Russ Kunkel Kunkel had a cameo as doomed drummer Eric "Stumpy Joe" Childs in the 1984 film "This Is Spinal Tap". In 2010 Kunkel joined the Troubadour Reunion Tour supporting James Taylor and Carole King. In 1968, Kunkel married singer/songwriter Leah Cohen Kunkel, sister of Cass Elliot (born Ellen Naomi Cohen) of The Mamas and Papas. Following Elliot's death in 1974, Leah was given custody of Cass Elliot's daughter, Owen. The couple also raised their son, Nathaniel, an Emmy Award winning sound engineer. In 1990, Kunkel married singer Nicolette Larson ("Lotta Love"), and the two were married until her death in 1997.
Magnormos to celebrate the 80th birthday of Stephen Sondheim. The Triptych included one-night presentations of "Saturday Night", "Merrily We Roll Along", and "Anyone Can Whistle" across consecutive Mondays at the Melbourne Recital Centre. In 2011 Magnormos presented a Jerry Herman Triptych which included "Milk and Honey", "Dear World" and "Hello, Dolly!." Magnormos' 2011 season also included the Melbourne premiere of "The Hatpin", and co-produced the world premiere of "flowerchildren – the mamas and papas" story starring Matt Hetherington, Laura Fitzpatrick, Dan Humphris and Casey Donovan as Mama Cass. In 2013 the company staged a commercial season of "flowerchildren – the mamas