Posted by William E. Lurie @ 09/09/2002 10:05 AM PST

What do any of you do when someone you considered a friend totally lets you down?

This is not "personal." A friend has done something that disappoints me. I told him as much, saying that his action was unwarranted and irresponsible. He suggested I have my head up my butt.

I am not alone in my disappointment as several other people feel as I do.

This is not a close friendship but was one I valued. Now, I have conflicting feelings about whether it's worth my time to try to maintain it.

The thing this friend did was not mean or spiteful, but it was unprofessional, IMO, and it was something that relates to a job he relishes and takes great pride in.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 09/09/2002 10:31 AM PST

Ron: Unfortunately, I know a lot of people in this business who do unprofessional, irresponsible things. Many of my "friends" have pulled out of shows the week before they open to take another contract or have just dropped the show halfway through rehearsals simply because they're bored with it. I honestly wish I knew what to tell you. It is very disappointing when your "friends" do things like that. Does no one have a sense of work ethic anymore?

Posted by Jason @ 09/09/2002 10:38 AM PST

I see a lot of theatre, but I don't see many shows early in previews. The two friends whith whom I attend shows prefer to go as late in previews as possible so they see what the critics see (as Mr. Lurie stated above), so I haven't seen many shows change in that way. I did see Sweeney when it still had the Judge's flaggelation scene but that's all I can remember.

I have seen some different "versions" of shows. Those that come to mind are all Sondheim again. I never saw the original production of Follies (I was just graduating from high school in 1971) though I knew it from the music and the script (what was the name of that book club that offered theatre scripts in hardback? I can't remember, though I do know that I got many scripts and librettos from them). I loved it and though I knew that changes were made in the London production in 1988, I was still very, very excited about finally seeing a full production. While I didn't dislike the show, I thought the changes were not good, especially the musical changes. A friend had worked on the casting for the show and said that Mr. Sondheim also felt the changes didn't work. I was glad to hear he was on my side.

I really like the score for Merrily (including the additions and changes) but the book changes never made the show work for me. Something is missing. I saw the original, and the York Theatre production in the early 90s and I've read the new scripts. I much prefer just putting on the CD or the record and listening to the show.

I would love to have seen something like Gypsy in Boston or Forum or Dolly in Detroit or DC to see some of those changes.

Before this gets too long, I'll chime in on my favorite kid's shows. I loved the Mickey Mouse Club (I had such crushes on Spin and Marty). I really liked Rocky and Bullwinkle though at my age all the topical humor just went over my small head. I'm dating myself but Ding Dong School holds fond memories for me as does Captain Kangaroo, especially the Tom Terrific and Manfred the Wonder Dog segments! As a late teenager (19, maybe 20) I remember watching Sesame Street with my baby brother and loving it. The same with Electric Company.

Jason, good buddy, my thoughts are with you and Mo. Take care Hainsie friend!

Posted by Ben @ 09/09/2002 10:50 AM PST

My favorite TV show as a kid...

It's the New Zoo Revue
Comin' right at you
Where three delightful animals
Have fun with what they do

They learn with their friend Joe
And his helper Emmy-Jo
With Freddy, Charlie, Henrietta
We have fun learning what we don't know

Does anyone know the rest?

Matthew

Posted by Matthew @ 09/09/2002 11:32 AM PST

Thanks, Ben.

Speaking of Merrily, I have seen 2 different versions of the original Broadway production. Yes! It's true!! I saw a video of an early, early preview which involved Gussie being thrown into a swimming pool at the party. The pool was nothing but a trap covered by blue paper. When she fell through, you heard a huge RIP! HAHA!! The second video I saw was done the week before the show closed, which was practically the week the show opened! I don't know WHAT version they did at Kennedy Center, but it still didn't quite work. I dunno if anyone will ever get it quite right. Oh, well...its still a fun show.

Posted by Jason @ 09/09/2002 11:41 AM PST

La-La-La-La-La-La-La, La-La-La-La-La-La-La

It’s the New Zoo Revue, coming right at you...
Where three delightful animals have fun with what they do.

