THE SEASON THEN, THE SEASON NOW By Peter Filichia
It all started with my wanting to do something nice for The Theatre World Awards – the 79-year-old organization that recognizes performers who make their Broadway and off-Broadway debuts. For the last 26 years, I’ve chaired the nominating committee and emceed the annual ceremony. To raise money, we take a table at the annual Broadway […]
SONG & DANCE: Not the Same Song and Dance By Peter Filichia
In a way, it could be considered a Bernadette Peters album. Most of the star’s longtime fans can tell you that over the decades, Peters has released six solo recordings. But she really did a seventh as well. It’s her lengthiest one, at 64 minutes: SONG & DANCE – THE SONGS. Does that title sound […]
SO, YOU THINK YOU KNOW SWEENEY TODD… By Peter Filichia
What you don’t know – or don’t remember – about SWEENEY TODD could fill a book. Rick Pender has proved that by writing Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: Behind the Bloody Musical Masterpiece. Pender, a Cincinnati reviewer, has attended the tale of Sweeney Todd for 252 pages. To mark the musical’s 46-year history, here are 46 […]
SONS OF A CHORUS LINE By Peter Filichia
With all the talk about A CHORUS LINE’S 50th anniversary, let’s remember that without this excellent 1975 musical, there wouldn’t have been an excellent 2001 musical. A CLASS ACT. It told of Edward Kleban, A CHORUS LINE’s lyricist, whose work netted him the Tony, Drama Desk and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards, as well […]
HALF A CHORUS LINE WASN’T BETTER THAN A FULL ONE
Both friends and readers have asked me, “How did July 26 come and go without you commenting on A CHORUS LINE’s 50th anniversary?” Actually, I was saving it for this week, because August 9 was my 50th anniversary of seeing the show. I was living in Boston, so my Manhattan friend Richard Norton was asked […]
