It's been 47 years since "Sunrise, Sunset" was first sung on a Broadway stage. The sentimental tune is the second to last number in the first act of "Fiddler on the Roof," and it marks the wedding day of characters Tzeitel and Motel in the musical's story line.
"Sunrise, Sunset" has become a nuptial ceremony standard, sung at weddings of many faiths, but the lyrics recalling a little girl and boy who grow up to be bride and groom don't exactly fit same sex matrimonial celebrations. "Fiddler" lyricist Sheldon Harnick, who is 87, has remedied that by altering the words to his famous song, writing separate new versions for male and female gay couples.
The male lyrics debuted at a wedding in Tappan, N.Y., on Saturday. Here is a story about it from Playbill.com. The lyrics are included.
Damien has been around so long, he was at Summerfest the night George Carlin was arrested for speaking the seven dirty words you can't say on TV. He was also at the Uptown Theatre the night Bruce Springsteen's first Milwaukee concert was interrupted for three hours by a bomb scare. Damien was reviewing the concert for the Milwaukee Journal. He wrote for the Journal and Journal Sentinel for 37 years, the last 29 as theater critic.
During those years, Damien served two terms on the board of the American Theatre Critics Association, a term on the board of the association's foundation, and he studied the Latinization of American culture in a University of Southern California fellowship program. Damien also hosted his own arts radio program, "Milwaukee Presents with Damien Jaques," on WHAD for eight years.
Travel, books and, not surprisingly, theater top the list of Damien's interests. A news junkie, he is particularly plugged into politics and international affairs, but he also closely follows the Brewers, Packers and Marquette baskeball. Damien lives downtown, within easy walking distance of most of the theaters he attends.
