The Saturday List: Five SISTER ACT moments that are “Fabulous, Baby!” and Five that “Haven’t Got a Prayer”

Thirteen years ago today, the revised Broadway production of Sister Act (book by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner, lyrics by Glenn Slater and music by Alan Menken) opened at the Broadway Theatre in New York. The show had previously had a West End run as well as earlier developmental runs in Pasadena and Atlanta. This new version aimed to address some of the criticisms made of the show, which had received a mixed reaction, with reviews often indicating that the show alternated moments of brilliance with cringe-worthy missteps. This strange remained true even after the revisions were interpolated into the show and in today’s Saturday List, we’re unpacking which moments of the show are “Fabulous, Baby!” alongside a few others that “Haven’t Got a Prayer.” Let’s jump right in and look for a little salvation!

The original Broadway Cast of Sister Act included Patina Miller as Deloris, Victoria Clark as Mother Superior and Marla Mindelle as Sister Mary Robert.

HASN’T GOT A PRAYER: “When I Find My Baby”

Heroes are only as good as their villains and Curtis, on paper, is as mean as they come. But weakly written men are par for the course in Sister Act and the show holds its punches in depicting this murderous gangster, preferring to laugh things up rather than making him truly threatening. There’s perhaps no greater failure in this show than “When I Find My Baby,” Curtis’s femicidal anti-love song, where he breaks down exactly what he will do to Deloris when he tracks her down. I have no problem when a song articulates a problematic character’s point of view. That’s life; it’s true in the world of the play. But this song just doesn’t land. It reaches for humour and irony that just isn’t there. The musical language is all wrong, it’s a bop rather than being menacing. This approach could be disturbing psychologically, but that’s not the kind of musical Sister Act is. In the kind of musical Sister Act is trying to be, Curtis shouldn’t sing. But he does, and it hurts the show.

FABULOUS BABY: “Sister Act”

Poppy screen-to-stage musicals of the 2000s made as big a deal of including title songs as Jerry Herman did in his biggest hits. Whether it’s an incidental piece like “Hairspray” or a deeply felt transition for the leading character like “Legally Blonde,” this became a bit of a formulaic must-have in these musicals. “Sister Act” was in the tradition of “Legally Blonde,” a more introspective piece that shows the character’s journey as we head to the final curtain. Built on a series of short phrases, “Sister Act” gives the sense that Deloris is having a gradual revelation, realising just how far she has come since we heard “Fabulous, Baby!” early on in the show, which has also just been reprised. The number is stripped back at first, lacking the excesses of Deloris’s disco numbers, and then builds into a more typical pop musical number. This is when Deloris works out who she is, faults and all, set to a classic Menken musical hook that lingers once the song has ended.

HASN’T GOT A PRAYER: “I Could Be That Guy”

As intimated earlier in today’s column, the show’s weakest aspect is undoubtedly its characterisation of its male characters. Perhaps this isn’t a surprise in a show titled Sister Act, but there is a clear intention to give Eddie, the police officer in charge of protecting Deloris, more to do. A completely unnecessary romantic subplot is built around Eddie and Deloris, one that pads out the show without adding anything significant to it. His song, “I Could Be That Guy,” in which he expresses his desire to be cool and impress Deloris, just muddies the waters. It is a narrative approach that adds little value to a story about a woman discovering an identity independent of men. It might, if Deloris rejected Eddie in the end, but you know – it’s a musical. Sigh.

FABULOUS BABY: “Raise Your Voice”

This song is something everyone who knows the film is waiting for when they see the stage adaptation. It’s also one of the key events in the show even if you’re along for the ride for the first time. When the sisters learn to sing in Sister Act, on stage it’s as much about raising one’s voice as it is about finding it. Deloris has got where she is by raising her voice, and her experiences in the show’s narrative enable her to discover what she has to say – or sing, as it were. Fittingly, her transformation over the show is mirrored in “Raise Your Voice.” Set to a pulsating rhythm, this number is catchy and memorable. While we get some obvious singing lesson moments in the song, Menken takes things much further musically and Slater is in fine form with his lyrics here too. It’s no wonder this was the number the producers chose to showcase at the 2011 Tony Awards performance.

HASN’T GOT A PRAYER: “Here Within These Walls”

This is likely to be considered the hot take of today’s column. As far as I’m concerned, “Here Within These Walls” seems to get more love than it deserves. The song gains a lot of its reputation, I think, by generally being delivered by well-loved musical theatre stars who have more to offer than the song they’re singing. Dramatically, as a number that establishes the Mother Superior, this number reduces the character to a function of her setting, rather than the more nuanced human being played so brilliantly by Maggie Smith in the original film. In the movie, the Mother Superior’s main priority is to protect the nuns, their shared faith and their home. She’s not succeeding, but her intentions are clear. This song strips away that fundamental aspect of the Mother Superior’s character. She is now simply a foil for Deloris and her song highlights how sinful the world is compared with the life led at the Queen of Angels Cathedral. It highlights what a fish out of water Deloris is, but it doesn’t tell us much about the Mother Superior other than her disdain for sin. The most authentic conflict in the original Sister Act is between these two women and how they change each other through this shared experience. In the stage adaptation, that’s all but missing, so the piece feels emptier than it should by the time the curtain falls.

FABULOUS BABY: “Sunday Morning Fever”

There’s nothing quite like a musical scene, where all of the dramatic content of an entire segment of a show is set to music and where the end of the sequence takes us to a very different place from where we started. Menken had delivered such a scene in collaboration with Howard Ashman in “The Meek Shall Inherit” in Little Shop of Horrors. He creates another satisfying scene in Sister Act with “Sunday Morning Fever,” which tracks the growing popularity of the church choir, the increased danger Deloris puts herself in due to her appearances in the local press, and the deepening concerns of the Mother Superior. By the end of the number, everything is in place for the show to move towards its climax. The best moments of the song proper are those when Slater exercises self-control in creating lyrics for the nuns to sing. Alas, for every

Praise the Lord! Join the flock!
Party ’til you make the cloister rock!

and

Fill the church! Pass the plate!
Everybody – transubstantiate!

there’s a

Bump that thing in praise of Christ the King
Until you pull your pelvic muscle!

In the end, the number is bigger than a few bum lyrics. The sum is greater than the parts and “Sunday Morning Fever” weaves together the various narrative strands of the show and gives Sister Act the focus it needs to get through its second act.

Sister Act has been performed all around the world. Here is the South African cast in action, led by Candida Mosoma and Kate Normington.

HASN’T GOT A PRAYER: “It’s Good to Be a Nun”

A nun walks into a bar…. is one way to start a lazy joke. One of the things that made Sister Act work as a film is that within the comic worldview of the piece, the nuns weren’t a punchline. They gave the piece heart and soul, each being a flawed human being whose life is impacted by their unlikely adventure with Deloris. When Sister Act opened in London, audiences had the misfortune of being introduced to Sisters Mary Patrick, Mary Lazarus, Mary Robert and the gang in “How I Got the Calling,” which undermines the characters by turning them into a bunch of clowns. The song was replaced in the Broadway version of the show by “It’s Good to Be a Nun,” which is a little better – but not much. While the nuns are now depicted with more credulity, Slater still hasn’t found these women’s voices in his lyrics. Instead, we get a little list of what he thinks people find funny about nuns – and the worst part is, we’ve heard it all before.

FABULOUS BABY: “The Life I Never Led”

This remarkable little number is sung by the timid Sister Mary Robert when she really comes into her own, gaining the strength to reveal to Mother Superior the truths that her guardian has been unable to see. It’s a number that turns Sister Act on its head a little, in that it shows the old guard of the musical theatre tradition in tension with the “new musical theatre” voice that the composers and lyricists of the early 2000s were experimenting with post-RENT. This number could so easily have been written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul for something like their debut work, Edges, or by Adam Gwon for a show like Ordinary Days. The whole approach to defining the character, couching it in insecurities and questions, feels very different from the more traditional approach of “Here Within These Walls” or “Fabulous, Baby!” which deal more with a character’s absolute convictions. Replacing the overt pastiche that is a key element of the score of Sister Act with a more contemporary sound, “The Life I Never Led” is a clear stepping stone in the development of pieces like Dear Evan Hansen and Fun Home – a moment where the show stops and connects with something bigger.

HASN’T GOT A PRAYER: “Take Me to Heaven”

One of the most memorable aspects of the original film was how some of the songs in its opening, “The Lounge Medley,” pop up later in religiously styled reprises. The sisters’ retooling of “My Guy” as “My God” is one step on their journey to fame, much to the Reverend Mother’s chagrin; their ultimate success is seen in “I Will Follow Him,” which receives the Pope’s approval. The whole bit is the transformation of something familiar into something new. Without access to the pop songs used in the film, Menken and Slater had to reverse engineer things and write an original song that is ostensibly a pop song in the world of the play, which is then performed by Deloris in her night club act at the top of the show and reprised when the nuns’ choir has finally found its voice under Deloris’s leadership. Thus, “Take Me to Heaven” was born. One of the big problems here is that everything is too on the nose. Setting up a gag is one thing, but giving away the punchline is something else altogether. Slater’s lyrics are filled with puns and ambiguous phrases that are so obviously geared towards the song’s reprise as a church song that by the time it comes along, there’s no surprise and no joy to be had. All you get is a cheap laugh. It’s so unsatisfying.

FABULOUS BABY: “Fabulous, Baby!”

“Fabulous, Baby!” is the first non-diegetic song in Sister Act, a feisty little piece that establishes Deloris’s character and simultaneously serves as the show’s “I Want” song. This song is exactly the kind of thing you want to see in an adaptation of a film or play, something that takes the dramatic situation in the source material and takes it to the next level. In this song, it’s clear that Menken and Slater understand who Deloris is and what makes her tick. They let her tell us who she is in the verse and then show us what she’s really like in the chorus. Despite her circumstances, we can see that the big thing holding Deloris back is Deloris herself. And while it seems that what she wants is, in her words, to be ‘on display’ and ‘dressed to the nintey-nines,’ it’s clear there are not enough sequins in the world to make her vision come true – because what she really wants is to be seen. Like some of Menken’s best work, “Fabulous, Baby!” uses a pastiche of pop music styles from the second half of the twentieth century to thrilling dramatic effect. It’s the kind of thing where one can see Menken’s genius at work. A less-skilled composer might accomplish the pastiche, but capture less of the character’s journey in the number – and besides the sick beat and the engaging lyrics, that’s what makes this song truly fabulous, baby.

Final Thoughts

If anything is clear about the stage adaptation of Sister Act, it’s the idea that the show’s creators wanted to create a musical that expanded on the film. While the show was not always successful in its execution of its sometimes audacious ideas, there was no lack of creativity in bringing this show to the stage. Ultimately, there is probably a really great 100-minute musical in this 2½-hour extravaganza. I’d even be tempted to say that there might be a totally brilliant 90-minute single-act show here that would blow everyone away. Nonetheless, there’s enough in Sister Act in its current form to make for an evening of fun entertainment, including some memorable songs. With the right cast putting across the material, it might not take you to heaven, but you’ll still be dancing your way out of the theatre, inspired to “Spread the Love Around!”

The Saturday List: My Junk is SPRING AWAKENING

Get ready to journey back to the groundbreaking world of Spring Awakening, a modern musical where the show tunes are as haunting as the themes are daring! Since its debut, this Tony Award-winning musical has captivated audiences with its raw portrayal of adolescent angst, sexuality and rebellion against societal norms. But beyond the powerful storytelling and unforgettable songs lies a series of creative moments that have left an indelible mark on the landscape of musical theatre. Bold artistic choices and innovative staging ideas enabled Spring Awakening to move beyond the boundaries of the genre in ways that continue to resonate with audiences today. In today’s Saturday List, we revisit just five of the most creative ideas that helped to solidify this show’s place in musical theatre history.

