2005 playlists and schedule

Stage Left airs Tuesdays from 4 to 6 AM.

Top Albums of 2004

January

January 4 - Sobering Thoughts: OK, folks, the holidays are over. It's time to sober up and face realisty with assistance from the likes of Dave Van Ronk, Loudon Wainwright and W.C. Fields. We'll also check out some new releases, including the soundtrack albums for A Very Long Engagement and The Aviator.
January 11 - The Best of 2004: A review of the best new releases of 2004.
January 18 - Ave Atque Vale: A number of important folks in the theatre and film world died in 2004. I pay tribute to some of them in this show, including Elmer Bernstein, Jerry Goldsmith, Jerry Orbach, Howard Keel, Anne Miller and even Joey Ramone.
January 25 - 'Toon Tunes: For no particularly good reason, it's a show of cartoon music, from Betty Boop to Finding Nemo.

February

February 1 - New and Improved: A sampling of new releases, including a disc by British cabaret artist Karen Lane; music by Harold Arlen played by his son, jazz saxophonist Sam Arlen; and the soundtrack of the film Les Choristes (The Chorus). I also throw in a Philip Glass birthday set for good measure.
February 8 - Black Light: My annual Black History Month show, featuring black composers and performers.
February 15 - This Can't be Love: For the day after Valentine's Day, a semi-unsentimental look at what George Bernard Shaw once referred to as "a gross exaggeration of the difference between one person and everybody else".
February 22 - Black Light II/Sing a Song of Oscar: This week, some of the music I couldn't fit in the February 8th show along with music from films nominated for the Academy Awards.

March

March 1 - New and Improved: I sample some new releases, including Valentine by cabaret artist Sally Mayes and the original cast recording of the (so far) unproduced musical Sundown, based on the legend of the Gunfight at the OK Corral. I also chat with veteran St. Louis radio personalities Ron Stevens and Joy Grdnic.
March 8 - Disney on the Record: A review of songs from Disney films plays the Fox this week, so the show features some of them, along with an interview with actor, improv artist and teacher Ed Reggi about the nifty new theatre space he's managing at the Center for Creative Arts.
March 15 - A Touch of the Irish: It's the wearin' of the green celluloid and a green gel on stage for the St. Pat's Day show.
March 22 - Sondheim is God (or is it Andrew Lloyd Webber?): Both Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber were born on March 22nd and Easter is coming up on the 27th. Coincidence? I also talk with Phil Proctor of The Firesign Theatre.
March 29 - New and Improved: The new releases have been stacking up, so it's time to check some out, including: the soundtrack for The Ring and The Ring 2; a new disc by cabaret artist Susan Egan; a collection of music from Kubrick films; music from Space: 1999; and the original cast recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber's latest, The Woman in White. I also chat with San Francisco-based cartoonist Keith Knight, Jr. (The K Chronicles, Th(ink), Life's Little Victories) about his new book The Passion of the Keef, his hip-hop band Marginal Prophets, and what we can all do to survive another four years of Boy George.

April

April 5 - The Money Song: For the spring pledge drive, Amy Ruprecht-Belt joins me for a show about money, from Bing Crosy and John Belushi to Joey Grey and Ray Charles (not all at once, of course). Call 314-664-3688 to make your pledge in support of community radio or join on line!
April 12 - Tom Foolery: It's a celebration of Tom Lehrer's 77th birthday (April 9th), plus an interview with Pete Bergman of the Firesign Theatre and some new releases by Ann Hampton Callaway and Randal Keith.
April 19 - By George!: Britain's national holiday, St. George's Day, is on April 23rd, so it's a program British stuff, most of it rather silly, as well as an interview with Jim Rose (of the Jim Rose Circus) about sideshows, con men, carnivals and his new book Snake Oil.
April 26 - Brush Up Your Shakespeare: The Bard of Avon was born on or about April 24th, which all the excuse I need for a show of Shakespearean music and comedy, including the Firesign Theatre's Shakespeare's Lost Comedie.

