A studded lineup of Broadway talent attended and performed in the show, with Kurt Crowley, who worked in musical direction on “Hamilton: An American Musical,” serving as the music director of the program.
This year’s concert was particularly special, as all of last night’s music was written specifically for the concert. Each song was created exclusively for the show to bring attention to a different civil liberties issue. Such is the case with protest art, the creative songs are sure to live on beyond last night’s performance.
Last night, the NYCLU honored Harry Belafonte, civil rights activist and actor, with the first ever Freedom Award for his contributions.
Also featured in the show was 2017 Tony Award-winner Gavin Creel. You know him for his role in “Hello Dolly!” He wrote a song for the program, which he performed on the piano while his “Hello Dolly!” cast mate Taylor Trensch sang lyrics. A total of 13 songwriting teams and performers brought to light social injustices on stage.
Other performers included Broadway.com host Susan Blackwell, actress Andrea Burns and musician William Darling.
Tony-nominated actress Celia Keenan-Bolger attended and performed, saying the Broadway community is an encouraging and supportive one.
“The Broadway community is a creative and inclusive family,” she said. “It is a safe space and the embodiment of tolerance to be whoever you want to be. A family of artists that are passionate activists and leaders that work together to inspire what it means to live a diverse life. Broadway and the NYCLU brings life to untold struggles and speaks truth to power in storytelling.”
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Cynthia Erivo attends the 2017 Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 11, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
The 71st Tony Awards premiered Sunday, June 11th and took place at Radio City Music Hall here in Manhattan, presented by the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. The Tony Award recognizes achievements on Broadway. Although there were mixed emotions regarding the performance from the host, Kevin Spacey, this show was full of outstanding talent.
Along with the talent in the crowd, the fashion was phenomenal. Not only was the Red Carpet full of those in Broadway productions, many other stars, related or unrelated to this industry, were seen there in support — looking fashionable as always, like Chrissy Teigen, who was there in support of her husband, John Legend, as well as Anna Kendrick, a former nominee.
Although there were many stunning looks, here are Downtown’s top 8 looks from the 2017 Tony Awards’ Red Carpet for this week’s Trend Report Tuesday.
Anna Kendrick in Miu Miu
Chrissy Teigen in Pamella Roland
Scarlett Johansson in Michael Kors Collection
Candice Swanepoel in Prabal Gurung
Laura Osnes in Badgley Mischka
Olivia Wilde in Michael Kors Collection
Jenn Colella in Elizabeth Kennedy
Cynthia Erivo in Chris Gelinas
Putting aside the amazing fashion, we would like to congratulate the following Tony winners for their achievement, as well as the other nominees in their categories. Here are the 2017 Tony Awards’ results.
Best Play:Oslo
Best Musical:Dear Evan Hansen
Best Revival of a Musical: Hello, Dolly!
Best Revival of a Play: August Wilson’s Jitney
Best Actress in a Musical: Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Best Actor in a Musical: Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
Best Actress in a Play: Laurie Metcalf, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Best Actor in a Play: Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
Best Book of a Musical: Dear Evan Hansen, Steven Levenson
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre: Dear Evan Hansen, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play: Michael Aronov, Oslo
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play: Cynthia Nixon, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical: Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical: Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
Best Scenic Design of a Play: Nigel Hook, The Play That Goes Wrong
Best Scenic Design of a Musical: Mimi Lien, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Best Costume Design of a Play: Jane Greenwood, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Best Costume Design of a Musical: Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Best Lighting Design of a Play: Christopher Akerlind, Indecent
Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Bradley King, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Best Direction of a Play: Rebecca Taichman, Indecent
Best Direction of a Musical: Christopher Ashley, Come From Away
Best Choreography: Andy Blankenbuehler, Bandstand
Best Orchestrations: Alex Lacamoire, Dear Evan Hansen
Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-competitive Categories
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: James Earl Jones
Special Tony Award: Gareth Fry & Pete Malkin, Sound Designers for The Encounter
Regional Theatre Tony Award: Dallas Theater Center, Dallas, TX
Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award: Baayork Lee
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre: Nina Lannan, Alan Wasser
Kudos to you all.
