Happy Birthday, Catherine Zeta-Jones

In an odd turn of fate, Catherine Zeta-Jones played Peggy in the musical- 42nd Street, a character who gets her big break in a Broadway musical when the star breaks her leg & can't go on, when the star of the West End revival became sick, & as understudy, Zeta-Jones went on in her place & became a musical comedy star in Britain. She received an Academy Award, BAFTA, & SAG awards for Best Supporting Actress as Velma Kelly in Chicago, a really great performance in an unexpectedly brilliant film version of one of my favorite musicals. Veta-Jones is newly announced to star on Broadway this season in A Little Night Music (the Husband's favorite Sondheim show). She will play Desirée Armfeldt with Angela Lansbury playing Madame Armfeldt. The production is to be directed by Trevor Nunn. Penned by Stephen Sondheim & Hugh Wheeler, A Little Night Music is loosely based on Ingmar Bergman's film Smiles of a Summer Night (1955). The musical had its first Broadway production in 1973, winning six Tonys, including best musical & original score. I saw it in previews, pre-Broadway, in Boston with the original cast & was enchanted. I went on to play Henrik in A Little Night Music in regional theatre in 1977. The character of Henrik plays the cello. In most productions, the pit orchestra cello plays & the actor mimes the playing of the instrument. Because I play string bass, I was able to actually play the cello in this production. It was very difficult for me to play & sing at the same time. I practiced more than an hour a day for a month. I loved the role, even in a very uneven production. I would love to see Zeta-Jones & my good close personal friend Angela Lansbury in the new production. Trivia: Today is also the birthday of Zeta-Jone's husband- Michael Douglas.

Unbelivable. Stephen as Henrik in A Little Night Music in Spokane circa Autumn 1977.