Threaded Order Chronological Order
| Attending the B'Way opening night . . . and the "party" afterward | |
| Posted by: aleck 07:46 am EST 03/10/21 | |
| In reply to: SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS - On Stage Vs. Film - JereNYC 11:45 am EST 03/09/21 | |
|
|
|
| Yikes. I knew one of the producers, who had had a previous success as a backer of Woman of the Year, and was trying his hand (for the first and last time) as an actual producer. I unfortunately was given a free ticket to opening night, which, of course, I would never refuse under any circumstance, as well as an invitation to the party afterward. The whole opening night, despite a primed audience willing to give the production the benefit of the doubt, was painful. Not one to hide my true feelings, instead of joining in on the audience's enthusiasm that seemed to have nothing to do with what was going on within the frame of the proscenium arch, I sat there with slack-jawed horror. The production itself was not Broadway quality. I looked like a cheap bus-and-truck affair, which it was. It was brought in, as I recall, after having crisscrossed the country for more than a year. The scant scenery jiggled as it was wheeled onto the stage. It was too small for the stage. Debby Boone was pleasant enough, but bland. It was hard to find her within the crowd of other brides. David Carroll (then known as David-James Carroll) brought that great voice that we would later come to appreciate (and now miss), but he didn't save anything. But the staging, particularly the dancing, which was so significant for the success of the movie, was uninspired to say the least. Also, there was an underlying sensibility projecting that the brothers were perhaps more interested in each other than in the brides. It was hard to suspend disbelief. However, I think if you study the movie version you will notice that camera angles enhance the dance sequences in a way that is impossible on stage. But it was sure no Newsies. I remember seeing Tommy Tune in attendance. It was rumored that he had been called in to try to doctor things. The stated chorographer has this as his only Broadway credit -- as either a performer or on the production side -- although I think he decamped to Las Vegas to stage extravaganzas. I don't remember any kidnapping scene or the audience being uneasy with such matters. Then, on to the party. The attendees were all frisky, lapping up the booze and food. But I knew from the expression on the face of my producer acquaintance that disaster was looming. Then the Times review appeared. Someone grabbed the single copy of the newspaper (we're talking the NYTimes when it was only available in print form) and read it silently. It must have been the press agent. After reading, she declared: "Mixed." Then the review was quietly hidden away. The turth of the "mixed" review quickly spread and people suddenly remembered they had to get home to walk the dog or get their insulin shots or whatever people need to do to make a hasty retreat. As the crowd emptied out, Debby Boone made an entrance. Everyone did their best to cheer her up. I seem to remember that the cast picketed the NYTimes for what they perceived as an unfair review, basing their objection on all the positive reactions audiences gave the show when it was roaming through the hinterlands. Perhaps they had been out of town for so long that they had forgotten what Broadway shows were supposed to look like. Amazingly, the show had a continued life in regional productions. I know someone who was in a Debby Boone-headed production -- TWICE. For me, it was a disaster topped only by Ain't Broadway Grand and that musical about Tourette syndrome. Or that Harry Connick Jr On a Clear Day. Wait! I can think of some more . . . but that's for another day. |
|
| reply to this message |
| re: Attending the B'Way opening night . . . and the "party" afterward | |
| Posted by: altonido 02:32 pm EST 03/10/21 | |
| In reply to: Attending the B'Way opening night . . . and the "party" afterward - aleck 07:46 am EST 03/10/21 | |
|
|
|
| I saw a preview of the Broadway "Seven Brides" and knew it wasn't going to go over, although David Carroll's singing was notably gorgeous. New York may have rejected the stage "Seven Brides," but London did not. "Seven Brides" had its London premiere at the Old Vic (transferring to the Prince of Wales) in 1985, with a West End revival in 2006 (both got cast recordings, which the NY production did not). Nine years later, "Seven Brides" was back in London, at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park. And of course the stage version has had a healthy life in stock: Before the Broadway production, Jane Powell and Howard Keel bravely headed up a 1978 tour. And it has been seen everywhere from Goodspeed Opera House to St. Louis Muny to Paper Mill Playhouse. |
|
| reply to this message |
| re: Attending the B'Way opening night . . . and the "party" afterward | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 11:17 am EST 03/10/21 | |
| In reply to: Attending the B'Way opening night . . . and the "party" afterward - aleck 07:46 am EST 03/10/21 | |
|
|
|
| Wow, thanks for that very entertaining report :-) I saw the Broadway production, and I don't remember many specifics about it, but I do recall that at least some of the lyrics of the song "Wonderful, Wonderful Day" were rewritten, presumably because the original lyrics ("Ding-dong, ding-a-ling-dong, were the steeple bells ever quite as gay?") were considered a little too hokey and simplistic. I also remember there was some rewriting to try to give the show a more positive view in terms of women's equality with men. P.S. Two of the brothers in that production went on to better things: Jeff Calhoun and Lara Teeter. |
|
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Attending the B'Way opening night . . . and the "party" afterward | |
| Posted by: dbdbdb 02:23 pm EST 03/10/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Attending the B'Way opening night . . . and the "party" afterward - Michael_Portantiere 11:17 am EST 03/10/21 | |
|
|
|
| I didn't see the show but I remember a bunch of actors, sporting bad orange dye jobs, picketing The New York Times, demanding the ouster of Frank Rich! | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
Time to render: 0.013818 seconds.