Photos courtesy of Getty Images for Tony Awards Production
Glenn Close and Michael Xavier bring old Hollywood to Broadway
As someone once wrote, in Hollywood, celluloid heroes never die — and in the case of Sunset Boulevard, they are reborn in a grand style on Broadway!
Glenn Close revisits the role that won her a Tony back in 1993 when she brings tragic, Golden Age movie star Norma Desmond to life once more with a vibrancy and magnetism not seen since Gloria Swanson.
Closeis a master actress whose attraction is anything but fatal.
The story of the fading legend is classic Hollywood comfortable revamped with all the luster the lights and sounds of the Great White Way.
The revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s classic combine his infectious music with the story that became synonymous with the seamy side of the movie business in 50s to create a spectacular show for today.
Like Swanson before her, Close creates a sympathetic character who cannot adapt to the changing world around her.
Unlike Norma, who is a relic of a bygone era, Close remains as vibrant as the day she took home the Tony 24 years ago. And while not a classically trained singer, masters the music Webber gifts her with to entertain in the grand fashion that matches the shimmering glory her character find so elusive to regain.
The story is told by a dead man floating in Norma’s pool — Joe Gillis, the hack screenwriter seeking a quick buck at the expense of the over-the-hill actress seeking an unrealistic comeback.
When she takes him into her mansion to bring some life back into her own, he delivers betrayal instead and receives the just reward that sends him swimming laps into the great beyond.
It’s a familiar tale to classic film lovers, but it’s tragedy delivered with delicious majesty.
Glenn Close brings Norma Desmond back to life
The stirring music is delivered with grace and power by the large and talented orchestra. The actors relish their campy parts, but deliver equal parts pathos and joy with style and enthusiasm.
The unique vertical staging is both economical and majestic.
And Norma’s return — while tragic — is soaring, as it rides the wings of Close’s talent.
The show is on a limited run at Times Square’sPalace Theatre on 47th and Broadway until June 25.
So make sure YOU run to see this show…while you still can!
For more information or to buy tickets to Sunset Boulevard go to their website.
Chris Diamantopoulos is the rare sort of actor who 10 people would probably recognize from 10 different roles. On Silicon Valley, he has portrayed the recurring ex-billionaire Russ Hanneman. On the U.S. version of Episodes, he was the TV network boss Castor Sotto. On the Amazon Original series Good Girls Revolt he played Evan Phinnaeus “Finn” Woodhouse. And that’s without discussing turns on The Office, Up All Night, Arrested Development or 24.
Prior to finding success within the film and TV worlds, Chris was a regular in the theater world. Chris made his return to Broadway on Mar. 31 by taking on the role of Dr. Pomatter in the hit Waitress. Beyond its wonderful cast — which also includes Tony Award nominee Will Swenson — Waitress is the first Broadway musical in history to have four women in its four top creative team spots, featuring a book by Jessie Nelson, a score by six-time Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, choreography by Lorin Latarro and direction by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus.
Downtown had the pleasure of speaking with Chris via phone about Waitress, his long-standing history with New York and why he keeps coming back to our city. Chris can be followed on Twitter via @ClassicChrisD. More on Waitress can be found at www.waitressthemusical.com.
Wikipedia says that you met your wife [Becki Newton] in a New York City subway station. Is that true?
Chris Diamantopoulos: Yeah, we actually met in Times Square. It was in the middle of rush hour, she was walking from the tunnel connecting the A/C/E to the 1/9 and I was walking in that direction. We walked by each other and smiled at each other and I — for some reason that day —had the wherewithal actually do something about that. You know there have been so many times walking through New York, you sort of pass strangers by or something, I never had the balls to do anything about it. But she was just so beautiful, and so, she just seemed so approachable…The worst that can happen is she could scream and run away, but she didn’t, and we’ve been together ever since.
That’s a wonderful New York story, there’s not a lot of those out there. But in terms of projects you’ve worked on, you have done a lot of film work, a lot of TV, you’ve done voiceovers, and you’ve done a lot of theater. How much of your time is usually spent in New York?
