Susan “Dr. Sue” Horowitz Sings her funny original song: “Matzo Ball Romance” Teddly Bear Puppet plays Matzo Box Tambourine!
(Positive Humor & Songs)
Susan Horowitz is a Speaker and Author of “Queens of Comedy” (Interviews with Comedy Legends: Lucille Ball, Joan Rivers, Carol Burnett, Phyllis Diller)!
Susan “Dr. Sue” Horowitz Sings Funny Original Passover Song “Matzo Ball Romance”
Susan “Dr. Sue” Horowitz Sings Funny Original Passover Song “Matzo Ball Romance”
DrSue Passover Comedy! Here’s the link to DrSue performance of “Matzoh Ball Romance” at the legendary @Don’t Tell Mama Cabaret in New York City! (“Matzo” and “matzoh” are alternative spellings.)
Please scroll down for lyrics and Dr. Sue’s Contact information!
Dr. Sue Sings “Matzoh Ball Romance”
Dr. Sue Sings “Matzoh Ball Romance” @ Don’t Tell Mama Cabaret
Dr. Sue Sings “Matzoh Ball Romance”
"Matzo Ball Romance" by Susan "Dr. Sue" Horowitz
I was sittin' at a seder
In a temple of worship
When a cute guy sat right next to me
He said, "I am single, and I am a doctor
I have an Ivy degree."
My Mama said, "Girl, meet a man at a temple
It's better than a barroom or dance.
Don't keep your heart locked or
Miss out on a doctor
A beautiful Matzo Ball Romance."
I was lookin' at my cell phone
When I saw a text message
From my romance so kosher and nice
He said, "I am lonely, visit my office
I'll give you a discounted price."
My Mama said, "Girl, when you go to a temple
Keep your eye out for someone in pants."
Don't know what to call it:
His eye on my wallet
Not a beautiful Matzo Ball Romance."
Yeah, I went back to the temple.
He saw me but he ran away (Like a chicken)
So I looked 'round the room I made a new friend.
There's something that I'd like to say:
"Fellas and girls, when you go to a temple
Don't be afraid, take a chance
Some folks are chicken
But true friends are rib-stickin'
Like a beautiful Matzo Ball Romance.
Music and Lyrics
by Susan "Dr. Sue" Horowitz
copyright 2022
Enjoy “Songwriting Sisters” Dr. Sue’s Solo Show of Songs & Comedy
I’m Susan Horowitz a.k.a. DrSue, and I’m a great admirer of Stephen Sondheim’s work. When I was invited to perform “Send in the Clowns” in a Talent Showcase, I gladly accepted. However, we are currently in a pandemic, and group singing is known to be a high-risk activity. When the producer assigned a group song, I decided to cancel my live participation.
I still love Sondheim’s songs, so I’d like like to share my research, my thoughts, and my funny parody “Send Me a Brownie” (Scroll down for song video and lyrics.)
“Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim
“Send in the Clowns” is beautiful and touching. The song offers the performer and audience a poignant, dramatic moment of irony, rueful sadness, dignity, and at last, hope.
Popularity of “Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim
“Send in the Clowns” is one of the few songs from his theatre works that also achieved popular acclaim as an independent song. Some of the famous singers who recorded their own versions include: Frank Sinatra, Bernadette Peters, Judy Collins, Barbra Streisand, Bobby Short, and Sarah Vaughan. It also has become a beloved standard in concerts, piano bars (especially those that feature show tunes), and cabaret shows.
What is the secret of the success of “Send In the Clowns”? There are a few reasons: the sentiment (the heartbreaking disappointment of losing romantic love) is universal. The singer is relatable and appealing – in and out of the the story of A Little Night Music.
The language takes us into the elegant world of educated nineteenth century society. We may not use phrases like “Isn’t it rich?” but we understand them. We also enjoy the theatrical references, which are natural to the character, who is an actress. Sondheim’s rhymes are perfect (as always) but don’t distract with cleverness.
On a practical level, “Send In the Clowns” (compared to other Sondheim songs), is relatively easy to sing and can be performed by many popular singers. The melody has a limited vocal range, and it can stay well within the singer’s comfortable chest voice.
The words are easy to pronounce, without the tongue-twisting, breathless patter of some other Sondheim songs, for example, “I’m Not Getting Married Today” from Sondheim’s current Broadway show Company. http://www.companymusical.com
Sondheim composed “Send In the Clowns” for the character “Desiree Armfeldt” in A Little Night Music. The role was originated by actress-singer Glynis Johns, who had a limited vocal range but was an excellent actress. It can be performed by many singers who can act a song without Broadway musical training or vocal chops.
