It seems that yesterday was the day in 1962 that No Strings opened. People have posted reminiscences, so here’s mine, even though I never saw that or any other production, which I regret because it must have been a very special moment in musical theater history.
One evening in 1963 (I was 14?) one of my parents’ friends from church came over to our house and asked if I could play through some songs with her and another friend so they could try out a few solos and duets. My one memory of that evening is her opening her brand new vocal score of No Strings to "The Sweetest Sounds" and setting it in front of me. It was all new to me, and I was transfixed. The song was simple and lovely, but what also blew me away was reading from a Broadway vocal score for the first time. Playing the authentic accompaniment to this gentle Richard Rodgers tune, and seeing all the other information the score provided, was a thrill. I began buying vocal scores shortly thereafter, and to this day, I look at my shelf and cherish seeing my own copy of No Strings, always remembering that night. And I still wish I could have seen a production.
