Broadway Babe, Randie Levine-Miller has some entertaining finds for us, including the perfectly filmed Stephen Sondheim musical, “Merrily We Roll Along” which was shown in movie theaters in England; Audra McDonald in concert with the Boston Pops; a Goldie Hawn TV special from 1978; and a delightful tribute from the original cast of “Hamilton” to the original cast of “A Chorus Line”.

 Merrily We Roll Along

I’m reposting this fabulous find of the most perfect “Merrily We Roll Along” I’ve ever seen, and I saw at least 5 versions, including the original 1981 Broadway production. This production that I’m posting was directed by Maria Friedman who directed the multiple award-winning recent production on Broadway… But I think this one is better. You can project this onto your big-screen TV and feel as though you are at that theater — live and in person!

This is what I wrote in my column, on November 3, 2023:
One of my most favorite finds… Ever!  This is the London production (an excellent professional video) of Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along”, produced by the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2013 with a live audience at the Harold Pinter Theatre.  Directed by multiple Olivier Award winner, Maria Friedman, she is currently represented on Broadway with the acclaimed revival of the show, which she also directed. So if you want to save a couple of 100 bucks, you may want to view this! (with a totally different cast, of course). You will see brilliant performances, and hear the most delicious, melodic Sondheim score.  Why it originally flopped in New York in 1981(which I saw, and loved) is something I will never understand.  It is now Broadway‘s biggest hit! The poster for the original Broadway production can be found on the walls of Joe Allen’s restaurant in New York, where their walls are decorated with posters of flop shows.  This is one of my most favorite musicals, with, in my opinion, one of the best overtures, along with “Gypsy”, and the original “Funny Girl”.  Musical theater aficionados will know what I mean.  Enjoy!

Evening at the Pops

From 1999, “Evening at Pops” conducted by Keith Lockhart, performed at Symphony Hall in Boston with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, starring Audra McDonald, and aired on PBS-TV.  Audra was 29, and the youngest winner ever of three Tony Awards! The orchestra opens with a delicious Gershwin medley, and then Audra gets to do her thing. Two highlights include her singing “The Man That Got Away” (made famous by Judy Garland); and “Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home” (made famous by Barbra Streisand) — but Audra makes these songs her own…she owns that stage! She is a true original, a true treasure of the American musical theater, and this is a treasure of a show!

1978 Goldie Hawn TV Special

From 1978, the Goldie Hawn TV Special, starring a young Goldie proving herself to be more than just the giggly blonde from “Laugh-In”, which was the TV show that made her a household name. She went on to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in ”Cactus Flower” and was nominated for Best Actress for “Private Benjamin”… This special showcases her singing dancing, and of course, her comedic skills with special guests: John Ritter, Shaun Cassidy, The Harlem Globetrotters and George Burns! Quite a lineup… And it’s so sweet to see Goldie and George Burns, singing and dancing together. A very charming show.

Hamilton Cast Performs 40th Anniversary Tribute to “A Chorus Line

On April 16, 2015, The Public Theater and the cast of “Hamilton” celebrated the 40th anniversary of the landmark musical, “A Chorus Line” which debuted there. On that day, the original cast of “Hamilton” pays tribute, starting with being on the stage (just as it’s done in ACL) with their photos in front of them as they sing the opening number….and then the original cast of “A Chorus Line” joins them on stage as Lin Manuel Miranda introduces each of them as they were all part of the original which had its very first performance on this stage. Watching the young cast of “Hamilton” who were not born yet, when “A Chorus Line” opened, is absolutely fascinating to see these two generations appearing on stage with great admiration for each other.