Jonathan Groff starred as Melchior in the original Broadway production of Spring Awakening along with and Lea Michele as Wendla (top and bottom), John Gallagher Jr as Mortiz (middle and bottom). Groff and Gallagher Jr are joined by Jonathan B. Wright as Hanschen, Skylar Astin as George and Gideon Glick as Ernst in the middle image.

1. Origin Story, or “[Frank Wedekind] who Bore Me“

The play upon which the musical adaptation of Spring Awakening is based was completed by Frank Wedekind in 1891. Frühlings Erwachen was not, however, performed until 1906, when Max Reinhardt staged it at the Deutsches Theatre in Berlin. Set against the backdrop of the sexually oppressive nineteenth century, the play follows a group of teenagers – primarily Melchior Gabor, Wendla Gabor and Moritz Stiefel – whose journey through puberty leads them to experiences of sexuality, physical and sexual abuse, suicide, pregnancy and abortion. The first English performance of the play was in 1917, at which time New York City’s Commissioner of Licenses through its edgy content and approach pushed the boundaries too far. Everyone headed to court, where an injunction allowed the production to be staged. While the play’s brilliance in its original German form was recognised by critics, the first English production was criticised for its poor translation. Since then, the play has been translated several times; my favourite version is the 1995 Royal Shakespeare Company-commissioned version by Ted Hughes. Almost three decades later, the Hughes translation is still a great introduction to the play for anyone who has no experience of it, or for fans of the musical who want to see just what inspired composer Duncan Sheik and librettist Steven Sater to put their own spin on the story.

2. Anticipating Expressionism, or “All That’s Known“

Frühlings Erwachen anticipated the Expressionist theatre movement that would reach the height of its popularity during World War I. I would never say that Spring Awakening is a work of Expressionism. What I would say, is that Wedekind’s foreshadowing of the movement in his work in general means that some of the movement’s conventions have their foundations in his practice. This makes a basic knowledge of Expressionism in the theatre useful to understand the play and its musical adaptation. Back in the day when the online musical theatre forums reigned supreme, the glory days of which were already in their decline when Spring Awakening made its musical theatre bow in 2006, the pearl-clutching generation of musical theatre superfans lamented what they perceived to be poorly developed characters, thematic ideas that went nowhere and emblematic characters that should have been fleshed out. I vividly remember one regular poster on the forums referring to the show as pop trash. They simply didn’t get it. Perhaps they were never going to get it. To them, Spring Awakening was innovation without substance; to those of us who loved the show, it was innovation that meant something. People who loved the show understood that musicals could be built in ways that challenged the Rodgers and Hammerstein II model, by drawing on an array of other theatrical influences, just as Stephen Sondheim had done in Company and Follies and theatre-makers of the next generation, like Sheik and Sater, were doing in Spring Awakening.

3. A Fever Dream, or “The Bitch of Living”

The musical adaptation of Spring Awakening is like a fever dream. While it is broadly linear chronologically, its episodic structure and the sometimes casual relationship between the scenes make it feel like a collage with Sater’s book carrying us from song to song. It’s the perfect structure for a play about a group of teenagers who are ‘tossing, turning without rest.’ One of the aspects of Expressionism that Wedekind prefigured was its distorted representation of reality to communicate inner feelings. Sheik and Sater picked up on these impulses: Spring Awakening is less about creating a conventional narrative journey than creating states of being. The songs are like rabbit holes that take us deep into each character’s personal Wonderland, landscapes full of beauty and horror. We learn about “The Song of Purple Summer” and “The Mirror-Blue Mind,” about “The Dark I Know Well” and “The Word of Your Body,” and every moment gives us insight into a particular character’s experience of a situation. In its avoidance of traditional character development over the show, Spring Awakening acknowledges that in life, experiences are fragmented in the context of a single life and of a community. The show proposes that we should see a story about people who are ‘broken inside’ in a broken way and in this way, delivers to us a key we can use to unlock our own souls.

Dylan Janse van Rensburg as Melchior (top and bottom) along with Scarlett Pay as Wendla (top) and Johnathan Conrad as Moritz (middle and bottom) in LAMTA’s South African production of Spring Awakening,

4. Microphones and Stereos, or “My Junk”

One of the most controversial staging choices in the original production of Spring Awakening was the use of hand-held microphones, an anachronous prop in a nineteenth-century setting. The show’s most eager critics decried how random this appeared and chalked it up as an empty nod to pop culture and a shallow way of making the show’s issues feel relevant today. There’s just more to it than that. In Expressionist drama, the action is seen through the eyes of the characters and, therefore, seems distorted or even dreamlike. Wedekind’s use of this technique was another way he preempted the genre, evident in Spring Awakening through a narrative constructed from the collective perspectives of Melchoir, Wendla, Moritz and the gang. Combined with a bit of Freudian theory, we can then begin to understand the use of hand-held microphones as well as the mention of other contemporary objects in the show. Freud’s theory states that our psychological makeup includes the “id” (the fully unconscious part of our mind that contains the drives related to things like sex and aggression and other things repressed by consciousness), the “ego” (the mostly conscious part of our mind that allows us to deal with the world in which we exist), and the “superego” (the partly conscious part of our mind that informs our moral judgments). In Spring Awakening, we see certain songs delving into the characters’ respective ids. These moments are highlighted through the appearance of hand-held microphones and the mention of other contemporary objects. It’s not just about making the issues of “then” seem relevant “now.” There is a central and binding metaphor at work here, in which the teenagers view themselves (in their “id”) as rock stars: free and able to perform with agency. The whole point is that the microphones are incongruent with the reality of the historical period. We are caught in the middle of a fantastical imagining of a world that never was and never can be, that this group of teenagers will never fully attain.

4. Left to Their Own Devices, or “The Guilty Ones”

Teen stories, whether their creators tell them in writing, on film or television or on stage, rely on one central conceit: the adults are notably absent or superficially drawn so that the teens may be left to their own devices. Spring Awakening takes this one step further, with Wedekind in the original play (once again moulding ideas that would feature in Expressionism) and Sheik and Sater in the musical using this technique to couch their critical view of controlling societal structures like the family, education and the church. The adult characters in Spring Awakening are purposeful caricatures, subjectively seen through the eyes of the teenagers and as such, are uniformly punitive, heatless or clueless. It’s a masterstroke to have them all played by the same two actors in the musical and adds to the “us and them” opposition that informs the play’s action: “we, the teenagers are individuals; they, the adults, are all the same”.

Closing Thoughts

It’s time to whisper our way out of our all-too-brief behind-the-scenes exploration of Spring Awakening, a show that has carved out a unique place in the annals of musical theatre history. It’s clear that this musical is a force to be reckoned with as it continues to challenge and inspire audiences with its raw honesty and unapologetic creativity almost two decades after its first performances!

The Saturday List: Five Fascinating Facts from the First Tony Awards

David Wayne, pictured top in Finian’s Rainbow, won the first Tony Award for a performance in a musical. It would have been an engraved gold bill clip, like the one pictured centre, or a cigarette lighter along with a scroll. Women, like Agnes de Mille, who won for her choreography for Brigadoon, pictured at the bottom, were presented with a silver compact case.

Today, 6 April, is the anniversary of the very first Tony Awards ceremony – a mindboggling 77 years ago! The inaugural ceremony looked quite different from the events we know and love today. For instance, there was no public announcement of any nominees, and the awards were presented to theatre practitioners who had made outstanding contributions in their respective fields rather than in any set categories. Here’s a run-down of some of the highlights of that ceremony, with a particular focus on the magical musical theatre moments of the night.

1. Groundbreaking Beginnings

The American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards were named for Antoinette Perry, an actress, director, and producer who had led the American Theatre Wing through the challenges of World War II. following Perry’s fatal heart attack in June 1946, Brock Pemberton, one of her contemporaries, proposed the idea of an awards platform to honour her. When he handed out the first award at the 1947 ceremony, he called it a Tony, christening what remains the most prestigious theatre award three-quarters of a century later. The first Tony Awards host was Vera Allen, Perry’s successor as chairwoman of the American Theatre Wing, and while certain elements of the proceedings are instantly recognisable to use today, the inclusion of a dinner – with a menu comprising lobster bisque, salted nuts, breast of chicken Montmorency in black cherry sauce, croquettes of brown rice, asparagus tips Polonaise, and frozen soufflé Alaska with strawberry sauce, petit fours and a demitasse – with the presentation of the awards starting at midnight might be surprising! The cost of a ticket to the ceremony was $7.

2. Stars on Stage

The tradition of including performances at the ceremony was established at this first event, with performances from The Chocolate Solider, Street Scene, Brigadoon, Oklahoma!, Call Me Mister, Sweethearts, Carousel and Finian’s Rainbow on the bill. The performers and presenters included Harold (soon known professionally as Howard) Keel and Ethel Waters, alongside Mickey Rooney, Sheila Bond, David Wayne and a host of other singers, actors and dancers. The programme doesn’t indicate what numbers were performed from these shows, but we could make some educated guesses.

• Keith Andes, Billy Gilbert and Frances McCann who performed the except from The Chocolate Solider, respectively played Bumerli, Popoff and Nadina in the production. One of the more popular numbers from the show was likely performed, so one could guess that “The Chocolate Soldier” or “Sympathy,” two of Bumerli and Nadina’s duets from the show. How did Gilbert fit in? Popff is involved in some of the dialogue running into the numbers, so perhaps that’s it. Maybe he just introduced the number. It’s a mystery.
• in Street Scene, Shiela Bond, Norman Cordon, Danny Daniels and Brian Sullivan played Mae, Frank, Dick and Sam. Mae and Dick had one big number in the show, “Moon-Faced, Starry-Eyed” – so it’s likely that Bond and Daniels performed it here. Frank and Sam had significant solo pieces in the shows, so Codron likely performed “A Boy Like You” and Sullivan, “Lonely House.”
• Brigadoon was probably represented by two of the big solos from the show, Charlie’s “Come to Me, Bend to Me” performed by Lee Sullivan, with David Brooks performing Tommy’s “There But For You Go I.”
• Mary Hatcher and Harold Keel were both Laurey and Curly replacements, so it is most likely that the audience heard “People Will Say We’re in Love from Oklahoma! at the first Tony Awards.
• The cast members from Sweethearts who performed at the ceremony were June Knight and Robert Shackleton. As Liane and Lt Karl, they probably sang “I Might Be Your Once-in-a-While.”
• Finally, the performance from Carousel was almost certainly “If I Loved You,” presented by Henry Michiel and Ivy Withers who had taken up the roles of Billy and Julie.

With music provided by Meyer Davis and his orchestra, it must have been a good night’s entertainment!

