Tuesday, November 27, 2012

2012 in mainly theater-and-cabaret related parody and tribute videos

FIRST, LOOKING BACK:
HERE IS 2010 IN THEATER-RELATED VIDEO PARODIES -



HERE IS 2009'S LIST - 2009 in theater-related video parodies





And here, in reverse order of the year, is 2012 in mainly (almost all) theatre tributes and parodies - not all necessarily funny, some more sincere.   

DEC 2012 – due to the great actor’s birthday being in December, here’s a novelty song, a non-comedy ballad called FROLIC LIKE ELI WALLACH





and also for the holidays: our Adele / SKYFALL take on "Let It Snow, Let It Snow..."    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3SF-Z5wOTg

OCT/NOV 2012 – “MOTOWN THE MUSICAL” shows itself off to the public, our parody-tribute TV ad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onIR5WCr5dA

AUG – SEPT 2012 – ED ASNER & GEORGIA ENGEL MAKE FOR AN MTM THEMED SEASON N NY STAGES (MTM THEME PARODY)

JULY 2012 – CLOSER THAN EVER / MISS BYRD PARODY

JUNE 2012 –  IN TRIBUTE TO ALL THE JEWISH HUMOR ON STAGE THESE DAYS: “PUT YOUR PAIN IN THE HANDS OF A JEW”

MAY 2012 – PARODY-TRIBUTE to SMASH, for the greatest answer ever to a marriage proposal:  I’M IN TECH

APRIL 2012 – WE WERE WORKING ON AN ADELE PARODY MUSICAL -  HERE’S A PARODY FROM THAT JUKEBOX SPOOF SHOW, OF HER “ROLLING IN THE DEEP”

MARCH 2012 – PRIOMO FOR THE EDITH PIAF STAMP –
LA VIE EN ROSE PARODY

FEBRUARY 2012 – PETULA CLARK AT FEINSTEIN’S PARODY : 
DON’T SLEEP IN THE SUBWAY SPOOF

JANUARY 2012 – DOWNTOWN ABBY / UPTOWN ANN LANDERS, a parody TV show pitch





OTHER LINKS:

General info on "Theater Squawk" (a parody take-off on Theater Talk) is at http://artsparodies.blogspot.com/

My lookback at this blog's Theater Parody Video Years 2009-2011 is at

For info on the backstage intrigue musical TANGLED WEBS, which is based on my story WebCAST:  This dark but romantic musical comedy is written by Bill Connington, composer Skip Kennon  and lyricist Ellen Schwartz, and lots of details are at the blog at http://tangled-webs-updates.blogspot.com/    

Blog link to a few original (non-parody) songs is at


A QUICK PARODY COMMERCIAL: "Barry Manilow" to return to Bway, per Today Show
PRICE BREAK, tune of DAYBREAK, a new YouTube "parody quickie ad"

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Let's Frolic Like Eli Wallach and other December-type songs of joy (and I hope, of hope!)


Happy Thanksgiving!  I think this is the earliest the holiday, and thus the holiday shopping season's start, can possibly be, isn't it?

If anyone's looking for December numbers for acts or revues or piano-bar sets, feel free to use these: (just tell me how they go over after you use them if you can)

LET'S FROLIC LIKE ELI WALLACH - with the great actor's birthday in early December, my audio  novelty-song tribute to seeing his diverse  double features with my uncle (my uncle had adopted the phrase "let's frolic like Eli Wallach" as a philosophy when it was apparently said on a TV talk/variety show and my aunt had kept the thought going)  - original song
Link for the audio is at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONC6oE_v9b4

IN THE SEASON WE LOVE - Duet, with NY shoppers clashing on holiday spirit, but ultimately finding harmony     (original song)

For any holiday travel - there's the "standby" FLY ME IN THE NUDE airline scanner spoof  - parody of Fly Me to the Moon

More Chrsitmas stuff here on my blog at  

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

The label had run out of CD's last month, but they now have more LAST STARFIGHTER CD's on hand.

(Added Nov 24: The original cast album is also available either as CD or for download 
at amazon and all around the web.)

Also: Bruce Kimmel, whose Kritzerland label did our original cast album, has 
photos and our liner notes on the Kritzerland site.

The page with LAST STARFIGHTER sound clips and quotes about the show  and the Kritzerland     original cast album is at this link
http://kritzerland.com/starfighter.htm

Photos of the Storm Theatre production are at this link
http://kritzerland.com/starfighter_pix.htm

Some descriptive info & the synopsis of Storm Theatre production,  in liner notes    
at this link  http://kritzerland.com/KL_TLS_Notes.pdf

YouTube video of the song REACH OUT (music and lyric by Skip Kennon) 
vocals: Julia Motyka and Charlie Pollack  as Maggie and Alex
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qoNrjhnVxM 

The Last Starfighter (musical adaptation)
Book by Fred Landau       
Music & lyric by Skip Kennon 
Based on the screenplay by Jonathan Betuel

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Christmas material, since everyone's starting already!


