Well, they had Schwartz's the Musical this summer at the Centaur Theatre with music by Bowser and Blue, which I enjoyed. It had Montreal history and some good-natured (as they say) Toronto bashing.
So why not Milk and Water the Musical?
It's not like they haven't done great musicals about Prohibition. Chicago for instance. (I saw that the first movie based on the story of Roxy was produced in 1927.)
Well, a musical that tells the story of a tragic theatre fire can't happen....
But I've already got music in the first draft of Milk and Water. Willie Eckstein's Hello Montreal.
Its lyrics fit beautifully in with my main theme, Water Supply.
A musical based on sewage management. Hmmm? But there could be some Toronto bashing, or Ontario bashing.
Still, I've been listening to a lot of Big Band on the satellite and I checked and many of the famous 20th century songs were written about then.
Ain't she Sweet, My Blue Heaven and Potato Head Blues, (which I mention because in the Movie Manhattan, Woody Allen's character mentions that song as performed by Louis Armstrong as one of the reasons to keep living. I know because I watched that movie yesterday.)
1926 saw Baby Face, Bye Bye Blackbird and Blue Heaven, and I'm only in the B's.
My play Milk and Water takes place outside a Montreal dance club in 1927 where my grandfather, Jules Crepeau and my husband's grandfather, Thomas Wells are awaiting the possible arrival of the Prince of Wales.
Funny, in 1927 there was another popular song, I danced with a man, who danced with a girl who danced with the Prince of Wales... You can find in only YouTube. They used it as the opening and closing song for a story called Wallis and Edward about you know who. The Prince of Wales, David, eventually to be King for a short time, Edward VIII was at his height of popularity apparently. Good for my story. (Hard to believe, with the bashing he took in the King's Speech. Madonna's WE is supposed to be kinder to him. )
Hm. Her title is the same as the TV TITLE, just uses initials, clever as their memory is indelibly intertwined.
I am thinking of having that song playing in the background at one point in the story. Through a window...It would be ironic, wouldn't it?
Too Bad: Mack the Knife came out in 1928. But they already put that in a great play. I guess that means Three Penny Opera opened a bit earlier. Must look it up. Maybe I can make an allusion to that play in my play.
