Wicked

 

With all the hoopla of the film release of the popular play Wicked, thought it was high-time to recognise the OG film Wicked Witch of the West and Kansas counterpart Almira Gulch: Margaret Hamilton.                                                                                      Cleveland born Margaret Brainard Hamilton (December 9, 1902 – May 16, 1985) was an American actress, singer and educator, whose fifty year career in entertainment spanned theatre, film, radio and television.  A former schoolteacher, she worked as a character actress in films for seven years before she was offered the role that defined her public image. In later years, Hamilton appeared in films and made frequent cameo appearances on television sitcoms and commercials.  She also gained recognition for her work as an advocate of causes designed to benefit children and animals and retained a lifelong commitment to public education.

Check her out on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1975)

Entry in Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

From what I could gather, there's a travelling Wizard of Oz festival that occurs in October in Ohio.  In 2025, it is expected to be in Canal Fulton.                          From OzWiki:  October (exact dates to be announced, we hope), 2025: Wizard of Oz Festival Ohio, Putters Amusement Park, Canal Fulton, Ohio. For more information, see the website at https://wizardofozohio.com/, and the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/wizardofozfestivalohio/

Life is a Cabaret

When I need a shot in the arm for some self-confidence, I can always count on revisiting RuPaul's Drag Race.  

RuPaul on How to Live Your Best Life brought tears to my eyes.

Bless her, Dakota Schiffer in S4 admits that she doesn't like musicals, which is typically my line in life.  Yet, one musical that I have always loved is Cabaret. I know why I like it as an adult but am still a little baffled why I liked it as a child and why I was allowed to even watch it.   

Of course, Liza was the star but Joel Grey (11 April 1932, Cleveland, Ohio) was mesmerizing as the Master of Ceremonies.  He won a Tony and an Oscar for his portrayal.

Grey's recent essay in The New York Times entitled 'I Starred in Cabaret.  We Need to Heed Its Warning'  

Performing 'If You Could See Her'

Fabulous article in The Guardian that references his childhood start in Cleveland

'Willkommen' on The Muppet Show

“Stick with it, be who you are. It’s going to be tough.But it’s also going to be beautiful.” - Joel Grey

For fellow SC fans:  Schitts Creek - The Making of Cabaret

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

In the film Nyad, Diana reads the tail end of the poem 'The Summer Day' from a poetry collection of the  Pulitzer prize winning and best-selling author/poet Mary Oliver (from Maple Heights, Ohio) to her friend/coach Bonnie to emphasise that she needs to accomplish the one feat that has eluded her.  Interesting choice as Nyad and Oliver share some similarities in being lesbian, survivors of childhood abuse, and have/had strong relationships with Mother Nature (albeit a bit different).

Mary Oliver has become a favorite of poetry readers of all ages for her lyrical, intimate, and sensitive poems, many of which use nature as a lens for exploring the spectrum of human emotions, from love and joy to sorrow and despair. The best Mary Oliver poems remind us to pause and take a breath, revel in our surroundings, and encourage us not to take anything for granted. - Kayti Lahsaiezadeh