For the holidays:


For any holiday travel - our FLY ME IN THE NUDE airline scanner spoof 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn3AcCmPL00

Our Adele / SKYFALL take on "Let It Snow, Let It Snow..." 
sung by Sheree Sano
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3SF-Z5wOTg


And this one's not a parody, but we did this show "audition demo" and it turned out timely, so here's a holiday original number (demo sung by Jan Horvath) - from my "Across State Lines"
IN THE SEASON WE LOVE - NY shoppers clash on holiday spirit, but find harmony
The link is at   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmGx8ELYqNs


SOME OTHER LINKS, BASED ON WHAT'S GOTTEN VIEWS IN THE PAST
General info (synopsis, parody lyrics) on "Theater Squawk" (a parody take-off on Theater Talk) now can be found at  http://artsparodies.blogspot.com/

My video lookback at this blog's Theater Parody Video Years 2009-2011 is at

For info on the backstage intrigue musical TANGLED WEBS, which is based on my story WebCAST:  This dark but romantic musical comedy is written by Bill Connington, composer Skip Kennon  and lyricist Ellen Schwartz, and lots of details are at the blog at 
http://tangled-webs-updates.blogspot.com/    


And on the politics end - with Bristol Palin back on DANCING WITH THE STARS, we reprise our FALL 2010 “Chrysanthemum Tea Party Overtures” – done with the gracious OK of Mr. Sondheim’s Pacific Overtues music publisher   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taiPOElxQdc

also You're A Pain,  Tea Party - -parody of "You're So Vain "- a rogue-umentary






Saturday, September 15, 2012

A LOOK BACK AT THEATER SPOOFS 2009-2011


Hearing the talk by some of the critics about what was worth parodying in theatre from 2009 to 2011. No one does it on the level of "Forbidden Broadway" in terms of hitting the bulls-eye of critical acumen and connection with the wide audience, but there were lots of parody writers in cabarets and on the net taking gleeful advantage of Forbidden Bway's  three years off to try our hands at the silliness of the theatre goings-on.  I compiled a blog of some of my own (with some terrific collaborators) that I thought were fun on topics that seemed hot on the chat boards in 2009-11.  I hope you like them.

HERE'S THE LIST OF TOPICS, THEN THE LINKS ARE BELOW
Hair - Diane Paulus - Will Swenson, actors invade the audience!
Hugh Jackman on Broadway, I Go To Rio spoof
Priscilla / Bette Midler does the talk shows for her investors (The Gross, tune of The Rose)
40-year lookback, I'm Still Queer 1969-2009
Come Fly Away's gratuitous disrobing "celebrated" in Fly me in the nude
Kristin wants more - asks Neil for more songs in Promises (Say a Little Prayer spoof)
A Little Site Music - Catherine and Angela sell out - at the Kerr!
John & Abigail Adams family mash-up (in honor of Peter Marks Addams family review)
Times reports Stritch's agents making some interesting requests.  We speculate!
Free Shakespeare With Al
More Stritch!  Sit (tune of Zip) as Stritch strives to be the best Mme Armfeldt ever!
Knowing When to Close, as Promises Promises makes tough choice NOT to re-cast
Losing My Sign, Henry Miller Theatre becomes the Sondheim Theatre 
Shylock (tune of Skylark), Merchant producers beg Al Pacino to extend
Oklahoma in DC - Everything's up to date at the Arena
On a Clear Day He'll Be She Forever - What did I Have I don't have now parody
Speed-the-Plow - Jeremy Piven sushi scandal (though Mr. Piven was cleared by Equity later)
I'd Rather a Jew - Funny Girl casting
Pray for Grosses - Donny & Marie 2010 Christmas show - audio 
Queen of "Wishful Drinking" - Carrie Fisher pricing spoof
Roles for Betty White:  Great Auntie Mame
Roles for Betty White:  In Betty's Eyes (Much Older Sally in Follies spoof)
Book of MoreMoney - tune of South Park's Kyle's Mom's a B*tch - a quickie
The Mother With the Hat - the perfect show to take Mom to for Mother's Day?
Actors playing instruments - Ten Cents a Dance (It Never Entered My Mind regional parody)
What I Did Got Snubbed - What I Did For Love parody (Kiss the Dough Goodbye)

