I thought I was alone. I'm among the handful of people who saw both the original off-b'way production at the Hudson Guild* (1980; long, choppy, but fascinating -- and directed by Barbara Loden), and the B'way edition (riveting, and loaded with stars). Wth Cher, Kathy Bates, Karen Black, Sandy Dennis, Sudie Bond ... it couldn't find an audience and closed after a couple of months. Imagine. Between February 18 and April 4, '82, it only ran for 52 performances at the {then} Martin Beck.
Unless my mind has failed me, I believe the original used doubles for the younger characters. The Altman B'way version, which everyone knows from the film, (wisely) had the cast double as their younger selves.
I still remember how wonderful Cher was, though Atlman made her perform her big monologue completely upstaged.
*Hudson Guild Theater |
