Something For The Boys

[+ Lucky]

There is a delightful show playing on Theater Row for only two weeks, and it is a revival of Cole Porter's Something For The Boys, playing at the Lion Theater. The delightful Porter tunes are sung by the cute and sexy Mike Backes, who has played in the Vegas production of Jersey Boys and in the touring company of Next to Normal. He is matched vocally by Jody Cook and a great cast of soldiers and gals meeting up in Texas in 1942.

 

The musical played for a year on Broadway in 1943, and for only $25 you can re-live a bit of the past and have fun too.

[+ WilliamM]

Porter/Merman

 

There is a delightful show playing on Theater Row for only two weeks' date=' and it is a revival of Cole Porter's Something For The Boys, playing at the Lion Theater. The musical played for a year on Broadway in 1943, and for only $25 you can re-live a bit of the past and have fun too.[/quote']

 

Thanks, I was not aware of this revival. All I know about the musical is that it was one five or six musicals that Cole Porter wrote for Ethel Merman---all hits at the time. Anything Goes is probably the best known.

[+ WilliamM]

Cole Porter and Rodgers & Hammerstein

 

I found an interesting article that compares Something For the Boys with Oklahoma, both musical opened within the same winter. Somehow Something for the Boys got lost, but Peter Filichia makes an excellent case for the musical.

 

 

http://kritzerland.com/filichia.htm

[+ Lucky]

Are you going to be able to see this show, WilliamM?

[+ WilliamM]

Help Please, Lucky

 

I would have to drop something else, probably "Cock," to see "Something for the Boys." Amazingly I have the record, but as Filichia mentions, it is incomplete.. .which is frustrating.

 

Just read your comments on the show again. How would you compare the musical with other shows you have seen recently?

 

I understand it is difficult, because "Something for the Boys" is off-Broadway.

[+ Lucky]

Yes, given that it is off-Broadway, it does not have all of the bells and whistles as say, Leap of Faith. It is also a short run, so investing in stage scenery would not have been worth the effort. BUT, what it has is heart. The cast is earnest and the male lead a charmer. The Cole Porter songs are a delight, and delightfully rendered. I have been in your position- too many shows, too little time. I have seen many cocks, but not Cock. So I cannot advise you!

 

(Oh. I might add that this is a production from a group who rescucitates neglected musicals. The cast is only given 2 weeks to rehearse and it is a labor of love. So, they do carry the sripts with them, but they rarely need them, and definitely not for the songs. Were it not for this group and these actors, Somethng for the Boys would be gathering dust. I wanted to support them.)

[+ WilliamM]

I decided to see Something for the Boys about 1 AM. The theater's website showed no tickets available for Saturday night or Sunday afternoon. I thought it was just a late night computer issue. I tried again just now--this time on telecharge--it's true Sunday afternoon is sold out.

 

Happy that so many people want to see the musical, that's really good news. But, I am disappointed.

 

At least I have the record!