LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Show Queen |
by Kenn Harris |
It Happened Out of Town
Pre-Broadway tryouts and previews, during which new shows are made ready for Broadway, can be fractious even painful experiences. See how many shows you can recognize from this cornucopia of angst. 1. This wonderful musical's tryouts went smoothly enough, with one show-stopping number added. Unfortunately, during the tryouts, the star, enjoying the greatest triumph of her career, began to show (misdiagnosed) symptoms of the illness that would kill her within 18 months. Name the show, the star, and that song. 2. Motown aside, Detroit is not a safe place to try out musicals. This eventual smash hit arrived in the summer of 1963. It had an unwieldy title and not enough hot songs. The draconic producer changed the title and spent days terrorizing the young composer. Eventually the director found some new ideas and several other composers were called in to doctor the score. Somehow, all lived through it, and the results were incandescent. Can you name the show, the original title, the producer, and the composer? Also, mention the star, if you'd like. 3. During the tryout for a not very successful show by one of America's greatest songwriters, the leading lady was abruptly fired and replaced by her understudy. The cast took a dim view of this situation, and after a day or two of simmering anger, the show's featured comedienne went to the producers and said, "Unless we get our star back, we're all walking out on strike and you'll have no show." This was unheard of, but the producers thought about matters and lo and behold, the newly elevated understudy was canned and the original leading lady returned. The show went on to a short Broadway run, leaving one unforgettable song. Name the show, the composer, the leading lady, the comedienne, and the memorable song. 4. Audiences gasped in horroror embarrassment, at the goings on in the previews of a new Steven Sondheim musical. Even a sexy bedroom scene "all the way" could not make up for the grossness that followed. People stormed out in droves and booed lustily. My humble divaship booed like crazybut you know what, the authors somehow got together and the show received decent reviews and ran nearly a year. Who can figure show biz, right? Name the show, the bedroom bound pair, and the other star whom people either loved or hated. 5. New York previews of this big show were placed in limbo when a prominent member of the cast was arrested for soliciting gay sex on the New York subway. Fortunately, the lad had friends in high places and the charges disappeared. Ironically, the show's creator was as gay as one could be in mid-century America without being lynched. The show opened, was a hit and Charlotte Greenwood got to do her trademark cartwheels for months. Name the show and its gay composer. 6. The late Betty Comden once described the tribulations she and her colleagues went through, trying to fashion a hit musical out of a very troubled show during its out of town engagement. "We had a meeting," said Comden. "We agreed that the book was in bad shape, the lyrics hadn't jelled, the score was uneven, the sets were odd and the leading performers hadn't found their proper way yet." So, the producer thought about things for a little while. And you know what he did? He FIRED the choreographer! Can you name the troubled show, which actually did go on become a hit? Guess the producer. 7. This Rodgers and Hammerstein gem went to Boston with one title on its tryout tour and came away with a new one. This new title was taken from what had been considered a "throwaway" dance number but now became the lynch pin of the show, Oh yes, this was a hit. Name the show and its discarded title and the dance number. 8. While playing a pre-Broadway tryout in Boston, this show, by two major creators, was in trouble. The main problem was that show's librettist/lyricist was in the thrall of a quack doctor who overdosed him with uppers until the man was incoherent. The composer fumed, as performances were off kilter, lacking the magic touch the librettist would have provided. A decision was made to fire the male lead, an international star who had a leading role in the librettist's greatest film. The French born actor was replaced by his American born standby. Somehow, the show eventually worked, had a good run in New York and then a film was made. Name the show, the author, the fired star, his replacement, and, for extra credit, the leading lady. 9. At the final previewthe one which all the critics attended, of this new and controversial show, the suspense built up in the second act was superceded by a different sort of suspense happening when a very heavy steel beam from the set dangled, then fell from the flies and came very close to decapitating the much loved on stage actress. The audience was unsure if this was a stage effect, and the lady kept on singing, only to be pulled away at the last possible moment by an astute stage manager. A short intermission ensued while the men in he company dragged the beam out of the cast's way. The performance resumed, to the relief of all concerned. Name the show, the actress who nearly lost her head and the famous song from this score that she was singing as danger whirled around her. 10. When this musical, the most lavish and expensive show Broadway had yet seen, arrived in Toronto for its tryout there were plenty of problems. One was that the show ran four hours. The other was that all three creators suffered life-threatening illnesses in Toronto. The director was a complete invalid and the librettist literally got out of his hospital bed to take over directing. He and the composer rewrote as they went along. The leading lady was handed a new song for act two the day before the opening. So what happened? The critics hated it, but audiences have always had affection for it, especially as the newly widowed Jacqueline Kennedy told the world of her husband's fondnesss for it. Name the show, the composer, librettist-director, and leading lady. Can you also list the show's two leading men? Answers 1. Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I, Gertrude Lawrence was the ailing star, and "Getting to Know You" was the show stopper.2. It was Hello Dolly, nee: Dolly: A Damned Exasperating Woman. David Merrick was the tyrannical producer and young Jerry Herman the composer. Oh yes, Miss Carol Channing presided over the festivities. 3. The show was St. Louis Woman by Harold Arlen; Ruby Hill was the fired star and Pearl Bailey took the stand to keep her in the show. The song was "Come Rain or Come Shine." 4. The show was Sondheim's Passion, Jere (sans thong) Shea bedded the totally nude Marin Mazzie, and Donna Murphy, with an unforgettable (or unforgivable!) wart on her nose completed the disgusting triangle. 5. Out of This World by Cole Porter. Nobody remembers the hapless subway suitor. 6. Do Re Mi was the show and of course, David Merrick was the producer. 7. The show was Oklahoma!, named for that little dance in act two. The original title was Away We Go!. 8. On a Clear Day You Can See Forever by Alan Jay Lerner and ailing lyricist Burton Lane. Louis Jourdan got the boot, replaced by John Cullum. The show starred Barbara Harris. 9. The show was Sweeney Todd, with Angela Lansbury singing (ironically) "Nothing's Gonna Harm You." 10. Camelot opened despite the illnesses of director Moss Hart and Composer Alan Jay Lerner. Straight from the hospital librettist turned director was Frederick Lowe. The show starred Julie Andrews, Richard Burton, and Robert Goulet. Kenn Harris is a NYC theatre and music critic and author of the biography of opera diva Renata Tebaldi, and The Ultimate Opera Quiz Book. Kenn is both an opera devotee and big time collector of original cast albums from Broadway and around the world. And he loves to dish. Contact him at kharris106@nyc.rr.com |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 18, No. 06 May 30, 2008 |