From top to bottom: OG Tony Award winners Agnes de Mille, Michael Kidd and Kurt Weill

3. Behind the Scenes

Several artists were awarded in craft categories for their work behind the scenes. Elia Kazan was recognised for his outstanding direction of All My Sons, while Arthur Miller’s script for the play was celebrated with a special award. Kurt Weill’s work on the opera, Street Scene, saw him honoured as an outstanding composer. Then, in what can only be viewed now as an incredible fashion flashback, Lucinda Ballard was presented a Tony Award for her costume designs for no fewer than five shows: Happy Birthday, Another Part of the Forest, Street Scene, John Loves Mary and The Chocolate Soldier. P. A. MacDonald’s ‘intricate construction’ work for the musical, If the Shoe Fits, was also acknowledged. Special awards were also presented for a range of skill sets and support of the performing arms industry, specifically to:

• Dora Chamberlain, for her work as the treasurer of the Martin Beck Theatre;
• Mr and Mrs Ira Katzenberg, for their enthusiastic support of the theatre as regular first-night attendees;
• Jules Leventhal, for his prolific work as a producer of the 1946-1947 season;
• Burns Mantle, for his annual Best Plays publication; and
• Vincent Sardi Sr, for his establishment of Sardis, which had, at that stage, been a haven for theatre folk for two decades.

4. Dancing into History

The 1940s was a decade that saw Broadway choreographers raise the bar when it came to storytelling through dance in musical theatre. It’s no surprise that both Agnes de Mille and Michael Kidd were recognised at the first Tony Awards ceremony for their work on Brigadoon and Finian’s Rainbow respectively.

De Mille had been responsible for a great deal of the move toward choreographic storytelling on Broadway through her work in both Oklahoma! and Carousel, having also staged the dances in Swingin’ The Dream, a transposition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream into an 1890s New Orleans setting, before her groundbreaking work in the two Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein shows. She also chalked up credits in One Touch of Venus and Bloomer Girl before moving to Brigadoon. Along with her advocacy for women dancers, De Mille is remembered for using choreography to flesh out the emotional dimension of musical theatre characters in addition to focusing on the technique required to execute the steps.

Kidd is remembered today for his athletic and exciting choreography. Finian’s Rainbow was his Broadway debut as a musical theatre choreographer and there’s more to his choreography than its vigour. One of his innovations was building choreography from the vocabulary of a character’s ordinary movements, heightening and stylising how a character moved to the nth degree. This helped elevate the emotional arc of the character and the show as a whole because there was a more seamless transition from movement into dance, in the same way that the best musicals move out of dialogue and into song gracefully and joyfully.

5. The Outstanding Performers of the Season

The outstanding performers named at the inaugural Tony Awards were mostly from plays from the previous season, including José Ferrer in Cyrano de Bergerac, Fredric March in Years Ago, Ingrid Bergman in Joan of Lorraine and Helen Hayes in Happy Birthday. Patricia Neal was also singled out as an Outstanding Newcomer for her role in Another Part of the Forest. Only one award was presented to an actor from a musical: David Wayne in Finian’s Rainbow. Wayne played Og, a leprechaun whose pot of gold has been stolen by Finian McLonergan. To grow his treasure by burying it near Fort Knox, Finian emigrates to the United States of America with his daughter, Sharon. Og pursues them, as he will be turned permanently into a human if he cannot recover it. Many years later, Wayne would perform one of his character-defining numbers at the 1971 Tony Awards in a salute to a quarter century of musical theatre hits. His charm in putting over “When I’m Not Near the Girl I Love” is just a small reminder of the vitality that earned him the first Tony Award ever presented to a musical theatre actor.

David Wayne sings “When I’m Not Near the Girl I Love” from Finian’s Rainbow

Looking Ahead

As we eagerly anticipate this year’s Tony Awards ceremony, set to honour the best of the 2023-2024 Broadway season, the legacy of shows like Finian’s Rainbow and Brigadoon reminds us of the enduring magic and impact of theatre. As the nominations roll in on 30 April and the awards ceremony, to be hosted by the talented Ariana DeBose, follows two months later on 30 June, theatre enthusiasts everywhere will be on the edge of their seats, awaiting the announcement of this year’s winners. Recognising both classic revivals and groundbreaking new productions, the Tony Awards continue to celebrate the artistry and innovation of Broadway, ensuring that the legacy of exceptional theatre lives on for generations to come. So mark your calendars, set your reminders, and join us as we tune in to witness the next chapter in Broadway history unfold.

The Saturday List: Which OG OKLAHOMA! Recordings are More Than Just OK?

The original Broadway cast of Oklahoma! featuring, Joan Roberts as Laurey, Joseph Buloff as Ali Hakim, Betty Garde as Aunt Eller, Celeste Holm as Ado Annie, Jane Lawrence Smith as Gertie and Alfred Drake as Curly

It’s hard to believe that the perennial Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II musical, Oklahoma! premiered 81 years ago this weekend! The first major musical collaboration between these two musical theatre titans, Oklahoma! was based on Green Grow the Lilacs, a play by Lynn Riggs that included some traditional folk songs, which had been produced by the Theatre Guild in in 1931. A little more than a decade later, the musical adaptation was a Hail Mary for the Theatre Guild, which found itself in a financially precarious situation thanks to the outbreak of World War II.

The rest, as they say, is history. Oklahoma! was a smash success and ran for 2 212 performances, setting a record that would be broken more than a decade later by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe’s My Fair Lady. The songs became so popular it was as though they had always existed. It took less than six months for Frank Sinatra to release recordings of “People Will Say We’re In Love” and “Oh What A Beautiful Morning.” Rodgers’s score was also highlighted in a delightful 1944 recording by the Philharmonic Orchestra of Los Angeles, which condenses the score and (with apologies to Hammerstein) lets the melodies ripple out like a whispered song you can listen to over and over. Rodgers and Hammerstein would go on to write some of the most revered American musical theatre classics, most of which were filmed for the big screen, including Oklahoma!, which was released in 1955.

To celebrate tomorrow’s anniversary of this Broadway classic’s opening, we are counting down the early cast recordings of the show, from the original Broadway cast album through the film’s soundtrack – just a handful among a myriad of recordings from different productions and studios around the world. Which is your favourite?

5. 1944 Studio Cast

A show as popular as Oklahoma! was bound to spurn a studio cast recording sooner rather than later. This first appeared the year after the show’s premiere and comprised six of the show’s most popular tunes. The recording is something of a novelty and offers some moments of interest to the hardcore Oklahoma! fan, including some new arrangements of the songs – gilding the lily, more often than not – and some alternative lyrics, such as those that pop up in “Out of My Dreams.”

Won’t have to make up any more stories – you’ll be there!
Think of the bright midsummer night glories we can share.
Won’t have to go on kissing a daydream – I’ll have you;
You’ll be real, real as the white moon lighting the blue

The performances, with James Melton singing Curly and Eleanor Steber singing Laurey, are less characterful than those of the original Broadway cast, which were the only others on record at this stage, aside from Sinatra’s two pop recordings. Melton and Streber tend to add more sentimental flourishes to the songs than needed, particularly in the ballads. “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top” is also slowed down in a way that dials down the song’s inherent charms. There’s a little more life in John Charles Thomas and the ensemble’s blustery “Kansas City;” “Oklahoma,” on the other hand, sounds too sedate. This is very much a supplementary recording for completists. It doesn’t offer much for the casual listener and is too truncated to provide a real impression of the show.

4. 1947 Original London Cast Recording

The original London cast recording isn’t much better than the 1944 studio cast recording. It offers more of the show’s score, but most of the tracks run through only a verse and chorus before coming to a sudden end.

Starring Howard Keel as Curly and Betty Jane Watson as Laurey, there is nothing wrong with the cast, per se; they just don’t equal their original Broadway counterparts. Keel gives an endearing reading as Curly and Watson is sweet – if a little pitchy – as Laurey. Dorothea MacFarland gives a typically fashioned old-school comic reading of Ado Annie, but she is unable to banish the memory of Celeste Holm, who offers a definitive performance of the songs on the original Broadway cast recording.

This isn’t the recording to get if you really want to experience what Oklahoma! has to offer: the original cast recording, the soundtrack or one of the earlier revivals are better options. This one is a triviality for hardcore fans of the show.

3. The 1952 Studio Cast Recording

The second studio cast recording of Oklahoma! featured Nelson Eddy as Curly. While the top-billed Eddy himself offers some delightfully acted moments as Curly, the rest of the singers’ success in the roles is mixed. Wilton Clary is a more full-voiced, but less characterful Will Parker than Lee Dixon’s original take on the character. Lee Cass, who plays Jud Fry, sets up some great expectations for his “Lonely Room” in his performance in “Poor Jud is Daid” and his take on the song is just as unsettling as it should be.

As Ado Annie, Kaye Ballard is reminiscent of Celeste Holm but less effective. The least successful of the leads is Virginia Haskins as Laurey, whose vocal delivery is just too heavy. This makes her sound, perhaps, the most likely of all early Laureys to be related to Aunt Eller, who is given a spirited voice in Portia Nelson’s reading of the role. David Morris is similarly lively as Ali Hakim. The ensemble also deserves a shoutout for their investment into what might otherwise be considered a superfluous addition to a studio recording of this time, as evidenced in the 1994 studio recording.

In the final analysis, this is actually a very good early recording of the show. It offers more music than the two original cast recordings and while the acting might not be as good, everyone certainly gives it a good go. There’s a level of care evident in this recording, even with its missteps taken into account.

2. The 1955 Soundtrack Recording

Next up is the soundtrack of the 1955 film version, which starred Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones as Curly and Laurey. Both typify the kind of romantic leads that Rodgers and Hammerstein had in mind for the show during the 1940s and 1950s: a dapper, charming and confident young cowboy and a romantic, somewhat highly-strung young woman. Both fill the roles quite nicely and the leading cast is rounded out quite well by Gloria Grahame, a typically character-voiced Ado Annie, and Gene Nelson, who is a charming Will Parker – possibly the best to portray the role on record in the first two decades of the score’s existence.

It’s also interesting to hear a different “Overture”, one clearly capitalising on the most popular numbers of the score rather than on the tunes chosen to set the mood for the stage show, the earlier of the two being the more successful in that regard to my mind. Later releases of the soundtrack supplemented the original pressing with several tracks, including the full “Out of My Dreams” ballet. While it was not the only number cut from the film, “Lonely Room” is perhaps the most glaring omission. Essential to the show, it was excluded from the film and is excluded here – and it is sorely missed.

1. The 1943 Original Broadway Cast Recording

The original Broadway cast recording is a landmark recording. Originally released in two volumes that can now be heard on one CD or in a single streaming album, the recording includes all of the major songs, predictable skipping only the “Dream Ballet”, the “Entr’acte” and the reprise of “People Will Say We’re in Love”, with several of the other numbers trimmed internally.

The superb cast is led by Alfred Drake and Joan Roberts as Curly and Laurey. Although some may feel that Drake, in particular, is rooted somewhat too much in the operetta tradition from which Oklahoma! itself springs, their performances are thrilling. With a uniformly excellent supporting cast, every song is a treat. Celeste Holm is absolutely brilliant as Ado Annie, while Lee Dixon is a personable Will Parker, the twinkle in his eye carrying through beautifully in his vocals.

If there’s one disappointment, it is Drake doing double duty, singing “Lonely Room” instead of Howard Da Silva, who played Jud on stage. Nonetheless, there is an energy that penetrates every moment of this recording, making it immediately accessible and always enjoyable, even upon repeat listens. It is an essential recording for fans of the show and of musical theatre in general.

Honourable Mention

Sharp-eyed Oklahoma! fans might spot one recording missing from this parade. That one, as they say, is a horse of a different colour. The Music from Oklahoma!, interpreted by Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra, is an almost totally instrumental look at the work. I say almost because there are vocals used to add musical colour to the tracks rather than to sing the lyrics; indeed, a soprano reminiscent of the Star Trek theme’s theremin pops up in songs like “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'” and “People Will Say We’re in Love,” lending these standard a touch of camp irony. Released as an ancillary marketing product for the film, this album was Riddle’s first solo studio affair, and it makes for very entertaining listening. If you haven’t given it a spin, you should.

