{"id":3636,"date":"2012-10-10T14:10:48","date_gmt":"2012-10-10T21:10:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/?p=3636"},"modified":"2013-07-09T12:05:29","modified_gmt":"2013-07-09T19:05:29","slug":"of-thee-i-sing-at-42nd-street-moon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/of-thee-i-sing-at-42nd-street-moon\/","title":{"rendered":"OF THEE I SING at 42nd Street Moon"},"content":{"rendered":"

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OF THEE I SING<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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The musical score is by George Gershwin with lyrics written by Ira Gershwin. The book is by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind. This musical romp lampoons American politics as wild and scathing as National politics can get. Hey, once in a Zoo \u2013 you stay there! What is it they say? Oh, yes \u2013 money, money, money!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the laughable story: John P. Wintergreen, runs for President of the United States. This all takes place in the 1930\u2019s and a Parade is assembled to nominate \u201cWintergreen for President.\u201d His Vice President is barely noticed by the higher ups. You know, just like it is in Washington now. Alexander Throttlebottom (the VP) is of little importance. Actually, no one can remember who he is. But he is the funniest. Here\u2019s a note about the music: The Campaign song \u201cWintergreen for President\u201d includes parts of folk and patriotic songs such as Sousa\u2019s \u201cStars and stripes Forever\u201d, and \u201cHail, Hail, the Gang\u2019s All Here.\u201d That song was adopted by the Harvard University band as a pep song. The music introducing the French and their ambassador includes the opening bars of Gershwin\u2019s own \u201cAn American n Paris\u201d. I\u2019m sorry to say \u2013 the play just didn\u2019t make me want to jump right out of the seat. My take is that it needs to be tightened up. Trimming some of the show would not hurt \u2013 it would improve the energy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In those days this musical was considered one of the most sophisticated Gershwin shows. Most songs included a large ensemble. And that was fun \u2013 but there is more talk on the stage than there is music. The original Broadway production, directed by Kaufman, opened at the Music Box Theater in 1931. That was followed by Broadway revivals at the Imperial Theatre and at the Ziegfeld Theatre. A concert production of the musical appeared at the Barbican Centre in London in August 1996.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There was an effort to make a musical sequel called \u201cLet \u2018Em Eat Cake\u201d. It was produced on Broadway in 1933 with some of the music from \u201cOf Thee.\u201d Alas \u2013 it was a critical and box office failure. The show delightfully manages to show what suckers people are: I think it was Abraham Lincoln that gave the pronouncement \u201cabout not being able to fool all of the people all the time.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

As old as this musical is \u2013 it still shows us how ridiculous politicians are. What we see is what we get \u2013 \u201cFantasy on the Throne!\u201d And of course, \u201cthere is the sex, drugs and rock \u2018n\u2019roll!\u201d NAW! \u2013 That\u2019s another show.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Huge Cast was absolutely wonderful! Here they are: Noel Anthony \u2013 Brittany Danielle \u2013 David Fleishacker \u2013 Lexi Hart \u2013 Stewart Kramar \u2013 Ashley Jarrrett \u2013 Peter Budinger \u2013 Ashley Rae Little \u2013 Johnny Orenberg \u2013 Michael Rhone \u2013 DC Scarpelli \u2013 Stephen Vaught \u2013 Kelly Britt \u2013 Katherine Leyva \u2013 Anthony Rollins-Mullens \u2013 Skye Violet Wilson<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Artistic Director: GREG MacKELLAN \u2013 Producing Director: STEPHANIE RHOADS —Managing Director: JOE MADER<\/strong><\/p>\n

RATING: Three Glasses of Champagne<\/span>!!! \u2013trademarked-<\/strong><\/p>\n

(((Lee Hartgrave has contributed many articles to the San Francisco Chronicle Sunday Datebook and he hosted a long-running Arts Segment on PBS KQED)))<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  OF THEE I SING   The musical score is by George Gershwin with lyrics written by Ira Gershwin. The book is by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind. This…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3636","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-lee-hartgrave"},"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"