Shirley Booth: Broadway HAZEL Will Have Completed Draft By SUMMER!

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Broadway HAZEL Will Have Completed Draft By SUMMER!

ANNIVERSARY TODAY:

May 15, 1954: Shirley Booth was seen on television in Salute to Eugene O'Neill.

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Today I am repeating the conclusion of this interview first published in January of 2011 (for Part One see my blog post from yesterday).

*Part Two: Interview With Chuck Steffan On Broadway Musical HAZEL!

Lyricist Chuck Steffan agreed to answer more of my questions regarding the forthcoming Broadway musical, Hazel. Here is the second part to my recent interview.

Yesterday's blog offers Part One: http://shirleyboothstory.blogspot.com/2011/01/chuck-steffan-this-is-hazels-debut-on.html.

Jim Manago: Is the intended audience primarily people who saw the original show? Or will it stand for people unfamiliar with the character?

Chuck Steffan: Our audiences will not have to be familiar with Hazel to enjoy this creation and those that are will experience some wonderful and heartwarming memories of a beloved character.

Jim Manago: How will Hazel be portrayed? Annoying, likeable, role-model, etc?

Chuck Steffan: Hazel will have all her uninhibited and unaffected traits as well as her sense of fun and some new situations for her to meddle in.

Jim Manago: How far has the production progressed?

Chuck Steffan: The process of writing a new musical is all encompassing. The creative process for those involved can be taxing and capricious but we have an historic American icon named Hazel guiding us so laughter is always in the air no matter what. We are moving along nicely and will have a completed draft by this summer.

Jim Manago: What kind of feedback has the announcement of Hazel the musical received?

Chuck Steffan: The announcement that Hazel will become a Broadway musical has sent a buzz of excitement throughout the Broadway community and beyond. The national and even international news media have published the announcement and Ron, Lissa and I have received more congratulatory messages then we ever expected.

All of us are so proud to be involved in this venture and I personally because I got to experience a wonderful relationship with Hazel's brilliant creator, Ted Key. Ted was truly inspirational on so many levels. His genius, his talents, his humanity and his desire to have his character Hazel take her place on the Broadway stage all led us to this place in time. Ted's legacy is now in the very capable hands of his sons Stephen, David and especially Peter, who guided us all after his dad's passing. Peter has many of the same attributes as his dad and has become a dear friend and champion to this production.

Jim Manago: Do you have a show title established yet?

Chuck Steffan: For America's most beloved maid, there is only one title that will do and that simply is ...HAZEL!

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THANKS FOR VISITING!

JOIN ME AGAIN TOMORROW!

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For purchasing any of my books, you can visit Amazon.com
You can also check www.bookfinder.com
which offers the best prices on new & used copies.
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For Bill, His Pinup Girl: The Shirley Booth & Bill Baker Story
by Jim Manago
Foreword by Leslie Sodaro
Published December 1, 2010
Further details at: http://shirleybooth.blogspot.com

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Now available on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0076ZCBM2

Love is the Reason for it All: The Shirley Booth Story
by Jim Manago
Radio Research by Donna Manago
Foreword by Ted Key
BearManor Media, May 2008
http://bearmanormedia.bizland.com

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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS BLOG SITE:

Judy:

I have just ordered both of your books from Amazon and am eagerly looking forward to reading them. I adore Shirley Booth, I always thought she was a wonderful, multidimensional actress. She could make you laugh out loud one minute and tearing up the next, she was that good. I wish I could have seen her on stage, I'm sure she was magical. Thanks for sharing your love of Shirley with the rest of us."

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Actress June Harding:
"Your Shirley Booth site is very nice"

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Lauramac1:

"Thank you so much for keeping the world aware of the glorious Shirley Booth's character, personality and talent.

In Philadelphia, we've recently discovered "Antenna TV" a terrific station playing great shows from the 1950s, 60s & 70s including "Hazel"! Our 7 year old daughter is entranced by these shows and loves Hazel most of all...and we are so happy to share Hazel with her! She hasn't even mentioned anything about the fact that it's in black and white, which is saying something!

Again, Thank you, Mr. Manago! keep up the good work!"