Final Thoughts

As the years continued to go by, other great recordings of Oklahoma! have been released, including the 1980 Broadway revival’s cast recording and the 1998 cast album of the Royal National Theatre’s production. The most recent revival brilliantly brought the show into the contemporary musical theatre age and that cast recording is also a must-have in any Oklahoma! enthusiast’s collection. More reviews are up on our Oklahoma! show page, along with all essential information about the show itself. We very much are spoiled for choice when selecting a recording to celebrate this classic show: as Golden Age musicals go, Oklahoma! is a surrey with a fringe on the top!

The Saturday List: 5 Enchanting AIDA Songs That Aren’t Just Passing Through

The stars of the original Broadway production of Aida: Heather Headley (top and centre) as Aida, Adam Pascal (centre) as Radames and Sherie Rene Scott (bottom) as Amneris.

Today is the anniversary of the opening of Disney’s Aida, the House of Mouse’s third Broadway musical, following Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, and the first not to be based on an animated feature film. Making its bow at the Palace Theatre in 2000, Aida starred Heather Headley as the eponymous Nubian princess, with Adam Pascal as her Egyptian captor, Radames, and Sherie Rene Scott as Pharaoh elect, Amneris. 2000 was a weird year at the Tony Awards thanks to the nomination and eventual win of a dance show, Contact, in the Best Musical category, so Aida was shut out of the top category. Even so, Elton John and Tim Rice were nominated and won the award for Best Score. (Both prizes should have gone to Michael John LaChiusa and George C. Wolfe’s The Wild Party, but what can you do?) The score for Aida was eclectic, with a solid foundation in John’s pop style, infused with reggae, gospel and soul as well as cultural influences from Africa, the Middle East and India. In today’s Saturday List, we’re taking a look at the five best songs in the score, those that give audiences more than a sense of “Enchantment Passing Through.”

5. “Dance of the Robe”

Knowing that John set Rice’s lyrics to music when writing Aida is just one of the things that makes this song so fascinating. The overall drive of Rice’s lyrics for “this song “Dance of the Robe” is clear, but on a granular level, there are so many slight variations in metre, starting in the second line of the song, that ultimately indicate a slip in his craftsmanship. Compare

It’s knowing what they want of me that scares me.
It’s knowing having followed that I must lead.

with

You robe should be golden, your robe should be perfect
Instead of this ragged concoction of thread…

and you’ll see what I mean. His phrases are also incredibly long. Take the latter quote above, for example, which continues:

… But may you be moved by its desperate beauty
To give us new life for we’d rather be dead
Than live in the squalor and shame of the slave –
To the dance, to the dance!

This number is a huge dramatic moment in the show and it has to achieve a significant turning point in Aida’s arc, the moment when she takes responsibility for the actions that led to her and the other women’s capture and when she takes on the mantle of leadership. John sets the lyrics to a restless 6/8 rhythm, giving it enough momentum for both the singer and the audience to follow the line of the lyric.

Heather Headley performs “Dance of the Robe” with the ensemble of Aida in the show’s original production.

There’s also enough movement in the line for the song to build from a quiet individual reflection into a frenzied ensemble dance, in which the underlying unease of the situation and the Nubian’s call for agency gain direction and passion. It’s brilliantly theatrical and in some ways, it’s better theatre than songwriting – but this is a perfect example of how musicals can propel a dramatic moment to the next level.

4. “Enchantment Passing Through”

“Enchantment Passing Through” is one of the songs in Aida that has had a more transformative journey than most. Originally, it was a solo song for Radames expressing his frustration and anger about the life that awaited him upon return to Egypt, a life in which he felt trapped. The original-ish version can be heard on the concept album in an odd cover version by the R&B group, Dru Hill. The song’s original iteration didn’t play for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it’s a song that places Radames at the heart of the story and ultimately, Aida isn’t about him. His entrapment is also not comparable to Aida’s enslavement, a point that was made clearly in the book scene inserted midway into the new version of the song, which became a duet between Radames and Aida:

AIDA
You talk as though you’ve been enslaved.

RADAMES
Not with chains, maybe, but with a marriage promise. (AIDA begins dabbing her eyes with her dress.) What is that for?

AIDA
To dry my weeping eyes. Forced to marry a princess? Oh, what hardships. I know – you want to go to lands where people have been living for centuries and say that you “discovered” them. But instead, you’re being thrust onto the Pharaoh’s throne. It is a great tragedy.

RADAMES
You go too far.

AIDA
No! You go too far. If you don’t like your fate, change it. You are your own master. There are no shackles on you. So don’t expect any pity or understanding from this humble palace slave.

Secondly, the writers, which originally included Linda Woolverton as the writer of its book ahead of numerous revisions by Robert Falls and David Henry Hwang alongside Rice and John, also struggled with a key problem during the creation of this show: how to make the audience believe that an enslaved woman could fall in love with the man that enslaved her. Giving Aida a voice in this song enabled them to point out common ground between them, not in the characters’ circumstances, but in some of the ways they saw the world around them. Indeed, the song really takes flight as it modulates into Aida’s verse:

If I could leave this place then I’d be sailing
To corners of my land where there would be
Sweet southern winds of liberty prevailing
The beauty so majestic and so free.

Sherie Rene Scott as Amneris sings “My Strongest Suit” – a song which possibly deserves an honourable mention in this list or memorable songs from Aida. It’s a real bop in the concept album version performed by the Spice Girls.

If there is any flaw left in the song from that original version, it is in giving its ending exclusively to Radames. Rice’s silencing of Aida’s voice in these final moments holds back the show’s storytelling. It would be great to see this addressed should there ever be a major revival of the show.

3. “Written in the Stars”

Stylistically, “Written in the Stars” is one of the most Elton John-like songs in the score. That much is more obvious in the version he recorded with the country and crossover darling of the late 1990s, LeeAnn Rimes, on the concept album for Aida, but the sound carries through into the show itself. The song connects so well with audiences thanks to the much-loved trope of star-crossed lovers who are destined by fate and their circumstances never to find love in a tragic world. What makes the song more layered, though, is how different Radames and Aida’s views of the gods who have decided their fate are. Radames is still caught up in romance, somewhat selfishly, and viewing this as a personal loss. Perhaps I’m being a little unfair, as Radames isn’t yet aware that Aida is the king of Nubia’s daughter, so he’s not working with the full deck of cards. There’s no such dramatic irony when it comes to Aida’s view of things. She’s fully aware of the irony that the gods have provided her with a solution to her country’s colonisation in the form of a man she truly loves but cannot marry. Radames, after all, can only influence Amneris’ political decisions as her consort. In contrast to Radames, she finds a purpose greater than herself in the gods’ actions:

Nothing can be altered, there is nothing to decide –
No escape, no change of heart, nor any place to hide.

This song seems to end with the lovers’ acceptance that this is the way things need to be. Radames decides to send Aida back to Nubia and the story would play out very differently if not for one small thing: Amneris has been watching all of this from the shadows and their fate now transfers from the gods’ hands into hers.

2. “The Gods Love Nubia”

“The Gods Love Nubia” was written for the first workshop of Aida, a gospel-flavoured anthem to Aida’s homeland. It’s been said that the song in the final version of the show is very similar to the one heard back then. The cut on the concept album, sung by American gospel singer Kelly Price, supports this idea, although we know this song was originally in Act 2 before finding its final spot as the Act 1 finale. Storywise, the Egyptians have just captured Amonasro, the King of Nubia and Aida’s father, just as Aida has declared her love for Radames. Radames senses the personal significance this political act has for Aida, although he does not yet know that Amonasro is her father. Aida leaves him to return to the Nubian camp and the show heads towards the end of its first act. Joined by Nehebka, Mereb and the Nubians, Aida considers their nation’s fate in its darkest moment, stating that ‘Nubia will never die! Whether we are enslaved or whether we are far from our native soil, Nubia lives in our hearts. And therefore, it lives.’ “The Gods Love Nubia” follows, a passionate tribute to everything Nubia represents: ‘the beautiful, the golden, the radiant, the fertile, the gentle and the blessed.’ The song calls attention to itself, in one of the opening verses, as Aida searches for hope in the Nubians’ current tragedy:

In the sway of somber music
I shall never, never understand,
Let me slip into the sweeter
Chorus of that other land.

This duality is further highlighted as the song continues, working towards the image of ‘(t)he spirit always burning though the flesh is torn apart.’ It’s moving stuff on its own terms, but what really makes the song continue to resonate are statements like ‘(t)he pain of Nubia is only for the moment: the desolate, the suffering, the plundered, the oppressed’ and ‘the tears of Nubia, a passing aberration, they wash into the river and are never cried again,’ when they are considered alongside the history of Africa as a whole. A continent wealthy in its culture, ecology and resources, the countries of which have been subject to the worst kinds of socio-political terrorism throughout history, Africa is home to people passionate about what the continent and their individual countries represent and have to offer.

Heather Headley and Adam Pascal consider the consequences of “Elaborate Lives” in the original production of Aida.

1. “Elaborate Lives”

“Elaborate Lives” is John’s favourite song in the score of Aida and his musical trademarks are all over it, in its chords, rhythms and overall structure. It would not be out of place among his best pop ballads and it is the unqualified highlight of the show’s score. Originally a solo for Aida, and preserved as such on the concept album where it is performed by Heather Headley, the song was adapted into a duet with Radames by the time of the show’s premiere. The first time it is heard, the song is started by Radames; in its reprise, Aida begins the song. What really makes the song work is how stripped back it is, allowing the lyrics to come to the foreground. Perhaps this song resonates so strongly because Rice was absolutely authentic in what he had to say with it, saying that

“Elaborate Lives” is very much based on what I really feel, which is a rare chance in a show because for many of the songs I write for musicals, I’m writing only from the character’s point of view. This is one of the few songs where I actualy sat and wrote what I feel: ‘We all lead such elaborate lives.’

It’s no accident that the original title of the show was Elaborate Lives. This show revolves around the themes the song introduces. In John’s words:

What you wind up seeing are three characters in the process of maturing because of their love for one another. And being willing to give up everything for love changes you forever.

The original production of Aida closed in 2004 with 1 852 performances under its belt. Currently, it is the 40th longest-running show in Broadway history, at least until Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Hadestown, Moulin Rouge and Six – the productions currently running with more than 1000 performances – catch up to it. It’s true that the show is far from perfect and that it would likely be a much better rock opera than a book musical, given the eclecticism of its score. Nonetheless, it is a show that captured the imagination of Broadway audiences at the turn of the century, earning it a place in the musical theatre history books.

The Saturday List: ROUND IN FIFTY

Around the musical theatre world: Liliane Gilbert in Round in Fifty, Ramin Karimloo in Les Misérables, and Liliane Montevecchi and Raúl Juliá in Nine.

Pack your bags and buckle up, fellow travellers, as we embark on a whirlwind adventure inspired by the classic novel, Around the World in Eighty Days! But wait—there’s a twist! We’re taking our cue from a musical sequel to Jules Verne’s popular tale, Round in Fifty, in which Phileas Fogg challenges his nephew, Phil, to beat his record of circumnavigating the globe. If Phil doesn’t complete his trip in fifty days, Phileas will disinherit him. With a plot as wild as the journey itself, this musical extravaganza penned by Sax Rohmer, Julian Wylie, and Lauri Wylie, with songs by Clifford Harris, Jas W. Tate and Herman Finckby, this show, which opened on this day in 1922, was a theatrical escapade like no other. Join me as I follow Phil’s quest to break records and win his inheritance, listing a favourite musical from each of the show’s locales. So, grab your passports, and let’s set sail on a globe-trotting expedition that’s sure to leave us breathless with excitement!