May

May 3 - My Shakespeareisha Mamma: Mother's Day comes up this Sunday; 'nuff said. I also play the second half of my Shakespeare Birthday show, which didn't air on the 26th due to technical difficulties.
May 10 - I Wanna Be a Producer: Mel Brooks' hit musical The Producers plays the Fox and inspires a program of music from Mel Brooks films as well as music and comedy about Show Biz.
May 17 - 'Toon Tunes: It's a Stage Leftover re-braodcast of my January 25th show. Why? Because I'm in dress rehearsals for the Alpha Players production of Rogers and Hart's comedy The Boys from Syracuse, which runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM from May 20 through May 29. Call 314-921-5678 for tickets. See your cheerful host sing and dance (sort of) on stage!
May 24 - This Can't be Love: It's another Stage Leftover re-broadcast, this time of my "St. Valentine's Day Hangover" show, for the same reason as the May 17 show. Hey, I can only do so many things at once, ya know?
May 31 - Shaken, Not Stirred: Ian Fleming's birthday is May 28th, which is as good an excuse as any for a program of music from James Bond films. There's also a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, who was born on June 1st, 1926.

June

June 7 - New and Improved: In this Stage Leftover rebroadcast of my March 1st show, I sample some new releases, including Valentine by cabaret artist Sally Mayes and the original cast recording of the (so far) unproduced musical Sundown, based on the legend of the Gunfight at the OK Corral. I also chat with veteran St. Louis radio personalities Ron Stevens and Joy Grdnic.
June 14 - Ave Atque Vale: A number of important folks in the theatre and film world died in 2004. In this Stage Leftover rebroadcast of my January 18th 2005 show, I pay tribute to some of them, including Elmer Bernstein, Jerry Goldsmith, Jerry Orbach, Howard Keel, Anne Miller and even Joey Ramone.
June 21- Spiked!: It's another Stage Leftover re-broadcast, this time of my December 14 2004 Spike Jones tribute.
June 28 - Disney on the Record: This Stage Leftover rebroadcast from March 8th, 2005 show features songs from Disney films, along with an interview with actor, improv artist and teacher Ed Reggi about the nifty new theatre space he's managing at the Center for Creative Arts.

July

July 5 - Sondheim is God (or is it Andrew Lloyd Webber?): This is a Stage Leftover rebroadcast of my March 22nd 2005 show. Both Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber were born on March 22nd and Easter is on the 27th. Coincidence? I also talk with Phil Proctor of The Firesign Theatre. The reason: I'm in dress rehearsals for the Act Inc production of J.M. Barrie's comedy Alice Sit-by-the-Fire (directed by FM88 theatre critic Steve Callahan), in which I'm playing a role that, based on the line load, looks suspiciously like a lead. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, July 8 - 10 and 22 - 24. Why the odd schedule? Because it runs in rotating repertory with Act Inc's other show, Terence Rattigan's drama Separate Tables - in which I also play a major role. Separate Tables plays July 15 - 17 and 29 - 31. Whew!
July 12 - Now Showing: The summer movie season is upon us, so it's time to check out some of the new soundtrack releases. Featured discs include the soundtrack recordings for Crash, Hostage, Star Wars Episode III, War of the Worlds and Cinderella Man, along with multi-CD sets featuring music by Elmer Bernstein and John Williams.
July 19 - Brush Up Your Shakespeare!: This Stage Leftover rebroadcast of my April 26th 2005 show features Shakespearean music and comedy (in honor of The Bard of Avon's birthday), including the Firesign Theatre's Shakespeare's Lost Comedie.
July 26 - What's New: Enough with the Stage Leftovers, already. Rehersals are over, the shows are up and running, and it's time to listen to some new stuff, including the original cast recordings of The Light in the Piazza, The Broadway Musicals of 1926 (from the Town Hall Broadway by the Year series) and a recording of Stephen Sondheim singing his own music, along with a two-disc set of previously unreleased soundtrack recordings by Wendy Carlos.

The July 26th episode was the last Stage Left program in the 4 AM Tuesday time slot. The show is off the air until further notice.

Questions? Comments? Write to Chuck Lavazzi at chuck@stageleft.org

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