Michael Portantiere's FOLLOW SPOT: May 6, 2008, from Broadway Stars

KEEP YOUR MOUTH OFF THE MERM! You may have noticed that some people who have a stake in revivals of classic musicals feel it necessary to trash the stars and other aspects of the original productions. Who can explain it? Who can tell you why? I'd be a fool to give you a reason, but I can report that some theater pros are very upset by this practice.

Mary Rodgers (daughter of Richard) recently raised eyebrows when she described Ezio Pinza, the opera star who played Emile de Becque in the original Broadway production of South Pacific, as a "fat old geezer."...

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Michael Portantiere comes to BroadwayStars after seven years as Editor in Chief of TheaterMania.com, having previously worked as an editor and writer for InTheater magazine and Back Stage. He has contributed articles to Playbill and Stagebill, and has written notes for several major cast albums. Michael is also a professional photographer.

Learn More about 'The Merm": Read Brian Kellow's entertaining and authoritative biography.

Ethel Merman: A Life by Kellow, Brian