Lovers of American Popular Music can visit and/or join American Popular Song Society https://www.apssinc.org/
“Send in the Clowns” musical A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim
The lyric for “Send In the Clowns” is in fact, a tremendous platform for an acting driven song performance. The lyric (which you can scroll down to read) is sung by the character “Desiree Armfeldt”. Desiree is a touring actress, who had previously rejected a marriage proposal from the lawyer Fredrik. But she has now returned to his hometown and realizes that she wants to commit to their future together. Fredrik, however, is newly married to a much younger bride, who dotes on him (though she refuses to have sex with him).
After Desiree and Fredrik consummate their own reunion in her bed, Fredrik tells Desiree that he is infatuated with his childlike wife and unavailable. Desiree realizes that her dream of commitment with Fredrik is over. She looks at her own theatrical career and love life with rueful irony as she struggles to let him go and maintain her own dignity.
The phrase “Send in the Clowns” refers to the moment in a play where everything is falling apart and somebody makes jokes to divert the audiences. The “clowns” are also the two former lovers, especially Desiree, who feels like a fool.
Clowns are one aspect of comedy, another is parody. Hope you enjoy my parody of “Send in the Clowns” I call it: “Send Me a Brownie” (Scroll Down for Parody and Original Lyric.)
DrSue Sings Sondheim parody Send Me a Brownie
DrSue Sings Sondheim parody Send Me a Brownie
Send Me A Brownie (parody lyric by Susan Horowitz/DrSue)
Isn't it rich?
Chocolate and square
Soon as the light goes on
You will be there
Send Me A Brownie
Brownies are bliss
Some won't approve
I'll put on pound after pound
Till I can't move
I'm getting round
Send Me A Brownie
Romantic love, knocking on doors
I need what's in refrigerators
Don't need no make-up not even a smidge
Brownies are here
Inside my fridge
No ifs ands or buts
Chocolate and nuts
Chewy and gooey with milk
I don't need beer
Don't need to spread
Cream cheese on bread
Don't need a schmear
Isn't it rich?
Chocolate and square
So deep inside
My fridgidair
Who needs a clown?
I hate a clown
Send Me A Brownie
Parody Lyric by Susan Horowitz/Dr. Sue
Switch the Musical by Susan Horowitz/DrSue Singer-Songwriter
“Queens of Comedy” by Susan Horowitz (DrSue)
As you can see, I love to perform and write about comedy! Here’s a link to my book “Queens of Comedy” based on my interviews with legendary female comedians!
In my previous appearance Seth Bisen-Hersh Talent Showcase at Don’t Tell Mama, I sang songs from my original show Switch the Musical. Hope you enjoy!
https://drsue.com/ssswitch/
Here’s the video of my singing “Switch the Musical” songs!
DrSue /Susan Horowitz Singer-Songwriter “Switch the Musical” at Don’t Tell Mama
Dr. Sue/ DrSue Sings “Switch the Musical” www.SwitchtheMusical.com
Contact DrSue /Susan Horowitz
Contact DrSue/Susan Horowitz through my Social Media Upper Right of Website, or Email drsue at drsue dot com.
“Send in the Clowns” Lyric by Stephen Sondheim
"Send In the Clowns"
Isn't it rich?
Are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground
You in mid-air.
Where are the clowns?
Isn't it bliss?
Don't you approve?
One who keeps tearing around
One who can't move
Where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns.
Just when I stopped opening doors
Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours
Making my entrance at last with my usual flair
Sure of my lines, no one is there.
Don't you love farce?
My fault I fear
I thought that you'd want what I want
Sorry, my dear
And where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns
Don't bother, they're here
Isn't it rich? Isn't it queer
Losing my timing this late in my career
And where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns
Well, maybe next year
Disclaimer:
"Send in the Clowns" Words and Music by Stephen Sondheim is quoted for educational purposes only.
Susan (“Dr. Sue”) Horowitz, Ph.D. Entertaining Motivational Speaker-Author-Educator-Singer/Songwriter.
DrSue Sings Funny Original Thanksgiving song “Life is Just a Bowl of Gravy: Tale of a Turkey-Pilgrim Dinner Date!” (Scroll down for Lyric, Thoughts about Self-Esteem, Diversity, Inclusion, American History, and my Life In-and-Out of the Performing Arts!)
My Song-Video Performance was recorded at Church Street School for Music and Art, 41 White Street New York City. Here’s their website: https://churchstreetschool.org/
Photo is from my performance at Singers Space, presented by D’Ambrose Boyd, BarThalia, Symphony Space New York City https://www.facebook.com/groups/143560185778318
Video DrSue Singer-Songwriter @Church Street School Music Party
Susan Horowitz/DrSue Sings her Original Funny Thanksgiving Song!
“Life is Just a Bowl of Gravy” – Song Lyric by Susan Horowitz/DrSue
Life is Just a Bowl of Gravy Words and Music by Susan Horowitz/DrSue Copyright 2021
This is a tale of a turkey bird
Who went to a turkey trot
When anyone said, "May I have this dance?"
