By Maryann Lopinto*** The latest in the series of BACKSTAGE BABBLE (produced by Rob Schneider and hosted by Charles Kirsch) celebrated Joe Allen’s 
where the Broadway posters on the walls, starting in 1965, are entirely of flop shows. Thirteen performers who appeared in the flops performed, with music director Michael Lavine on the keys, spoke about their experiences. Here’s that roster:
MICHAEL KUBALA sang the title song of “AIN’T BROADWAY GRAND” (Charles Strouse and Lee Adams), which ran for less than a month in 1984, in a role that he stepped into at the last moment.
BRENDA BRAXTON performed “Speak Easy” in Peter Allen’s show “LEGS DIAMOND” at the Mark Hellinger Theatre, the final show there when the Hellinger became a church.
AMANDA GREEN who wrote the songs with Tom Kitt for for a show called HIGH FIDELITY performed a song from the show,
ANITA GILLETTE performed “I’ll Never Go There Anymore” (Moose Charlap and Eddie Lawrence) from KELLY, which closed on opening night.
JOSIE DE GUZMAN offered “Boom Chicka Boom” from NICK AND NORA (Charles Strouse and Richard Malby Jr.).
MARTIN VIDNOVIC sang “Penelope’s Hand” (Mitch Leigh and Charles Burr) from HOME, SWEET HOMER”
ROBERT CREIGHTON performed “Only In Manhattan” from “JACKIE MASON’S LAUGHING ROOM ONLY”
LUCIA GIANNETTA was not in LEAP OF FAITH but sang from it “Long Past Dreaming” (Alan Menken and Glenn Slater).
TAM MUTO performed “Yurli’s Decision” (Michael Korie and Lucy Simon) from DR. ZHIVAGO.
HEATHER MAC RAE in duet with Lavine sang the title song from HERE’S WHERE I BELONG. music and lyrics by Robert Waldman and Alfred Uhry.
BETH FOWLER and JACK WITHAM who met in 1600 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, and who married, spoke about the show, while ELENA SHADOW sang “Take Care of This House” (Leonard Bernstein and Alan Jay Lerner) from it.
WILLY FALK made his Broadway debut in MARILYN: AN AMERICAN FABLE and offered the showstopper “You Are So Beyond” (Jeanne Napoli and Doug Frank).
MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG by Stephen Sondheim closed after 16 performances in 1981 and is now playing a successful revival on the Great White Way. JIM WALTON sang “Our Time” and brought the show to an end.
