Monday, December 2, 2013

2013 in mostly theater/cabaret-related videos


Based more on when things happened than when I put up the video:

January 2013 –
The glamor began in this theater-heavy Hollywood Gown season
Note the full version of the “Hollywood Gown” parody song is at

and in pop music and politics:  who can forget the Beyonce National Anthem flap
Beyonce – Taylor Swift mash-up spoof:  National Anthem lip-sync brouhaha

February 2013 – 
For Valentine’s Day: our original theater song
“Is It Mushy to Say I Love You” somehow passed 73,000 view

March 2013 –
Mark Sanford "Carolina in the Morning" parody – Gov. Sanford ran again even after scandal (got elected),  and by the way, our parody video passed 134,000 views

In theater:  mash-up based on two real theater highlights of years past
SALLY’S TALLY’S FOLLIES - The Story of Sally and Sally


April 2013 -
Bette takes the town, our parody-tributes
BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY parody – Boogie Woogie Broadway Broad
 THE ROSE parody – The Gross (about premium seating)

May 2013 – 
“The Testament of Mary” gets Tony nom, closes abruptly
We updated our THE TESTINESS OF MARY

May / June 2013 -  only because I was busy planning travel
New version of FLY ME IN THE NUDE
here too is its sequel FLYING WITH THIS LOON   

Summer 2013 – 
I mostly got somewhat side-tracked with work-related  matters, and involved with getting the parody book and the “Viva Max” libretto draft ready (also some political spoofs which are here on the blog but not really theatre-related)
Here’s the Amazon link, it’s on Kindle and paperback.
It actually got on the Humor/Parody book list Top 100 for a while (as high as number 74).  Thanks to the people who bought to get it there.
Viva Max info is in Nov 21 entry on the music-and-comedy blog.


Oct. 2013 -
SMASH’s HIT LIST coming to New York – Springtime for Hit List and Jeremy
Also connected to that:  Diamonds parody Megan Hilty salute-tribute

November 2013 – 
parody of ROAR, about online sampling, effect on charts & CD business

 Dec. 2013 - 
See our Christmas run-down posted in November 30 post



Thursday, November 21, 2013

Thanks to everyone involved in our table-read of VIVA MAX! based on the novel by Jim Lehrer


A table-reading of VIVA MAX!, a new musical based on the novel by Jim Lehrer, was presented for an invited audience on November 21, 2013.  The musical has a book by Julie Miller & Fred Landau, and music & lyrics by Skip Kennon.  


The cast was:
Kurt Bardele –  Governor of Texas, Sheriff
Michael Cone –  Private Ungaro, Farmer
Milla Ilieva –  Carmela, Lady Bird Johnson
Joseph Kolinski -  General Maximilian de Santos
William Parry –  Police Chief Sylvester, Lyndon Johnson
Ric Ryder –  Corporal Crecencio
Maureen Silliman –  Hattie [also Lynda Bird Johnson]
Jake Smith –  John Wayne, Highway Patrolman
Janie Smulyan –  Luci Johnson, Ida Fellows
Christianne Tisdale -  Paula
For the table-read, the performers also play Mexican soldiers, members of the Future Farmers of America, townspeople, Texas Rangers and reporters
Thanks to Evan Pappas for all his help!

Skip posted on his Facebook page:  
"We did a first table-reading of our musical version of Jim Lehrer's novel VIVA MAX today. We invited about 20 close theatre-writer friends and Mr. Lehrer, his wife and one of his daughters attended. Mr. Lehrer gave us a standing O at the end. Man, that felt good. Mrs. Lehrer gave me huge praise for the music and lyrics. I have to thank a wonderful cast for nailing it today. Joe Kolinski, Christianne Tisdale, Milla Ilieva, Ric Ryder, Maureen Silliman, Bill Parry, Jane Smulyan, Michael Cone, Kurt Bardele and Jacob Leonard Smith.
Evan Pappas did wonderful work with our cast on Tuesday helping them with music-stand-eography and boosting the oomph of their characterizations."


