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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C7ZkwWgiXs

Note the full version of the “Hollywood Gown” parody song is at

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24Rpk846HR4

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqI7vT6shFY

February 2013 – 

For Valentine’s Day: our original theater song

“Is It Mushy to Say I Love You” somehow passed 73,000 view

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZZfjTLHl1s

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAFeLTchV8c

In theater:  mash-up based on two real theater highlights of years past

SALLY’S TALLY’S FOLLIES - The Story of Sally and Sally

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM-96oZeY3Q

April 2013 -

Bette takes the town, our parody-tributes

BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY parody – Boogie Woogie Broadway Broad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-JxVU5tTxM

 THE ROSE parody – The Gross (about premium seating)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3Eu_V0npOA

May 2013 – 

“The Testament of Mary” gets Tony nom, closes abruptly

We updated our THE TESTINESS OF MARY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSFtaG74LDc

May / June 2013 -  only because I was busy planning travel

New version of FLY ME IN THE NUDE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMJvlkzntBg 

here too is its sequel FLYING WITH THIS LOON   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDtWUZx858s

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.

http://www.amazon.com/21st-Century-Oldies-Parody-Lyrics/dp/1492144126/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385987915&sr=1-1&keywords=21st+landau

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.

http://music-and-comedy.blogspot.com/2013/11/thanks-to-everyone-involved-in-our.html

Oct. 2013 -

SMASH’s HIT LIST coming to New York – Springtime for Hit List and Jeremy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqyaCVWiZcQ

Also connected to that:  Diamonds parody Megan Hilty salute-tribute

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUa5GGeLdH8

November 2013 – 

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

SCHNORR short version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=140RiuxRbUg

SCHNORR full version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so67yF4IhkI

 Dec. 2013 - 

See our Christmas run-down posted in November 30 post

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

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

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

21^st CENTURY OLDIES

Volume 1:  Turn Defeat Around

PARODY LYRICS - CATEGORIES FROM A TO B (*)

Sing-along parody lyrics by Fred Landau

21^st 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.

"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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHf2EsIHY7Q

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

http://tangled-webs-updates.blogspot.com/2012/04/synopsis-of-musical-tangled-webs.html

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

http://theater.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/theater/a-ship-sinks-and-a-boy-is-enthralled.html?pagewanted=2&ref=theater

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUjCalZ7hiM

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha8Q2KHzuME

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)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75daFChjAMw

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

http://profalbrecht.wordpress.com/2009/01/01/bailout-and-popular-culture-2/

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 

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.

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

http://music-and-comedy.blogspot.com/2013/05/highlights-of-2012-2013-season.html

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)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlzpDsd_q-k

and "We Got Jokes and Jews"   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ6trg0AlVY