She answered, "You may not.
I'll only dance with a gentleman
Who makes our country great
If he's got money, then he'll be my honey
And I will be his date!"
Life is Just a Bowl of Gravy
Saucy and surprising
Life is Just a Bowl of Gravy
Very appetizing!
Suddenly somebody stepped on in
Who came from Pilgrim stock
He said, "I'll be candid
My boat has landed here on Plymouth Rock.
Turkeys are dumb, but drumsticks are yum
And you look mighty fine
Please do not stall, my Butterball
Come with me to dine!"
Life is Just a Bowl of Gravy
Saucy and surprising
Life is Just a Bowl of Gravy
Very appetizing!
They went to a fabulous restaurant
She was his dinner date
But when they got there the table was bare
Except for an empty plate
The rest of the story is terribly gory
I'll leave out the end
Let me just say have a fine Turkey day
And share it with a friend.
Life is Just a Bowl of Gravy
Saucy and surprising
Life is Just a Bowl of Gravy
Very appetizing!
Contact Susan Horowitz/DrSue Social Media (Website Upper Right)
Songwriting and Meaning, Popular Song History, Self-Esteem Tips
Hope you enjoyed my original song “Life is Just a Bowl of Gravy: Tale of a Turkey/Pilgrim Dinner Date.” (Lyric is slightly revised to my latest version.) As you can see, the song is designed for fun, with a catchy, easy-to-sing melody and a sing-along chorus that includes the audience. The story (told in the verses) has two main characters: the Turkey Bird and the Pilgrim, who interact with dialogue and action, and the other turkeys, who don’t get to dance with the Turkey Bird.
The story also has a Narrator, the Singer (in this case, myself, the Singer Songwriter) who tells the story and articulates the theme in a humorous, ironic chorus. I encourage the audience to sing the chorus with me, and in fact, they do!
Why does my audience sing along? Because I give them an easy, catchy melody, with a repetitive refrain “Life Is Just a Bowl of Gravy” which probably reminds many audience members of the optimistic, popular song “Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries.” But cherries have pits, and life has pitfalls – especially for snobbish birds.
“Life is Just a Bowl of Gravy” sounds cheerful, but in fact, it’s a cynical (though perky) comment on the demise of the Turkey Bird! The self-deluding bird rejects her real friends, misunderstands her real situation, and will only dance with a rich “Pilgrim” who (like Donald Trump) promises to “make our country great.” The “Pilgrim” views the Turkey as an appetizing fool suitable for his main course. The story spares the listener the gory details, but ends with a bit of advice – enjoy Thanksgiving (“Turkey day”) and share it with a friend.
The advice – know who you are, don’t try to be who you are not, and value and enjoy your life – applies to many situations. The word “turkey” has become slang for an inept loser, a bird who can’t fly like the eagle. But in fact, the wild turkey (unlike its domesticated cousin, bred for the dinner table) is a native American bird, who can fly and run fast and is traditionally prized by Native Americans, whose own story is part of the real history of Thanksgiving
“Life is Just a Bowl of Gravy” is an original song rooted in a few song genres, including traditional story songs. The ongoing narrative is told in the verses, and the theme shows up in the chorus. The form is verse-chorus, and the repeating chorus makes it easy to learn and sing along.
I also draw inspiration from theatre/revue songs, which often became popular standards. “Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries” by Ray Henderson/Lew Brown (published in 1931) comes from a Broadway revue (George White’s Scandals, modeled after the Ziegfeld Follies). The easy-to-remember, positive refrain and catchy tune made it a song standard with many recordings. You can learn and enjoy more great song standards by visiting the American Popular Song Society American Popular Song Society (apssinc.org)
Some songwriters and musical theatre writers experiment and challenge traditional song forms. But even the most radical do well to learn their craft and tradition – even if what they want to do is rebel against it.
Singer-Songwriters, Popular Songs, and Musical Theatre
My life in-and-out of the Performing Arts reflects who I am as a Singer-Songwriter, Musical Theatre Creator, Educator, and Person.
Singer-Songwriters create a personal, intimate art form, which directly connects to audiences. The audience often includes other musicians or singers. If the songs are simple or well-known, the audience can sing or play along and build community.
Musical theatre is much more elaborate, with an emphasis on unusual talents, professional collaboration, production values – and substantial funding. The effect can be thrilling!
Autumn Photo by Suzen http://www.suzennyc.com/
I also love the melodic sweep and wit of musical theatre – especially my own show “Switch the Musical” www.switchthemusical.com – and the intimacy and freedom of singing-songwriting, where I can immediately connect with my audience. I consider everything I (and we) create to be aspects of our talents and personal values. And unlike the foolish turkey, we don’t need to seek validation from fake “Pilgrims.” We can do it for ourselves.
