredibly profound animal from the musical theater -- the three act song performed in one kick ass show stopping production number.

Here she is world. Here she is boys. 

You either got it or you aint.

Even late in life, Ethel Merman delivers the goods, showcasing all the juice and essence of the archetypal stage mom filled with all torment of a life in the shadows ultimately remembering there moment in the sun.



With Angela Landsbury the role of Mama Rose shifts....

Everythings coming up Roses.

Curtain up. Light the lights. We've got nothing to hit but the heights.

You can do it... all you need is a hand.
We can do it.... Mama is gonna see to it.


Everythings coming up Roses and Daffodils
Everythings coming up Sunshine and Santa Close.

Everything coming up Roses this time for me.




"Just for that moment. It was mine." -- Angela Landsbury "share and hold a moment that belongs to no one else.... living in time and in our memories."

Here's Glee's use of the song.... showcasing the power of the work... however you use it.



This is an interesting transposition of Ethel Merman's cast recording with the screen version's Rosalind Russel performance.



That's what a classic show tune looks like!

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