1. We Open in London… with Round in Fifty

Why not begin our trip by taking a closer look at the show that has inspired today’s post. Round in Fifty is a glittering testament to the vibrant energy of early 20th-century musical revues, with a kaleidoscope of scenes that whisked audiences on a global journey brimming with laughter and spectacle. Crafted as a showcase for the comedic genius of George Robey, who played Harold, Phil’s attendant opposite Alec Kellaway as the romantic lead, the production found itself adorned with an unexpected gem when American vaudeville sensation Sophie Tucker joined the cast. Across the seventeen scenes in the show, the audience was transported from France to Italy, then to China and the USA. Each locale was brought to life with exquisite sets and costumes, masterfully orchestrated by the talented Dolly Tree, whose hundreds of designs left an indelible mark on London’s theatre scene at the time. Yet, perhaps the most groundbreaking aspect of the show was its innovative use of technology, featuring filmed backdrops and film clips that dramatised aspects of the plot in a multi-modal manner often seen in productions today but which must have been breathtaking more than a century ago. Round in Fifty was ultimately embraced as a delightful romp from beginning to end, enchanting audiences for 469 performances before embarking on a triumphant tour.

2. We next play Boulogne… with Les Misérables

In the second scene of Round in Fifty, Phil has to make it through customs in Boulougne, accompanied by a drunk Harold, leading to what was by all accounts a rib-tickling comic set piece for George Robey. When considering a favourite musical with a French setting, there are several contenders for the top spot, including An American in Paris, The Phantom of the Opera, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Beauty and the Beast and Can-Can. There may even be someone who would go for Bad Cinderella. Indeed, there are scores of musicals with a French setting or that are set partly in France. For me, none is better than Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s epic Les Misérables, with additional lyrics by Jean-Marc Natel and an English translation by Herbert Kretzmer.

Set in the 1800s, Les Misérables tells the story of Jean Valjean, a paroled convict (he stole a loaf of bread to feed his starving nephew) who seeks redemption after a bishop inspires him with a tremendous act of mercy and the means to start a new life. Javert, a police inspector with a rigid view of justice, pursues him throughout the action of the play, which sweeps everyone into the June Rebellion of 1832, during which a band of idealistic republicans tried to overturn the monarchy from a street barricade in Paris. The score features many memorable songs, including “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Master of the House,” “One Day More” and “Do You Hear the People Sing?”

Les Misérables is a show which has become somewhat underrated because most people think about more recent incarnations of the show, which have become broader and more bloated as the years have gone by. In truth, Les Misérables was never more effective than in the first decade following its English-language premiere in 1985. The updated staging, while taking great advantage of technical innovations in the theatre, just isn’t as effective as the impactful original staging, which I was lucky enough to see twice as a teenager, although sadly not with the original cast. (Both of the companies I saw were outstanding though!)

It is always refreshing to go back and listen to the original cast recording with Colm Wilkinson as Jean Valjean, Roger Allam as Javert, Patti LuPone as Fantine, Susan Jane Tanner as Madame Thénardier, Alun Armstrong as Thénardier, Frances Ruffelle as Éponine, Rebecca Caine as Cosette, Michael Ball as Marius and David Burt as Enjolras. Even on record, the performances are detailed, layered with subtleties that are all too often brushed over in modern renditions. One marvels, for example, at LuPone’s vocal colouring in Fantine’s big number, “I Dreamed a Dream,” and how grounded Caine’s delightful Cosette is. As the Thénardiers, Armstrong and Tanner, are hilarious without being overly broad and menacing without being overly indicative of it. It’s true that Wilkinson would be in better voice by the time the masterful tenth anniversary concert came along, and it’s also true that there have been some incredible performances in the show from the likes of Ramin Karimloo, Lea Salonga, Ruthie Henshall, Norm Lewis and Philip Quast over the years. But everything rings true in this document of the show in its early days.

3. We then play Brindisi… with Nine

Lots of bars in Brindisi! (Apologies to Cole Porter for all these references, and the sub-headings!) The Italian sequence of Round in Fifty saw Liliane Gilbert and a procession of women parading as the world’s favourite liquers, a colourful costume parade of drinks from peach brandy to creme de menthe. There’s another show set in Italy that involved parades of women swirling through the leading man’s mind, and that is Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit’s Nine. Other Italian-set favourites include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Passion and The Light in the Piazza – but Nine seems the most apt choice for today’s purposes.

Nine sees film director Guido Contini in a crisis. At 40 year of age, his personal life is falling apart, with his wife, Luisa, threatening to leave him. Guido’s two obsessions – filmmaking and his web of romantic entaglements – have left her feeling neglected as he obsesses of the shooting of a film he has not been able to write and romps about with his mistress, Carla. Playing out at a spa in Venice, the show shifts in and out of Guido’s memories, and everything brought to life through some dazzling songs and musical sequences, including “My Husband Makes Movies,” “A Call from the Vatican,” “Folies Bergères,” “Be Italian” and “Unusual Way.”

Nine is a musical that simply envelopes you. It is the most glorious and enchanting maze. Watching or listening to Nine is a magical experience. Fans hold strong opinions about which should be the “go-to” recording of the show. The 1987 Australian Cast Recording and the 1992 London Concert Cast Recording always feature highly, but I’m partial to the two Broadway cast recording and probably play the 2003 revival recording most frequently – but comparing the different albums of Nine would take a whole “Saturday List” of its own to really look at things well.

If there is anything to regret about Nine, it is that the film, which is gorgeously designed and shot and features a simply divine cast, just doesn’t capture the ethereal beauty of this masterpiece of the stage.

Around the musical theatre world: Mary Martin in Lute Song, Derek Klena and Linsay Mendez in Dogfight, and Isaac Powell and Shereen Pimentel in West Side Story.

4. Our next jump is Hong Kong… with Lute Song

I don’t feel spoiled for choice when selecting a favourite musical set in China. What is it to be? Aladdin? Chee-Chee? Chu Chem? Nothing feels right. As things stand, I’ll go for Lute Song. On the one hand, Lute Song is a milestone in American theatre, a well intentioned attempt to move away from an exotic, pandering or offensive depiction os China. On the other hand, it remains problematic in the way it represented China, using yellowface in the make-up design as well as a sense of generic so-called Oriental pageantry in its dramatic structure, musical approach and design.

The story of Lute Song focuses on a young student, Tsai-Yong,who leaves his wife, Tchao-Ou-Niang, to make a name for himself as a magistrate. When he succceeds and marries Nieou-Chi, her father forbids Tsai-Yong to reconnect with his family. When a famine hits his home town, Tsai-Yong’s parents die of starvation and Tchao-Ou-Niang sells her hair to pay for their funeral. Nieou-Chi intervenes and reunites Tchao-Ou-Niang with Tsai-Yong.

Lute Song lost something like $100 000 of its initial investment, but it was considered by many contemporary critics to be a succès d’estime. It appeared on lists naming the best plays of 1946 and the reviews raved about the show’s aesthetics, which today would elicit eye rolls (for example, when the show’s star, Mary Martin, is dressed in designer gowns even when the character she is playing is at her poorest) or worse (in designed where Chinese ideography used randomly to infer some kind of overall integrity in the design).

In that vein, the Chinese set piece from Round in Fifty was “The Romance of the Tea Leaves,” a tableau in which showgirls dressed in black and white costumes that made them look like ivory carvings came to life. Maybe it’s just best for us to book a ticket on a steamer and head to other musical shores.

5. Then San Francisco… with Dogfight

Round in Fifty next jumps across the Pacific Ocean for a stop in the USA. In San Francisco, everyone breaks Prohibition in a cabaret club, is then thrown into prison (where they are treated to a variety show) and ends up taking part in the harvest festivities at a local orange grove. There are quite a few musicals set in San Francisco, including classics like Flower Drum Song and to more recent shows like Mrs Doubtfire. The one I’m going highlight is Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Peter Duchan’s Dogfight.

Dogfight tells the tale of Eddie Birdlace, an 18-year-old Marine who is being sent to Vietnam, and Rose Fenny, a shy young waitress, who go to a party together in November 1963. The kicker? Eddie has put $50 in the pot of a “dogfight” game, where the Marine who brings brings the ugliest date to the party will win all money and Rose has no idea. There’s lots of room for some great showtunes in this story, including “Nothing Short of Wonderful,” “Pretty Funny,” “First Date/Last Night” and the impactful title song.

If there’s one Off-Broadway show that should have a Broadway transfer, this is it. (Of course, there are many more, but you know – what’s a turn of phrase between friends?) Dogfight predates Pasek and Paul’s smash hit, Dear Evan Hansen, and it may be the better of the two shows. Had it transferred, we might not have seen the faceoff between Kinky Boots and Matilda at the following year’s Tony Awards and this show would perhaps have been more well-known than it is.

Nonetheless, the original cast recording preserves incredible performances from leading players Derek Klena and Lindsay Mendez, with an incredible cameo from Annaleigh Ashford, who plays Marcy, the winner of the dogfight. It’s a moving story – a difficult one to witness for sure, but its unforgettable.

6. Then New York… with West Side Story

The penultimate stop on Phil Fogg’s journey is New York. Is there any other more popular setting for musicals than the city where the genre was born? There’s A Chorus Line, On the Town, Wonderful Town, Newsies, In the Heights – even Hamilton! But the ultimate show set in New York, one that captures the city’s dynamics at a particular time in American history, has got to be West Side Story.

Set in the 1950s, West Side Story is set against the backdrop of gang rivalry between the white Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Tony, a former Jet and the best friend of the gang’s leader, Riff, falls in love with Maria, who just happens to be the sister of the Sharks’ leader, Bernardo. The sophisticated score numbers several classics in its song list, including “Something’s Coming,” “America,” “Tonight,” “One Hand, One Heart,” “A Boy Like That/I Have a Love” and “Somewhere.”

Where does one even begin to start praising West Side Story? For its total concept and staging by Jerome Robbins? It’s incredible score by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim? The cleverly transposition of Romeo and Juliet into the show’s book by Arthur Laurents? The classic original performances by Larry Kert, Carol Lawrence, Chita Rivera and the rest of that first, mind-blowing cast? Then there are the two films, the first a Hollywood classic and the second an even better movie adaptation, not to mention the revival that brilliantly incorporated Spanish translations of some of the lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Even the contoversial staging by Ivo van Hove, which ran for 24 performances before being shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic had much to offer.

All of these things are just a part of the legend that is West Side Story, which is certainly one of the greatest musical theatre shows ever created.

6. Then we open again, where? (In London… with Sweeney Todd)

The world is round and so, this being an around the world story, we must end where we began, back in London, with Phil Fogg making his triumphant return at the Gridiron Club. After New York, London must be high up on the list of the most popular settings for musicals, with just some of the shows set there including My Fair Lady, Baker Street, Mary Poppins and Oliver! But if there’s no place like London, then there’s no show like Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

In Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s 1979 show, we are asked to attend the tale of Sweeney Todd, who was sent to Australia on a trumped up charge by Judge Turpin, who wanted to seduce his wife. Formerly known as Benjamin Barker, Sweeney Todd sets up shop in Nellie Lovett’s meat pie shop and the pair soon cook up a plan to exact revenge on the judge. In the meantime, Todd will slaughter his customers and Lovett will use the bodies to make meat pies, thus destroying the evidence. A subplot involves Johanna, Sweeney Todd’s daughter, who is now the ward of Judge Turpin, and a sailor Anthony, who has fallen in love with her. Some of the show’s classic songs include “The Worst Pies in London,” “Pretty Women,” “A Little Priest” and “Not While I’m Around.”