Musical numbers at the table-reading were:


ACT 1

Scene 1 – Town of Nuevo Laredo, a restaurant, and Max’s office
Nuevo Laredo Awaits You (Max, Corporal Crecencio, Soldiers)
I Don’t Think So   (Carmela)

Scene 2 – Laredo, Texas at Washington Birthday parade and the road to San Antonio
The Marching Song  (Soldiers, Future Farmers of America, other parade marchers)
To Leave a Mark  (Max)

Scene 3 – Around the Alamo and the gift shop
Remember the Alamo  (Paula, Hattie and visitors to the Alamo)
‘Twas Ever Thus  (Paula, Max)

Scene 4 – Chief Sylvester’s office & the Governor’s office
You Gotta Give a Guy a Gun (Sylvester and everyone in his office)

Scene 5 – The Alamo, inside and outside
What a Woman Wants  (Crecencio)
The Battle

ACT 2

Scene 1 – Max’s dream (The White House bedroom) and in the gift shop
What Do You Do When It’s Two in the Morning
          (Lady Bird and Luci & Lynda, LBJ, John Wayne, Reporters, Hattie)
Honestly    (Max)

Scene 2 – Inside and outside the Alamo
These Are the Gifts  (Max and reporters, with Paula and Hattie)

Scene 3 – Alamo courtyard and adjoining areas
What a Woman Wants – reprise – (Hattie, Private Ungaro)
I Was Wrong  (Paula, Max)

Scene 4 –  Nuevo Laredo
Finale – Nuevo Laredo Awaits You



Wednesday, October 16, 2013

In honor of SMASH's "Hit List" making its NYC debut and our friends (and also Facebook friends) involved

Jeremy Jordan and cast members from "Smash" are doing HIT LIST at 54 Below in December, per the Times.
If this works, could it mean: (since the great creators of 54 Below are The Producers producers)
"Springtime for Hit List and Jeremy" (YouTube link)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqyaCVWiZcQ


Updated the parody blog shrine to McPhee, Hudson, Hilty, Jordan, Huston, Shaiman, Wittman, Harada, Taylor, James, Chase, Messing, Borle, Rodriguez (& stopping the show at bar mitzvahs with Florence & the Machine) et al, is at
http://freds-parody-musical.blogspot.com/2012/11/parodies-related-to-tv-show-cmash.html


And not to leave "Bombshell" out, here again: our Marilyn Monroe parody-tribute to Megan Hilty and Encores' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

CHATTING IS A SHOW'S BEST FRIEND
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUa5GGeLdH8

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Here are the covers of the book, out on Amazon, and Kindle on Amazon site





21st CENTURY OLDIES
Volume 1:  Turn Defeat Around
PARODY LYRICS - CATEGORIES FROM A TO B (*)

Sing-along parody lyrics by Fred Landau
21st century current events
sung to the tune of classic popular music

(*) A to B categories include sections on: 

Appalachian Trail with Gov. Mark Sanford & the value of any publicity
A.I.G. bailout - a symbol for this "Lost Five Years" era 
Barbra - what her return to Brooklyn at the new Barclay's meant
Bette Midler - stage triumph hampered by awards snub - but still triumphant 
Adele - pop music symbol for turning adversity to triumph 
Barclays Arena - where did the protesting go? (with the Rolling Stones concert)
American Idol - Jennifer Lopez, of all people, showed how the right person can make a difference

and of course celebrating Barack Obama - from a B.B. King White House visit to "Bye Bye Birthers"

Special extended medley lyrics sections on: the Beatles viewed through 21st century happenings, the lights of Broadway in the 2010's, and Best-Selling Books from the Bard to King Arthur to Airport Security to Astronauts' Wives to Barbara Eden's memoirs (and of course Jonathan Franzen)

The line-up as of right now:


 From A to B: The songs being parodied for 21st century events 
(1960's and 70's with rare exception)

AMERICAN IDOL FOREWORD
Turn the Beat Around

ADELE SECTION
Make You Feel My Love  
Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter 
Fun Fun Fun

APPALACHIAN TRAIL SECTION
Nothing Could Be Finer 
Tonight

A.I.G. SECTION
I Am Woman 
You and Me Against the World  
Leave Me Alone 
We’ll Sing in the Sunshine

BARBRA SECTION
Home (When I Think of Home) 
The Way We Were 
Windmills of Your Mind

BARACK SECTION
Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby (B.B. King version) 
Bye Bye Birdie ("Bye Bye Birthers")

BEATLES MEDLEY SECTION
When I’m 64 
Help 
No No Song (Ringo) 
When I’m 64 #2 
I’m Happy Just to Dance With You
Yesterday 
With a Little Help from My Friends 
It Don’t Come Easy (Ringo) 
You’re Sixteen (Ringo)
Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter (Paul)
‘Til There Was You                                                            
My Sweet Lord (George)  
Watching the Wheels (John)
Yesterday #2 

BETTE SECTION
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy  --- 
The Rose  --- 
Wind Beneath My Wings  --- 
You Got to Have Friends