We learn with our friend Doug (our friend Doug!)
I'm his helper Emmy Jo (Emmy Jo!)

With Freddie!
Charlie!
Henrietta!

We have fun learning what we don't know.

Delicate and feminine is Henrietta Hippo.
Very wise and very smart is Charlie the Owl. (Whooo!)
Lots of spark with lots of parties, Freddie the Frog.

It's quite an unusual thing, the animals talk and sing...
With Doug and Emmy Jo, everyday's a different show!

It’s the New Zoo Revue, coming right at you...
It’s the New Zoo Revue, coming right at you!

Posted by Henrietta @ 09/09/2002 11:44 AM PST

Speaking of Merrily again, from what I've heard, they don't license the very first version anymore. I'm not sure which of the revisions they put out but it's not the original Broadway version. I read that at Playbill On-Line in reference to the upcoming 20 Anniversary concert. They said it would be the Broadway version which was used for the concert but that it was not available for production any longer.

I would like to go to the concert, but I waited too long and now they only have the expensive tickets left so I wont' be seeing my friend Paul Hyams recreate his role of Mr. Spencer at the concert. Oh, well. There's always the record.

Posted by Ben @ 09/09/2002 12:06 PM PST

A little birdy told me, Ben, that cast members can still get $50 tix.

Posted by Jason @ 09/09/2002 12:10 PM PST

Ben---
The bookclub was called THE FIRESIDE THEATRE but a few years ago it changed to STAGE AND SCREEN. They still offer scripts, but have spread out to screenplays and other types of theatre and movie books as well. They recently offered such musicals as THE DEAD, THE FULL MONTY and A CLASS ACT, although the latter was also published in the most recent issue of Show Music. This is one of the many book clubs operated by the combined Book-Of-The-Month Club and Literary Guild.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 09/09/2002 12:13 PM PST

Jason and William, thanks to both for your information.

Posted by Ben @ 09/09/2002 12:45 PM PST

My favorite TV show as a kid has to be The Howdy Doody Show. I can remember back to about 1950 when I was three when my parents got their first TV. We turned it on and there was Howdy Doody and I was hooked. I always wanted to sit in the Peanut Gallery, but never did. My wife was also a big fan and still has her original Howdy marionette. Mine was lost long ago, but we purchased another one back in '72 at an antique store. Our twin "boys" sit in our family room now. We got to meet Buffalo Bob in one of the malls in the early '70s when Howdy was having a revival and BB was promoting himself. He was pretty mean-spirited and wasn't a very nice man.

Posted by steveg @ 09/09/2002 01:00 PM PST

Back when I haunted Broadway, I saw the first and last previews of Sweeney (and reported my reactions to a cast member friend) and the first and last previews of Merrily.

My senile memory is fading on the Sweeney, but in Merrily almost everything was changed, especially sets and costumes. Anyone remember Charlie as a Vietnam War soldier and a room full of sixties blow-up pop-art furniture?

And wasn't it Mary who fell into the pool?

Children's shows:

"Cecil and Beanie". We didn't have a TV, but a friend invited us over to see the show. When I came back, I told my parents that people looked very strange on television, not real at all. I hadn't realized it was a puppet show.

"Howdy Doody"--I was a fanatic. Long live Phineas T. Bluster!

"Crusader Rabbit", a true classic.

And hey, let us not forget radio. Am I the only one who remembers "Big John and Sparky"?

