Of course, Green Acres Afficionados will have recognized the squeak in the overture to The Drowsy Chaperone as being inspired by the late Arnold Ziffel of Green Acres Fame. Arnold is our muse, and we dedicate every performance to him by inserting a bar of silence into the score at random.
Arnold, as is well known, was an accomplished pianist, and, yes, a bit of a 'ham'. What may be less well known is that Arnold was a staunch devotee of the Broadway Musical. Up until his death, Arnold was an avid a collector of original cast recordings from the '20s and '30s. Arnold is shown here listening to a rare recording of Irene Bordoni singing "Let's Do It" from the Cole Porter musical "Paris" on a vintage Victrola Type A Talking Machine. Arnold's posture suggests he may be, as was his custom, farting in time with the music, as we often do during performances.