Last Sunday evening while I was stilling coming down from this, Fox season premiered "The Simpsons." Now ranking as American television's all-time longest running comedy series, "The Simpsons" is now in its 22nd season.
As arguably prime time television's premier satirists, the writers for "The Simpsons" used Sunday's episode to send up Broadway in one fell swoop, thanks to Lisa Simpson and her friends. Practically faster than you can say "Great White Way," Mame,Angels In America- Perestroika (yes, Perestroika specifically), Betty Comden, Elaine Stritch and Andrew Lloyd Webber are all conjured up in a few blissful moments that any Broadway fan should appreciate.
Is it just me, or are we starting to see a true renaissance of Broadway references included in the Hollywood-branded pop culture?
In keeping with the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations that unfairly discriminate against bloggers, who are now required by law to disclose when they have received anything of value they might write about, please note that I have received nothing of value in exchange for this post.
It's been reported that Betty Comden died of heart failure yesterday. Comden will certainly be remembered as one of American musical theatre's most prolific and acclaimed writers and performers.
Born in Brooklyn as Elizabeth Cohen on May 3, 1917 (although different years are cited by various sources), Comden was a slice of New York life, celebrating her hometown in countless works. Most certainly, she personified the can-do, urbane spirit of post-World War II women in American society.
Working not only with her longtime partner Adolph Green (pictured together above), but also with the likes of such legends as George Abbott, Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins to name just a few, Comden earned a whopping seven Tony Awards out of a grand total of twelve nominations -- a pretty impressive track record.
She contributed to some of the following best-known musicals of the last sixty-plus years, including:
Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles Limited run extended through May 31, 2011 (Show will go on hiatus starting January 15 and reopen at Brooks Atkinson Theatre on February 8)
Rock Of Ages - Open-ended run (Show will go on hiatus starting January 9 and reopen at Helen Hayes Theatre in March)
As someone who has been involved in both politics and public relations, it's no wonder I love watching theatre. Good or bad, it's the raw energy of seeing a live performance that gets my adrenaline pumping. From the moment I saw my very first Broadway show ("Annie" in London in 1979), I was hooked. Now I see as many as 70 shows each year ranging from soaring musicals to two-hander plays. And these eyes just may be in an audience near you!