BROADWAY MEDLEY SECTION
I Will Survive (song in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert)
I Love the Nightlife (song in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert)
Just Leave Everything to Me (song from Hello Dolly film)
We Need a Little Christmas (song from Mame)
That’s How Young I Feel (song from Mame)
Elegance (song from Hello Dolly)
I Go To Rio (song in Boy from Oz)
Free to Be You and Me
Rainbow High (song from Evita)
I Say a Little Prayer (song in Promises Promises revival)
Edelweiss (song from Sound of Music)
Help Me Rhonda (song in Good Vibrations)
I Got Love (song from Purlie)

BOOKS SECTION
Brush Up Your Shakespeare (Bard & Star Wars mash-up)
Fly Me to the Moon #1  (astronauts’ wives book)
Where’s the Party?  (on studying online)
Partridge Family theme (Shirley Jones’ memoir)
Harper Valley PTA  (Barbara Eden’s memoir)
Fly Me to the Moon #2  (on airline security)
You’re So Vain  (Sarah Palin memoir)
Freedom  (Jonathan Franzen’s novel)

APPENDIX – BARCLAYS with the Rolling Stones: 
Satisfaction -- 
Start Me Up –
Sympathy for the Devil
Miss You



Notes about Fred Landau’s parodies:

Comedy great Mark Evanier called him “master parody writer Fred Landau” when writing about Fred’s Hugh Jackman parody.  And Financial Times critic Brendan Lemon covered Fred’s parody of A Little Night Music on his site and said “A Little Site Music: Brilliant.” Frank Rizzo (theater critic for Hartford Courant) wrote items about Fred’s Wicked, Bernie Madoff and Hair parodies and said:  “Now that Forbidden Broadway is no more, perhaps YouTube will fill in the satirical blanks.”  Fred’s Sondheim, Sesame Street and Katy Perry parodies have also been written about for The Village Voice  by Michael Musto, who called the I’m Still Here take-off “hilarious.”

Fred’s tribute to the new Sondheim Theatre (“Losing My Sign”) was included in the NYU Patell and Waterman History of New York course materials.  Economics Prof. David Albrecht, who reports on economics in pop culture,  named Fred’s AIG spoofs #2 and #9 in his Top Ten Bailout Parodies rundown.



Friday, August 23, 2013

"Tangled Webs" - updated info (with computer intrigue getting more and more on people's minds


TANGLED WEBS,  a
 dark romantic musical comedy
Update August 2013
With backstage intrigue so in the news in musical theater lately, we (coincidentally) have the first brand new musical written on that subject out of the gate...

Book by Bill Connington    Music by Skip Kennon  Lyrics by Ellen M. Schwartz
Based on the story “Webcast” by Fred Landau
Many thanks to the wonderful performers on the demo - 
[basically in order of singing on the demo]     
Jeanine Morgan - Rebecca Luker       Aaron Stephenson - Ric Ryder      
Jerry Bruckner - Bill Parry       Miranda Grey - Jan Horvath      
Charles  - Andrew Kober         Harrison Stone - Neal Mayer   
Cissie - Georga Osborne          Claudine - Leenya Rideout
(8 principals, plus variable additional players)

Our plot is about the need for recognition in a business where credit is recognition, and recognition is just about everything.  But our musical actually speaks to all audience members’ needs to get recognition for what they accomplish, and even a fantasy notion of dealing with people who try to steal that recognition.  

The show’s overall story:   Jeanine Morgan is an elegant, recently widowed Park Avenue lady, around late 40's to early 50’s.  A computer whiz and theater enthusiast, she goes to work as an intern in the office of producer Jerry Bruckner, about 60, and on her first day going through the mostly unpromising submissions to his office, she discovers the work of Aaron Stephenson, late 20's - the work speaks to her almost immediately and she will stop at nothing - absolutely nothing, including possibly murder - to get Aaron's work to the Broadway stage.


 REBECCA LUKER, 
SINGING THE ROLE OF "JEANINE" FROM "TANGLED WEBS" - 

And I'll Seal It With a Kiss - sung by Rebecca Luker

IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW THE STORY WITH A DETAILED SONG-BY-SONG OUTLINE,  AND AUTHOR BIOS, PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW.




Thursday, August 22, 2013

For fellow Helen Reddy fans: Post Office announced a Helen Reddy postmark as she is honored for her work towards equality!

U.S. Post Office to issue a Helen Reddy postmark next week.

http://about.usps.com/news/state-releases/ca/2013/ca_2013_0802a.htm


Also in today's paper, Times critic Charles Isherwood mentions that the song stylings of Helen Reddy as having a youthful influence on him
I hope Mr, Isherwood got to see her command the stage in Blood Brothers in the 1990's!