It's nice to know that I was not alone in my crush on Spin and Marty. Now I know there were little boys all over the country with a burning jealousy of Annette.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 09/09/2002 01:14 PM PST

Preview Musings. Random thoughts

The only show I ever saw earlier in previews was Merrily We Roll Along. I saw it's 4th preview. James Weisenbach was still Franklin Sheppard. I remember Gussie falling into the paper pool (are you sure Jason it was Gussie? I thought it was Gussie who pushed the girl into pool. Which is now the iodine scene.) It was so lame. (The only term I can think of) All the songs written for the show were in. The older Franklin Sheppard actor wasn't in the show yet. I remember that back then thinking the Rich and Happy sequence was a mess. The t-shirts with the names were in at that time. They didn't bother me that much. I liked The Hills of Tomorrow and think it was a mistake to have dropped these book ending scenes and songs. I always thought if I was going to direct this show I would make the first scene a nightmare as he has a nervous breakdown and his past confronts him as he gives the hypocritical speech. Although I heard the most recent revival in London restored these book-ending scenes. I have a copy of the script from the original Broadway version. They really didn't do that a whole lot of revisions in my opinion from the 4th preview to the opening. I always swore after that I would never see another preview.

Although I accidentally did go to another show not realizing it was a preview. It was called Streetheat and it was one of the worst things I ever saw and I walked out on it.

I agree with with previews. There were a couple show I worked on that previews were very helpful. We did alot of editing and cutting. We were able to see what was slowing things down and put the audience to sleep.

But show like Merlin, Legs Diamond and Nick Nora which had a couple months of previews is wrong for NY audience. They should have gone out of town to work on their problems.

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 09/09/2002 01:44 PM PST

Captain Kangaroo was my favorite. I remember ping pong balls falling on the captain and a rabbit puppet. Mr. Green Jeans of course, and a cartoon that appeared on a "magic screen"? My memory is kinda fuzzy on this I guess.

I then moved on to Sesame Street and reruns of the old Mickey Mouse club. Cubby was cute.

We tend to see Broadway shows during the final previews or later. My partner was in The Green Heart off-Broadway, so I did see that change a LOT from final dress through the final week.

Posted by jb @ 09/09/2002 01:46 PM PST

Steveng:

Do you remember anything more about Happy Times? The very last new song in the show was dropped during the run and it must be for the reasons you mentioned. The song was called BEING ALIVE. Any memories of it?

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 09/09/2002 01:49 PM PST

I'm almost positive it was Gussie that fell in the pool. Mary left the party, and then the movie star started flirting with Frank...Gussie went after her, Frank pushes the starlet out of the way and Gussie falls in. Yes, it was Gussie.

In another version of Merrily (this version was never staged to my knowledge), Gussie was actually on the top level of the stage unit and fell to her death. That helped make the audience understand that the show was moving backwards, cause in the first scene she dies and then there she is again in the next scene, so you know you're going in reverse. I dunno...sounds awfully macabre to me.

I hated the iodine scene, by the way (BTW in internet lingo). They could have at least made the bottle bigger or SOMETHING. I know it's written that way in the original play, but come on!! Emily just tossed a drop of iodine in the girl's eye and we were like, "WHAT?" Too bizarre.

Posted by Jason @ 09/09/2002 01:51 PM PST

Oh I forgot:

Kid Shows: Live

US TV: Captain Kangaroo
Canadian TV: Mr. Dressup, Chez Helene and Johnny Jellybean

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 09/09/2002 01:54 PM PST

steveg, did you know that one of the Happy Days episodes I did was entitled The Howdy Doody Show and featured Buffalo Bob. However, my scenes were not with him so I didn't get to meet him (the season I did the show it was still one camera film - no audience).

I loved Beany and Cecil (if you don't have the DVD, get it) and especially Thunderbolt the Wondercolt. Also loved Crusader Rabbit (I also worked with the lady who did the voice of Crusader - Lucille something).

Posted by bk @ 09/09/2002 02:09 PM PST

Michael Shayne:
re: The Happy Time, I don't remember a song Being Alive (other than the one in Company), but I'll check my Playbill at home. There might not have been one for the preview, however. The used to give this folded one-sheeter that was horrible during preview periods. After a show opened I would go back to the theater to get the regular Playbill for my collection. Some theater personel were downright nasty and refused to give one. I particularly remember trying to get one at the Palace Theater for Sweet Charity since I saw that in previews and didn't get one. They weren't even regular Playbills there but another "brand" that was square and never fit in with the rest of my collection. I really had to fight to get one, and did, and it didn't really matter since I eventually saw the show a few more times anyhow.

