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re: Are these some of the songs they played for Mary Martin

Posted by: PlayWiz 05:22 pm EDT 05/07/15
In reply to: re: Are these some of the songs they played for Mary Martin - Michael_Portantiere 03:35 pm EDT 05/07/15

I'm not sure how Mary Martin's attempts at an English accent would have been, but she was one of the first in line for female musical leads at the time, kind of like Kelli O'Hara (well at Lincoln Center anyway) but in Martin's case, she actually represented box-office dollars. Also, if Gray had been cast, the keys could have been lowered. Eliza doesn't really go very high--just a "G" in "I Could Have Dance All Night". Gray was a fine actress and had studied at RADA around the time she starred in "Annie Get Your Gun" in London. Maybe Gertrude Lawrence, who I believe performed in "Pygmalion" might have been interested if she had lived, since Mrs. Patrick Campbell and Lynn Fontanne had played the role at considerably older ages than Eliza's stated age.


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re: Are these some of the songs they played for Mary Martin

Posted by: larry13 11:36 am EDT 05/08/15
In reply to: re: Are these some of the songs they played for Mary Martin - PlayWiz 05:22 pm EDT 05/07/15

I agree with what you say about Mary Martin. But Dolores Gray--whom I love!--as Eliza Doolittle?!! I don't care whether the keys would have been lowered.
And Gertrude Lawrence, who never had much of a voice, as Eliza in her late fifties?!! How old were either Mrs.Campbell or Fontanne when they played Eliza, and acted, of course, not sung?

Are we really talking about the same score that Julie Andrews sang??


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re: Are these some of the songs they played for Mary Martin

Posted by: PlayWiz 03:44 pm EDT 05/08/15
In reply to: re: Are these some of the songs they played for Mary Martin - larry13 11:36 am EDT 05/08/15

I'm pretty sure if someone like Gray or Lawrence were around, the score would have been tailored more for their voices.

Oh, Lawrence did have some range during her prime with a soprano placement using some head voice, though her intonation (pitch) was shaky. There's a recording of her doing "The Saga of Jenny" from "Lady in the Dark" where she goes for a high note at the end and, by hook or by crook, she goes for it, grabs it by the tail and it may not be the most pleasant thing to hear, but by gosh and by golly, she latches on to it and doesn't let it go! Hear for yourself! :)

Link Gertrude Lawrence - "Saga of Jenny"

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re: Are these some of the songs they played for Mary Martin

Posted by: AlanScott 12:08 pm EDT 05/08/15
In reply to: re: Are these some of the songs they played for Mary Martin - larry13 11:36 am EDT 05/08/15

Mrs. Pat was 49 when she first played Eliza.

I would think if it had been written for Dolores Gray or Mary Martin, the score would have been tailored to what Gray or Martin could do.

Btw, Rodgers and Hammerstein considered writing a musical version of The Magic Bed-Knob for Martin.


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re: Are these some of the songs they played for Mary Martin

Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 12:06 am EDT 05/09/15
In reply to: re: Are these some of the songs they played for Mary Martin - AlanScott 12:08 pm EDT 05/08/15

"I would think if it had been written for Dolores Gray or Mary Martin, the score would have been tailored to what Gray or Martin could do."

And I think, if that had happened, MY FAIR LADY would probably be a forgotten musical, because as great as Martin and Gray were in roles they were suited for, there is almost nothing about either of them that has anything to do with Eliza Doolittle.


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