Well hello there! Ever since I posted the reading list, I suppose I’ve been so busy reading that I’ve completely overlooked posting on my very own blog. Sorry about that. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with everything that I need to do, and want to do and I let things drop. I think I have too many hobbies. But which to drop? It’s an impossible decision.

But anyway. This week, my main focus will be the piano. I have two more weeks of piano lessons and then, I will be dropping lessons (while keeping up the playing, of course) and taking on my little sisters as students. Before I can finish piano lessons though, I have to join in on a rather large “concert exam.” My last official concert exam. But this is not going to be a normal recital. Far from it…

It all started back around June or July. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m obsessed with musicals. I had recently been listening to my new CD, the original cast recording of the Broadway Revival of South Pacific. I had been listening to it a lot, and singing all of the songs, and I even taught some of them to my younger siblings. One day I went into my favorite piano store to browse the sheet music section. All the new music is rather boring, and expensive so I went to my favorite area, the used music section. To my surprise, what did I find, but an old publication of the music to “South Pacific”, in perfect condition, for 50 cents! I bought it of course. I loved playing all of the songs. My sister Poppy enjoys following me along through my obsessions and had taken a particular liking to the score from one of the best and most famous songs, “A Wonderful Guy”. She decided to ask our lovely piano teacher to help her add it to her repertoire and brought her the book the next week.

The music had words. That was our mistake. Our lovely piano teacher looked at the music, and played it, and then decided that it wouldn’t be as effective unless someone was singing it. I have to agree with her. So, she fashioned an entire concert around this song! Oh how fun it would be! All of her students could pick songs with words, maybe from musicals, and then we’d all sing!

Don’t get me wrong, I adore singing. I also adore “A Wonderful Guy”, and I like to sing it… when I’m at home by myself. I’m even alright with singing in public, but A Wonderful Guy?! As much as I love the song, the lyrics are a little embarrassing. See for yourself.

This is a portion of the song, sung by my favorite singer. You get the idea.

Everyone else got to pick their songs knowing in advance that they were going to be sung. So we have an array of lovely tunes, “My Favorite Things”, “Matchmaker, Matchmaker”, “So Long Farewell”, etc. I have “A Wonderful Guy.” Oh joy.

But I digress. I’ve quite gotten used to the idea by now, and I love singing the song. So, if I can just keep a straight face during the “I’m in loves” I’ll be home free. We’ve even had a few rehearsals, so I feel much better about singing it in front of those who will be at the concert.

So, Poppy is playing “A Wonderful Guy” and I’m singing it. I am going to play “That’s How You Know” from Enchanted, with Poppy, Hannah Banana and MD-80 (these are three of my siblings) singing it along with me.

It’s bound to be fun.

That’s what I’m up to.

Buzzing around the world of musicals, is the talk of a new film version of My Fair Lady.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=28676

While I definitely love the original movie, I actually think this could be good… if they choose to do it well. I certainly hope the movie makers will have enough sense to keep true to the story. I’m sure many die-hard My Fair Lady fans will be upset if they do not.

An excerpt from the linked article:

“The new film will use the original songs of the much-loved Broadway show, and will not alter its 1912 setting, but Kenworthy and Mackintosh intend where possible to shoot the film on location in the original London settings of Covent Garden, Drury Lane, Tottenham Court Road, Wimpole Street, and Ascot racecourse.

The filmmaking team will also look to adapt Alan Jay Lerner’s book more fully for the screen by drawing additional material from Pygmalion ­­– George Bernard Shaw’s play that served as the source material for the musical – in order to dramatize as believably as possible for present-day audiences the emotional highs and lows of Eliza Doolittle as she undergoes the ultimate makeover, transforming under the tutelage of Professor Henry Higgins from a Cockney flower girl to a lady. “

Screen star Keira Knightley is in talks to star as Eliza. It’s not a bad choice, she does well in period pieces like the most recent “Pride and Prejudice,” actually, I’ve never heard of her doing any movies that have been set in modern times.

I’m not sure how she’ll handle the role of Eliza. Eliza is an outspoken and crass flower girl for most of the story, and I can’t quite imagine Keira Knightley in those circumstances. And unless she is has a secret musical talent, she won’t be doing the singing. I’m interested to see how this will play out.

Also, I’m jumping on the fast-growing bandwagon for Julie Andrews to star as Henry Higgins’ mother! As the original Eliza on the stage, and the whole backstory as to how she was snubbed for the movie version (though she seemed gracious about it) it would only be fitting to bring her back in this movie. How amazing would that be?

As for Henry Higgins, I’m a bit worried about that. It seems impossible for anyone to be able to fill Rex Harrison’s shoes in that role. It was perfect for him.

So, I’m anxiously waiting for more information on this movie, and I’m keeping my hopes high that the movie makers will do justice to this classic musical.