Billi Pod Blogs: IRVING BERLIN’S AMERICA==>A<==See It!!

Friday==>Good morning to all of my loyal and faithful readers and followers out there in the morass known as cyberspace.

Let’s get today’s posting underway with Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s outstanding entertainment event, the Off Broadway musical ...

IRVING BERLIN’S AMERICA, this two-character musical traces the rags-to-riches story of one of America's greatest songwriters==>A

The show takes place in 1989 in Berlin’s Beekman Place home as the 101-year old musical legend, played by theater-veteran Michael Townsend Wright, interacts with a mysterious young “visitor” stunningly played by Giuseppe Bausilio.

Berlin was a fanatically private person who blocked every attempt in his lifetime to dramatize his life story.

The two characters explore Berlin’s life while performing 26 of Berlin’s songs, some well known, others not.

While Wright does an excellent job as the cranky and reclusive Berlin, the star of the evening, IMHO, is Bausilio, who just turned 17. This stunning young man brings electricity to the stage through his beautiful voice and his acting and dancing skills.

As you will recall from yesterday’s posting, Bausilio is currently performing 8 shows a week in “Newsies.” Earlier in his career he starred as “Billy Elliot.”

Folks, it is worth putting up with that cesspool known as the 13th Street Rep just to see Bausilio, trust your favorite blogger on this ... it is.

The show is informative and very emotionally involving. I learned a lot, not only about Berlin but also about the array of stars he worked with such as: Al Jolson, Fanny Brice, Eddie Cantor, Ethel Merman, Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Danny Kaye and Judy Garland.

This is a work shop production so I hope it will find another life in a larger venue.

Billi Pod says==>see this show, you won’t be sorry.

This showcase production is playing at one of my least favorite Off Broadway venues, the 13th Street Repertory Co. on West 13th Street and has a running time of 2:10, with intermission.

The remaining production dates are:

Sunday - 6/22

Thursday - 6/26

Sunday - 6/29

Monday - 6/30

Sunday - 7/6

Thursday - 7/10

Tickets are only $18 at the box office and it is currently listed on TDF for $9.00. It is general admission seating.

Let me repeat==>you gotta see this show.

When the show was over I walked back to the apartment while listening to the final innings of the YANKEES/TORONTO game, details below.

Moving on ...

Tonight’s entertainment event is an Off Broadway show ...

8:00==>THE RELIGION THING - “Mo and Brian are a picture-perfect DC couple: they're smart, they're witty, and they have a beautifully remodeled kitchen. But when Mo's best friend Patti announces she's found Jesus and is putting her own career on hold, Mo must take a closer look at the harder truths surrounding her own marriage. A comedy about relationships, faith, and the fine line between compromise and regret.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

Yeah ... I know ... it’s going to be either a “loved-it or hated-it” event ... but ... what the Hell ... I mean ... what the heck .. I mean ... for God’s sake ... I mean ... for gosh sakes ... I mean ... whatever ...

This show has just opened, is playing at the Cell Theatre on West 23rd Street in Chelsea, has a running time of 2:15, with intermission, and runs Wednesday, Thursday and Friday through August 1st.

When this play had its premiere performance back in 2012 in Washington, DC, it received very mixed reviews. I have been told that it has been reworked a bit. We will see.

Moving on to the sports scene ...

Last night out at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed and Ego Built, The Yankees (38-33) won game 3 of the 3-game series against division leading Blue Jays (41-33) by a score of 6-4 to sweep the series. David Phelps pitched an excellent game.

With the loss The Blue Jays have lost 16 consecutive games in The Bronx and 25 out of the last 26 at Yankee Stadium. How ‘bout ‘dat?

Tonight at 7:05pm at The Stadium The Bronx Bombers begin a 3-game series against Baltimore (37-34). On the mound for the Yankees will be the struggling Hiroki Kuroda (4-5) vs. Ubaldo Jimenez (2-8).