The Broadway Babe has unearthed more free streaming goodies this week. There’s Barbara Cook performing Sondheim at Carnegie Hall; Camelot with the New York Philharmonic; a Petula Clark documentary; and for a little nostaglia, classic TV commercials from the ’50s and ’60s.

Barbara Cook: Mostly Sondheim

Barbara Cook performing “Mostly Sondheim” at Carnegie Hall in 2003 demonstrates that she was unmatched as a concert artist.  Her longtime musical director, Wally Harper, is up there with Barbara… Musically, he was the yin to her yang.  They worked together for decades, until his death.

This concert, I believe, is one of her very best and the sound is absolutely perfect.  Don’t miss this, if you’re a Barbara Cook fan…. and I don’t know any Tomato who isn’t!

Sidebar: In the 1970’s, I was hoping to produce an unknown (to the public, but well known to industry folks) Marvin Hamlisch in concert, with some of the people I worked for publicizing events at Lincoln Center and other NY concert venues.  Marvin and I mapped out a blueprint of what would be included. Marvin had this fabulous idea for a segment called “songs I wish I’d written”. I find it so interesting that Sondheim thought of the same thing… only years after Marvin conceived the idea!!

Camelot with the New York Philharmonic

OMG, from 2008, “Camelot”…what a luscious concert of a luscious Lerner and Lowe score with the New York Philharmonic, with star Broadway conductor, Paul Gemignani conducting. Sounds better (with that huge orchestra) in concert than in a traditional theater. And what a cast: Gabriel Byrne, Marin Mazzie, Nathan Gunn, Stacy Keach and Fran Drescher (seems unbelievable!). It aired on PBS-TV with Renee Fleming hosting.  It was directed by my favorite director, and former actor, the irrepressible Lonny Price.  A pure delight.

Sidebar: I knew early on (going back to the early 1990s) that Lonny Price was destined for greatness..I was lucky enough to secure him to direct Doug Cohen’s “No Way To Treat A Lady”, which I was nurturing for a New York run… We lost Lonny to Joan Rivers (they had their backers money in place), for “Sally Marr and her escorts”..Lonny was mentored by Hal Prince and is probably the most in demand and most humble theater and concert directors today.

Petula Clark

This BBC documentary about Petula Clark is a must-see for Tomatoes who are fans of her work. She’s now 81, but she’s been in the business since WWII as a child entertainer on BBC Radio. This Pop singer had many hits in the 60’s including: “Downtown”, “I Know A Place”, “A Sign of the Times”, “I Know A Place” and the list goes on and on.  In the U.S., she was sometimes called “the First Lady of the British Invasion”.

And her theater credits are awesome: “Blood Brothers”, “The Sound of Music” and “Sunset Boulevard”.

Sidebar: In her later years, Petula has played the cabaret circuit.  I had the distinct pleasure of visiting with her and her daughter, in the green room, after her stellar performance at Feinstein’s at the Regency.  Not knowing what to expect from this major star who captivated the Brits and the Americans for decades, Petula is one of the most down to earth, warm and welcoming stars I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.  And, she’s ageless, in appearance and personality..  Seeing her up close and personal, both performing and meeting her was a true treat.

Classic TV Commercials

Classic TV commercials from the 50s and 60s are mostly in black and white. So nostalgic and a look back at a culture that most of us Tomatoes can’t even relate to anymore.  These dinosaurs are priceless, and some are hilarious.  Some feature stars of the 50’s:  Lucy and Desi in a Philip Morris commercial; The 3 Stooges doing their thing while promoting a simonized car wax and Jack Benny and Dennis Day doing a Texaco commercial.