CD: Well, you know it’s funny because I moved to New York when I was 20 years old and I was working 100 percent in the theater at the time. I had started having some national tours, Webber’s Music Of The Night and Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, then I landed in New York with Les Miserables…I did a ton of readings and workshops for new musicals. But I’d always sort of had my sort of set my sights on trying my hand at the small and big screen, and I wanted to head out to Los Angeles, so it was very shortly after meeting my wife where I’d expressed to her a little bit of starting to get a little stir crazy in New York. She suggested that we go to L.A. and try it out, so I gave my notice…and we went out to L.A.
It was a tough go for me because my entire life and career were New York-based, all the voiceover work and the theater work could only really happen while I was in New York. So when I went to L.A., the first two years, I let go of all employment and couldn’t get an agent, couldn’t get hired because…musical theater wasn’t what TV and film agents and casting directors wanted to see on a resume…Some offers were coming in for some theater work, but I really wanted to give L.A. a go, and letting all that go and I really thought I’d made a terrible mistake. It wasn’t until the third year that things sort of started to pick up. It was, just so you know, small small little bits…As soon as that happened, New York kind of stopped being a place for me to work for a good decade, and I worked you know exclusively on the West Coast and then you know in Canada or wherever else things were shooting.
But I sort of stepped away from New York for a while, which is why I’m so grateful for this opportunity to come back, because I just love working in New York. I love living in New York. I’m a New Yorker, I still have a New York phone number. When we went out to L.A., even though we built a house there, it was always just like “okay, we’re just here on location, we’re just here temporarily”…We got a little sidetracked with children and whatnot, but we’re still trying to claw our way back to the city.
Had you worked with anyone in the Waitress camp before?
CD: Well, you know I was in L.A., I was working on Silicon Valley, the HBO show that I was doing…My theatrical agent called me and said, “Hey I know you haven’t done theater” — and then at that point it had been 12, 13 years — “so I know it’s been a long time.” Oh, that’s not true, I had done a City Center production of Girl Crazy at the urging of my wife…But other than that, it had been a very long time and he said, “You know there’s this workshop of a new show Diane Paulus is directing,” I’ve been a big fan of her work, and Sara Bareilles wrote the music, and I’ve always been a huge fan of hers, and the musical director, Nadia [DiGiallonardo] is someone that my wife knows. He said it’s just 10 days in New York, any interest in doing it?…My daughter was an infant at the time, so we brought my son and my daughter and we went for 10 days and we had a ball. I did the 10-day workshop, it was very very low pressure, I had a great time, I love the role…It seemed like it was a really great way to come back, to come back again, and then unfortunately my schedule just forbade me from doing the Broadway production…Diane was quite generous…
Then of course another show came up, and it was just too hard to pass up with two kids…I took the other TV gig and it broke my heart because this was really the one that got away and I said, “Oh well, it’s not going to happen.” So when I found out that Sara was going into the company and they started sort of reaching out saying, “Hey, you know we don’t want to reach out if we know what the answer is going to be and if the answer is ‘no.’ We’re just sort of checking to see.” I wasn’t working on a TV show and I ran it by my wife and she was chomping at the bit to come back…So we jumped at the opportunity and I’m really glad I did.
A little bit ago you mentioned Silicon Valley. I think your character Russ Hanneman is a lot of people’s favorite character on the show, but you seem to be the opposite of that guy. Do you often get confused for Russ?
CD: The writers on Silicon Valley, Alec Berg and Mike Judge, are really generous with regard to how they give material to actors…I think one of the reasons is because most of the actors that they work with are stand-up comics. I’m not a stand-up comic, I’ve never been in stand-up comedy, it terrifies me. But I think that what was fortuitous about that for me was that they had a lot of trust with regard to giving me material, or even giving me just some skeletal material and letting me kind of put the flesh on the bones. So I had a lot of fun playing with that character ,and again in television it’s rare to have an opportunity to play a really broad character. It is something I actually seek out because I didn’t get in the business to play myself, I see myself every day, I’d rather be somebody completely diametrically-opposed to who I am.
So I think that it’s a confluence of me having fun with great material, working under great directors and great writers, with great actors on the show that people like…I think more than any role that I’ve done, that seems to be the catcall that I’ll get when I’m walking around the airport with my kids. It’s a really strange thing when my six-year old says, “What did he say?” and “No, no, no, he didn’t say anything.” But it’s really funny too, I had a priest come up to me and say, “Oh I love Russ Hanneman.” You know it’s just such an odd thing, but there’s something about him just being so undeniably and unabashedly-reprehensible. (laughs) He represents…how we are all wishing to be, I guess…
So do you have a favorite restaurant in New York City?