Comedians as “Wild Turkeys” Book: “Queens of Comedy”
Great comedians are like wild turkey chicks who have landed among the domesticated breed. They don’t look as plump and juicy as the ones bred for the dinner table. But if they embrace their own talents, they can fly! Here’s a link to some of my favorite “birds” – the legendary comediennes I interviewed for my book “Queens of Comedy”
Contact Susan Horowitz/DrSue Social Media (Website Upper Right)
I hope you enjoy my blog about life in-and-out of the performing arts. You can contact me by clicking the Contact Links and Social Media on this website. (www.DrSue.com)
Susan (“Dr. Sue”) Horowitz, Ph.D. Entertaining Motivational Speaker-Author-Educator-Singer/Songwriter.
Dr. Sue New Word “Colorado” Travel Positive Entertainmentand Education
TravelVideo by Carla Marie Rupp
Colorado is a state in the western United States. It’s part of the Rocky Mountains, and it has beautiful scenery.The word “Colorado” comes from Spanish and means “colored red” because Spanish explorers thought the Colorado River mud looked red. Many kinds of people live in Colorado: descendants of settlers, minorities,immigrants, and Native-Americans. – Blog by Dr. Sue (Susan Horowitz, Ph.D.)
Dr. Sue Invites You to Travel to New Word “Colorado” with Carla Marie Rupp!
Please Like, Comment, Subscribe and Follow DrSue New Word 1 Minute Videos YouTube: www.YouTube.com/drsuecomedian
Dr Sue New Word Videos: Learning, Diversity, Travel, Friends, Inspiration & Fun!
DrSue New Word One Minute Videos (hosted by Dr. Sue) include a catchy jingle, happy logo, videos, photos, original songs – Perfect for All Media!
Contact Form on DrSue.com Websiteor visit: YouTube.com/drsuecomedian
Susan (“Dr. Sue”) Horowitz, Ph.D. Entertaining Motivational Speaker-Author-Educator-Singer/Songwriter.
DrSue New Word “Reunion” Dr. Sue Positive Entertainmentand Education
DrSue New Word "Reunion" Dr. Sue & Valerie
Dr. Sue and Valerie are old friends having a reunion. We were apart, but we are together again. A Reunion brings back memories. As we reconnect to friends and family, we also connect to parts of ourselves from an earlier time. The word “Reunion” relates to other words like “union” (more than one thing or person joined together as one; “re” is a prefix that means “again”). “Union” connects to words like “united”, United States of America, and the European Union. “Union” relates to words in English like “one” and other languages: “uno” (Spanish and Italian), and “une” (French).
DrSue New Word One Minute Videos (hosted by Dr. Sue) include a catchy jingle, happy logo, videos, photos, original songs – Perfect for All Media!
New Word Song-Video on www.YouTube.com/drsuecomedian and Social Media Please Like, Comment, Subscribe and Follow!
DrSue New Word 1 Minute Videos Celebrate Learning, Diversity, Travel and Fun! – Perfect for All Media!
Contact Form on DrSue.com Website
DrSue New Word MultiMedia Invites You to Enjoy Positive Entertainment!
New Word Logo
Dr. Sue Rainbow Bow
Susan (“Dr. Sue”) Horowitz, Ph.D. Entertaining Motivational Speaker-Author-Educator-Singer/Songwriter.
My Zoom Opinion: To Say or Not? Dr. Sue Positive Entertainment: (How I Got Kicked Out of Zoom Class)
Dr. Sue in Shakespeare’s HatGertrude in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
This Blog Post needs my short personal bio, so here goes. I’ve been an English/Theater Professor/Writer for over thirty years. (I stopped teaching about the time the pandemic hit in early 2020.) I have close relationships with some of my former students and a connection with my former college. I also have opinions.
Anyone who wants to keep a job (as I certainly did) knows that you sometimes swim in shark-infested waters. You learn to keep some of your opinions to yourself – especially in group meetings. This is especially true if you don’t have job security (which in academia means tenure).
But if you never say what you truly feel, your calculated, tactful silence tends to chip away at your self-esteem. Over time, those little bits of your true self get lost. Instead of the smart, vibrant, outspoken, fully alive person you used to be, you wind up as a weak, sad, timid ghost.
As any English/Theater Teacher, Actor, Theater Pro, or Amateur Nerd knows, the subject of ghosts brings us to… William Shakespeare! My main go-to ghost is Hamlet’s dead dad – Hamlet Senior, who gets the action (and non-action) into high gear.
Prince Hamlet, the hero of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, has a spooky, but motivational conversation with King Hamlet (the ghost). Ghost Hamlet tells Live Hamlet that his Uncle Claudius, the dead king’s brother, murdered him, married his widow (Queen Gertrude –Hamlet’s mom), and is now King of Denmark. Ghost Hamlet tells Hamlet to seek Revenge!Our hero Hamlet immediately… thinks about it!
