Mama Mia – My My
Mama Mia! With the penchant to turn hit Broadway shows into movies, it was just a matter of time until the hit Broadway play made it to the big screen. July 18th marks the release of the all star cast movie staring some pretty heavy hitters from the world of film including Meryl Streep, Pierce Bronson and Colin Firth. (I imagine we’ll reserve judgment until after the release.) Rounding out the cast is a genuine Broadway musical veteran, Christine Baranski who is no stranger to film adaptations of musical comedy hits. She was featured in The Birdcage based on Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman’s Tony Award winning hit La Cage Aux Folles which was based on a French film.
Upcoming Birthdays
Perhaps I am stretching, but there is something to be said for the time warp connection between Broadway, movies and actors. (Just ask Rocky Horror fans.)
Jean Marsh, like the above mentioned Colin Firth, is no stranger to British period pieces. The library collection has a great representation of films based on literary classics, many of which feature this actress who became well known to American audiences through her performance in the British TV series Upstairs/Downstairs. She turns 74 on July 1st.
And Mel Brooks who made a comedy, The Producers that morphed into a Broadway musical phenomenon and then turned right around and became a film is 80 this Saturday.
Oh, and Meryl Streep just turned 60 last Sunday. Coincidence? I wonder...