Bob Grimes - The Sheet Music Mogul of Post Street

42nd Street Moon lost one of our dearest friends this past weekend. Bob Grimes passed away on Saturday afternoon. It is a great loss, not only for us, his family, and friends, but to the entire music world. The inside joke about Bob was that he was “Almost a Celebrity” but the truth is, he was a celebrity, the rarest of celebrities... he was a celebrity’s celebrity.

Bob Grimes
February 18, 1922 - October 8, 2011

Though you may not have known him, the biggest names in Broadway and Cabaret knew who he was and would seek his insight, knowledge, and miles upon miles of sheet music when constructing a cabaret evening, one of their recordings, and possibly a PBS special or two.

A news report about Bob from 1992

I met Bob relatively recently. But at every Moon show in the past two years I have enjoyed hearing Bob’s distinct bellowing laughter all the way out in the lobby. When Bob was at a show, everyone knew it. And you could always tell the cast seemed a little livelier, a little more “on,” because when Bob was at the theatre, everyone wanted to hear that laughter.

Then there was the apartment, I kept hearing, “You should go to his apartment, it’s amazing.” Finally, when Bob asked if I’d like to take his collection of programs from old Moon shows, I jumped at the chance. Not only to have an archive for Moon, but I also saw this as my chance to enter a Broadway Nirvana.

An ardent collector of cast recordings myself, I was beyond awed.

I had a wonderful time that afternoon talking to Bob, looking at the collection he still had, as most of it now resides at The Michael Feinstein Foundation at the Center for Performing Arts in Carmel, Indiana. He had a mind like a steel trap. He could remember songs, the movies they were from, who starred in the movies, and most amazingly… where in his apartment all those movies, music, and cast recordings were! I can’t even find my car keys in the morning.

Bob's Collection at the Michael Feinstein Foundation.

Perusing his recordings (VHS, DVD, CD, and Tape), I was dumbfounded at some of the rarities he had! He would ask me about a movie, when I told him honestly I hadn’t seen it, he didn’t seem shocked so much as sweetly pitying me. I left that day with four DVDs and instructions to watch them so we could talk about them another time. That was Bob, he loved this music… and by gum you were gonna too!

Bob amassed over 32,000 pieces of sheet music, many long out of print and not to be found anywhere else, except possibly the Library of Congress – and possibly not even there! Andrea Marcovicci, Paula West, Michael Feinstein, Wesla Whitfield, Klea Blackhurst, Jonathan Franks, and thousands of other performers from all over the world, would come to his apartment in San Francisco and work with him to find some of the most clever, moving, and virtually unknown songs to add to their repertoire.

Without a doubt, he held a special place in all of our hearts. The only thing more impressive than his collection and knowledge, was how kind and gentle a man he was. Bob, I will miss you terribly as I know we all will. As I write this, our cast for Oh, Kay! has just started rehearsals and all I can think is… wherever Bob is now, we will have someone to watch over them and us all.

Here Bob talks about coming to San Francisco and changing the official song
of San Francisco from "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" to "San Francisco."

Please leave a comment and let us know how Bob touched your life.

Where in the World is the Nymph Errant Day 1

Just like with businesses, home values, and so many other things… Nymph Errant is all about Location, Location, Location.  Well, ok, maybe not all about… there’s a lot about love, romance, sex, and singing too… but location is up there.

Over the next week or so I want to play a little game, my loyal Moonies. 

Where in the World is the Nymph Errant.  Each day I’ll have a picture, and somewhere in that picture our intrepid heroine Evangeline Edwards, will be hidden.  The game has two parts, one you must find her, and two, you must discover where she is given a few hints.  This is all on your honor, so have fun with it!

Clue 1.  This location was renamed by Cole Porter (but just by one letter!)

Too easy?  Do you know the location? 

Clue 2.  It is fabled to be the inspirational spot for Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale.

Almost got it… it’s on the tip of your tongue…

Clue 3.  Coco Chanel opened one of her first shops here…

Have you got it?

Clue 4.  In 2011 it hosted the 37th Annual G8 summit.

You’ll find out the answer in our next installment.

By the way, did you find our Evangeline in the picture?  She’s there.. I swear.

If you can’t find her in the picture, come see her on stage.  Sharon Rietkerk stars in Cole Porter’s Nymph Errant playing through October 23, 2011.  For tickets call (415) 255-8207 or click here.

Choosing a Play: the Decision to Produce Silk Stockings.

I am always fascinated by the process Artistic Directors use to choose the plays for their seasons.  In the next few weeks I hope to sit down with our A.D., Greg MacKellan, and ask him about next season's terrific line up.

