| I had moved from Milwaukee by 1976 so did not see that production, but I saw the 1972 Melody Top production, with John Raitt as Adams -- a last-minute substitution when Gary Collins canceled. At the time, I remember thinking that John Raitt seemed like a very odd choice for Adams, but he was wonderful in the role, as he was in everything I ever saw him in (including Carousel at the Melody Top a few years earlier). He was a magnificent Adams, and I'm sure he was much, much better than Gary Collins would have been. The production also featured Stubby Kaye as Franklin. I saw the show on July 4, with the sound of nearby fireworks displays adding a perfect backdrop to the action on stage. |
