House
of Bamboo..
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Follies &
Frolics Bits & Pieces
(We can't remember
everything, but some of it is coming back in "bits & pieces."
If you recall anything about any skit that you would like to
contribute to this page, drop me an email.)
NEW Follies bits and pieces from 1961 Follies ... Click the
RED
blinker
List of ALL winning skits for Follies and Frolics
Thanks to Mickey Kail at Kingston House.
The Return of Dr. Fu Mac Chu, or I See You a Quarter and I
Raise You a Half!
Steve
Ziperstein as Fein Ben Lo
Artie
Rosenheck
played Dr. Fu Mac Chu (a take-off to Dr. MacMurray, who was
President of Q.C.) He made perhaps one of the most dramatic
entrances in Frolics history ... being carried down the
center aisle of Colden Auditorium throwing flowers out to
the audience.
Steve
Ziperstein
played Fein Ben Lo. Zippy wore a bald wig. Of course a few
years later he could have played the part without a bald
wig! I also remember a GONG!
contributed
by Richie Schecter with lots of help from Steve
Laskowitz
Ben
Fein
was a friendly (mostly) political (and HP) rival of
Solomon,
Vogel,
and Feiler
in student government, and I'm pretty sure he was student
body president.
contributed
by Andy Gottesman
I
clearly remember Steve
Rosen, Andy Gottesman
and Dave
Vogel
participating in the writing, and I'm pretty sure there were
others too (perhaps Richie
Zalman
and Artie
Rosenheck,
maybe even others). The story line involved a "Me Kong
Delta" fraternity. The key character was named "Fein Ben Lo"
(Ben Fein was then the president of the student body) and I
also remember helping write some lines about a "Lotus
Ravine" (Ben's girlfriend at that time was named Lois
Levine).
We started
the skit with a take off on Fiddler on the Roof, having
Ken
Geller
spotlighted sitting on top of a building and playing an
instrument (I think a violin). "We give you praise Fein Ben
Lo. You are the king of us all. To you our lives are
devoted. You mended and paved the great wall" (a reference
to some project Ben Fein had accomplished getting something
at school repaired)? Does anyone else remember:
"Just
don't cross him. There is no one can boss him. Just like
Samson--but he has no hair"
(Ben was losing it early)?
contributed
by Len Sklerov
The
song was:
We give
you praise Fein Ben Lo
You are the king of us all
You for whom 800 voted (Ben
Fein had only 800 votes)
Mended and paved the great wall
yada yada yada
abolished the LLA last fall.
contributed by Steve Laskowitz
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The Me Kong Delta Skit
(aka No Dames)
.jpg)
Pictured
Richie Schecter as Quazimoto
.jpg)
Bits and Pieces of
Skit
Click to enlarge
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.jpg) Bits
and Pieces of Skit
Click to enlarge
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"Me
Kong Delta - Brothers proud are we. Me Kong Delta
Fraternity"
One of
the special effects was a large sign that said "Notre Dame".
When the lights went off the "tre" disappeared leaving the
letters,
"No Dame. " No dames were allowed.
I remember the monks as they entered chanting,
"No-
tra Dame .... No-tra Dame"
The skit closed with a line I'm still proud of participating
in writing, because it was, for Queens College at that time,
an early expression of discontent with the Vietnam War. If
my memory serves me, the line was performed by
Richie
Schecter
and it was -- "Me
Kong Delta, let there be peace".
contributed
by Richie Schecter
"Ring
out on behalf of justice, ring out, on behalf of man, ring
out, let the sound surround you.
Women have come into this land.
Me Kong Delta -- Me Kong Delta--that the place where the fun
began.
Me Kong Delta -- Me Kong Delta -- that the place you always
can --
ring the bells (ding dong) --ring the bells (ding
dong)".
contributed
by Len Sklerov
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Alvin in Blunderland
.jpg)
Pictured
Steve Ziperstein and Richie Schecter
The
Tweedles were in "Alvin in Blunderland", having something to
do with the Klapper Library.
contributed
by Richie Zalman
Zippy
played Tweedle Dum and of course, I was the "SMART" one!
Klapper Cats rings a bell
contributed
by Richie Schecter
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Magic World
- The Vietnam Skit
(Frolics 1970 )
.jpg)
Pictured
Joe Stansky and Bernie Nash
CLICK HERE TO SEE PROGRAM
Click to View entire skit (Adobe Reader or Foxit Reader
required)
The week
after Frolics 1969 ended, while still hung over from The Big
SL's customarily excellent Bash (I capitalize it
respectfully), Richie Zalman and I started thinking about
the high bar that Kingston had set with its winning
"Idealism/Realism" skit, a musical sketch of serious
concepts set to music without any real plot, which was
unusual in the Follies/Frolics context. It seemed to capture
the tenor of the times. Since the House decided not to go
into Follies 1969, the idea for "Magic World" evolved
slowly, but our commitment to it intensified after Howie
Haskowitz went into the Army and we subsequently lost former
member Richie Green. We didn't intend for the skit to be
about either one of them, but it was clear that the war had
hit Bamboo too close to home. Some people would later opine
that it was a ripoff of "Summertree," which neither Richie Z
nor I ever saw or heard of before April 1970.
