This terrific Sondheim song is beautifully realized thanks to nifty staging, the excellent performances (Brava, Donna Murphy and guys), and the right-on musical direction. Perfect tempo and top notch playing.
This great little performance only reminds us that the 'cult' musical 'Anyone Can Whistle' was about as socio-politically subversive as a Broadway musical could get back in '64 (a time when Barry Goldwater had a trigger finger a little less itchy than our current carrot top friend) - even today, its subject of mass culture/conformity as a genre of madness and its satirical critique of the military-industrial complex, evangelism, anti-communist paranoia, racism, anti-semitism, gender essentialism, seems almost avant-garde (in a sweet retro way) compared to the high-tech spectacle driven 'me and my problems' big ticket items on the boards of 2018. It really is all about following the money...
This was a Drama League Gala honoring Angela Lansbury, Feb 8, 2010. Encores was struggling to find the right person to play the Mayoress. When Ms. Lansbury saw this performance, she contacted the Encores producers and suggested they cast Ms. Murphy who repaid that kindness by being brilliant in the part.
Everyone hates me-yes, yes- Being the Mayoress, yes. All of the peasants Throw rocks in my presence, Which causes me nervous distress, yes. OOOH, OOOOOOOOOH, OOOH, OOH, OOOOOOOOOH. Me and my town, battered about, Everyone in it would like to get out. But me and my town, We just wanna be loved! Stores are for rent, theatres are dark, Grass on the sidewalks, but not in the park, Me and my town, We just wanna be loved! The people are starving, So they sleep the day through. My poor little people, What can they do? TOWNSPEOPLE: Boo! CORA: Who asked you? Come on the train, come on the bus, Somebody please buy a ticket to us. Hurry on down- We need a little renown. Love me, Love my Town! OOOHHHH OOOOOHHHHH OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH! BOYS: Hi there, Cora. What's new? CORA: The bank went bust and I'm feeling blue. BOYS: And who took over the bankruptcy? CORA: Me, boys, me! BOYS: Si, si! CORA: Me, boys, me! BOYS: Tell us, Cora, how you are. CORA: I just got back from the reservoir. BOYS: And what's the state of the water supply? CORA: Dry, boys, dry! BOYS: My, my! CORA: Dry, boys, dry! BOYS: Ay, ay! CORA: A lady has responsibilities... BOYS: Responsibilities... CORA: And civic pride! BOYS: Civic pride! CORA: Well, I look around and what do I see? I see no crops. BOYS: No crops. CORA: I see no business. BOYS: No business CORA: To the North, to the South, Only hoof-and-mouth! BOYS: To the East, to the West, No community chest CORA: I see a terrible depression all over the town- BOYS: Oh, a terrible depression, Yes, a terrible depression. CORA: What a terrible depression And I'm so depressed I can hardly talk on the phone. I feel all alone. CORA AND BOYS: But a lady has responsibilities- BOYS: Responsibilities- CORA: To all my poor! Starving! Cold! Miserable! Dirty! Dreary! Depressing! Peasants! ALL: Peasants! Ick! CORA: A lady has responsibilities- BOYS: Responsibilities- CORA: To try to be Popular with the populace. BOYS: She's unpopular with the populace! ALL: Unpopular with the populace, Unpopular with the populace, Unpopular with the populace... CORA: Everyone here hates me at length, Probably lynch me if they had the strength. But me and my town, Me and my town, We just wanna be loved! BOYS: We just want to be loved! We just want to be loved! CORA: Just loved! BOYS: A friendship is lovely And a courtship sublime, But give her a township- CORA: Township! Every time! ALL: What'll we do, me and my town? Gotta do something or we're gonna drown! Give me my coat, Give me my crown, Gimme, gimme your vote And hurry on down! CORA: Show how much you think BOYS: Yeah! CORA: Of me! ALL: Love me, Love my Town! Las
Just one word: yes.
This terrific Sondheim song is beautifully realized thanks to nifty staging, the excellent performances (Brava, Donna Murphy and guys), and the right-on musical direction. Perfect tempo and top notch playing.
Yes! I watched skeptically at first but not for long. A real winner!
She sounds and looks so amazing. Thank you for posting, it's so well recorded.
thanks for putting this back
flawless!