THE CAST OF "HAIR" INVADING THE AUDIENCE
I GO TO RIO - Hugh Jackman on Broadway parody
PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT - tune of THE ROSE as Bette gets on the talk shows
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5CCbK-Qvoc    sung by Jan Horvath
"I'M STILL QUEER" -COVERING 40 YEARS OF THEATRE TUNE OF "I'M STILL HERE" 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt40nQGc1I4     sung by William Parry
LOOKING FOR A WAY TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE DISROBING IN TWYLA THARP'S SINATRA SHOW "COME FLY AWAY" - HERE'S "FLY ME IN THE NUDE"
ADDITION OF SONGS TO “PROMISES” TO LENGTHEN KRISTIN PART 
- Affectionate Kristin parody, of “I Say A Little Prayer”
MINI-MUSICAL "A LITTLE SITE MUSIC, OR EVERY DAY A LITTLE NET" - 
ACT ONE is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2mMKTJhdMc  sung by Jan Horvath

EVERYONE WAS DOING ADDAMS FAMILY THEME SONG PARODIES, EVEN THE WASHINGTON POST CRITIC - So we did a snap-along John & Abigail Adams Family Theme ("1776" mash-up)
NY TIMES ANNOUNCEMENT THAT ELAINE STRITCH HAD CERTAIN “REQUIREMENTS” TO APPEAR IN A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC prompted some humorous looks online at what those might be.  A low-tech take on one of those silly hypothetical lists of supposed demands
FREE SHAKESPEARE WITH AL – Al Pacino in Merchant of Venice, at that time for FREE
, as people line up in Central Park, to tune of  FOR ME AND MY GAL
CAN NEVER EVER GET ENOUGH OF THE GREAT ELAINE STRITCH, so we wondered (to a parody of ZIP! called SIT!)  how she copes sitting for eight performances a week, three hours at a clip – as she strives to be the very best Mme. Armfeldt ever; 
IN SUMMER 2010, SPECULATION OF WHO MIGHT REPLACE SEAN HAYES & KRISTIN CHENOWETH in “PROMISES PROMISES” was big chat fodder. 
KNOWING WHEN TO CLOSE, another affectionate Kristin parody, of Knowing When to Leave
As the Henry Miller Theatre is re-named for the great Stephen Sondheim, 
we speculated on Henry Miller’s ghost reconciling himself with the name change
LOSING MY SIGN, parody of LOSING MY MIND from FOLLIES
Al Pacino’s transfer to Broadway was big box office, the producers trying to get him to extend
SHYLOCK, a parody of SKYLARK  
We tried a regional theater parody – A fun bit of news because friends work at the Arena at times was that the Arena Stage’s production of OKLAHOMA! managed to come into the “nationsl spotlight” with a rejuvenating production of the show.  It hasn’t come to NYC, but the attention for Arena was great news!
EVERYTHING’S UP TO DATE AT THE ARENA, 
parody of KANSAS CITY from OKLAHOMA!
A WHAT DID I HAVE THAT I DON'T HAVE audio parody, Alan Jay Lerner's ghost hanging out at Vassar as CLEAR DAY did its tryout in summer 2010 (it had looked promising there and at Vineyard, very surprised later on that it ultimately didn't gel finally, but maybe there will be another chance)   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt9VtE_1TY8 

SPEED THE PLOW, JEREMY PIVEN 


And some others (these videos were often more quickly done, though) mostly from later in the period:
I’D RATHER A JEW – Funny Girl casting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2w4qioo5Jg
AUDIO - DONNY & MARIE ON BROADWAY -
“PRAY FOR GROSSES” (tune of Paper Roses)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trjQcXLF6ww
The pricing at Carrie Fisher’s WISHFUL DRINKING
Parody of “King of Wishful Thinking”
Roles for Betty White #1:  “Great Auntie Mame”
Roles for Betty White #2: “Much Older Sally”- IN BETTYS EYES
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rYtD0aXwVo   (feat. Mary Jay singing "Betty White") 
BOOK OF MoreMONEY, with great joy for them when they got their Tony sweep to
Tune of “KYLE’s MOM’s a B*TCH” from “South Park”
THE MOTHERF**ER WITH THE HAT
“The Mom With the Hat” – the perfect show for Mother’s Day
Regional parody of “Ten Cents a Dance” (actors playing instruments)
IT PAYS THE RENT, I DON’T MIND (to IT NEVER ENTERED MY MIND)
Parody of WHAT I DID FOR LOVE (KISS THE DOUGH GOODBYE)
WHAT I DID GOT SNUBBED - writer's anthem: Kleban parody 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZn00NbxLbM

CABARET CORNER
"Piaf" -  postage stamp dedication, a parody of LA VIE EN ROSE  

PETULA'S HIGH-PRICED APPEARANCE AT FEINSTEIN's
TRY EATING AT SUBWAY, DARLING!

Nat King Cole - as the real Mona Lisa's Bones get dug up for reality TV
Mona Lisa parody - Bones of Lisa - ROUGH DEMO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DoH2g1M-8o

George and Ira Gershwin guest star - as their heirs go wild giving rights
Someone To Watch Our Estate - ROUGH DEMO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF8tBUVE24E