CD: I have a ton, and I’ve got a lot of nice little hole-in-the-wall places, or places you’d never find, but the one that I’m going to tell you about is in such an obvious area, and I almost don’t want to tell people about it because it’s so fucking good. It’s called La Masseria, it’s an Italian place on 48th…The chef there has created basically this prototypical authentic Italian experience, and I’m sure you can find that in hundreds of restaurants in New York. Well I haven’t been able to find, and it’s not often on the menu, they have this dish called Bottarga Spaghetti. Basically it’s the simplest thing — you know what bottarga is?
I don’t. I’ve been there, but what is it?
CD: You’ve got to ask them for it. So bottarga is a block of sun-dried fish roe. It looks kind of like an orange block of parmesan, but it’s actually dried fish. They bring the spaghetti, with a little bit of parsley and a little bit of cracked black pepper and a little bit of olive oil, a little bit garlic and they grate this bottarga onto the spaghetti and it melts in the spaghetti. The idea is you want to pair it with an amazing bottle of a nice big red wine, and you want to take a nice little fork full of that and you want to swish around the wine after you’ve had that bite. It’s incredible, but I love the place…They make me feel like I’m family and I’ve been going there for 12, 13 years since it’s been open.
Aside from all the work, because it seems like you’re always working now, what do you like to do when you’re not working? Do you have any main hobbies?
CD: I’m pretty boring, I mean I’m a homebody. I love cooking, that’s something that I do and my family does, my wife does and my kids are into it now. Cooking kind of calms my mind. I’m also just, again, boringly a big walker, which is why I want to back to New York, because in L.A. there’s not a whole lot of walking unless you’re hiking, which I do. But I just like going wherever the road leads, even though I’d walk the streets thousands of times, finding a street I’ve never seen before…just seeing where the adventure leads. Other than that, I enjoy exercise here and there and, but I’m a relatively-boring guy.
So, finally Chris, any last words for the kids?
CD: For the kids? I would say the best advice I ever got was, “Follow the spark.” Because there’s a spark of curiosity, spark of intrigue. It will lead to something huge, it will take you somewhere. Find you’re curious about something, follow it and look into it — it’s the only way you’ll grow.
Opened last month in the heart of the Theater District, The Green Room 42 is an immersive 130-seat state-of-the-art entertainment venue. It not only offers audiences the chance to see some of their favorite performers up close and personal, but it also offers a food menu designed by Chef Gabriel Israel of the adjacent restaurant Green Fig. Beyond the food and entertainment, cocktails, craft beer and wine are also offered. Yes, all on the fourth floor of the YOTEL.
Since its Mar. 5 opening, plenty of major Broadway performers have taken to the stage of The Green Room 42. This includes Constantine Maroulis, Lillias White and Alice Ripley. A change of pace from the top stars of the stage, The Green Room 42 also offers a “Bottomless Brunch” on Sundays, featuring the undewear-clad singing duo The Skivvies, dishes from the aforementioned Chef Gabriel and 90 minutes of unlimited prosecco drinks.
Daniel Dunlow: The Green Room 42’s owner Gil Rubenstein operates all the food and beverage outlets at the YOTEL NYC, including modern Israeli restaurant Green Fig and rooftop lounge Social Drink & Food, which both opened last year. For the final piece of the project, Gil transformed the hotel’s event space into an entertainment venue where guests could watch performances in an up-close and personal setting. Although New York City has a lot of theaters and music venues, he found that there weren’t many intimate rooms that offer Broadway level performances at a wallet-friendly price.
How would you describe the venue to someone who hasn’t yet been there?
The Green Room 42 is a new, funky, urban take on the classic New York cabaret scene. It’s Frank Sinatra meets Sia, which is exactly the aesthetic of the room. As for the business model, it’s centered around value and hospitality. That means just one show a night, spacious seating and no food or beverage minimum ever. Come as you wish and stay for as long as you like — you’re our guest. We pride ourselves on offering a lower ticket cost than anywhere else in town, and all the while paying the acts fairly. It’s all about the experience: great food, drink and creative entertainment. Broadway stars are coming out of the woodwork to perform at this venue, and they’re also flocking in to see the shows; so you never know who’ll you’ll run into in the crowd.