Besides
the many days spent with Richie in the Rathaus Hall practice
rooms, his living room, or his basement, working on the
music and lyrics, what I particularly recall is how hard the
girls from Ivy worked on painting the scenery; Glen Brunman
quoting Herman Hesse (the literary guru du jour) in a
prologue speech; also, the incredible eruption among our
members in Colden Auditorium when the second place award was
announced -- the first award Bamboo had won in a
Frolics/Follies competition. Guys, it was certainly a long
time in coming!
By the
way, although Richie and I wrote the piece, were nominally
in charge of directing Bamboo's participation, and performed
the music, Ruby Kestenbaum of Ivy deserves most of the
credit for bringing it to fruition on the stage. Rich and I
were very proud to have given Bamboo this opportunity, and
it was a very satisfying way for both of us to end our
college and Bamboo days. But they never really
end.
contributed
by Roger Feinman
That
skit was about some guy who went to war reluctantly. It was
pretty much a rip-off of Hair! The leading role was played
by Glen
Brunman!
I had an early scene with Glen where I played a child
playing cowboys with him, and I "shot" him, saying "I got
ya, I got ya!". Both Richie
Zalman
and Roger
Feinman
were in charge of this play. I just remembered that it was
pretty intense for a Frolics/Follies skit. Oh, there is a
girl there in the picture with the pink ribbons who was set
up for me by Ruby and Bob
Schwager,
who was dating Ruby during I really forgot her name, and we
actually "broke up" the night of Frolics. She did have a big
chest though, but preferred dating pre-med students! I later
met her boyfriend during a subsequent class together.
contributed
by Howie Spinner
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The Year Santa Almost Missed Christmas
Pictured:
Ronnie
Levine and
Kay
Rubinstein (Licht)
as elves, Marilyn
Tolchinsky (Schecter)
as Mrs. Claus, Richie
Schecter
as Santa.
We did
Frolics with One Way Inn.
The only lyrics I remember are:
Christmas
is upon us
The reindeer are approaching,
Snow covered trees and misletoe
Children hanging stockings
Waiting up for Santa
Waiting for his ho ho ho
Hurry up let's go
Don't be late
Time is short
Don't hesitate.
contributed
by Brian Fishkin
We
want to wish you all
A happy holiiday
We want to say to all the boys and girls at heart
The toys are ready now
Let's laugh and have some fun
It seems so sad that we will soon have to part
We are santas elves
We make the toys for him
For all the girls and boys to play on christmas day
Its almost christmas time
When he'll be on his way
No rain or snow can stop his reindeer or his sleigh
contributed
by Steve Laskowitz
Finale:
We
want to wish you all a happy holiday.
We want to say to all you girls and boys at heart!
(Sung in two parts - one group sang, "Christmas Time is Here
and repeated)
Mr.& Mrs.Claus: Have a Merry No-elllll
Have a Merry No-ellll
Have a very merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday
Have a Merry No-elllll
Have a Merry No-ellll
Have a very merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday
From us to you
From us to you"
All: From us to you
contributed
by Richie Schecter
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The "Knottin" skit
("only known photo to exist" - from the Sklerov
Collection)
I remember
singing, while sitting on a bench with a girl ...
"Here in
Knottin, there's nottin to do
I just sit here necking with you? We've done that before
dear, if we do it any more dear, there'll be three here
instead of just two"
"Is there nothing that pleases you hear?". (Girl answers)
'There's just you and dad's money
dear."
contributed
by Richie Schecter "with a little help from my friends," Len
Sklerov and Steve Rosen
It
was with Ramble Inn. "General
Drafton, I can't fight, I gotta bum knee and it gets
tight--can only run, kick and
punt"?
contributed
by Len Sklerov
Here in
Knottin there's nottin to do
I've tried all the jobs in town,
Today's jobs with tomorrow skills, -- heck,
I can't do today's.
contributed
by Steve Rosen
Comment: Our
show ran short so we had to extend it and came up with this
idea remembered by Steve
Laskowitz
Now
we're finished we're done we've completed our story but
we're not through
No we're not. We much stretch this thing out and bring a
finale to you
It was
started by Irving Berlin and continued by AEPi
When a show is completed it can not immediately
stop.
(Then
we sang it backwards. Even I can't remember
that)
Steve Laskowitz
(There
was also a bridge with the senseless lyrics:)
Oh its not
what you say its the way that you sing it, just sing it
proud.
With the top of the tongue there are normal Americans up a
tree, Sex is free....
Backwards..