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Salvatore Somma:

I admire the continual work you do on the blog, and I am impressed by your knowledge of the film and entertainment field!"

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT "LOVE IS THE REASON FOR IT ALL: THE SHIRLEY BOOTH STORY"

Joyce Van Patten, Actress:

"I applaud you for doing the book. I fear so many people have forgotten all our great ones. They turn everyman into a celebrity. These great artists were artists first, and celebrities maybe. Their interest was their art. Thanks for keeping these stories alive!

Richard Herd, Actor:

"Read it! Loved it! Passed it on to my 101 yr. old Mother-in-Law."

Wanda Clark, Personal Secretary to Lucille Ball:

"I thought I knew about this talented lady, Shirley Booth, from the awards for theater and movies and the wonderful television show. However, Jim Manago's book gives much more about her life and career. It's a very good read with so many beautiful pictures and I'm delighted I found it, and highly recommend this book."

Julie Harris, Actress:

"Thank you for the book about Shirley Booth. She was a gifted actress, and I loved her!"

Thomas A DeLong, Reviewer, Radiogram (SPERDVAC publication):

"Author Jim Manago's presentation reads like a heartfelt Valentine card to actress Shirley Booth from her friends, associates and fans. It's loving and upbeat with fond recollections and reviews of a much-honored performer on stage, radio and television."

Tommy Garrett, Editor, Canyon News (Beverly Hills, CA):

"This book is inspiring, but most of all it is honest...Recently some biographers seem to show disdain for their subject, instead of admiration.

But although Manago admires Booth, he's able to separate his affection and go in depth into her life story and does so with ease. The book is chronologically correct, and Mr. Manago is an amazing fact checker...Despite the tough and aggressive nature of her business, you come across wanting to like and feeling like you know Shirley Booth in a way only Jim Manago could deliver. This is a must-read for historians and should be required reading for anyone interested in entering the field of acting via the Broadway stage."

Sal Somma, Professor of Music:

"I especially enjoyed the quotes from Shirley Booth because I was able to get a good feeling about her character through her own words. I applaud Jim for keeping it legit and not throwing in the trash and gossip that most biographies have. I can also appreciate the research and work that went into this endeavor - and he didn't have Shirley to consult with! Good book."

Jim Lovins (Amazon customer)

Thank our lucky stars for Ben Ohmart and his staff, BearManor Media, a small press that publishes BIG books. They pride themselves on publishing quality entertainment biographies, so they often put out the first book on unique subjects -- plus specializing in books with nostalgic themes and keeping classic Hollywood alive not only thru his publishing house, but thru his own books.

In closing, author Jim Manago has dug deep with quotes from Booth....Quite an impressive book -- A must read ~ Highly recommended!

Prof. Edward Wesley, Chairman, English Department, St. Francis College, Brooklyn, NY

I enjoyed your book. It was a good read and as I planned, I brought it with me on vacation up in the Berkshires.
We accompanied it with Netflix's Come Back, Little Sheba and The Matchmaker. My parents took the book back to their apartment and have it circulating among their friends.

Associate Professor of Communication:

"Yes the book was interesting. Good research. I wish there were more personal reminisces of Shirley, tho...interviews with key people in her life were probably impossible because so many have passed on. Thanks again for sharing it with me!

Anonymous
"Mr. Manago has written an informative and positive book (by that I mean not overemphasizing any negative or squalid life details) that zeroes in on the facets that will ever matter to fans and aficionados; her career and what good a person did in life to counterbalance her imperfections. "

Tom Watson, President, We Love Lucy Fan Club (http://www.lucyfan.com/)
"I loved your book about Shirley! Long over due! There was wonderful new information on almost every page... So much of her career was spent on the "live" stage or on radio -- and there is little spoken or written about those years today... What little the public knew about Shirley was from the Hollywood PR people that handled her few movies and HAZEL... Your book was a wonderful opportunity to "meet the lady" herself... I tried to interest publishers in doing a book 25 years ago, and everyone turned me down. If I couldn't do it -- I'm glad you did!

Shirley Booth

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Broadway HAZEL Will Have Completed Draft By SUMMER!

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