If you have the ability to stream radio stations (Real Player, etc) there's a long running BBC Radio show called 'Woman's Hour' which is worth keeping an ear on. Recently they have had interviews with Linda Thompson and Lucy Kaplansky - and a while back I was engrossed by an interview with UK actress Angela Richards, who is currently playing unsung US lyricist Dorothy Fields in a current London fringe theatre show at the King's Head in Islington.
The interview, recorded back in June, is still archived on the net here http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/03_06_02/thursday/info2.shtml and click 'Listen' Love the live recording of Dorothy Fields herself, singing 'Sunny Side of the Street' I missed the first and second runs of this London show, despite glowing "you must see this" reports from friends, in particular an eighty year old family friend (who danced on Broadway in 'Joyce Grenfell Requests the Pleasure' in the fifties). So I was pleased to see that it has been brought back again by popular demand and recently I took this old family friend to see it again - and her rec was well founded. A cast of 5 - with a pianist and d/bass player - telling and singing the life story of one of the greatest lyricist ever, that surprisingly few people have ever heard of (in the UK, at least). Fantastic performances all round - but especially Angela Richards who is sensational as Dorothy. And, of course I couldn't help but be pleased to hear David Lahm's name mentioned a couple of times in the show. A guy over here has set up a website about Dorothy Fields with details of all her songs - unbelievable that she wrote all these!! see http://www.dorothyfields.co.uk I noticed in the programme that the show will be moving to Off Broadway soon and they are looking for investors. So anyone with a few bucks they'd like to invest in a theatre show, I would highly recommend this one. PaulC my all-time favourite Dorothy Fields song: "The Way You Look Tonight" (performed beatifully in the London show by Robert Meadmore)