Donna Murphy please sing Sally song.
i lovethis womans voicei love to seeherin a revival of camelotor mame
This great little performance only reminds us that the 'cult' musical 'Anyone Can Whistle' was about as socio-politically subversive as a Broadway musical could get back in '64 (a time when Barry Goldwater had a trigger finger a little less itchy than our current carrot top friend) - even today, its subject of mass culture/conformity as a genre of madness and its satirical critique of the military-industrial complex, evangelism, anti-communist paranoia, racism, anti-semitism, gender essentialism, seems almost avant-garde (in a sweet retro way) compared to the high-tech spectacle driven 'me and my problems' big ticket items on the boards of 2018. It really is all about following the money...
great comment, thank you!
This Broadway sexy girl singing from 3 years in 2017.
When was this performance?
Feb. 8, 2010. Drama League Gala honoring Angela Lansbury
Was this before or after she did anyone can whistle at encores?
This was a Drama League Gala honoring Angela Lansbury, Feb 8, 2010. Encores was struggling to find the right person to play the Mayoress. When Ms. Lansbury saw this performance, she contacted the Encores producers and suggested they cast Ms. Murphy who repaid that kindness by being brilliant in the part.
Everyone hates me-yes, yes-
Being the Mayoress, yes.
All of the peasants
Throw rocks in my presence,
Which causes me nervous distress, yes.
OOOH, OOOOOOOOOH, OOOH, OOH, OOOOOOOOOH.
Me and my town, battered about,
Everyone in it would like to get out.
But me and my town,
We just wanna be loved!
Stores are for rent, theatres are dark,
Grass on the sidewalks, but not in the park,
Me and my town,
We just wanna be loved!
The people are starving,
So they sleep the day through.
My poor little people,
What can they do?
TOWNSPEOPLE:
Boo!
CORA:
Who asked you?
Come on the train, come on the bus,
Somebody please buy a ticket to us.
Hurry on down-
We need a little renown.
Love me,
Love my
Town!
OOOHHHH OOOOOHHHHH OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!
BOYS:
Hi there, Cora. What's new?
CORA:
The bank went bust and I'm feeling blue.
BOYS:
And who took over the bankruptcy?
CORA:
Me, boys, me!
BOYS:
Si, si!
CORA:
Me, boys, me!
BOYS:
Tell us, Cora, how you are.
CORA:
I just got back from the reservoir.
BOYS:
And what's the state of the water supply?
CORA:
Dry, boys, dry!
BOYS:
My, my!
CORA:
Dry, boys, dry!
BOYS:
Ay, ay!
CORA:
A lady has responsibilities...
BOYS:
Responsibilities...
CORA:
And civic pride!
BOYS:
Civic pride!
CORA:
Well, I look around and what do I see? I see no crops.
BOYS:
No crops.
CORA:
I see no business.
BOYS:
No business
CORA:
To the North, to the South,
Only hoof-and-mouth!
BOYS:
To the East, to the West,
No community chest
CORA:
I see a terrible depression all over the town-
BOYS:
Oh, a terrible depression,
Yes, a terrible depression.
CORA:
What a terrible depression
And I'm so depressed
I can hardly talk on the phone.
I feel all alone.
CORA AND BOYS:
But a lady has responsibilities-
BOYS:
Responsibilities-
CORA:
To all my poor! Starving! Cold! Miserable!
Dirty! Dreary! Depressing! Peasants!
ALL:
Peasants! Ick!
CORA:
A lady has responsibilities-
BOYS:
Responsibilities-
CORA:
To try to be
Popular with the populace.
BOYS:
She's unpopular with the populace!
ALL:
Unpopular with the populace,
Unpopular with the populace,
Unpopular with the populace...
CORA:
Everyone here hates me at length,
Probably lynch me if they had the strength.
But me and my town,
Me and my town,
We just wanna be loved!
BOYS:
We just want to be loved!
We just want to be loved!
CORA:
Just loved!
BOYS:
A friendship is lovely
And a courtship sublime,
But give her a township-
CORA:
Township!
Every time!
ALL:
What'll we do, me and my town?
Gotta do something or we're gonna drown!
Give me my coat,
Give me my crown,
Gimme, gimme your vote
And hurry on down!
CORA:
Show how much you think
BOYS:
Yeah!
CORA:
Of me!
ALL:
Love me,
Love my
Town! Las