What does this have to do with my getting kicked out of Zoom Class?
Like me, Hamlet talks to people (ghosts) who aren’t physically there. In my case, it’s Zoom Chats (the sidebars on Zoom classes and meetings where you type your thoughts to people who are somewhere in cyberspace. After Zoom, they vanish, like ghosts).
In Shakespeare’s play, old King Hamlet’s Ghost issues a call to action: kill your uncle! Hamlet decides that Ghost is right, and he should kill King Claudius – but on the other hand…. What if the ghost is wrong – or a fake ghost ? Instead of springing into action, Hamlet springs into depression. People think he’s mad (and maybe he is – or not). After several murders and suicides (Hamlet’s girlfriend, her father, her brother, Hamlet’s friends, his mother, Claudius, and, finally, Hamlet himself), the stage is littered with bodies, and the show is over. Denmark has a new King, and I’m ready for a coffee break (preferably with a Danish pastry because Shakespearean tragedy gives me an appetite).
How did a Shakespeare semi-scholar (me) get kicked out of Zoom class?
My Zoom class was not actually about Shakespeare, it was a series about musical theater, which tends to be less tragic (except for investors when the show closes on opening night). Our Teacher showed video clips from Broadway shows, led discussions in the Chat feature (where we post comments), and called himself an “Expert”. I didn’t bother looking up his academic credentials or affiliation, because I didn’t care. I already have a Ph.D. in Theater, so I don’t need academic credit. I was interested in the subject matter and what seemed to be an entertaining, informative experience. As long as I was enjoying the class, I didn’t need to know his professional history. I paid for an “All-Access Pass” which gave me full admission to his series of Zoom classes and videos. (Scroll down for my own Video – wearing my Shakespeare Hat and talking to Teddly Bear Puppet).
So there we were, several classes into the series, watching video clips and posting comments in the Chat. Most of the comments were posted to “Everyone” – which means everyone can read them. The other option is “Private” – which means only you and your chosen Zoom attendee reads your post. The “Expert” controlled the Chat. I usually posted supportive comments, but if I disagreed, I said so briefly without negative personal remarks.
I never posted political comments until… Cabaret. The musical Cabaret is set in Germany during Hitler’s rise to power. The in-cabaret performances echo the real-world events happening off-stage – including the growing threat of the anti-Semitic, violent Nazi regime. During the class, the teacher said that the Nazi idea of the German “folk” (ancient Germanic tribes) excluded all non-Aryans (like Jews).
I thought there was a parallel between the myth of the German “folk” and the Trumpian idea of the United States as an Anglo-Saxon country. (The Anglo-Saxons were Germanic tribes.)
I started posting a brief comment in the Chat about “Trump notion of the USA as an Anglo…” Then I accidentally pushed “Enter” which posted my half-sentence.
Before I could continue, the Teacher cut me off, and announced to “Everyone” in the Chat that if I posted political comments, I would be thrown out of class!
At first I thought: is this a mistake? He can’t mean me! Throw me out of class for one, brief remark? In my long career as an educator, students have said and done much more shocking things! I don’t throw them out of class. I usually ask to speak with them privately so we can solve the problem without a public confrontation. When this Zoom teacher threatened me and posted it to “Everyone” in the Chat, I felt embarrassed and attacked. I did not want to escalate the situation, so I didn’t post anything in reply. After a while, the class was over, with the Teacher soliciting and getting compliments about his class from some of my fellow students.
After class, I felt conflicted. Saying nothing would avoid immediate conflict. But keeping silent made me feel powerless and depressed. Why should this Zoom “expert” feel enttitled to embarrass me in front to the class – and for what – one half-sentence of a political opinion that he did not want to hear?
I decided to write an E-Mail to the Teacher and CC my E-mail it to his “Staff “– which probably meant his Assistant. Based on his class behavior, I figured that he might distort what actually happened. If I CC’d his Assistant, who seemed reasonable, she would have my written record. I also figured that since the Assistant was an African-American woman, she was more likely to understand my feelings than the White, male teacher. Here is my E-mail to the Teacher – CC’d to the Assistant.
“Dear David, I respect your decision not to allow political comments in your classes – I also believe that the Nazi notion of the German “folk” and the Trump notion of the USA as an “Anglo-Saxon” nation are clearly parallel. As you may know, the Anglo-Saxons were Germanic tribes, and the Trump family traces its origins back to Germany. Out of respect for class decorum and keeping focus on the shows, I did not continue the discussion (which might have escalated into an argument) in the “Everyone” Chat. In the future, please address your objections to my comments in a private chat to me – rather than threatening to throw me out of class in a remark addressed to “Everyone.”