Posted by steveg @ 09/09/2002 02:14 PM PST

I, too, was a fan of "The Howdy Doody Club."

Later, it was Captain Kangaroo. I never much took to Miss Francis' "Ding Dong School."

And favorite shows included "Fury" (with Bobby Diamong as Joey and a young Peter Graves as Jim); "My Friend Flicka" (with Anita Louise and Tommy Rettig) and, of course, "Lassie."

I was a child of the 1950s.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 09/09/2002 02:26 PM PST

How about Sky King, and Roy Rogers on Saturday mornings. I still have my Roy Rogers metal lunchbox.
Another child of the 50's.

Posted by steveg @ 09/09/2002 02:32 PM PST

We did not get TV in australia until 1956 and I turned 11 that year. I did love the MMC (I was with you Ben - Spin & Marty all the way (I was of couse pretending that Annette was my favourite). Also loved Tom Terrific. (Greatest Hero Ever).Fractured Fairytales were a delight.

Lots of positive vibes coming to Mo & Jason.

Ron. Friends can disappoint sometimes. I guess we have to like the "Whole". Must be some lines by the Mysterious Man in "Into The Woods" somewhere. Thinking of you too.

Previews. Not in my world. Thanks for having two topics BK.

Posted by Tom from OZ @ 09/09/2002 03:15 PM PST

Lucille Bliss was one of the people who dubbed in my voice. GeGe Pearson was the other.

I wanted them to use my own voice but back then I had a thick "foreign" accent and it was hard for people to understand me. My mother tongue was Harish.

Posted by Crusader Rabbit (Now happily in retirement) @ 09/09/2002 03:24 PM PST

Previews: none

Kids shows: Watched all the
PBS standards that were
around in the early 80s like
Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers,
and Electric Company.

Another favorite was
Boomerang, a Seattle-based
kids show starring Marni Nixon
and a few puppets.

Posted by Jed @ 09/09/2002 04:12 PM PST

My favorite kid's show was Sesame Street. I feel so young.
I have not seen shows in their previews, but I did see a show in Cleveland at it's first reading. It had another reading, and then a production, and it got worse. Much worse. The book was completely rewritten, including a very changed plot. In the end it involved Albert Einstein trying to cause himself to be reincarnated so that he could solve the problems created by his invention of the atom bomb. And the lyrics were almost as horrific as the book. i.e:
"The clock must tick.
The rain must fall.
The world must spin
Like a big round ball."
I kid you not.
It was such a waste of talent. And it put the theatre into a financial hole that it is still struggling to exit.

Jason: Best of wishes to Mo. My hopes are with him and Alex, and of course you. I wish that I prayed, because then I could do that for you too.
I'm still incredibly jealous of you having seen Danny Gurwin's Henrik. Not to mention his performance in A Little Night Music at the Kennedy Center. ;) It's gratifying that his talent and his good looks are in proportion to everything else.
My, I am frisky today!

Posted by Hapgood @ 09/09/2002 04:12 PM PST

Jason:

Where did you here about the Gussie dying scene? I read a lot about the show over the years and that was one thing I never heard or read about. Had the oportunity to meet Lonny Price on a couple of occasion and we talked about Merrily and this never came up (or falling down in this case)

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 09/09/2002 06:25 PM PST

I should also mention that I saw One Two Three Four Five (as it was know back then) at the Manhatten Theater Club with our own Kimlet Stars: Davis Gaines & Tammy Minoff

The show was a workshop and not open to the press. It ran only six weeks. The audience was encouraged to leave feedback. I left many notes. I thought it had great promise.

Posted by Michael; Shayne @ 09/09/2002 06:38 PM PST

And of course, Bruce recorded "New Words" from One, Two, Three, Four, Five with, I think, Liz Callaway, on Unsung Musicals. And very well have recorded others in other discs. I think it (the show, not the song) had another title, anyone remember what?

