Liars and Saints

  My son's behavioral coach has a certain style, which I call "street smarts." Sometimes, we're all getting sucked into a vortex of bad behavior. The children are fighting about something--say, access to a crushed, filthy bottle cap. There is a strong wish to use reason, appeals to logic--and this never, never works. The coach just suggests a sing-song tone and a change of subject. Change the setting! She is ruthless, in this way. Also, I find I have an idea of who I "should" be, and this is tiresome. I should be someone who wants to attend the "parent social hour" after Back to School night. I should be someone who schedules FaceTime with my children if I'm away on a trip. The behavioral coach says, "That's all nonsense. Don't go to the social hour, and don't plan FaceTime. A FaceTime session with Papa is just confusing, if you're three years old. And do you want to talk to all those awful parents when you don't *have*...

It's not great fun to watch the film version of "The Sound of Music" with me. I am the nerd who continuously says, "This is *not* how it was done on Broadway." My husband is patient. He's maybe not fascinated that the big Mother Abbess solo has been moved out of Act One, but he pretends to show an interest in my speech. He's so pleased that I'm watching this movie--it's not my favorite movie--that he'll let me blather and blather about how Max and Elsa have become less obviously cowardly for Hollywood. And he'll tolerate my monologue on the "Hollywood Hall Pass." The phenomenon of the hall pass has to do with your marriage. Your spouse will allow you to conduct a one-night-only affair with a Hollywood figure, should the opportunity arise. Many gay men might choose--I don't know--Chris Pine or one of the other Chris-es, but my Hollywood Hall Pass is for "Sound of Music"-era Plummer. In that unifor...

Some thoughts on "Making It Big," Isenberg's "diary" on the doomed BIG adaptation that lived very briefly on-stage: Why would you not want to adapt the movie BIG for Broadway? For a few reasons.  If you don't have Tom Hanks, you are lacking a major resource.  Also, the story involves a passive hero--a guy who actually wants very little and mostly just reacts--and a musical really needs a hungry protagonist. ("And so I'll stand there with the Wizard...." "I look once more just around the riverbend...." "I want much more than this provincial life....")  Finally, you might want to stay away from the movie-as-material because certain tween "sex elements" are icky, and they become especially icky when they are shown onstage. No matter. A new version of BIG chugs toward Broadway. As it approaches, RENT happens. Savion Glover (BRING IN DA NOISE) happens. The star of BIG injures himself. The Tony Awar...