Saluting Celine Dion after her Olympics performance, the only way my blog and YouTube channel really can

 Saluting Celine Dion after her Olympics performance, the only way my blog and YouTube channel really can - and the City Center musical Bat Out of Hell - which besides being an entertaining show, proved outrageous premium prices can sell even at non-profit theaters

To "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" - "We're All in the Balcony Now" (many thanks to the brilliant Jan Horvath) - 

Sing-along lyrics version  

https://youtu.be/2iGHWSI3JNc

As Broadway ticket prices hit amazing new highs in July 2024: Some of our parodies of premium prices

Broadway ticket prices hit a new high ($1400 - that was for EACH ticket) in July 2024.  And that's buying from the box office, not scalpers. 

To either celebrate or commiserate, depending on your point of view, whether you're selling tickets or buying tickets -  

A few of this blog's parodies on the subject of Broadway Premium ticket prices

For Hugh Jackman shows 

“I Raid My Keogh” - parody of “I Go To Rio” from Boy From Oz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPa84ySiryA

For the jukebox musical Bat Out of Hell

“We’re All in the Balcony Now” (parody of “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now”)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smw2Qf3TIR8

For Bette Midler shows - one-person play I’ll Eat You Last and then for Hello Dolly!

“The Gross” (parody to “The Rose”)

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

Trying to "glom on" to the "Mary frenzy" on Broadway, re-booting our channel's "Mary Song"

Trying to "glom on" to the "Mary frenzy" on Broadway, re-booting our YouTube channel's "Mary Song" 

 So in parody-tribute to "Oh, Mary!" - cheering on all the Marys in day-to-day life and in cultural history   

A BRAND NEW MARY

https://youtu.be/SSFtaG74LDc

(Music & Lyric - Fred Landau)

[Edited July 15 2024]

As the great Imelda Staunton starts HELLO DOLLY in London, recalling her "scorching Momma Rose" in GYPSY

 As the great Imelda Staunton takes on HELLO DOLLY in London

This parody was of Imelda Staunton's "scorching Momma Rose" in GYPSY:

SOME ROSES parody to "Some People"

("Some Roses have passed the torch, Got the flame, yeah, but not the scorch") https://youtu.be/L3YPpAOMV_w

This celebrated one of my favorite Ben Brantley London Journal reviews

"London Theater Journal: A Scorching Momma Rose"

For Pride Parade Day: reprising “I’m Still Queer” - Michael Musto in the Voice called it a "Hilarious Gay Spoof of 'I'm Still Here'"

 For Gay Pride Parade Day: 

The producer of a few CDs I'd worked on had gotten an OK to give me Mr. Sondheim's direct email address, and this 2009 parody was the first of a series of videos from 2009 to 2013 where Mr. Sondheim looked at the parodies before they were recorded and even gave some helpful notes. 

This was my “I’m Still Queer” -a  parody-tribute of Stephen Sondheim's “I’m Still Here” looking at four decades of New York City theatergoing 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt40nQGc1I4

- starting with theater right around Stonewall circa 1969 and going through 40 years of theater, a field that somewhat got identified with the gay demographic. 

I was especially thrilled when Michael Musto posted a Village Voice article that took note of this video.

"Hilarious Gay Spoof of 'I'm Still Here'"

https://www.villagevoice.com/hilarious-gay-spoof-of-im-still-here/

---------

A few more YouTubes from this blog's Sondheim-themed parodies

From May 2020 during Broadway closing for pandemic lockdown 

TOGETHER Parody medley - Joanne (COMPANY)) / Rose (GYPSY) - 

parodies of "The Little Things You Do Together" and Together Wherever We Go"

PATTI/SONDHEIM PARODY SALUTE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmwMqL3T7-Y

"Another Hundred Millionaires Got Off of Their Phones"- 

Parody of "Another Hundred People" from "Company"

https://youtu.be/biOPO57uQ1M

From just before the Broadway revival of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC - 

"A Little Site Music" - 

Act One - with parodies of Every Day a Little Death, A Weekend in the Country and Liaisons - Parody lyrics by Fred Landau, sung by Jan Horvath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2mMKTJhdMc

Act Two is at 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iVjlnbTx1g

with parodies of Send In the Clowns, The Miller's Son and The Glamorous Life

As the great Imelda Staunton takes on "Hello Dolly" in London

This celebrated one of my favorite Ben Brantley London Journal reviews.

This parody was of Imelda Staunton's scorched-earth Rose in GYPSY:

SOME ROSES parody to "Some People"

("Some Roses have passed the torch, Got the flame, yeah, but not the scorch") https://youtu.be/L3YPpAOMV_w

With "A Little Night Music" opening at Lincoln Center tonight- reprising our "A Little Site Music"

 With "A Little Night Music" opening at Lincoln Center tonight-

At the beginning of this (first two minutes), "Every Day I'm on the Net" as Countess Charlotte longingly searches for reasonably priced tickets to [the Nov. 2009] "A Little Night Music"

"A Little Site Music" - Act One - with parodies of Every Day a Little Death, A Weekend in the Country and Liaisons - Parody lyrics by Fred Landau, sung by Jan Horvath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2mMKTJhdMc

Act Two is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iVjlnbTx1g

with parodies of Send In the Clowns, The Miller's Son and The Glamorous Life

Parody-Tribute to Sondheim premium pricing - "Another Hundred Millionaires Got Off of Their Phones"-

    

This YouTube video was from Feb. 2020 - imagining what we'd guessed could be a real "premium decade" ahead.

Then the huge financial success of the "Sweeney Todd" revival, and now the triumph of the "Merrily We Roll Along" revival, can be seen as beyond the most ardent Sondheim fans' fantasies for public embrace of Sondheim work!

"Another Hundred Millionaires Got Off of Their Phones"- 

Parody of "Another Hundred People" from "Company"

https://youtu.be/biOPO57uQ1M

P.S. It looks like this could apply to the well-heeled people who wanted something from the June 2024 Sondheim auction as well.