I don’t like public threats. I was respectful to you. Please be respectful to me. Sincerely, Dr. Susan Horowitz”
Here is the Teacher’s Email Reply to Me (the bold type is his choice):
“What a strange apology.
Please do not come back to my class. You are not welcome.”
I replied to his E-mail by pointing out that my class post contained no personal attacks or foul language. Then I wrote:
“If you wish to dismiss me from The Broadway Maven , please refund my fee for my All-Access Pass. Thanks, Susan Horowitz”
Here is the Teacher’s E-mail response:
“Your E-mail has been deleted without being read and your address has been put on block. Please do not contact me again.”
Soon after that, I received an Email from his Assistant, stating:
“I’m truly sorry you’ve had a bad experience. Unfortunately, we have a strict no refund policy, so I am unable to issue you a refund.”
After reading the Assistant’s E-mail, I dropped the subject. It seemed to me that she was acting in a professional, courteous way. She apologized to me (as she should); she couldn’t control her boss’s temper and behavior; and she probably wanted to keep her job – whatever her personal opinion.
I’m in a different position. He is not my boss, and he is not paying me. In fact, it’s the other way around. I said what I meant, and I still mean what I said. I never made “Trump” related comments on the other shows because they weren’t appropriate. But Cabaret is a show about a Fascist rise to power – and how authority abuses power.
In the Cabaret film, The Emcee, who is played to devilish perfection by Joel Gray, invites the audience to escape harsh reality and “come to the cabaret.” Sally Bowles, played by equally brilliant Liza Minelli, sings about “Elsie” her fictional girlfriend who escapes her life with random promiscuity and “too much pills and liquor” and winds up dead – laid up in her coffin “like a queen.”
Fortunately, I (and you, my dear readers) have better options. We don’t need to suppress our feelings and wind up feeling depressed or crazed (like Hamlet) or drunk, drugged, and dead (like Elsie).
We don’t need to play a role in a weird power dynamic called: “Teacher vs. Bad Student” or “Authority vs. Scared Subordinate” or “Male vs. Female” or “Pro-Trump vs. Anti-Trump” – or whatever was really going on in that Zoom Class. We don’t need to let someone else define who we are. We can define ourselves in a positive, self-affirming way. We can enjoy our creativity and our relationships with people who really matter.
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Here’s my Entertaining, Educational Video with my Teddly Bear Puppet! (Please Like my YouTube Channel, where you can Comment & Subscribe! 😊)
Dr. Sue Sings Her Original Song: A Winter Crocus – The Gift of Hope. Dr. Sue Positive Entertainment
Songs for All Seasons: Songs, Artwork, and Photographs Inspired by Nature!
Do you want a seasonal boost-your-mood shot of beauty, wit, and wisdom?
Do you need The Gift of Hope?
Do you love Songs and Art Inspired by Nature?
Do you love melodic ballads and hummable tunes with lyrics that are uplifting, playful, romantic, or witty?
Do you enjoy the process of emerging artwork and nature photography?
Do you want a Personal Guide to Songs, Poetry, Natural Science, and Art?
Do you want to Enhance your own Creativity – and Understand Art and Literature?
Then, you’ll love Art and Songs for All Seasons – a Journey through the cycle of life with orginal songs and art.
Welcome to “A Winter Crocus: The Gift of Hope” Dr. Sue’s original song-art-video!
Scroll Down for Song-Video, Lyric, and Dr. Sue’s Artwork.
Fascinating Facts!
The Crocus Flower is one of the first blooms of spring. In northern climates, these hardy blossoms sometimes appear through the winter snow and ice – to give us our first glimpse of spring!
Crocus petals are usually purple (or yellow) the leaves are green, and the stamen (male organ) and stigma (female organ) inside the petals are gold.
The stigma of an autumn flowering saffon crocus (crocus sativus) holds saffron – the world’s most expensive spice – with a street value of around $20,000 per kilo!
The crocus is a perrenial flower – blooming close to the ground and returning every year in the early spring – sometimes when there is still snow on the ground.
Nature Inspires Art!
Inspired by the beauty and bravery of these early bloomers, I created my original song-art video “A Winter Crocus: The Gift of Hope”. The video includes my singing, emerging artwork, and photographs (mainly from the New York Botanical Garden and Parks). Special Thanks to my gifted musical arranger John Bowen.
As the video moves from winter to spring, I hope that “A Winter Crocus” will bring you The Gift of Hope.
Scroll Down for Dr. Sue’s Song Lyric and Artwork!