What does the venue name mean? Is the 42 related to the street?
DD: A “green room” is the space in the theater that is between the dressing rooms and the stage. It’s where actors hang out before they go onstage. It’s a place on Broadway where you get to see Simba from The Lion King in full lion costume and makeup, but playing Candy Crush on his phone. That’s exactly what cabaret is to me: It’s a space where the artist is live in front of you, but being a human being and not playing a part. They are comfortable and personable, telling stories, laughing, joking and kidding around. That’s what you get in the green room and at The Green Room 42. As for the “42,” it was added so people knew where to go: 42nd Street.
Do you have a favorite item on the menu? Is there a full menu offered during all shows?
DD: We offer a full menu during every show at The Green Room 42. We have everything from artisan pizza to an unreal schnitzel burger. My personal favorite are the steamed mussels with garlic and white wine sauce that are served for the table to share. They are absolutely addicting. They’re meant to be shared at the table, but if you’re sitting with me, we will not be sharing them — I will be eating them all by myself. (laughs)
What was the first show you booked there?
DD: The first show I booked here was Lillias White, the Broadway legend from The Life, Dreamgirls, Fela! and Hercules. She sold out her Valentine’s Day show here. She’s already returned for a second show with a packed house. While she was signing her first contract, I got the impulse to have her sign two copies just so I could keep a copy of her autograph.
Russ, for someone who hasn’t seen you live before, what should be expected?
Russ Kaplan: “Theatrical Psychedelic Party Jazz.” For this show we’re ransacking the Broadway canon — from both classics and new shows — to find new exciting twists on familiar tunes. It’s mostly instrumental with the occasional stealth vocalist.
Who’s going to be onstage with you?
RK: My band, the massive and massively-awesome Russ Kaplan +7: me on keyboards, Moppa Elliott on bass, Wayan Zoey on drums, Tom Gavin on guitar, Christoph Knoche on reeds, Kyle Saulnier on more reeds, Eric Biondo on trumpet, and Brian Adler sitting in on percussion. Plus of course special guests Justin Guarini and beatboxer Chesney Snow, both from In Transit.
Do you have a favorite song to perform live?
RK: So far, “Poinciana.” We haven’t played these Broadway songs yet, but I’m pretty psyched to jam out on some Phantom; I don’t want to give away which song.
Where was the first live show you ever performed in New York?
RK: First show with my band was at the Douglass Street Music Collective in Brooklyn, at my 29th birthday. First performance of any kind as a New Yorker, at Arlene’s Grocery, beatboxing to “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” at a Motown tribute show.
Russ Kaplan
Russ Kaplan aside, any upcoming shows you’re especially excited for?
DD: I’m really stoked to get Telly Leung in here. He’s such a genuine guy with a love for the arts. I can’t wait to see what he brings to his solo show. Also, there are some shows in the works right now that I can’t yet speak about, but they’ve got me very excited—you’ll hear about them soon.
The Green Room 42 show aside, Russ, what’s coming up for you career-wise?
RK: Lyricist Sara Wordsworth and I are finishing the latest draft of our new musical Minnesota. Hi, producers!
When not busy with your career, how do you like to spend your free time?
DD: Free time? I go see theater, but I consider that research. I’m a huge fan of Broadway. I love seeing current shows, watching YouTube clips of old shows and collecting Broadway memorabilia. Some of my prized possessions are a signed Ethel MermanGypsy playbill, a signed Mary Martin headshot, Billy Porter’s eyelashes from Kinky Boots, and my hall of Tyne Daly memorabilia — I’m obsessed with Tyne Daly. My apartment is like a museum of Broadway. I recently bought the original grand piano from Don’t Tell Mama, one of New York’s first true cabaret clubs. This is the piano that they had in their club since day one. I played it when I performed my very own first cabaret there five years ago. This piano, which is now in my bedroom, is the piano that all the greats like Liza Minnelli and Bernadette Peters sang on, and shows like RENT and The Last 5 Years were written on this piano late at night in the piano bar. I’m a pianist and composer myself, so I spend some free time tickling the ivories and performing around town. So as for free time, I’d say roughly six hours of my day are spent sleeping, and then the other 18 are for theater stuff.
