The Playbill Channel

I got a rare New York treat the other night and went to see the latest revival of Stephen Sondheim's "Company." It seems that the new spin to put on his musicals is to have the actors also play the musical instruments. I saw them do this about two years ago with "Sweeney Todd." I can't wait for some producer to try this with "Follies" so we can watch a couple of 80-year-old broads marching around and playing tubas. Nevertheless, Broadway is always a hoot, and, in this show (which is closing July 1), Raul Esparza's rendition of "Being Alive" at the end of the show is worth the lofty price of admission.

So, I go back to my apartment and read through the Playbill. Then, as I have done with every Broadway show I have seen in my life, I tossed it in this file cabinet drawer.

Except I now cannot close the drawer. I was astounded by the amount of Playbills I have accrued over time. Many of them are dog-eared and others are faded. I probably should have popped them into some protective binder. But, no, I threw them haphazardly around like they were old TV Guides (I never saved any of them).

Before I sort through this mess, I have decided to pull a bunch of them out one-by-one. As sort of a life memory quiz, I will look at each Playbill and try to regurgitate some memorable factoid about each show. Let's see how this goes. I am simply going to reach in without looking...like the monsignor conducting a raffle drawing for a new car.

Sophisticated Ladies: I vaguely remember seeing this tribute to Duke Ellington. Must have been 25 years ago at least. I vaguely remember not liking it. I vaguely remember enjoying parts of it. I vaguely remember remembering.

My Fair Lady: No, not the original with Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison. How old do you think I am??? This is my favorite musical with a no-name Brit cast.

Present Laughter: I saw a Noel Coward play? Apparently. I actually saw George C. Scott live on stage. Apparently. And, listed in smaller roles, I apparently also saw Nathan Lane and Christine Lahti at very early stages of their careers.

Precious Sons: I have no recollection of what this play was, when I saw it, what it was about, or whether I enjoyed it. I hope the meal was good that night. The small cast includes Judith Ivey and Ed Harris. Not just unmemorable. Memory-less.

The Graduate: Oh, yeah. A brutal night in the theater. One of the worst evenings I ever spent on the planet, let alone a Broadway theater. The stage version of the movie was a sewage spill. Kathleen Turner took her clothes off, but you could see nothing because they reduced the lighting to 30 watt bulbs. I remember being pissed because the theater was full of tourists, who gave this a standing ovation. It was like they heard Bennigan's was giving out free buffalo wings. One slob in the row ahead of me was munching on potato chips. I think I spit my gum on his coat.

Chicago: This was when the revival of the revival first opened. I actually saw Bebe Neuwirth and Ann Reinking. A great production that inspired the movie. Reinking fell about ten feet into the orchestra pit and that was the most original choreography of the show.

Neil Simon's 45 Seconds from Broadway: A Neil Simon play from about 15 years that never became either a movie, a TV show, a musical, or, apparently, a good play. I have no clue what it was about, except it probably was based on about five minutes of his life.

The Music Man: Arguably one of my top ten Broadway experiences. This is the revival that came out about 9 years ago with Craig Bierko and Rebecca Luker. My favorite music of all time and they did it justice.

Night of the Iguana: I am not sure how I saw this, except perhaps I had a book report due. According to the cast list, I saw Jane Alexander perform live. I also once saw her crossing a street in Westwood.

Whose Life is It Anyway?: This was ages ago. Mary Tyler Moore took the male lead. I had seats in the very front row. Depressing, of course. As are most plays about people with broken necks and spines.

Show Boat: This was the revival about 15 years ago, and I remember liking it a lot. Nice cast. Audra McDonald. Rebecca Luker. Elaine Stritch. Oops, I went one too far, didn't I? I do recall having a fight with the woman next to me who would not dissolve a sour ball in her mouth.

They're Playing Our Song: Well, heck, I was bound to pick up this Playbill. I saw the freakin' show five times. It was one of those Broadway experiences of serendipity. I loved it so much that I had to treat all my friends to it one at a time. In retrospect, the score was just okay, the script was a little sitcom, and it really was only about two characters. But, it became the only musical score that I would sing out loud to completion at home. This particular Playbill must have been early in the run, because it lists the original players, Robert Klein and Lucie Arnaz.

Picnic: It's one of my favorite movies and I wanted to finally see the stage play in some revival from about 15 years ago. Kyle Chandler and Ashley Judd played the leads. I didn't think she appeared anywhere unless it was a B movie with Morgan Freeman. I remember preferring the movie over the play.

Carousel: Wow, I recall this evening. It was a Lincoln Center revival and another great performance by Audra McDonald. But, there was more to the evening. I was taken by a friend and her then 15 year-old daughter as a Christmas present. I almost didn't go. My mom was on a respirator at the time and we were just waiting for the inevitable. They convinced me to partake in the show as a respite. I know I was a mental mess by the end when they did "You'll Never Walk Alone" (which, by the way, was not written by Jerry Lewis). But I will always be grateful that they coaxed me out that night. She died the next evening.

And that's a good stopping point. The file cabinet is closing again.

Dinner last night: grilled sausage and peppers at Shea Stadium.