But for right now, I did get a chance to talk to him about Silk Stockings specifically. Find out why 42nd Street Moon produced Silk Stockings in the interview below.

Come check out Cole Porter's quaint 1955 hit, Silk Stockings at the Eureka Theatre through May 22.  For tickets click here or call (415) 255-8207.

The Mystery of George Spelvin

I received a call from a longtime patron of ours the other day, a representative of George Spelvin. She wanted to renew his subscription for the upcoming 2011-12 season.

Now, this probably doesn’t seem odd, but I was in the middle of reading a scene, from Strike Up the Band, between George Spelvin and Horace J. Fletcher.

“What an odd coincidence,” I thought.

George Spelvin

Do you know who George Spelvin is? He is a man of particular mystery in the Kaufman script. And here he has a representative calling on his behalf, somewhat mysterious in and of itself.

I began to do a little digging (not hard with Google and Wikipedia) and discovered what many of you may already know, but just in case you don’t….

George Spelvin is 125 years old. He has been in more plays than any other actor in history. Most importantly… he doesn’t exist.

It is a pseudonym used in the theatre (mostly American) for a number of reasons, but generally always to stand in for the name of an actor.

Spelvin has stood in for actors playing dual roles; union actors wishing to remain anonymous when performing in non-union theaters; and often when there is literally no actor at all. For instance, when the director doesn’t want the audience to know a character will not actually appear on stage, such as in a mystery or melodrama. I’m sure there has been a production or two of Harvey, where Harvey is played by George Spelvin.

He has also appeared as the name of a character in Strike Up the Band, Christopher Durang’s The Actor’s Nightmare, in an episode of Fibber McGee and Molly, and the I Love Lucy episode, “Don Juan is Shelved.”

Benjamin Knoll

Spelvin comes from an illustrious family that also includes, Alan Smithee (cousin according to the IMDB), and his English relatives Walter Plinge and David Agnew. Can you tell me who these gentlemen are?

Do you have any favorite pseudonyms? Do you have a pseudonym that you have ever used?

Oh, and to find out why our George Spelvin, played by the devilishly charming Benjamin Knoll, is so mysterious, come to the Eureka Theatre April 6-24 for George & Ira Gershwin and George S. Kaufman’s Strike Up the Band. For tickets click here or call (415) 255 -8207.

And the Award Goes to: 42nd Street Moon Receives 20 nominations!

In January, The San Francisco Bay Times released its "The Top 10 of 2010" list of Theatrical performances. 42nd Street Moon is on the list - twice!  Then in just the past few weeks Moon has been nominated for 9 BroadwayWorld.com awards and 11 Bay Area Theater Critic Circle (BATCC) Awards.  

While the BATCC Awards are chosen by a closed ballot, the BroadwayWorld.com Awards are chosen through public voting.  Please visit the voting site by clicking here, and help 42nd Street Moon take home the following awards (all for Murder for Two):

Scott Weinstein

Joe Kinosian

Adam Overett

Best Musical: Murder for Two

Best Special Theatre Event: Murder for Two

Best Director of a Musical: Scott Weinstein

Best Featured Actor of a Musical (Local): Adam Overett

Best Lead Actor of a Musical (Local): Joe Kinosian

Best Lighting Design: Cathie Anderson

Best Sound Design: Carole Davis

Our BATCC nominations include:

Klea Blackhurst

Both our casts for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Lady, Be Good! were nominated for Best Ensemble Cast.

Klea Blackhurst picked up a nomination for Best Solo Performance for Everything the Traffic Will Allow.  

Our resident maestro Dave Dobrusky picked up TWO nominations for Best Musical Director for Very Warm for May and Lady, Be Good!

Speaking of directors, Chris Smith was nominated for Best Director for Lady, Be Good!

Our fine Moonie actors picked up three nominations: Maureen McVerry (Very Warm for May) and Rena Wilson (Lady, Be Good!) for Best Supporting Performance - Female, and Anil Margsahayam (Very Warm for May) for Best Principal Performance - Male.

Rena Wilson

Maureen McVerry

Anil Margsahayam

Finally, Lady, Be Good! and Very Warm for May were nominated for Best Production.

We are certainly proud of each of these nominations.  42nd Street Moon strives with each new show to increase our production values and from the positive patron comments we often receive and these nominations, it's a pretty good indication that we are headed in the right direction! 

Again, please help us sweep the BroadwayWorld.com Awards by voting here. Voting ends March 31, 2011.

Thank you all for your support. We look forward to seeing your response to our upcoming 2011-2012 season!

And tell us what do you think?  Did the nominating Boards get it right?  Were there other Moonies that got slighted?  Leave a comment!