“A Winter Crocus” Original Song-Art Video by Dr. Sue
“A Winter Crocus”
You are like a winter crocus,
You're the first one on the scene
There is snow, and that’s no joke
This wind is mean
But you're such a cheerful sight
With your colors brave and bright
You turn winter snows all
Purple, gold and greeen
You turn winter snows all
Purple, gold and greeen
They say purple stands for royal,
And you're like a king or queen
When there's ice still on the soil
You can preen
Other flowers count the costAnd they're frightened of the frost
You turn winter snows all
Purple, gold and greeen
You turn winter snows all
Purple, gold and greeen
Though you're not a rose
Or robin who can sing
You bring the hope for spring
Your beauty makes us bold
And cheers us when we’re cold
You turn winter snows all
Purple green and gold
You turn winter snows all
Purple green and gold
"A Winter Crocus" Words, Music, and Singing by Susan Horowitz, Ph.D. (Dr. Sue)
Copyright 2020 Susan Horowitz
Dr. Sue’s original artwork: “A Winter Crocus: The Gift of Hope” is available as a print, mug, card, calendar and more! Ask Me How! (Contact Form on Website or Email)
Ask about Dr. Sue’s forthcoming album of original songs: “Songs Are Soul Food”
Susan “Dr. Sue” Horowitz, Ph.D. (Singer – Songwriter – Author- Entertainer-Speaker-Artist-Professor) is available for Special Programs and as Personal Coach/Advisor for your Creative Writing and to help you Understand Literature (including William Shakespeare, who wrote many Nature-Inspired sonnets and plays).
The song lyric uses colorful, nature imagery like “Over the Rainbow” and “What a Wonderful World”. The symbolic link between nature, the seasons, colors, emotions, and thought is found in many artists and poets like William Shakespeare.
Contact Form on this Website or E-Mail drsue at drsue dot com.
Susan (“Dr. Sue”) Horowitz, Ph.D. Entertaining Motivational Speaker-Author-Educator-Singer/Songwriter.
Dr. Sue “Queens of Comedy” Book by Susan Horowitz Funny Women Positive Entertainment
“Queens of Comedy” – Book by Susan Horowitz (Dr. Sue) – is based on her personal interviews with Comedy Legends Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers, Dolly Parton, Whoopi Goldberg and More – Plus a Witty History of Funny Women!
Hard Cover or Paperback Signed by Susan Horowitz (Author, Entertaining Speaker) E-Mail: drsue at drsue dot com. (Or use Contact Form on Website) Also on Amazon (and More) for more money and no author’s signature.
“Queens of Comedy” Book by Susan Horowitz
“Queens of Comedy” – Book by Susan Horowitz
Buy from Amazon (Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle)
“Alive and Kicking!” could be a theme of the APAP (Association of Performing Arts Presenters) conference and its closing speaker: Rita Moreno, 84 year-old multi-award winning performer (including the Oscar for her role “Anita” in the film “West Side Story”).
APAP’s event features presenters from Broadway and far beyond (think global!) – industry mentors, and mentees – like the finalists of the Wallace Foundation’s “Five Minutes to Shine” who won a conference package with travel.
Attendees include over 3,600 APAP members and professionals who come for networking, support, development, and great entertainment, and is accessible via live-streaming.
Ms. Moreno will be awarded Kennedy Center Honors, capping off a career that amazingly includes Tony, Emmy, Grammy, and Oscar awards. She is one of a handful of performers to win all four – and the only Latina.
Ms. Moreno spoke about her life journey from childhood poverty in Puerto Rico and the Bronx to Hollywood/Broadway legend. Her current high-kicking courage, quick wit, compassion, and poignant honesty inspires her audience and readers of her recent book “Rita Moreno: A Memoir” to go for their dreams.
Rita Moreno & Dr. Sue
Dreams and determination helped Rita survive bullies and bigots in the ghetto and gilded Hollywood mansions. Her mom took her for dance lessons, and when she was performing in Macy’s toy department, she was discovered by a talent scout for MGM, who set up an appointment with Louis B. Mayer. She showed up looking like a Latin Elizabeth Taylor (with a waist-cincher and “feminine enhancements”). Mayer promptly signed her to a seven-year contract. As a contract player, Rita was invited to Hollywood parties – loaded with lecherous producers. She was also assigned a series of dark-skinned stereotypical roles: the Polynesian/American Indian/Mexican mistress of a white man – which she played with the same one-size-fits-all vaguely Latin accent (no one noticed).
Moreno also had some amazing opportunities, including “Singing in the Rain” (with Gene Kelly) “Desiree” (with Marlon Brando). The second encounter ignited a scorching eight-year affair that left Rita burned – but never killed her innate optimism – or her ability to do the work she loves and fall in love with “a great guy” – a nice Jewish doctor and her husband of forty-six years It’s all in her book “Rita Moreno: A Memoir” – which sold out at the conference raising $1000 for The Food Bank, but is still available in stores and online.
