Wednesday, February 17, 2016

HOW DOES POWER REALLY WORK:  Holy shit, new awesome Robert Caro interview:
As I was writing this book, I realized—realized is probably an exaggerated word—I realized that if I did his life right, I would be explaining not just him, but how urban political power worked. Not just in New York but in all the cities of America. 
Moses had done something no one else had ever done. Everyone thought power comes from being elected. He wasn’t elected, he realizes he’s never going to get elected to anything, so he’s got to figure out a way to get all this power without getting elected, and he does it. I didn’t understand it, no one else understood it, even La Guardia says to him, 
“Don’t tell me what to do,” or whatever the quote is, “I’m the boss, you just work for me.” 
And Moses writes, and I saw this letter in La Guardia’s papers, he sends back the letter and he writes across it, “You’d better read the contracts, mayor.”

Monday, February 15, 2016

SORRY MR. TILDEN, BUT YOU'RE NEVER GON' BE PRESIDENT NOW:  On this Presidents Day, with a cast performance of "Alexander Hamilton" set for tonight's Grammy Awards, do suggest another person or incident in American political history which you'd like to see adapted into a musical. I'm going with the election of 1876 and the end of Reconstruction, because who said musicals had to have happy endings?

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

YOU HAVE WON SECOND PRIZE IN AN ENNUI CONTEST: A clever new strategy to win Monopoly, make everyone angry but convince them never to ask you to play Monopoly again.

THAT'S NOT THE PICTURE OF A MOCKINGBIRD I WANT: Aaron Sorkin's quest for EGOT continues, with a stage adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird allegedly coming to Broadway in 2017-18.

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE 2014 SEASON, WE HAVE A CHANCE:  Frozen: The Musical will arrive on Broadway in Spring 2018.  So, who are you casting?
1990S FLASHBACK NOTES:  Ever wonder what happened to Bubbles the Chimp? Like many aging primates, he's living it up in South Florida at an ape sanctuary which tends to former showbiz celebs.  There is no word on whether he's had the chance to enjoy the early bird at Wolfie's Rascal House, and don't you dare remind me that they closed in 2008.

In other news, tonight is White Ford Bronco night on The People vs O.J. Simpson, and if it's as good as the pilot episode, you will want to watch, and not just for the gratuitous Kardashian Kids references. So much fun.