| re: SOM: Thank you Ernest Lehman! | |
| Posted by: | Michael_Portantiere 11:24 am EST 12/06/13 |
| In reply to: | re: SOM: Thank you Ernest Lehman! - dbg 11:16 am EST 12/06/13 |
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| Yes, in the show version, she's depicted as more of a business woman. | |
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| Hammerstein did not write stage book for SOM | |
| Posted by: | lordofspeech 12:17 pm EST 12/06/13 |
| In reply to: | re: SOM: Thank you Ernest Lehman! - Michael_Portantiere 11:24 am EST 12/06/13 |
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| The project started with Mary Martin and she reached out to other book writers for the musical, not Hammerstein. I think he'd have got it right. But I agree Lehman's work is a vast improvement over stage book. | |
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| re: Hammerstein did not write stage book for SOM | |
| Posted by: | JohnDunlop 01:51 pm EST 12/06/13 |
| In reply to: | Hammerstein did not write stage book for SOM - lordofspeech 12:17 pm EST 12/06/13 |
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| Yes, Rodgers and Hammerstein were not initially involved. Martin et al. asked them to wrote a few additional songs to blend in with the songs already associated with the real von Trapp family. Then R & H agreed to write all the songs. Rodgers and Hammerstein were occupied with "Flower Drum Song," so SOM was delayed until they were free. Martin went on tour all over the U.S. with a one-woman show while waiting for the project to completely come together. I do not remember Hammerstein ever being considered for the book. | |
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| re: Hammerstein did not write stage book for SOM | |
| Posted by: | JereNYC (JereNYC@aol.com) 12:35 pm EST 12/06/13 |
| In reply to: | Hammerstein did not write stage book for SOM - lordofspeech 12:17 pm EST 12/06/13 |
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| I've always heard that Hammerstein was already ill when work began on SOM and he was not up writing both book AND lyrics for this one, as he'd done with all their previous shows. And, for that reason, the book was farmed out to Lindsay and Crouse. I've never read anything that provided more details. I've always wondered why Lindsay and Crouse were chosen and if anyone else was considered. I think, even in its time, SOM, which a box office smash, was considered to be lesser Rodgers and Hammerstein, due mainly to an inferior book. It wasn't until the film was made that SOM became the revered classic that it is today. The creation of SOM might make an interesting behind-the-scenes book or film. | |
| URL: | Jere-Rigged |
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| horse hockey | |
| Posted by: | StageDoorJohnny 11:12 pm EST 12/06/13 |
| In reply to: | re: Hammerstein did not write stage book for SOM - JereNYC 12:35 pm EST 12/06/13 |
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| SOM was the 4th longest running NY musical when it closed [about 3 1/2 years] with a longer run than King and I and almost twice as long as Carousel. The longer runs were My Fair Lady, Oklahoma! and South Pacific. In London the run was about 6 months longer than the NY Oklahoma! [at just under 6 years] and was the 2nd longest running musical in London history--after Oliver!. The movie would not have been made without the huge success of the stage show. | |
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| double horse hockey | |
| Posted by: | Chromolume 11:50 pm EST 12/06/13 |
| In reply to: | horse hockey - StageDoorJohnny 11:12 pm EST 12/06/13 |
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| I'm seeing a number of posts lately that seem to be confusing success with quality. No one is denying that the run of the original production was successful. So was the run of Cats, of Mamma Mia, of Oh Calcutta...;-) | |
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| re: double horse hockey | |
| Posted by: | PlayWiz 02:11 am EST 12/07/13 |
| In reply to: | double horse hockey - Chromolume 11:50 pm EST 12/06/13 |
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| "The Sound of Music" didn't feature nudity to get to its long run. Though I wouldn't put it past someone like Calito Bieito or some other outlandish avant-garde director in a Euro-trash version to insert it somewhere. But the original cast did have in addition to starring Mary Martin, a chorus that included, amazingly enough, Joey Heatherton, and opera divas to be Patricia Brooks and Tatiana Troyanos. | |
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| re: Hammerstein did not write stage book for SOM | |
| Posted by: | PlayWiz 08:04 pm EST 12/06/13 |
| In reply to: | re: Hammerstein did not write stage book for SOM - JereNYC 12:35 pm EST 12/06/13 |
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| "The Sound Of Music" was still a hit during its initial run; it tied with "Fiorello!" for the Tony that year (although "Gypsy" was famously overlooked). Lindsay and Crouse were very well-known names -- they had written among other things "Life With Father" which still holds the record for the longest-running straight play on Broadway. | |
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| re: Hammerstein did not write stage book for SOM | |
| Posted by: | JohnDunlop 10:19 pm EST 12/06/13 |
| In reply to: | re: Hammerstein did not write stage book for SOM - PlayWiz 08:04 pm EST 12/06/13 |
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| It wasn't just a hit, it was a huge hit. I saw "The Sound of Music" on a weekday night, buying the tickets far in advance. After the performance, there were a very large crowd outside the theater. I had to leave, but I assumed the crowd was there to see Mary Martin (this was only a few years after the TV "Peter Pan" in '55 & '56). | |
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