RK: Hanging with my wife and daughter. Watching BBC nature movies.
DD: I love pianos and I love music, so I obviously love the Piano Man. I went to see Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden again last month. That was my fifth time seeing him. That guy knows how to do it.
Finally, any last words for the kids?
DD: A wise man once told me that there are many different llamas that take you to the top of “Mt. Great Entertainment.”
Few musicians have logged more television time than Paul Shaffer. In addition to being David Letterman’s bandleader and sidekick from 1982 to 2015, Paul was part of the band on Saturday Night Live for nearly five years. He also starred in the CBS sitcom A Year At The Top, hosted the VH1 game show Cover Wars, and appeared in the classic comedy This Is Spinal Tap; there is a long-standing rumor that Paul was offered the role of George Costanza on Seinfeld.
Off-screen, Paul’s credits as a musician are also very impressive. He got his start in musical theater, serving as musical director of the Toronto production of Godspell, eventually finding his way to Broadway in New York. While still in the SNL fold, he was a major creative force behind The Blues Brothers. Early into his Late Night With David Letterman tenure, he played keyboards for Robert Plant’s post-Zeppelin band The Honeydrippers and contributed the impressive synth solo to Scandal’s “Goodbye To You.” He co-wrote the song “It’s Raining Men” for The Weather Girls, which went Top 10 around the world and has since been covered by RuPaul and The Spice Girls’ Geri Halliwell. He has also released several solo albums, one of which Grammy-nominated and two of which produced by Todd Rundgren.
Paul has not slowed down his leaving the Late Show With David Letterman. He has been the musical director of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony since its inception. He was the musical director and on-screen accompanist for 2015’s Primetime Emmy-nominated A Very Murray Christmas. Last year he recorded his third solo album alongside his Letterman bandmates, Paul Shaffer & The World’s Most Dangerous Band, as released via Sire Records on Mar. 17; it features vocals from Dion, Jenny Lewis, Bill Murray, Darius Rucker, Shaggy and Valerie Simpson.
In support of The World’s Most Dangerous Band, Paul and band will be appearing at the Theater At Westbury on Apr. 22. One night earlier, the show comes to Montclair’s Wellmont Theater. Paul spoke to Downtown about his new album, the tour, James Brown, New York and plenty more. He can followed on Twitter via @PaulShaffer.
First, I wanted to ask you about the book you wrote a couple of years ago. Was it enjoyable for you to write the book in considering that you are primarily known as a sideman and a host and all that? Or was writing a book a completely different creative experience for you?
Paul Shaffer: Well of course it was. I was very much lucky to have David Ritz writing it with me. He is a pro, does a lot of music biographies, started with the Ray Charles book that he did back in the 70’s and Marvin Gaye and on and on…A lot of process was sitting with David and remembering stories that happened, and then you know putting them together with him and making a book out of it. I loved the process.
Sure. Was there a lot of material that was leftover from the book? A lot of stories that you still feel you hope to tell one day in another book or another form?
PS: Of course…I didn’t get to talk about about seeing Siegfried and Roy in Las Vegas with James Brown and then hanging out with all three of them later on…That is a book in itself really, but yeah, I couldn’t put everything in there…That certainly was one of the things I realized about the book that I did write a little bit inside…
Speaking of things that are inside, a lot of people know of course that you co-wrote the song “It’s Raining Men,” but I was curious if you had been otherwise in the co-writing game, trying to place music with other artists. Or was that just a one-off for you?
PS: I have written a few other things but it was a sort of a one-off. My co-writer was Paul Jabara, who wrote a number of other hits including “Last Dance” by Donna Summer. I had back in the 70s, when I was working in the studio as a session musician, I had done arrangements for this guy. One song we did together was called “One Man Ain’t Enough,” so he was already working towards that concept…
Anyway, Paul called and said, “I’ve got this title I want to write and you were so great as my arranger. I would love it if we co-wrote this thing.” He said, “What do you think about the title ‘It’s Raining Men?’” I said, “I will be right over,” and that is how it came about. I have written a few other things, songs, I mean comedy songs of course. One called “Kung Fu Christmas” for the National Lampoon back in ’74… Really I just love to play. I just love the immediate ratification that you get from playing the piano and playing songs that I love. Writing was just never a priority with me…That is all I can say.
