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67 Maplewood

 In this house, we are increasingly desperate for diversions and entertainment, so we're having a weeklong birthday festival in honor of Bernadette Peters.

Ms. Peters--Broadway's greatest star, past, present, and future--turned 73 a few days ago.

Marc and I began our festivities with a viewing of Bernadette's "SVU" hour. Ms. P. played "Stella Danquiss," a defense attorney "cold as ice." When she enters the room, "the temp drops by about five degrees."

Next, we enjoyed Bernadette as Mrs. Rindell, a Madoff-esque financial schemer/femme fatale, in "The Good Fight." Everyone should watch this show--for many reasons--and especially because the writers have reteamed Bernadette with Christine Baranski (after their important 1982 theatrical partnership, "Sally and Marsha").

Obviously, no Bernadette party is complete without a viewing of her legendary 1998 concert, "Live from the Royal Festival Hall" (which you can find for free on YouTube). I've basically memorized this concert after watching it twelve trillion times, and I want to direct your attention to "Johanna," "You Could Drive a Person Crazy," and "Some People." (Also, please watch the "pre-GYPSY banter," when Bernadette confesses that she lied on her resume to make a childhood GYPSY role seem larger than it really was. "I've meant to change it, but I've just been so busy with El Niño....and all that.....")

Bernadette made it through all of last year--and she's here. Raise a glass.
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