Not we're no through not we're but story our completed we've
done we're nished, fin we're now.
You to finale bring and out stretch this thing must we
Pi E A by continued and Irving Berlin started then it
was
When a play is completed...
W
hen a play is completed...
When a play is completed it cannot immediately stop.
contributed
by Steve Rosen
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1962
House of Bamboo
with
Sister Houseplan Hilltop House
"So
You Want to be a Star"
Away, Away We'll Go ... A Parody of "I Could Have Danced All
Night"
Pictured
above are Herb Stein, Bob Abrahams (1st HOB President),
Unknown (covered by hand)
Spencer Curtis and Gary Reinstein.
The
songs were composed by QC classmate and music major Shelley
Tarakan (d)
About a
group of staid Englishmen who find themselves stranded on an
island with a group of female hayseeds.
Sung
to the Tune of "I Could Have Danced All
Night
The way
they smoke their pipes,
They are unpleasant types
The way they slurp their tea
The way
they wear their hair
There could be birds up there
Oh, can it really be.
They'll
never know what makes them so repulsive
One day the wind will [shift?] and then
They'll
bathe with Ivory Snow, Palmolive, Cameo
And then away, away we'll go
HILLTOP HOUSE
Photos Above
Contributed
by
Barry Lubart
More info
below from
Allen Hausman & Bob Abrahams (original members)
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One
song had the words "The way they smoke there pipes,
they are the sloppy types; the way they slurp their
tea. The way they wear their hair, there must be
birdsin there, oh, can they really be? We'll never
know what made them so repulsive, one day the wind
will shift and then they'll bathe with Ivory Snow,
Palmolive, Cameo - - and then away, away they'll
go. Then I slapped them with a powder puff covered
with dusting powder [think I still have
it!!]. In the photo Allen sent earlier, I am
kneeling down and dusting the armpit of Sid
Mitchell (??) with said powder puff. -
Bob
Abrahams (1st Pres)
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"Those dapper
gents are us Brits ooo found the smelly ladies.
Thems are bowlers on our 'eads, not top hats and we
also had canes for our song and dance numbers. I
think there were 8 of us in the males chorus line.
Although we all danced, due to our lack of singing
capabilities, Spencer Curtis and I were directed to
just move our lips. Throughout rehearsals only six
guys sang. However, on the night of the performance
Spencer & I announced to the cast that we were
going to sing - and sing we did, as loud as we
could. We had a blast."
Bob
Abrahams
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CLICK
HERE
for Photos
honoring our original members
supplied by
Allen
Hausman
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"Who’s
Afraid of Huge Harold"
This
Follies was won by AEPi, which still had the services of a
lad by the name of Paul Simon.
Eddie Simon, Paul’s younger brother, attended Parsons
Jr High and was a classmate of
Marv
Alpert.
Eddie
and Paul Simon
In one of
our earliest Follies scripts here are some lyrics to a
tune
We are Ed
majors at Queens College
People make fun of our knowledge
Over Your children we soon will fuss
We are all good girls so don't knock us
We like to play in the sandbox
People make fun of our woodblocks
etc.
etc.
Another
tune included, more or less, (referring to music dept
teachers at QC)
Castellini,
Eisman, Kraft, and Miss Witt
Are the music instructors I have studied with
etc.
etc.
contributed
by Jerry Schulman
"We finger
paint for three credits."
contributed
by Mike Solomon
Then there
was the Psychology Major song, which went like
this:
Psychologist,
Psychologist,
Will make you well if you're feeling sick,
Lesbian or Homosexual,
Psychologist is the way to go.
If a boy and girl are seen together in Fitzgerald
Woods..
contributed
by Mike Solomon
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1963
From
the memory of Mike Solomon
"I also
remember in 1963, AEPi won it all with their "Florence of
Arabia" skit, which was a comedic take-off on Political
Science Professor Mary Dillon, who was the renowned expert
on the presidential candidate Wendell Wilkie (1940). The
skit, lavish scenery and costumes, and music were worthy of
a Broadway production. The music was reportedly composed or
inspired by Paul Simon and was sung by Eddie Simon. I
thought Eddie sounded as good as Paul. Paul Simon had just
graduated and sang at the freshman orientation for our
entering class during the summer of 1963.
I think we did the 1963 Follies again with Hilltop House,
and then the following year started with Chalet--but I'm not
positive.
Our House of Bamboo skit was also brilliant and witty, but
on a bare bones budget (no costumes and no scenery). I think
we did place second or third. I believe the songs were
written by Richie Golden and I remember Richie Golden
directing the rehearsals and the production. Richie Golden
had an ear and love for music. Unfortunately, most of us new
Bamboo members were much more interested in sports and
girls, and saw the rehearsals as more of a tedious burden
then a joy. Once we took the stage, however, we were
magnificent.
Those were
the days."
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Bits
and Pieces of Skit