One of the great things about Sweeney Todd is how pliable the material is. The original production offered a grand staging by Harold Prince on a set designed by Eugene Lee. But is has also been done on a very small scale in a more immersive production Harrington’s Pie Shop in London. There was even a staging by John Doyle where the actors playing their own instruments. There is so much that can be done with this musical.

That said, has anything ever surpassed that original staging, with Angela Lansbury’s indelible Nellie Lovett and Len Cariou’s tortured Sweeney Todd? I’m not sure – but I’m always open to watching a new take on this classic show.

And just like that, folks, our musical itinerary inspired by Round in Fifty comes to a close. We may need to bid adieu to the exotic locales and daring adventures we’ve encountered along the way, but the catchy tunes and thrilling plot twists we’ve encountered can be relived time and time again through proshot recordings and cast albums. So here’s to the magic of musical theatre and the joy of exploration: until our next adventure, may Round in Fifty continue to inspire you to sing and dance around the world!

The Saturday List: The Sizzling Songsmithery of SILK STOCKINGS

The stars of Silk Stockings on Broadway: Don Ameche and Hildegard Neff (top), Gretchen Wyler (middle) and Henry Lascoe (bottom, alongside Neff and Ameche).

Step into a world of glamour and intrigue as we showcase some of the sizzling lyrics sung in Cole Porter’s score for Silk Stockings! Premiering at the illustrious Imperial Theatre on this day (24 February) in 1955, this Broadway gem waltzed its way into the hearts of audiences, captivating them with its blend of romance, wit, and toe-tapping melodies. Based on the beloved 1939 film Ninotchka, starring the iconic Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas, Silk Stockings brings to life the story of special envoy Nina Yaschenko (played by Hildegarde Neff), who is dispatched from the Soviet Union during the Cold War to rescue three bumbling commissars from the charms of Paris. Before long, she is seduced by Steven Canfield (played by Don Ameche) and the apparent virtues of capitalism. Porter’s score weaves up some luxurious musical satin and silk, despite being coupled with a storyline (shaped into a book by George S. Kaufman and Leueen MacGrath, and then Abe Burrows, who rewrote the show following its challenging tryout period) that I’ve never been able to get behind. I can’t help but grapple with the narrative of a woman who compromises her beliefs and individuality for the allure of a love affair and silk stockings. Even when I first became familiar with the show two decades ago, I didn’t buy it! Nonetheless, Porter’s lyrical gems sparkle in many moments of the show, so let’s dive into the riches of Silk Stockings!

5. “Paris Loves Lovers”

‘Only in pairs one discovers,
the urge to merge with the splurge of the spring,
Paris loves lovers, for lovers
Know that love is ev’ry thing.’

This lyric stands out because it plays around with rhyme and alliteration in the way that many of the great Cole Porter lyrics do. It’s true this is not on par with his finest work; it just doesn’t spark on the ear in the way that something like “You’re the Top” does. Maybe Porter even acknowledges this in the way it appears in the song, first sung by Steven to Ninotchka, who then throws it back in his face as a piece of cornball hokum, which it is. Perhaps there is a sly cleverness in this approach, showing that Ninotchka is not an easy sell. But wouldn’t that be even better if the lyric was top-notch and seduced us in the audience, but not her? Or would that alienate Ninotchka too much from our perspective?

4. “Paris Loves Lovers” – Again!

‘Capitalistic…
Characteristic…
Sensualistic…
They should be aetheistic….
Imperialistic…
I’m pessimistic…
That’s anti-communistic…
Militaristic…
You’re optimistic...
Bourgeois propaganda!
Unrealistic…
[Love] Is individualistic…
And not at all collectivistic…
But a low totalitarianistic thing!’

“Paris Loves Lovers” moves on to a repeat of the refrain with interjections from Ninotchka refuting each of Steven’s lines. This offers a seemingly endless series of rhymes that builds and builds, in typical Porter style, to the climax of the song. It’s so much fun and even gives us a slight break with the alternative rhyme of ‘bourgeois’ and ‘propaganda’ before bringing it all the way home. But is this a missed opportunity? Whenever I listen to the cast album, I always wish this song had served full-on “You’re Not in Love” or “An Old Fashioned Wedding” energy, just as Irving Berlin did in those two classic musical theatre songs.

3. “Too Bad”

‘Too bad – they can’t go back to Moscow
And we pity them, do.
Instead of counting chickens on each farm anywhere,
In case a party member has a chicken to spare,
You’ll see us counting chickens at the Folies Bergère!’

What’s great about this lyric is the unity that holds this section of the song together. Just a line or two earlier, Ivanov, Brankov and Bibinski, the three Soviet commissars who have been sent to Paris to bring the Russian composer Peter Ilyitch Boroff back home, have referred to the City of Love as a ‘feather-brained town.’ (There is, of course, a healthy dose of irony here as the three commissars have also been seduced by the capitalist trappings of mid-century Europe.) Then we get the fantastic triple rhyme in the triplet which is used structurally throughout the song, which juxtaposes the settings of a Soviet farm and the Folies Bergère. Also included is some wordplay, with Porter referring to the dancers at this famous cabaret music hall as ‘chickens.’ But perhaps the most impressive element of this lyric is its allusion to the idiom of ‘counting chickens before they hatch.’ Ivanov, Brankov and Bibinski are on borrowed time and another agent will soon be sent to retrieve them. This snaps into focus, at the top of the show, that there is no guarantee that they can remain there for certain, which opens up the dramatic opportunity for Ninotchka to arrive. Brilliant!

2. “Stereophonic Sound“

‘If Zanuck’s latest picture were the good old-fashioned kind,
There’d be no one in front to look at Marilyn’s behind….

‘The customers don’t like to see the groom embrace the bride
Unless her lips are scarlet and her bosom’s five feet wide….

‘If Ava Gardner played Godiva riding on a mare
The people wouldn’t pay a cent to see her in the bare.
Unless she had glorious technicolor or…
Stereophonic sound.’

Sometimes rhyme can help to drive home a point. “Stereophonic Sound” is a great satire of Hollywood in the 1950s and its obsession with technological advancement as a form of marketing. It’s also a damning satire of how Hollywood viewed (and views) women, the kind of attitude where nothing a woman is or does is good enough, even if she is Marilyn Monroe or Ava Gardner. To make the grade, she also has to be exploited in the most dehumanising of ways and sexualised through technology to get the tickets sold and its Porter’s rhymes that help to highlight the idea. Truth be told, I’m not sure how intentional Porter was in this specific satirical direction, because in a further refrain, he uses Lassie as a stand-in for Monroe and Gardiner – bitchy, much? He also used Lassie as a joke to demean Fred Graham and his sex in “I Hate Men” from Kiss Me, Kate, so I’m not convinced that it’s a completely innocent reference. But, or cause, this song is a text and the meaning of a text is made through its receiver – so I’ll leave that one up to you.

1. “All of You“

‘After watching your appeal from ev’ry angle,
There’s a big romantic deal I’ve got to wangle
For I’ve fallen for a certain luscious lass
And it’s not a passing fancy or a fancy pass.‘

“All of You” was the takeaway hit of Silk Stockings. Dozens of cover versions appeared following Dan Ameche’s introduction of the song in the Broadway show, with talents as diverse as Billie Holiday, Bobby Darin, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. all releasing their own take on the material. Frankly, I’m not sure that I want to be seduced by someone who wants to take ‘complete control’ of me, a wish that is expressed in the refrain, but the wordplay in the verse makes for an incredible moment of sheer delight, especially the first time that final line lands on the ear. The wordplay of ‘passing fancy’ and ‘fancy pass’ also helps the storytelling as it helps the audience to see Steven’s growing affection for Ninotchka. “Paris Loves Lovers” was a failed attempt at a fancy pass as well as a means to an end, a passing fancy. This reversal helps to shift the story along and shows just how skilful Porter could be in moving the show forward with his songs, despite his reputation for primarily offering up songs that were simply full of wordplay and a marvel to hear.

Porter’s lyrics for Silk Stockings, even at this late stage in his career, still enable his words to charm us with their sheer sophistication. Is the show itself revivable? I’m not sure. Have we developed any nostalgia for this kind of 1950s Cold War romcom? There’s also the issue of how songs like “Without Love” with its credo, ”a woman to a man is just a woman, but a man to a woman is her life,’ stick in the throat. Perhaps, as with many of these kinds of shows, a revisal might work, if it is done with care and integrity. “Without Love” could be retooled through placement and interpretation to be a damnation of its sentiment rather than an endorsement – and after all, there are also twelve unused songs that Porter wrote for the show and an additional two tunes that were crafted for the film. It’s a job for someone who is both enterprising and smart. For now, let’s slip into the silk stockings of Porter’s genius, letting his best lyrics sweep us away with their elegant and graceful craftsmanship!

The Saturday List: Celebrating Conrad!

Conrad Ricamora has lit up the stage in shows like Here Lies Love, The King and I and Little Shop of Horrors.

Grab your playbills and raise your voices in celebration because we’re shining a spotlight on Conrad Ricamora as he marks his 45th trip around the sun! Best known for his television work, Ricamora stole our hearts as the beloved Oliver Hampton in the thrilling How to Get Away with Murder. He was also great in Fire Island, a delightful gay film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. But what we’re focusing on today is this talented star’s stage appearances in Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals. From classic tunes to contemporary hits, Ricamora’s resume offers up a medley of musical theatre treats, seamlessly blending classic shows with exciting new pieces. As a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, he not only lights up the stage with his charisma but also shines as a beacon of visibility and acceptance, having been presented with the Human Rights Campaign’s Visibility Award. So, join us as we explore five musicals that have showcased Ricamora’s sparkling charm and wish him the happiest of birthdays!

5. Allegiance

Allegiance marched onto the Broadway stage in 2015, but not without first cutting its teeth on the stage of San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre back in 2012 – which is when Ricamora appeared in the show. With a score by Jay Kuo and a poignant book crafted by Kuo in collaboration with Marc Acito and Lorenzo Thione, this musical shines a light on a dark chapter of American history, the Japanese American internment during World War II. Inspired by the personal journey of the indomitable George Takei, who also performed in this show alongside Lea Salonga and Telly Leung, Allegiance follows the Kimura family’s struggles as they are uprooted from their California home and moved to the Heart Mountain Relocation Centre in Wyoming. Ricamora was a swing in this early staging of Allegiance and so there isn’t really a record of his work in the show for posterity, even though his presence in the room undoubtedly contributed to the show’s impact. But it’s important to mention Allegiance here for two reasons. Firstly, it’s a testament to Ricamora’s talent and part of his journey to bigger stages and brighter lights. Even more significantly, Allegiance is a milestone in Broadway history because it is a musical created by Asian Americans with a distinctly authentic Asian-American perspective. As such, it broke new ground, paving the way for greater representation and diversity on stage. It is a remedy to shows like Anything Goes, in which Ricamora made his professional debut and was asked by the director to ‘sound more Chinese,’ an experience which Ricamora himself has identified as a low point in his career.

