At the beginning of Frank Loesser's sprawling masterwork, THE MOST HAPPY FELLA, two characters are getting ready to move on. For Joe, traveling is a way of life; he'll stay in one place for a few months, working in the fields, and then quit and go ...
This is the second of a weekly series analyzing Sondheim musicals, in preparation for his 80th birthday on March 22. The first, on wealth and happiness in SATURDAY NIGHT, can be read here.
"Dreams don't die, so keep an eye on your dream," urges ...
Frank Loesser's brilliance as a bookwriter, composer, and lyricist is enjoyed across the world in shows such as GUYS & DOLLS and HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING. But did you know that the man who uses such vivid imagery in his ...
This is the third of a weekly series analyzing Sondheim musicals. The first and second, on happiness and wealth in SATURDAY NIGHT and the optimistic message of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG can be read here and here.
In 2006, NPR interviewed Frank Loesser's widow, Jo Sullivan Loesser, who he met during THE MOST HAPPY FELLA. Tirelessly championing his work for the past forty years, Jo Sullivan Loesser has performed in concerts and on recordings to ensure Frank ...
This is the fourth in a series of articles analyzing the work of Stephen Sondheim.
Letters feature prominently in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's musical, PASSION, which is set in 1863 Italy. The letters exchanged between soldier Giorgio and ...
Gambling features prominently in Frank Loesser, Jo Swerling, and Abe Burrows' musical, GUYS & DOLLS. Finding a safe location for the floating crap game drives much of the story - as does Sky's bet that he'll take Sarah Brown, one of the Mission ...
When I was in elementary school, I read everything. ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN; THE BABY-SITTERS' CLUB; THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE; the FEAR STREET series; THE DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN series; Marguerite Henry's books about horses; Brian Jacques' ...