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re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal

Posted by: jmill 02:42 pm EDT 04/02/14
In reply to: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - jrjr 12:12 am EDT 04/02/14

I was there last night and thought the Encores production was splendid - no scripts used at all, and Casey Nicholaw's production was polished and effective. The growing love between Rosabella and Tony in Act Two worked particularly well - I found myself quite moved, for example, by "How Beautiful the Days." It is thrilling to see such a huge cast onstage - I counted thirty people (with none of the principles) in one production number. "Big D" was a terrific, crowd pleasing show-stopper. The production is a wonderful presentation of Loesser's glorious score, which is overflowing with rich, beautiful melodies. And, I felt the superb cast does justice to all the songs. The Encores orchestra, of course, was exceptional as always - what a pleasure to hear this music played by, I believe, thirty-eight musicians. The cuts to the script did not bother me at all and, if anything, improved the pacing of the musical.

I've always had some reservations about the show itself. The mix of arias, recitative, musical theater songs, melodrama, and musical comedy is awkward at times, particularly, to me at least, in the climactic final scene at the Napa Station. But, that doesn't take away from the many glories of MOST HAPPY FELLA, and the Encores mounting may be the best version of this show that I have seen. Overall, I found it to be a marvelous, romantic, rich evening of beautiful music and fine musical theater.


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I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version

Posted by: PlayWiz 04:57 pm EDT 04/02/14
In reply to: re: Encores The Most Happy Fella Dress Rehearsal - jmill 02:42 pm EDT 04/02/14

which played the Majestic around 1980. That version was wonderful and also was done without amplification, perhaps the last musical on Broadway to be done like that for its run. If not, I'm sure fact-checkers here will inform me otherwise. The production was also televised on PBS.


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re: I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version

Posted by: AlanScott 06:47 pm EDT 04/02/14
In reply to: I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version - PlayWiz 04:57 pm EDT 04/02/14

I wish I'd seen that live, rather than just the PBS telecast, with Tozzi post-dubbing the first act because he was having vocal problems when it was filmed (which I think was in Dallas).

I think someone told me recently that despite what has been said, they did end up using some amplification at the Majestic. But I have no idea whether that's true. I'd always heard it was completely unmiked.


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re: I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version

Posted by: falcon15 02:18 pm EDT 04/03/14
In reply to: re: I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version - AlanScott 06:47 pm EDT 04/02/14

I believe it was filmed at the Michigan Opera Theatre prior to Broadway.


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re: I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version

Posted by: AlanScott 12:09 am EDT 04/04/14
In reply to: re: I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version - falcon15 02:18 pm EDT 04/03/14

Thanks! I actually meant to write Houston, but you're right that it was Michigan Opera Theatre.


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re: I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version

Posted by: allineedisthegirl 05:19 pm EDT 04/02/14
In reply to: I'm surprised nobody seems to mention the Giorgio Tozzi version - PlayWiz 04:57 pm EDT 04/02/14

Yes it was a beautiful production. And the end of an era -- unamplified sound in a broadway musical.

I believe it put Richard Muenz on the map, too.

db


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