Hooray for Hollywood II: COBRA TALKS DALY DOESN’T

 

                        By Jeannie

 (apologies for poor quality of required flashless pictures)

 

 

 

13 is lucky for the annual Doctor's Fund Benefit show and Director Donald Labohn hasn’t lost his Midas touch

This is Hollywood, Grove style where gender and preference is never taken for granted.

In the star studded audience, the great ones were there – Randi & Gianna!

 

The iconoclastic Homecoming Queen Urban Sprawl continues to defy tradition as she was dumped rather than escorted to the stage for the requisite appearance.

Matt Baney’s gruff MGM’s Louis B. Mayer voice over commented “from above” on the proceedings

 

Ladies and Gentlemen Take your Seats

 

Usherettes (does anyone remember those?) Sylvia Shapiro, Luisa Verde, Shirley Charity and Coco welcomed us in true old fashioned style singing "Just Go to the Movies," and Coco refreshed our memories in "Movies Were Movies."

 

Dashing Gary Greene as Errol Flynn (Gary Greene), Cary Grant (Jack Ruolo), Randolph Scott (Dan Daly) and Tyrone Power (Don Verteramo) “You Don’t Thrill Me When You Kiss Me… No.

not much”

 

proved long whispered rumors that they indeed loved each other more than their leading ladies

 

 

In an incredible feat of costuming and make-up Doctor's Fund President Joanne Tavis, Bobbie Green, Doreen Rallo, and Lola were totally convincing as the Wizard of Oz ,Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow and Dorothy (and a loose bowelled Toto)  and one can imagine the fun they had in those costumes

 

In a family values send-off Joan Crawford’s infamous Mommy Dearest (Urban in polka dots!) sang “I love your funny face," to a cherubic Christina (Coco)

before chopping off her hair! ‘now clean uo that mess, Missy”

 

Breaking her long standing silence, Cobra spoke uttering a Greta Garbo-ish

 "I want to be alone", quipping "Which way to the Pines?"

 

 

Gary (who has come a very long way since he only did sets and costumes and never went onstage) a strait-jacketed Hannibal Lecter who warned, "I want to do bad things with you"

 

To the luscious Louisa as the FBI agent

 

Never was there a Dracula so dramatic as Don, flourishing his cape and baring his fangs until….

 

 the Shapiros, overpowering the vampire flashing Stars of David (obviously the vampire wasn’t Jewish)

broke into the requisite Barry Sisters number "Otchi Chornaya"

(ending the suspense of just where and when they would insert their signature number)

 

Autograph hunters (crew members Arthur Cohen, Jane Haber and Peg Ryan) inspired the “modest type” Charity to reveal how she got to "The Big Time”

 

Why, it’s a very convincing, ultra macho James Bond (Joanne),
who’s got a big one swingin’ down to his knees”, with side chicks Urban and Luisa, all suave and swagger in “Who's the Man?"

Captured in her boudoir, swathed in only a sheet, the ultimate sex kitten, Brigitte Bardot (Lola), purred and sizzled her way through “Naughty Baby”

 

In a film noir fantasy Grove power couple Margo, as Cruella De Vil, and Coco, the Evil Queen in "Snow White," definitely "Two of a Kind," badgering each other into "Friendship”

 

Bold and brassy Shirley. compete with suitors Joanne, Bobbie, and Doreen, captured the essence of Mae West in “I'm in the Mood for Love,” very convincing

 

 

Dan wheeled out the resplendent Bella, as the magnificent invalid Elizabeth Taylor

 

 

Bitching that, due to poor health, "Everybody's Fucking, but Me", a song with the most lurid lyrics I ever heard as they dripped like honey flavored venom from her lips

Newbie Renée Flaming was Hitchcock "Birds” heroine Tippi Hedrin, first stylishly bird adorned then brought down by the evil creatures – still managing to look glamorous singing "Everything happens to me" (must take time out for another word about the extraordinary costumes and makeup in this show)

 

 

Gary was outstanding as the impish Pinocchio  - he danced!

 

Ultimately duet ting with Luisa’s Blue Fairy the appropriately double-entendre-d "Better knock, knock, knock on wood" (another indication of the care and research that went into finding just the right songs for each character)

Bobbi illustrated why Hattie McDaniel won her award in the spirited, "Nobody listens to Mammy" …simple perfection

 

Ann Phetamine (at last, Don in his best self) pulled the appropriate fruit from the most inappropriate places as a lewd Carmen Miranda, noting "When a bananna has such appeal”..Is it me or was that a guy a little fruity?

 

Dan Daly got his moment in another original opus, an ode to pin up queen Betty Grable  “A song for a lady that I’ve loved for so long”…………….I was afraid he would never get a chance to speak let alone sing – what a delight as always.

 

 

THE GRAND FINALE

 

In the best MGM Extravaganza style, a Drag Queen Delight!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Donald stuck to her tradition giving credit generously where it was due (despite some criticism from the press last year???) Tech: Matt, Alison Brackman, Michael Romanelli, Sherri Rase; Harold Seeley, sets; Doreen and Don, choreography; Urban, hair and makeup; Robert Ferri and Dan for printing. Joanne added further comments, on behalf of the Elmer A. Lindsay Memorial Center Doctor's Fund
musing how the show went from Cherry’s to the newly high tech Grove theater (both Bella and Evan had to use MD’s this summer)

 

Conceived and directed by Donald Labohn, co-produced by Meryl Facterman and Lois McIntosh with the Arts Project of Cherry Grove, July 18^th ‘09