So you do have the upcoming show at Westbury with The World’s Most Dangerous Band and the album coming out on Rhino/Sire. Does that mean that you and the band are still fully intact and you hope to keep it going, even though you are not on TV every night?
PS: Well, we love to play together. Everybody is doing their own thing now…I brought everybody back together to do the album and there was just, I was in love with the reunion, you know. We all loved playing together and felt comfortable playing together. After all those years, now we speak the same language, so we did the record together, we had a great time together and it all, it made sense to do some live appearances, which we are going to be doing springtime. Everybody was interested so you know, simple as that…
For somebody who is a fan of yours and the other musicians for years on television but may not be so sure of what they are going to see live on tour, do you have a way of describing the show?
PS: Well, I am going to be telling a lot of stories…I would be bringing them out as stories about times on the Letterman show, different artists that we’ve worked with and then in many cases, backing it up with some of the music. You know. James Brown is a guy who was just such a great influence, my very favorite, and I got to play for him so many times on Letterman. Every time was a lesson…so you know I wanted to tell the audience about that and then you know demonstrate in songs…We are also going to be playing tunes from the new album.
Well, you’ve mentioned so far James Brown a couple of times. I remember you often coming in and out of commercial on Letterman, doing the James Brown cape routine. Is that something you ever talked about with him?
PS: With James?
Yeah.
PS: No…We got into a routine for, I think years, where every Friday I would do the routine and a different celebrity would come out and put the cape on. The pinnacle of it was when he himself did it, James Brown came out himself to put the cape on me. So you know, that was, I could have retired that after that. It was such a thrill but I did not get to…I never did.
PS: Yeah, I have read it, sure. I have read it in the history books, I did not get a chance to confirm it with him, no, in any of the conversations I had, but I believe it. You know, it makes sense. I remember, well, I am old enough to remember Gorgeous George and I remember his outfits and his capes and stuff. So if James Brown has to be pretty honest if he ever did it admit it personally…It would be an honest thing to say, “I got it from a wrestler.”
So you have the upcoming tour and you have the album coming out on Rhino/Sire. When you have a free moment, what do you like to do in your spare time?
PS: I have two kids, my daughter is 23 living, she is out of the house, but my son is a senior in high school still at home, and I just like to spend as much time with him as he has for me. That is my priority and I have my best times with him and my daughter too, so hanging out with them, that is it.
I must say that you created or at least you portrayed two of the greatest comedy characters ever between Artie Fufkin and your impression of Don Kirshner. Do you have aspirations to act or be on the camera without an instrument again?
PS: Sure, I love it. I found the experience very musical, especially comedy, comedy in front of an audience, because it is something like getting that reaction from the audience and the waiting for it and then going on with your line and timing is just perfectly. I enjoy it so much and getting that kind of response from an audience is just the same as getting a response for one’s music from an audience. I would love to do small acting, yes.
Cool, and back to the hobby thing, do you have a favorite restaurant in New York? I realize that you have been here for over 40 years in New York.
PS: Yeah. I still go to a place called Caffe Cielo, right near the Ed Sullivan Theater, so I used to have lunch there very often. Now they have moved farther down in the Theater District to 49th Street, but I still go there because there is a group of friends who have lunch at the bar. Also, Gallagher’s Steakhouse on 52nd it’s right by the old theater where I used to work. That’s a place I go for the oxtail soup. So those are the two places that come to mind.
Still a Midtown West guy, cool. And so finally, Paul, any last words for the kids?
PS: Well, yes, hey kids…That’s it. (laughs) You know keep your nose to the grindstone. and enjoy being a kid.
The NYCLU (a vital branch of the American Civil Liberties Union) hosted the 15th Annual Broadway Stands Up for Freedom concert at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts on the NYU campus.
Last night, the NYCLU honored Harry Belafonte, civil rights activist and actor, with the first ever Freedom Award for his contributions.
