Hello Bette

Every show-tune queen ( and more than a few others) are breaking out the bubbly to celebrate the news that The Divine Miss M will be back on Broadway next year.  And if that is not exciting news enough, she will starring in the first ever brand new staging of Jerry Herman's classic Tony Award winning show "Hello Dolly!". This new production will be directed by four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks with choreography by Tony Award winner Warren Carlyle. 

This evergreen Show was originally written in the 1960's specifically for Ethel Merman who turned it down, as did Mary Martin who was the producers 2nd choice, and the part went to Carol Channing who still seems to be performing ever since. Although the role is closely identified with her (and a certain young Jewish actress about to make her first big movie) over the past six decades it has been played by every big (and small) star who can squeeze into a sequin frock and make a big camp entrance surrounded by pretty chorus boys. Including Miss Merman and Miss Martin who changed their minds when they saw that the Show was a smash hit.

Here are just a few of the divas and gay icons who have been Dolly Levi one way or another up until now.

                                                                                                                 Barbra Striesand

                                                                                                                                  Carol Channing

                                                                                                                                        Pearl Bailey

                                                                                                                                                   Dorothy Lamour 

                                                                                                                              Cuba's Rosita Fornes

                                                                                                  Sally Struthers  (the 50th Anniversary Tour)

                                                    Mexico's  Sylvia Pinal         

                                                                                    Britain's Anita Dobson

                                                         Britain's Danny La Rue 

                                                                                                  Eve Arden        

                                                                                                                     Jazz legend Marilyn Maye

                                                                                 Hong Kong's Mimi Lo

                                                                              Ginger Rogers

PS. How many could you name?

Bette is Back

It has just been announced that The Divine Miss M is releasing a new album of a combination of her very best love songs called A Gift Of Love on December 4th. 

The earliest recording on the album is "Let Me Just Follow Behind," which Midler recorded for her third album, Songs for the New Depression (1976). The most recent tracks - "(Talk To Me Of) Mendocino" and "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game" - come from the sessions for Midler's smash tribute to female trios It's the Girls.

However It would not be complete without three of Midler's biggest hits: "The Rose" from the 1979 film of the same name in which Midler starred; the #1 Grammy-winning smash "Wind Beneath My Wings" from another Midler film, Beaches; and "From A Distance," from her double-platinum album Some People's Lives (1990).

In case you need reminding (!) here's a glimpse of Bette at her very best .......