Because I love classic, old-school entertainment, and like old-fashioned showbiz, I was excited to see that Boscov's Dept. Store, reopening in our local mall after a four-year absence, brought in the wonderful Shirley Jones to perform in their community auditorium every day for a week.
There have been shows (free of charge!) every day at 2 PM and 7 PM, but we seasoned retirees know that 7 is just too late. I mean, it might as well be midnight at one of those niteclubs in Las Vegas or something! 2 PM was fine. I went the other day and was just enthralled. Accompanied by guys playing piano, drums and upright bass, Ms Jones sang for almost an hour...songs from all her movies and Broadway shows (Oklahoma, The Music Man, Carousel) and of course the Partridge Family on TV. She also threw in some humorous anecdotes and stories from her career, and made it a wonderful afternoon for all of us.
She mentioned, and I agree with this wholeheartedly, that The Music Man is the perfect musical..."Because the songs and the story are just about perfect!" She was great in that show as Marian Paroo, the librarian who fell in love...nope...you might not have seen the movie. I hope you do. It's got everything a movie should have - including Buddy Hackett!
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| Unbecoming stage attire |
Shirley Jones is the sort of performer that we don't see so much anymore. She dressed in the elegant fashion of variety performers while singing, and then came back out to sing autographs and say hi to the friends and neighbors dressed in a nice velour pantsuit. This is called "respecting your audience," dressing in something a little better than a t-shirt and grubby jeans. Right, Keith?
She admitted to being almost 79, and said that's why she had her lyrics right handy on a music stand in case she forgot any words...but she didn't forget a thing, including how to walk into a room with a microphone and a three-piece band and enchant everyone there.
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