Barbara Cook's Cunegonde Candide Christmas Miracle
This week's writing
Leonard Bernstein’s Candide first opened on Broadway on December 1, 1956. That’s quite the Christmas present, although most audiences at the time left the gift unopened. The show is a famous flop, closing after just 73 performances. Fortunately, an original cast recording was released anyway, and it remains one of my favorite musicals (or operetta, if you’re annoying about that sort of thing). I can’t really call Candide holiday listening, though, because there are times when I’m always listening to the cast recording.
Then 29-year-old Barbara Cook is a revelation as Cunegonde, and her performance of the magnificent aria “Glitter and be Gay” is legendary. (Enjoy below.)
Cook would later win a Tony Award in 1958 for originating the role of Marian the Librarian in The Music Man. Unfortunately, she wasn’t cast in the movie version, but we do have some TV footage of her performing songs from the production. My god, what a voice.
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This week, I wrote some more about the sociopolitical messaging in Wicked, which you might have missed during all the singing.
How Glinda The Good Is The Top-Down Morality Leader Liberals Crave
Wicked: For Good ends — spoilers, obviously — with Glinda (Ariana Grande) staging a coup with the help of Elphaba’s (Cynthia Erivo) flying monkey army. Glinda deposes the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and dispatches the sinister Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) with a perky James Bond-inspired quip. Glinda becomes the new benevolent leader of Oz — although, the…
I also dropped some fun history about the bakers and groceries who stayed open on Christmas Day so the Cratchits could have their loving family meal.
My friend Lynne Streeter Childress joined me on the podcast to discuss Black representation in theatre, TV, and movies.
This is also where I suggest you hop over to YouTube and subscribe to my channel.
Jasmine Crockett has entered the Texas Senate race that no Democrat could possibly win, even in the biggest Blue Wave year.
I received a screener copy of the indie film Don’t Trip, which I recommend if you’re seeking an alternative to holiday fare. Aspiring screenwriter Dev (Matthew Sato) wants to make it in Hollywood, so he befriends the son of a top Hollywood producer (Will Sennett). You’d think a little productive social climbing wouldn’t have a downside, but unfortunately, Trip is completely unhinged, possibly homicidal and definitely named Trip. Writer/Director Alex Kugelman savages the film industry, nepo babies, and toxic masculinity. Ho! Ho! Ho! The film isn’t available on Hallmark, but you can watch on Tubi.
That’s it for this week. I’ll see you on Monday.
Thank you, Stephen. I would have loved seeing/hearing Leonard Bernstein’s Candide — wow. Back in my English-major years, Candide was one of my favorite works.