Here were this blog's tributes in parody form to Helen Reddy:

I AM LEHMAN, LEHMAN BABY, AIG AGAINST THE WORLD, AIN'T NO WAY TO TREAT ED LIDDY

I NEED ME A LOAN (tune of the Helen Reddy pop hit LEAVE ME ALONE)

AIG AGAINST THE WORLD (excerpt from the 8-minute musical, this video was excerpted in a Jeanne Moos report 3/17/09 on CNN's American Morning Situation Room and AC 360)

The "AIG videos (tributes to Helen Reddy catalog)" were #2 and #9 respectively on Prof. David Albrecht's Top Ten on BAILOUTS & POPULAR CULTURE 

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Tribute to Eydie Gorme

Listening to a favorite Steve and Eydie song, their rendition of an infectious Israeli hit "Hallelujuah"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnwwO4nBiXo

Because DJ's on the radio, they feared, wouldn't play it if it were known to be Steve and Eydie, they released it under the pseudonym Parker and Penny!

Here's my old tribute lyric to their trademark hysterical-laughing "breaking up at each other's jokes" onstage




A tribute to one of the trademarked aspects of watching Steve and Eydie, how they could make each other laugh hysterically.

tune of BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO (which is by Eydie's cousin Neil Sedaka)

(Such a clown, bubbie, such a clown
Mama, such a clown, bubbie, such a clown
Mama, such a clown, bubbie, such a clown
Breaking up the cast and crew)

Don't take that shtick away from us
You make us kvell each time you cuss
When you ad lib a line that’s blue
You’re breaking up the cast and crew

Remember when the plot was tight
Learned the scenes and you got ‘em right
It’s even better now that you
Are breaking up the cast and crew

They said you’re breaking up the cast and crew
And now the press is saying it’s true
Don’t care if they’re planned or not
‘Cause when you both break up
It makes the whole damn house shake up a lot

I pray to you, don’t play it straight
Keep breaking up, you do it great
Classic style, we say so nu
That breaking up the cast and crew 

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

With announcement of Meryl Streep doing the Testament of Mary audio book; also a simple Christmas song about shopping in NYC



Videos above:  In the Season We Love (Christmas song from "Across State Lines")
                        The Testiness of Mary (updated:Testament of Mary-casting ideas)


I updated my "THE TESTINESS OF MARY" spoof video on YouTube for more possible replacement casting (glad YouTube now allows more alterations, or maybe I'm just learning how to do them)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSFtaG74LDc
Music & lyric Fred Landau

(but seriously: Don't worry about Fiona, though, she's doing more than great - she's directing next season at the Met!  And let's still hope for a DVD or a PBS version of her stage performance!)

*****

Also, just uploaded a new version of "In the Season We Love" - just in time to be considered for people's Christmas shows :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oyosuNj1jE

A happy shopper and grumpy shopper come to terms over NYC at Christmas time.
Music and lyric Fred Landau, vocal Jan Horvath
This may have started off as a parody of the seasons of love sentiment, but it became a non-spoof song as I worked on it.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Online gossip and (at times) scandal is causing some numbers to jump on some videos: Paula Deen, Mark Sanford, Jeremy Piven, Downton Abbey, AIG

Some of our videos are getting re-discovered because of the subject being mentioned.

Paula Deen before the scandal -
"So Much Butter" - parody lyric on Legally Blonde's "So Much Better" - thanks to Shelby Rose for the vocal as "Paula"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZnWq9Vi1ww

Jeremy Piven and the "Fish" scandal - parody lyric on "Zip" - from before Jeremy Piven made a big comeback after being cleared by Equity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wFvpx3q6vI
Thanks to Shauna Hicks for the vocal

The silliness over possible appearances by Diddy on "Downton Abbey" is getting people to start watching:
"Downtown Abby - Uptown Ann Landers"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7n2P2CIFBM

Airline searches are causing a surge in
FLY ME IN THE NUDE, our airline scanners spoof
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn3AcCmPL00

Mark Sanford back in the office ignites views on
SANFORD "CAROLINA IN THE MORNING" spoof, over 130,000 views and counting again
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAFeLTchV8c


One of our favorite stars Helen Reddy being back on tour is causing a spike in
"AIG AGAINST THE WORLD" (our video which was excerpted on CNN's American Morning and Situation Roon, and Anderson Cooper's AC360)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75daFChjAMw
and I NEED ME A LOAN, parody on "Leave Me Alone"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha8Q2KHzuME
Thanks to Shauna Hicks and Georga Osborne for the vocals


Please also see the May 24, 2013 post if you're looking for this blog's 
extensive, pretty comprehensive, 2012-13 season highlight overview





And in honor of even MORE Jewish comedy coming to legit theaters near you
"Put Your Pain in the Hands of a Jew" (with stand-up comedy tribute)
and "We Got Jokes and Jews"   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ6trg0AlVY