Among the 10 Best Broadway Shows Ever! Author: MatsonMan from San Antonio, Texas Dear Most Happy Fella enthusiast: I have a 2 DVD copy of this PBS broadcast and will make it available. Recently, I have exchanged emails with Susan Loesser and later spoken with Georgio Tozzi (see UPDATE below) about this show in general and this performance in particular. This performance of TMHF is on 2 DVDs and was transferred from a betamax of the show. The DVDs are archival and fabulous! In Susan Loesser's opinion, it is by far her favorite Broadway show of the three most popular shows of her father...and she ventures an opinion that it was her father's favorite, too. Her step-mother, Jo Sullivan, created Rosabella in original 1956 production which I saw in Philadelphia on its way to Broadway. Her performance and that of Robert Weede and Shorty Long are seared into my musical brain...sorry, I was too young to get a feel for the nuances of Joe's role played by Art Lund...thank goodness for the cast recording of the show as its two CDs comprise at least 95% of the entire show - it is all largely sung. Jim Berg President MatsonCreative.com jim@MatsonCreative.com 403 E. Ramsey #101 San Antonio, TX 78216 210.349.3674 Update.................... I get lots of comments and thanks since my original post. I am glad I kept a copy of the show...it may be the only one available. Incidentally, Tozzi told me recently that the taping for this PBS performance was in a mold filled Detroit theater and that after the show moved to NYC, he replaced his singing with (perfectly edited) studio voice overs. I have had this recording for nearly twenty-seven years and now understand from Tozzi why it is not commercially released...but for my taste he was as perfect a Tony as Weede (I also saw Robert Weede originate the role when I was eleven) - with or without the mold. And as for his voice overs - you'd NEVER know unless I told you. |