4. Here Lies Love

Here Lies Love isn’t just a run-of-the-mill musical – it’s a disco-infused whirlwind of politics, power, and pop, set against the backdrop of Imelda Marcos’s glamorous yet tumultuous time as first lady of the Philippines. But Here Lies Love isn’t just Evita with a killer beat and some even hotter shoes, it’s a vibrant, intelligent exploration of idolatry and its consequences. Born from the creative minds of David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, this immersive dance party extravaganza first graced Off-Broadway in 2013 before shimmying its way onto the Broadway stage a decade later. Looking back the this show’s history, there is nobody better to embody the fiery spirit of Filipino opposition leader Ninoy Aquino than the multitalented Ricamora, who not only took on the role in both productions but also dazzled audiences in a 2017 rendition in Seattle. It’s the show so nice, he did it thrice! Playing this role holds personal significance for Ricamora, as the show sparked meaningful conversations within his own family about their heritage and history, his father having come from the Philippines. This show is as infectious as it is insightful, and it is a dynamic reminder of the power of diverse storytelling in a thriving theatre culture.

3. Soft Power

In the dazzling constellation of musical cyberspace, Soft Power gleams like a comet, flashing brightly in the theatrical cosmos. Premiering in Los Angeles in 2018 ahead of a 2019 Off-Broadway run, this idiosyncratic musical is the brainchild of David Henry Hwang, who wrote the book and lyrics, and Jeanine Tesori, who wrote the music in addition to providing additional lyrics. Partly taking its inspiration from a 2015 incident where Hwang was stabbed by a stranger in New York, Soft Power is witty and wise, a satire dealing with cultural identity, appropriation and representation that leaves you spinning. This kaleidoscope of culture and comedy sees Ricamora play the role of Xuē Xíng, a Chinese film executive who approaches DHH (a fictional stand-in for Hwang himself) to make an American-style romantic musical comedy film aimed at Chinese audiences. When DHH is stabbed, he is wheeled off to surgery where he has a vision of a musical that subverts the tropes of The King and I and sees Xuē Xíng meeting and falling in love with Hillary Clinton during her presidential campaign. As Xuē Xíng, Ricamora proved to be both charming and charismatic, handling the more sympathetic moments as well as the broader comic set pieces equally well. Hwang and Tesori’s score is a gem. Whether it’s being more introspective or uproariously satirical, songs like “Dutiful,” “Fuxing Park,” “I’m With Her,” and “It Just Takes Time” all add up to a symphony of brilliance. A finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Soft Power gives us the chance to look at both musicals and politics and challenges us to deconstruct the way we think about both of them.

2. The King and I

The King and I is one of the grand old dames of Broadway, having danced a graceful but not always flawless polka through the annals of theatre history since its debut in 1951. Penned by the iconic duo of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, The King and I has seen its fair share of triumphs. Both the original production and its most recent revival won five Tony Awards and the 1956 film adaptation won five Oscars. Yet, even amidst the glittering kisses, lies the shadow of criticism. The tale of Anna Leonowens, the English schoolteacher thrust into the royal court of Siam, where cultural conflicts and forbidden romances abound, is as timeless as it is fraught with complexities. The King and I has increasingly drawn criticism for the stereotypical depictions of some of the characters, its pro-colonialist narrative and the historical, cultural and political biases and inaccuracies that are wrapped up in the original creative team’s good intentions. The most recent revival was directed by Bartlett Sher, who navigated these complexities admirably, partly by focusing on the element of The King and I that truly steals the show, which is the timeless beauty of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s score, and partly in his direction of the actors, which included Ricamora as Lun Tha opposite Ashley Park’s Tuptim. Together, the two offered a trajectory for the doomed lovers that seemed to gain an extra layer of poignancy. They offer tender renditions of “We Kiss in a Shadow” and “I Have Dreamed” that make the subsequent tragedy all the more effective.

1. Little Shop of Horrors 

Little Shop for Horrors is a classic. For the uninitiated, this isn’t your typical horticultural tale. It’s a quirky, toe-tapping romp through the perils of plant parenthood, with a killer score to boot. The show follows Seymour, who finds an innocuous-looking plant during a total eclipse of the sun – but which grows up into a manipulative, people-eating monster. Originally sprouting Off-Broadway in 1982, this musical marvel has since taken root in the hearts of theatregoers worldwide, most recently in the form of a long-running Off-Broadway revival that’s been delighting audiences in New York since 2019. And who better to step into the shoes of the lovable but luckless Seymour Krelborn than Ricamora? He was the fourth actor to take on the role in this revival, following Jonathan Groff, Gideon Glick and Jeremy Jordan. With Alan Menken’s catchy tunes and Howard Ashman’s wickedly witty lyrics, Ricamora’s portrayal of Seymour is like a perfectly pruned bonsai – nerdy yet endearing, with just the right touch of darkness rooted in the character’s initial heartache and loneliness. His performance is the kind that sends fans scrambling to their keyboards, searching for every snippet and clip they can find, and let me tell you, it’s worth the hunt. Ricamora brings his own unique flair to this iconic role, infusing it with a blend of comic charm and poignant emotion that’s simply irresistible.

And there you have it, dear theatre aficionados! As we bid adieu following this whirlwind celebration of Conrad Ricamora’s career on his 45th birthday, we’re left with a plethora of memories and melodies that have echoed across stages far and wide. Ricamora has proven time and again that he is a force to be reckoned with in the world of entertainment. As we toast this talented actor, let’s not only celebrate the roles he’s brought to life but also the impact he’s had as a cultural and social activist. May he long continue to illuminate our hearts and minds, and may his future endeavours be as bright and joyous as the songs he’s shared with us so far!

The Saturday List: Ranking Romberg’s Runners!

Illustrated details from promotional artwork for The New Moon, The Desert Song and The Student Prince.

Step right up, music lovers, as we delve into the vibrant world of Sigmund Romberg’s timeless operettas! Today, in 1914, Broadway welcomed a musical sensation that would set the stage for Romberg’s illustrious 40-year career: The Whirl of the World. With its infectious tunes and fluffy romantic narrative, this debut marked the beginning of a musical journey that would see Romberg enchant audiences with classics like Maytime, The Desert Song, The New Moon and The Student Prince, among others. Born in Hungary but finding his true home in the heart of the American musical theatre scene, Romberg’s shows remind us of days gone by. His significant role in bringing Viennese-style operetta to American audiences and shifting the form into an American style and idiom earned him a place in musical theatre history. Join us as we embark on a melodic adventure – yes, this is your invitation to crank up those cast recordings – to rank the five longest-running musicals by Sigmund Romberg and his many collaborators. Every note is a testament to his enduring legacy. Let the overture begin!

5. Up in Central Park

Up in Central Park opened in 1945. Even back then, its strongest feature was the nostalgic ambience it created for a bygone era, something that was very much a trademark of Romberg’s most successful musicals. The show transported audiences to the Boss Tweed era of 1870s New York City. John Matthews, a reporter, is investigating Boss Tweed and the accusations of corruption that surround his role in Central Park’s construction. Things become complicated when John falls in love with the daughter of one of Boss Tweed’s ward campaigners. The plot, as set out in Herbert and Dorothy Fields’s book, feels somewhat formulaic, and the production design was the real star of the show. The visual splendour of Up in Central Park, with settings and costumes reminiscent of Currier and Ives lithographs, easily stole the spotlight from the kind of narrative that had gone out of style a decade or so earlier. Insofar as the score is concerned, Romberg’s traditional style, though straining against the evolving trends of 1940s musical theatre, shines through in romantic songs like “Close as Pages in a Book” and the poignant “April Snow.” Dorothy Fields injects contemporary wit and humour into her lyrics, particularly shining in songs like “The Fireman’s Bride” (which sounds like the kind of novelty song my grandmother used to sing to my sister and me when we were children) and “Currier and Ives.” Up in Central Park premiered in the same year as groundbreaking productions like Carousel, which from today’s perspective, makes it feel even older than it is. Old-fashioned charm only gets you so far.

4. Maytime

Maytime is a rather sweet 1917 operetta based on a 1913 German piece, Wie Einst im Mai. Broadway producers extraordinaire, the Shubert brothers, took a show that had any hopes of an international legacy dashed by World War I and had it transformed into an American-set and styled operetta that was one of the greatest hits of its time. Peggy Wood and Charles Purcell illuminated the stage as the stars of this romantic saga, which unfolds across generations, as the star-crossed lovers Ottillie and Richard navigate the obstacles of wealth, family and circumstance. Rida Johnson Young’s book and lyrics, with additional lyrics by Cyrus Wood, played out the melodramatic sequence of events to heartrending effect. While Romberg’s score initially takes its moment to find its way, it bursts to life with the catchy “It’s a Windy Day at the Battery.” Of course, the timeless classic “Will You Remember?” (also known as “Sweetheart”) remains the standout, alongside gems like “The Road to Paradise” and “Dancing Will Keep You Young.” In a savvy 2005 revision by Julie Wright and Steven Gaigle, updates like the adaptation of “Jump Jim Crow” into the more socially sensitive “Do-Si-Do” brought a refreshing touch to the production. Admittedly, Maytime may seem a tad sentimental by modern standards, but its blend of heartwarming romance and wry humour ensures its enduring appeal. It’s the kind of show that – in its revised version – could still find a welcome home in the repertoire of a light opera company.

3. The Desert Song

The Desert Song, which debuted in 1926, is a captivating blend of romance and adventure, courtesy of Sigmund Romberg’s enchanting melodies and the lyrical prowess of Otto Harbach, who wrote the libretto in collaboration with Oscar Hammerstein II and Frank Mandel. Inspired by the historical uprising of the Riffs against French colonial rule in Morocco and the legendary true-life tales of Lawrence of Arabia, the operetta transports audiences to the exotic landscapes of Saharan North Africa. Yet, while the allure of daring heroics and forbidden love still captivates audiences, the show’s romanticised portrayal of colonial politics and Moroccan culture presents challenges for contemporary productions. Nonetheless, the timeless appeal of a masked hero continues to resonate and one wonders how this show could be handled were a “revisal” to be produced. After all, one of the film adaptations had The Red Shadow, renamed El Khobar, fighting the Nazis – so why not?! Romberg’s score, featuring infectious tunes like “The Riff Song” and the haunting “The Desert Song,” has served as a gateway into the world of operetta for many, including myself. I first encountered these songs in a revue at the tender age of twenty. Still, as much as The Desert Song holds a place in the annals of theatrical history, one can’t help but question its relevance in today’s cultural landscape despite its boldly romantic tale and unforgettable melodies.

2. The Student Prince

1924’s The Student Prince heralds another triumph in the world of operetta for Romberg, with Dorothy Donnelly’s book and lyrics weaving a tale of star-crossed love versus patriotic duty. Based on Wilhelm Meyer-Förster’s play Old Heidelberg, the operetta follows Prince Karl Franz’s journey as he grapples with the weight of his royal obligations and the pull of true love. The romance between the prince and Kathie, a humble barmaid, tugs at the heartstrings, particularly as duty ultimately prevails over passion. Romberg’s score enchants with its blend of sentimentality and exuberance, featuring unforgettable tunes like “Golden Days” and “Deep in My Heart, Dear” and the spirited “Drink! Drink! Drink!” and “Come Boys, Let’s All Be Gay, Boys.” Yet, while the first act brims with tuneful charm, the subsequent acts can feel a little repetitive with the number of songs that are reprised. Even so, The Student Prince was actually a breakthrough show for me, the one that made me appreciate everything that operetta has to offer. Personally, I find the film adaptation even more captivating, with the addition of “I’ll Walk with God” taking the operetta’s emotional resonance to new heights. Nevertheless, be it on stage or screen, The Student Prince remains a marvel, captivating audiences with its timeless tale of love and sacrifice.