To learn more about APAP/NYC, visit their website: www.apapnyc.org
Sophie Tucker, superstar singer, showbiz innovator and marketing genius – (imagine the founder of Facebook as a fat, fabulous diva) – called herself “The Last of the Red Hot Mamas!” Tucker was an international sensation with a sixty year career – she headlined in vaudeville and Broadway, sold out nightclubs; recorded songs tailor-made for her lusty persona, and guest starred on television (including the top-rated Ed Sullivan Show). She hung out with movie stars/singers (like Judy Garland, Mae West, and Frank Sinatra – all of whom she mentored), mobsters (like Al Capone, who booked her in his club, as did Lew Walters, father of Barbara Walters) and seven US Presidents. Due to her limited exposure in Hollywood films (she appeared in only two, which flopped), Tucker is almost forgotten today, but the documentary film “The Outrageous Sophie Tucker” (opening July 24 at Cinema Village, New York City) aims to change all that.
Susan & Lloyd Ecker & Dr. Sue
The docu-bio (produced by Susan and Lloyd Ecker and directed by William Gazecki) traces Tucker’s rise from goulash – (a family restaurant in Hartford, CT where a teenage, but already zaftig (plump, curvy) Sophie served kosher food) – to glory! She eloped with a handsome ne’er-do-well named “Tuck” and quickly became pregnant. But she was determined to escape her mother’s fate as a kitchen slave. In a move that was outrageous (especially for an early 20th century Orthodox, Jewish girl), she handed the baby to her sister, changed her name to “Tucker,” and took off for New York City. Considered too “fat and ugly” for show business, she was forced to belt out songs in black face as a vaudeville “coon-shouter.” She hated it, and when her make-up failed to arrive in Chicago, she went onstage as herself, brought the house down, and never looked back.
I asked Eckers to share the secrets of Sophie’s success. “It didn’t hurt that she had a voice that could peel the paint off walls.” But mainly it was that combination of warmth (she personally answered all her mail and wrote cards to her fans telling them when she was going to appear in their town) and business. Sophie said, “Friends and fans = box office.” She was one of the first performers to take a percentage of the gate (during her first number, she counted the seats and made sure she wasn’t cheated). If you wanted her autograph, you bought her book – and she didn’t give change, even for a $50 dollar bill. (She would announce, “It all goes to charity.” In fact, she raised huge sums for her favorite charities, including synagogues.
Rabbi Jill & Dr. Sue
Sophie may have been a rebel, but she became a prominent member of The Actors’ Temple (339 West 47th Street, NYC), which features Tucker’s plaque, stairwell photograph, and stained glass window. I interviewed Rabbi Jill Haus, spiritual leader, cantor/singer, and show business supporter. The Actors’ Temple hosts shows, a Hanukah open mike and performance fests (like Midtown International Theatre Festival). I asked Rabbi Jill to share a story about Sophie. She told me the temple was originally Orthodox, with men downstairs and women in the gallery. A woman who was a big contributor to the temple, sat herself downstairs, and Sophie immediately followed. “The Rabbi was smart, and the synagogue immediately changed from Orthodox to Conservative (with mixed seating).”
Sophie was always ahead of her time – especially when it came to sexy self-assertion – for all genders, sizes, and backgrounds. The soundtrack of “The Outrageous Sophie Tucker” includes her top hits: “I Ain’t Takin’ Orders From No One,” “No One Loves a Fat Girl (But a Fat Girl Knows How to Love),” “The Sophie Tucker School for Red Hot Mamas”, “My Yiddishe Momme” (the heart-tugging, unofficial Jewish anthem), and her signature song “Some of These Days.”
So what are you waiting for? Pep up your life with Sophie serum – movie, soundtrack CD, the Eckers’ fictionalized memoir “I Am Sophie Tucker” (friskier and more fun than the official, sanitized 1945 biography). Susan and Lloyd Eckers’ first date was at a Bette Midler concert (Ms. Midler told her version of bawdy “Soph” jokes and belted out songs a la Tucker.) The Eckers married, built and sold a business, and are living their dream of bringing their favorite broad back to Broadway! Stay tuned at www.sophietucker.com . For press reservations, interview requests, or more information, contact Richard Skipper Celebrates at [email protected] or 845-365-0720.
In the spirit of Sophie Tucker, here’s a a video of my original, funny song: “A Jewish Girl Named Tex”:
“A Jewish Girl Named Tex” by Sue Horowitz
Creative Living by Dr. Sue: Perk up with Positive Songs!
Long before I ever heard of this film, I used to start my day with Sophie’s songs. Her funny, heartfelt, strong assertion of womanhood, sung in clear, jazzy, melodic voice with perfect articulation, always perked me up!
Support the Arts!: Without the arts, many children have no chance for a better, more fulfilling life! Without the arts, there is no real beauty, joy, or civilization!