Re: Merrily-I saw the excellent Shaw Festival production this summer (It plays through October 27! GO!) which uses the 1994 script. I just heard the original cast album for the first time, and based on that comparison I firmly believe that the 1994 version is the best that the show will get. (It will never be perfect.) It has the minimum of confusion in the script, and the minimum of idiotic lines. And I didn't like that graduation concept (in the original) at all. And I think that "Our Time" is a much stronger ending than "Hills of Tommorrow."

Posted by Hapgood @ 09/09/2002 07:10 PM PST

The board is really calm tonight. Where is everybody? We must have more posting. Michael, Jed and I are the only people to have posted in THREE HOURS! You must all get off of your collective butt cheeks and post, post!

Posted by Hapgood @ 09/09/2002 07:13 PM PST

Michael Shayne: I heard about the Gussie dying scene from Annie Morrison and David Shine, my two buddies from the original cast. Like I said, it was never staged, but George (Furth) had at least written one version with that "ending," even though it was at the beginning.

Posted by Jason @ 09/09/2002 07:18 PM PST

Still no one here? How odd.
Must all be off researching the
Unseemly Trivia before the
fast-approaching deadline, as
I just was!

Posted by Jed @ 09/09/2002 09:26 PM PST

Although I remember "Captain Kangaroo" and "Romper Room," My favorites were "Wallace and Ladmo" (a funny show woven around the typical cartoons of the 50's and 60's) and "Beany and Cecil."

I don't really get the chance to see previews and then the finished product. I guess the only chance of note was geeting to read the various versions of "Chorus Line" lent to me by one of the original cast who was aonderful friend to me and who is sadly no longer with us. There weretons of changes between the versions.
Got to go; my ice cream is melting.

Posted by Kerry @ 09/09/2002 09:42 PM PST

Show in previews: Passion. I saw it at it's first Wednesday matinee, it's originally scheduled opening night, two weeks after the Tonys, and on closing night - oh, and some other random night in there. Five times total.

The show changed a lot from the preview I saw. A lot of the changes were documented in various publications at the time. The original doctor was still in - Tom Aldredge came in later. *And I found out this summer that the original actor who played the doctor died aome time after being released from the production. -Is this hearsay?

The "I Love Fosca" aria was in - not as realized as it was in the London or the recent Kennedy Center productions. Some of Fosca's entrances were truly laugh inducing - I actually think she rode on with the train car pieces. And there were other blocking, script and musical changes during the preview period.

When I had come back to see it on "opening night", the show was as it is today. It was only the second night after all the changes were put on stage. It was amazing how much the show changed. There were no real major changes, just lots of little ones, but they truly changed the mood of the whole show.

*However, the things I truly remember from that first matinee preview were all the technical glitches. The upstage stair unit got stuck in the track, and a stagehand came out during the show and was trying to figure out what was wrong. This would have been an understandable, however, the stagehand was wearing jeans and a WHITE t-shirt - and, I'm sorry, but the scrim didn't exactly block him out. He also just kept ambling on stage, looking into the track, scratching his head, walking off, etc. I wanted to yell, "Somebody put a black t-shirt on him!!!!"

There were other things that happened: Donna Murphy's moles were falling off her face. One of the curtain pulls broke - you could even hear the pop - towards the end of the show, so there was this drape stage left for most of the last half. The rain effect was accomplished by a musician in the pit - Paul Ford, I think - holding a rain stick to a microphone... I even think I "caught" Donna Murphy trying to stifle a laugh during the bows. She was very smiley.

As much as I actually do like the show now, I was not feeling too good about it at all that day. I even remember saying to my college professor who had gone with me, "We better get to Triton and get the poster now - it's not going to make it." And I do have both Passion posters with the original doctor and Mr. Aldredge's name - sorry I can't remember that actor's name.

