Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Guest Post: Little Red Riding Hood Gets "Smash"ed




Hello all, Gypsy from Once Upon a Blog generously shared one of her own posts to guest post here on SurLaLune to help me while I am overwhelmed with some current projects. I've been checking in with her posts the last several weeks and regretting my inability to write longer ones myself right now. (Brief reading breaks are my sanity points right now.) And this post reminded me that I still haven't had time to watch Smash and hope to sometime soon since I am a sucker for Broadway and musicals and the rest. Thanks for sharing, Gypsy! And if anyone else has something to share, please send it along and I will hopefully get back to you within a few days. I am very erractic right now, even more so than usual!

Gypsy's post:

In case you're not aware, NBC has a new hit show called "Smash", based around the lure and magic of Broadway which... well, I'll just give you the official premise:

"Smash" is a musical drama that celebrates the beauty and heartbreak of the Broadway theater as it follows a cross section of dreamers and schemers who all have one common desire - to be a "Smash." The series centers on a desire to create a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe...

The show is full of musical numbers which are (thankfully) usually staged where they would be in real life: in performance or rehearsal. With the TV series based around the creation of a Broadway show about Marilyn you can bet there are a load of double entendres and other fun writing, especially in the Broadway show number/lyric scenes. While it's not perfect it's definitely one of the best written and constructed (and entertaining) shows on TV right now.

A couple of weeks ago, in the Epiosde "The Cost of Art", the main number was based on Red Riding Hood - and other stories with Big Bads - and was a lot of fun.


Rehearsal of "I Never Met A Wolf" from Smash


Here are the lyrics (note - Ivy is the lucky gal who has just gotten the Marilyn lead role and does a great job at imitating the icon as the numbers are being "work-shopped". Lyle is a potential investor for which some of the cast are doing an impromptu staging of the number at a party):

I Never Met A Wolf Who Didn't Love To Howl

Prologue / Ivy ("Marilyn"): When you are born with sex appeal / In a forest called Hollywood, / You'll find more wolves at your backdoor / Than that Little Red Riding Hood. / Now she and her little old Gramma / Could have learned from the men I've dated / That a wolf can be quite a devotee / Once he's domesticated!

Ivy: Here's a lesson they should teach in school,When a girl gets curvy, and the boys all drool,If math and science just ain't your style,Just give that teacher a wink and a smile,For a passing grade, you won't have to wait,And you can thank him later when you graduate,

Cause I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl!No, I never met a man who wasn't on the prowl,If a nice diploma you wanna get,Well, then, make that teacher the student's pet,

Yeah, I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl!

You never know where a wolf might crouch,But his natural habitat's the casting couch,So take lots of pictures of the wildlife,To tell the wolf you could share with his wife,The Hunter gets captured by the game,Then Leo the Lion will be roaring your name!

Yeah, I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl!No, I never met a man who wasn't on the prowl,If your face and figure are whistle bait,Then honey, you'll have the keys to the studio gate!

Yeah, I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl!

Ensemble: The three little piggies sure had it wrongWhen the wolf came-a-knockin' with that old song

Ivy: He was huffin' and puffin' sayin' "Marilyn, I gotcha!"I say "Come on in" & I put on Sinatra.

Oh, Frankie!


I Never Met A Wolf Who Didn't Love To Howl (Impromptu Pitch-Performance) from Smash

A wealthy wolf likes to buy his toysBut he really is just one of the boys.If you've got something for which he's cravin',It sure is good that he's been savin'.Be a fan, give his cheek a peckBut get his autograph on a cashier's check.

Yeah, I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl!No, I never met a man who wasn't on the prowl.

Even if that wolf's just a grey old goat

Lyle: WHAT?!

Ivy:He still will make a nice fur coat.

Yeah, I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl!

Go, baby, go!

Yeah, I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl!No, I never met a man who wasn't on the prowl.

This wolf looks like he's ready to dine.

Lyle: Tell me, where can I sign on the dotted line?

Ivy:Yeah, I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl!

Oh, yeah!

I loved it and thought it worked incredibly well with all the metaphors and while it's not a new concept, I think they made it very fresh.

If you like theater and Broadway this is a must-see show. The writing, on both the scenes and the Marilyn show, is mostly excellent, as is the music and staging. More episodes than not have been very enjoyable with enough of the behind-the-scenes fun theater people know and love, with a dollop of the dramatic. Smash is on NBC on Monday nights and all the full episodes are currently available for viewing online HERE (click on "Video").

Here's the Wolf clip from the show:

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