Musical Dolls

Since I didn't have to work until 2 today, I thought I'd get some things done I've been meaning to do, starting with the most leisurely Sunday breakfast I've had in weeks. It was nice to enjoy Blueberry Cinnamon Pancakes without rushing. I listened to the cast album It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman while I ate. Yes, there was a Superman musical in 1962...and alas, it's only a step above Spider Man Turn Off the Dark. Some good songs (including "You've Got Possibilities" for Linda Lavin) are overshadowed by a dated plot that has Superman brought down by a mad scientist and a Walter Winchell-like news columnist. For major Superman collectors or fans of the shows of the 60's only.

Switched to Curtains while I dressed the American Girl dolls. Curtains was the last show done by Kander and Ebb, with an assistance by Remember WENN's creator and writer Rupert Holmes. The star of a big show in the 50's dies while the show is trying out in Boston. Her death isn't exactly mourned by the cast - she was a terrible actress and was really dragging the show down. The police officer who covers the case (David Hyde Pierce) is show-struck and absolutely thrilled to be among show business folk. He helps them figure out the problems with the show while solving the crimes. Too bad this show didn't do well in the early 2000's - it's not the best that Holmes or Kander & Ebb did, but there's some nice music, including "A Tough Act to Follow" for Hyde-Pierce and the star's understudy and Hyde-Pierce's "Coffee Shop Nights."

The AG dolls were changed into lighter outfits for summer. Samantha wears the pink Frilly Frock Lauren sent for Christmas. Jessa wears the Rainbow Romper that was originally part of Julie's friend Ivy's collection with the jelly sandals from the Birthday Outfit. Josefina looks very pretty in her Weaving Outfit and beige moccasins. I had Whitney and Molly switch the outfits they wore last summer. Whitney got Kit's Yellow Floral Dress and turquoise flower hair clip with the knee socks from the School Outfit. Molly's wearing Kit's rare Scooter Dress with the yellow shoes and cloche hat. Felicity wears a blue and white floral gown I bought for her from a doll clothes booth at the Deptford Mall several years ago.

Since it was still relatively cool, I baked chocolate chip-oatmeal cookies while listening to Crazy For You. This 90's reworking of the 1930 Gershwin musical Girl Crazy only slightly revises the story of a playboy who goes out west and falls for the postmistress of a small town. This time, instead of joining a boys' college, he's posing as a well-known producer and putting on a show that happens to include a slew of great Gershwin songs, both well-known and just re-discovered at that point, including my favorite, the hilarious comic lament "What Causes That?"

When the cookies were in the oven, I took down the general spring decorations and put up the summer items. It didn't take very long. I don't do a lot of decorating for summer. I'll put up the patriotic decorations for the Fourth of July after Lauren visits.

Work was busy through about 6 PM, after which it died quickly. Nothing out of the ordinary for a Sunday. We're usually busy on Sundays, even outside of football season. Some people can't shop any day but a Sunday. The beginning of the month crowd is just winding down, too. It was slow enough by 7 for me to shut down without a relief.

And I made a really interesting discovery on YouTube tonight. I remember seeing this lively musical version of Puss N' Boots on cable when I was little. It's a live-action play set in New Orleans during the early 1900's, from the costumes. I haven't seen it since the late 80's, and it's just as much fun as I remember.

Puss N' Boots musical