1. The New Moon 

The New Moon emerges as a sparkling gem in the crown of Sigmund Romberg’s repertoire, with Oscar Hammerstein II’s lyrics adding the perfect touch of romanticism and wit to this 1928 operetta. This show had a somewhat tumultuous journey to Broadway, with its tryout run in Philadelphia being a complete flop. Following many revisions, the final libretto, set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, offers up a saga that is as captivating as it is adventurous. Young French aristocrat Robert’s clandestine escape to New Orleans, his forbidden love for Marianne, and the daring mutiny aboard the New Moon all transport audiences to a world of intrigue and passion. Romberg’s score is a treasure trove of musical delights, from the yearning strains of “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise” to the spirited melodies of “Marianne” and “The Girl on the Prow” – and let’s not forget the classic “Lover, Come Back to Me.” Hammerstein’s lyrics sparkle with romantic imagery in the ballads and playful banter in the up-tempo songs, especially in more complex set pieces like “An Interrupted Love Song” and “Funny Little Sailor Man,” infusing the production with an irresistible charm. While perhaps not achieving the status of something like The Student Prince, The New Moon has stood the test of time, finding success in revivals and adaptations on both stage and screen. The City Center Encores! revival in 2003 breathed new life into this classic, demonstrating its enduring appeal to modern audiences. For those new to operetta, the Encores! cast recording serves as a delightful introduction to the form, offering a fresh perspective that resonates with contemporary sensibilities and opening up a world of shows and scores that are part of the great legacy of musical theatre.

And with that, dear operetta enthusiasts, we draw the curtain on our delightful journey through the enchanting world of Sigmund Romberg’s timeless melodies. From the romantic allure of Maytime to the swashbuckling adventures of The Desert Song, each show we’ve explored has left an indelible mark on the annals of musical theatre history. As we bid adieu after this celebration of Romberg’s work, let us not only revel in his melodies, which have captivated audiences for generations, but also salute the creative brilliance of Romberg’s collaborators. These shows still have the power to transport us to worlds of romance, intrigue and adventure, reminding us of the enduring power of music to stir the soul.

The Saturday List: Schoeman Smit’s Stupendous Showstoppers!

Schoeman Smit as the Steward in Into the Woods, in his solo cabaret act Devil Song, and as Franz Liebkind alongside Earl Gregory, Richard White and Terence Bridgett in The Producers.

Greetings, musical theatre aficionados! If you’re a regular at Musical Cyberspace, you’ll know that we love celebrating the brilliance of industry personalities from musical theatre stages around the world – especially when a birthday or anniversary comes along. In today’s “Saturday List,” we fete the South African musical theatre performer Schoeman Smit as he celebrates another trip around the sun! Hailing from the theatre-rich country of South Africa, Smit is more than one of this country’s premier character actors; he’s an artist who sprinkles finesse over every role he plays. Join us as we raise the curtain on his greatest triumphs, a celebration as rich and diverse as the roles he breathes life into. From the grand stages of the Artscape Opera House or the Teatro at Montecasino to the intimate corners of the Alexander Bar and Theatre or the Avalon Theatre at the Homecoming Centre, Schoeman Smit’s performances are a testament to his craft. So, warm up those vocal cords and get ready to harmonise in celebration of a South African performer who is effortlessly containing the legacy of a family steeped in the magic of the arts.

10. The Nose: A Preposterous Family Musical

With a book, music and lyrics by Kit Goldstein Grant, The Nose is a whimsical adaptation of Nikolai Gogol’s beloved tale of Kovalyov’s nose, which leaps off his face and runs riot as in St Petersburg as an officious official. Under the direction of Margot Wood for Anex Theatre Productions at the Artscape Theatre Centre’s Arena, Schoeman Smit played the role of the Doctor, a city practitioner with his roots in the provinces, and just about stole the show with his number, ““Turpentine, Lard and Soap.” Local critic Robyn Cohen said that he stopped the show in her review, adding, ‘I don’t understand why we haven’t seen more of him in high-profile mainstream productions.’ This was back in 2018, not long after Smit, who had done a fair deal of international music tours earlier in his career settled back down into a refocused theatrical career in Cape Town – so there was much more to come!

9. Camelot

One of the trends we’ll see in this column is Smit’s ability to take a couple of lines and create a memorable cameo role, much as he did in the role of Squire Dap in Camelot. Donning a jaunty French accent as he trailed after Lyle Buxton’s Lancelot, he delivered what Gisele Turner called a ‘delightfully adroit’ turn in what was a glorious show on the whole. This one was directed by Steven Stead (who doubled his duties in a memorable star-turn as Arthur) for KickstArt at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre in Durban. It is a pity South African audiences weren’t able to see this grand romantic classic by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe elsewhere in the country.

8. Evita

In 2019, Smit went off to China to tour in Evita, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s rock opera about Eva Peron, the infamous Argentinian hustler who dabbled in acting, political activism and philanthropy. Following a stop in Wuhan not too long before the first cases of COVID-19 were identified, the cast was able to make it home in time before everyone’s lives changed forever in 2020 – a cloud that hangs over what must have been an amazing opportunity to appear in the original Harold Prince staging of the show. Smit appeared in the ensemble of this show, also understanding the principal role of Che.

7. The Sound of Music

Smit is currently appearing in The Sound of Music and this is his latest appearance in a long line of Franzes – more of that later! This is another Steven Stead-directed piece and the Pieter Toerien Productions and Cape Town Opera co-production has been praised for its fresh take on the material, with Stead working meticulously with the cast to create characters that feel so wonderfully human in a show that is more often than not done in a very paint-by-numbers way. As the Franz, Smit pops up all over the place, opening doors and delivering drinks, often with a zesty one-liner. It’s all fun and games until it becomes clear he’s been drinking the Kool-Aid of the new regime. One wonders where drinking all of that Anschluss-champagne got him in the end – spin-off, anyone?

6. Picture Incomplete

The show so nice he did it twice! Picture Incomplete was something of a milestone for Smit, in that it also represented an early foray into producing theatre. It was also the birth of his boutique production company, Dal Segno Theatre, which was co-founded by me – see the disclaimer at the end of this column! I directed Smit the second time he did this show, which was an authorised localisation of a solo American musical by Trent Armand Kendall and Michael Polese. We’re quite proud of this show, which holds a rating of 4½ stars out of five on the Alexander Bar and Theatre’s archival site, based on reviews collected by the theatre from its patrons. One such patron, known only as Jeannine, called the show ‘a wonderful, poignant, yet amusing, look at real life.’ Truth be told, I miss hearing the songs from the score of this show!

More from Schoeman Smit: a cover call for Che in Evita, a moving tribute to Tobie Cronje, and a “louder and funnier” Wodehouse extract from Devil Song.

5. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Fans of this show will know that late in Act II, one of the characters is locked away in Fogg’s Asylum, which leads to a daring rescue mission through the dank corridors of this dark precursor of our modern psychiatric hospitals. Even today, people remember Smit’s arm-swinging lunatic - a great moment in a show that was full of great moments just like it. Under the direction of Steven Stead, this was a reminder that serious musical theatre performed by a virtuoso cast (led here by Jonathan Roxmouth and Charon Williams-Ros) can draw an audience in South Africa – may we see many more like it!

4. The Producers 

Like most middle children, Smit’s second Franz got our attention. The Producers, which was produced by Pieter Toerien Productions, tragically had to shut down in the middle of the first leg of its tour due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. But before that fateful day, Smit stormed the stage as Franz Liebkind of “Old Bavaria”, expert “Guten Tag Hop-Clop” dancer and dramatist épouvantable. In Weekend Special, Karen Rutter said that Smit was fervently hilarious in what she predicated to the the ‘best musical of the year,’ even though it was only February. Her prediction came true, as it turned out, but not for the reasons she thought. While it certainly would have been ‘an extremely hard act to beat,’ it was the devastation heaped on the world by the pandemic that made this vision come to pass.

3. Rock of Ages 

Rock of Ages gifted Smit with his OG Franz, for which he earned the first of his two Naledi Theatre Award nominations. (The second was for a dramatic role in Love! Valor! Compassion!) This jukebox musical was directed by Elizma Badenhorst for VR Theatrical and starred a host of South African performers, like Craig Urbani, Claire Taylor, Zak Hendricks and Natasha van der Merwe, and each giving stand-out performances in their respective roles, as was highlighted by Masego Panyane in her IOL review of the show. Neels Clasen and Smit played stuck-up father-and-son development team and it was a delight when Smit broke loose in a zebra-stiped mankini to sing “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.”

2. Devil Song: a Cabaret of Villainous Proportions

Last year, Smit produced Devil Song under his Dal Segno banner, a cabaret inspired by the seven deadly sins and which included material written for Audra McDonald to perform at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall. Included here was the moving “I Eat” by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens and Jeff Blumenkrantz’s hilarious “My Book,” both of which Smit went on to perform at Cape Town’s monthly Musical Mondays concerts at The Outlore. He also performed extracts from South African and world literature, from Chaucer and Shakespeare to Stoker and Wodehouse. Writing for Theatre Scene Cape Town, Barbara Loots wrote that ‘his delivery of Shakespeare’s “To be or not to be” monologue from Hamlet in Afrikaans is an emotional power-punch: he makes you invest in the character more in but a few minutes, than some actors manage to achieve throughout a whole performance of the play’ and that overall, ‘he impressively flexes his theatrical muscles.’ I directed this piece and we had hoped, along with pianist Ian Bothma and the design team of Widaad Albertus, Tara Notcutt and Melissa George, to create a literate, atmospheric and thought-provoking cabaret. I believe we did – and I say that with no immodesty.

1. Sinbad the Sailor

Once again under the direction of Steven Stead, Smit showed another thread of his vast range of skills when he played the pantomime dame, Donna Kebab, in this 2023 romp through the legendary tales of Sinbad, the legend of the seven seas. Playing the mother of the leading man, Smit reminded audiences that her “Milkshake” brought all the boys to the yard and damn right, it was a great deal of fun. In his review of the show, Bruce Denill cited ‘Smit’s strong physical comedy skills’ as one of the factors that made his appearances in the show ‘consistently comical.’ Gotta love an alliterative moment! More poignantly, Smit posted this message on his Instagram account in the final week of the show’s performances:

So in my final week as Dame Donna Kebab in SINBAD THE SAILOR, there is one final person I want to mention. My finale headdress was made for Tobie Cronjé for a production at the State Theatre many moons ago.It was a nice to know that the I had something with me for every show that was made for THE MOTHERSHIP DAME. THE DAME OF ALL DAMES!!! I loved Donna and I hoped you loved her a little toooo.

Schoeman Smit, Instagram

What a link to the great legacy of South African theatre!

In the grand finale of this birthday celebration, we’ve unwrapped just a few layers of Schoeman Smit’s career. In addition to performing, he is also a much-loved vocal coach, with a particular speciality in vocal rehabilitation, and has recently mentored a host of up-and-coming theatre practitioners as a part of the Creative Careers Acceleration Programme. As the curtain falls on this showcase of his career highlights, let’s cheerfully hum the tunes from these great shows as we head out into the weekend. Bravissimo, Schoeman! May your future roles be as enchanting as the ones we’ve celebrated today.

Disclaimer: I can never claim objectivity about Schoeman Smit’s work on stage because of our personal relationship off of the stage – we’re married! – and that’s not even getting into the fact that I’ve directed him in two productions. That’s why I’ve pulled so many quotes about his work from other sources, rather than offering any kind of critical comment of my own. I hope you’ll read this week’s column in the spirit it was intended, a celebration of Schoeman’s work and by extension, of the work of all of the people he has worked alongside in the South African theatre industry. Happy birthday, husband!