Two Words, One Answer.
everything possible
 Everything Was Possible: The Birth of the Musical Follies (Applause Books) $17.95 Having seen the original cast, as well as the 2001 Broadway revival and a production in Long Beach, this book fascinated me. To read in great detail how this stunning musical production came together is thrilling. I could hardly put the book down once I started it. I am a huge fan of Sondheim, considering him to be one of the all-time great composers of musical theater. I also, at one time in my life, knew several of the performers--not well, but I knew them in by-gone years. So to read about their work ethics and their dedication to this production I also find fascinating. Ted Chapin has done a masterful job of making those days come alive on the page. By the time the show makes it to opening night on Broadway I was rooting for a hit! He made it so engrossing and the details were really interesting. Fifi D'orsey was such an egotist and he presents her just as she truly was. Yvonne DeCarlo was beautiful and every inch the movie star. She was talented and fun. He captures her essence very well. Alexis Smith was also beautiful and much more gifted than the movies allowed her to be. She was very bright and always studying things when she was not working. I thought Chapin nailed each of these ladies right on. The cast of this show was brilliant--Dorothy Collins, Gene Nelson, Ethel Shutta, Mary McCarty, John McMartin and Smith and DeCarlo. The people behind the scenes were the best in each category. Michael Bennett and Hal Prince were at the top of their game. Sondheim wrote a fabulous score--every tune is so well crafted. There are some wonderful photos of all the people involved in making Follies into a Broadway musical. And in addition to all of the marvelous black and white photos there are some tremendous color photos, which include the cover of Time magazine, as well as Alexis Smith, Yvonne DeCarlo, Dorothy Collins and Hal Prince. For anyone who enjoys musical theater this book is highly recommended. |
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