And I think that's the only show I've ever seen in previews - Oh, wait, I also saw big (a sentimental favorite of mine since Young Josh, Patrick Levis, was a student of mine), and the Nathan Lane Forum - actually, I think I saw them back to back during the same week.

Well, that's that for that..

As for TV shows:
I, too, was a PBS kid: "Mr. Rogers," "Electric Company," "Sesame Street," "Zoom," "Via Allegre"- even though I never understood any of the Spanish, "3-2-1 Contact", etc. And I also loved "Captain Kangaroo" and the "New Zoo Revue". And as I got "older", there was also the Croft Superstars - "Electra Woman and Dyna Girl" "Sigmund the Sea Monster,"" "Dr. Shrinker," Shazam!" - Boy, did I watch a lot of TV growing up. ;-) Oh, and "Kids Are People Too!" -had a crush on the host.

*And I also vaguely remember "Boomerang" from my years in Seattle.

Sorry so long...

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 09/09/2002 09:55 PM PST

At the end of the day, things are smoothed over -- hand-smoothed, but with some creases -- regarding that friend I mentioned earlier. I think it will be a friendly acquaintance relationship from here on out, though. I fear being turned on the way he turned on someone else. It was unpleasant and had elements of instability attached to it.

Francois, are you there? Are you reading or must you catch up later in the week? I received a package from you...and it looks fabulous. Thank you. Cannot wait to hear the music.

Tom from Oz -- thank you for your continued thoughts.

Everyone, thanks for being there and being civilized and for being genuinely nice people.

Bruce: My sparkling prize arrived today! I'm speechless. I'm dumbfounded in a good way! What a prize! A rarity! I'd never heard of it and it must be extremely rare! Thank you SO much. I look forward to getting into it because if it was important enough for you to produce, it has to have quality!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 09/09/2002 10:34 PM PST

If I may backtrack for a little bit...

I, too, am a big Danny Gurwin admirer. It was wonderful watching him in the rehearsal room during Night Music rehearsals. He has one of the best pouts in the business! Just makes you want to take him home, and... well... you can do what you wish with him. *He also had a nice "habit" of changing into his rehearsal clothes in the rehearsal room... Boy, I hope he's not reading this...

*And, actually, all the "Men of the Night" - made up a very attractive bunch - John Dossett, Doug Sills, and Erik Sorensen (Frid).

That's enough drooling for now...

Oh, I also want to mention one more thing... Speaking of Men...

I'm not sure how, when or where it will be auctioned, but the "Men of Passion at the Kennedy Center made their own calendar. It's wonderful! Great poses of the cast, director, conductor and crew guys - very funny, and tongue-in-cheek (pun intended). It will be auctioned off for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Again, I don't when it will happen - or if it's happened already, but if anyone is interested, just e-mail me, and I'll try my best to get the info for you.

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 09/09/2002 10:46 PM PST

Here I am, late again.

Just a couple of script changes I remember from previews (or possibly first few performances). In the London revised Follies, at the end of 'Don't Look At Me' when everyone was used to hearing " ...I'm so glad I came" - orchestral bit - pause - "What we need is a drink", they changed it in the original performances (and on the recording) to "...I'm so glad I came" - orchestral bit - pause - "Well I'll be damned". How disappointing is that??
When I went back later in the show "What we need is a drink" had been reinstated (Sadly, they hadn't reinstated the rest of the original show).
And in the original Les Miserables, when Marius first meets Cosette and asks her name, he sang: "Cosette, your name is like a song" and everyone fell about. It was later changed to the infinitely more prosaic "Cosette, I don't know what to say".

Jason, all best thoughts go to Mo and to you.

Posted by Allan @ 09/10/2002 12:52 AM PST

"I wanted them to use my own voice but back then I had a thick "foreign" accent and it was hard for people to understand me. My mother tongue was Harish."

Posted by Crusader Rabbit

Oh, I thought it was because of your hare lip.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 09/10/2002 06:59 AM PST