Here's something I learned today, Dame Judi Dench originated the role of Sally Bowles in the London production of Cabaret.
According to the website Talkin' Broadway, "The role of Sally was played by actress Jill Haworth on Broadway and when the show opened in London, Judi Dench sang to the world... 'What good is sitting alone in your room... come to the Cabaret!'" Here's a must-view clip about Dench in the role on YouTube. And here is Dench as Sally.
Before I get carried away with my musical theater fandom (more on that later this week), let's get to today's colors. All month, I am inviting writers and other creatives to make something -- a poem, a doodle, a sketch -- in response to Pantone paint colors. For detailed instructions, read this post.
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| Day 16 Jolly Green Pantone ® 18-6030 |
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| Day 16 Cabaret Pantone ® 18-2140 |
Jolly Green
by Diane Mayr
by Diane Mayr
Jolly Green was
not so jolly when
he realized that
the blue in his soul
had overpowered
the green of his spirit.
not so jolly when
he realized that
the blue in his soul
had overpowered
the green of his spirit.
For me, Diane's poem conjures up a melding together of the Jolly Green Giant with a great blue Djinn out of Aladdin's lamp.
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| Disney's version of the genie of the lamp. He's kind of cute. |
Linda Baie sends us a Jolly Green "nonet – inspired by Doraine Bennett’s post." http://dorireads.blogspot.com/
Spring Musing
My snow-washed daydream is jolly green,
a yearning for this green not seen.
I love spruce and pine trees, too
with winter’s dark green hues,
yet the lighter shade
of spring’s parade,
tender tint,
still no
hint.
Spring Musing
My snow-washed daydream is jolly green,
a yearning for this green not seen.
I love spruce and pine trees, too
with winter’s dark green hues,
yet the lighter shade
of spring’s parade,
tender tint,
still no
hint.
Linda Baie ©All Rights Reserved
The bright red shade of Cabaret reminded me how my mother and I battled over lipsticks when I was a teenager. Here's a little sketch, a melding together of memory and imagination.
Cabaret
by Laura Shovan
She wore coral. Always. It didn't matter what shades were in fashion, what models were wearing on the cover of Vogue. There was no talking her into experimentation, even on a girls night out, when we found ourselves at Macy's makeup counter, striping the backs of our hands with testers in plum and nude. Her lipstick came from the supermarket in a marbled green tube. She'd swipe it across her lips without a thought, looking briefly into the round mirror of a compact, then snapping it shut.
More than once, I came downstairs with a deep red mouth. She sent me to the bathroom to wipe it off before the bus came. If the red was wine dark, nearing black, I looked like a witch. If it was candy-apple bright, I looked like the kind of girl who bumped and thrusted in New York's cabarets. To my mother's apricot-accustomed eyes, red lips were dangerous and full of wanting.
By the time the bus arrived at school, I'd rouged my pout, dabbed the excess with a page from my Algebra notebook, and shimmied through the front doors, singing "life is a cabaret, old chums" to anyone who'd listen.
We've only got one color each for Day 17 and Day 18, so let's double up.
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| Day 17 Dubarry Pantone ® 17-1647 |
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| Day 18 Papaya Punch Pantone ® 15-1433 |
Papaya Punch isn't so far from my mother's apricot-toned lipstick. Of course, I'd still go for Dubarry lips. Don't sit alone in your room -- join us with a poem or piece of flash fiction tomorrow.
8 comments:
Though I don't love "Cabaret" that much, I adore Judi Dench--and recently found out that she did a version of Chekhov's "Cherry Orchard" which I am showing to my class next week. In the meantime, thanks Laura and Diane for soldiering on--I will be back on Friday.
I sent my poem via your e-mail, Laura-should have put it into those recent comments-sorry! Here's another:
a nonet – inspired by Doraine Bennett’s post http://dorireads.blogspot.com/2014/02/nonet.html
Spring Musing
My snow-washed daydream is jolly green,
a yearning for this green not seen.
I love spruce and pine trees, too
with winter’s dark green hues,
yet the lighter shade
of spring’s parade,
tender tint,
still no
hint.
Linda Baie ©All Rights Reserved
I know you're younger, but my mother too always wore bright red-I always thought it was a WWII thing. I love the memory-how much teens hold their little rebellions! Diane, I like that turning of the color, poor jolly green.
My mother mostly wore red, too. She was a teen during the WW II years, so maybe there's something to your theory, Linda.
I never wore or wear lipstick, it would drive me crazy. I don't even like chapstick.
I think I'll have to look into the nonet, it looks like fun! Thanks for the intro.
About the Green Giant--the color on my screen looked more blue than green, and thus, that's why I thought of the JGG as having lost his jolly.
Laura, were you one of those theater types in high school? I can only guess "yes" from your sketch today!
We had another pile of snow fall today. I hope the colors next week don't include anything even vaguely snow or ice related--it may drive me over the edge!
Patricia -- I would love to sit in on that class. I bet it's a stunning film.
Ladies -- I think you're right about the lipstick. My grandmother (WWII England) favored dark red shades. My mother still wears coral. I must have swung back in the other direction as a teen. Now I wear whatever suits my fancy, or goes with the pink streaks in my hair.
Diane -- more lit mag than theater geek. But we did have a Cabaret in college that I sometimes acted, directed, and wrote for.
I can tell you had fun reliving these lipstick Cabaret memories today, Laura! Interesting how Diane and Linda's Jolly Green poems are not very jolly at all. Love the different perspectives, though.
Finally, here's a little something from me for tomorrow:
Sunset over Kauai
Polynesian sun
ripened and bloated
explodes into papaya punch
Diane, you can give credit to Doraine for that nonet. I was so intrigued by it, but it was hard to do. You don't have to rhyme-Doraine didn't, & it's beautiful. I just fell into the beginning rhyme & so finished it that way.
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