Courtesy Al Hirschfeld Foundation.
Still playing catchup with the Notable Opening Nights. We're two weeks past the 44th anniversary of Pippin, a show that I've grown extra-fond of in recent years.
Notable Oct. 23 debuts include:
Mrs. Warren's Profession, which opened in 1905 at the now-demolished Garrick Theatre. The American premiere of George Bernard Shaw's play was halted when the cast and crew were arrested for obscenity. Mrs. Warren's Profession is about a young woman (Chrystal Herne, who was also playing the title role in Shaw's Candida), who discovers that her mother (Mary Shaw, who starred in the show three more times over the next 17 years) worked her way up from prostitution to being a madam. Mrs. Warren's Profession has been revived twice on Broadway without Mary Shaw: in 1976, starring Ruth Gordon & Lynn Redgrave, and 2010, starring Cherry Jones & Sally Hawkins.
The Squaw Man, which also opened in 1905, this time at the now-demolished Wallack's Theatre. Edwin Milton Royle's play concerns an English nobleman (William Faversham) who acts as the scapegoat to uphold his family's honor, settles in Old West-era Montana, has a child and marriage with the daughter (Mabel Morrison) of an Ute chief (Theodore Roberts), reunites with his true love (Selene Johnson), and loses his wife to suicide. The Squaw Man ran a season, was revived four times after, and hasn't been seen on Broadway since 1922.
Come Out of the Kitchen, which opened at the now-demolished George M. Cohan's Theatre in 1916. A.E. Thomas' play was an adaptation of Alice Duer Miller's romantic comedy novel. Prominent Southerners who've fallen on hard times pose as the servants when their home is rented out to a Northerner. The leader of this scheme, a daughter (Ruth Chatterton), falls for the renter (Bruce McRae).
The Passing Show of 1919, which opened at the Winter Garden Theatre in 1919. It was the eighth of 12 Passing Shows which opened between 1912-1924.
The Fool, which opened at the existing but vacant Times Square Theatre in 1922. Channing Pollock's play was about a rector who alienates wealthy churchgoers by advocating for their getting rid of worldly goods. You know, this one might also be worth a read, if not a Broadway revival.
The Music Box Revue, which opened in 1922 at the Music Box Theatre. The second of four Music Box Revues opening between 1921-1924, this also featured a book, music, and lyrics by Irving Berlin. It also featured the Broadway debut of William Gaxton, who went on to the original casts of Of Thee I Sing and Anything Goes.
The Swan, which opened in 1923 at what is now the James Earl Jones Theatre. Eva Le Gallienne and Basil Rathbone starred in the American premiere of Ferenc Molnár's Hungarian comedy. It's about a princess who's pressured into marrying for the good of her family and their status rather than out of love. The Swan is perhaps best remembered for the 1956 Grace Kelly-Alec Guinness-Louis Jourdan film.
Courtesy YouTube.
Courtesy YouTube.
Her Master's Voice, which opened in 1933 at what is now the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. Once again, we've got love in a domestic setting, as written by Clare Kummer. "A wealthy woman moves her niece to her estate and away from her niece's jobless husband, who the aunt believes is a worthless bum. Through a misunderstanding, the husband is hired to work at the estate and complications ensue."
Make a Million, which opened in 1958 at the now-demolished Playhouse Theatre before closing in the summer of 1959 at the now-demolished Morosco Theatre. Sam Levene starred in Norman Barasch & Carroll Moore's comedy about a TV quiz show producer who works overtime to ensure love -- and wealth.
Barefoot in the Park, which opened in 1963 at what is now the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Neil Simon's longest-running Broadway show (1,530 performances until June 1967; it had a short-lived 2006 revival, too) is a comedy that marked Mike Nichols' directing debut. Elizabeth Ashley & Robert Redford starred in this look at the early days of a married couple who are naturally going to live happily ever after. Mike won a Tony, while Neil, Elizabeth, and producer Saint Subber were nominated and Robert was snubbed. On the other hand, Robert also had the luck of having his performance captured in a well-remembered movie.
Henry, Sweet Henry, which opened in 1967 at the Palace Theatre. This musical adaptation of The World of Henry Orient wasn't a long-runner, but it had Michael Bennett choreography and a heckuva performance by Alice Playten. As the story goes, Alice bought her own ticket to the 1968 Tony Awards. She was seated in the balcony, but vowed to scream and run like hell downstairs on the off chance that she'd win. Chorus members in this Ed Sullivan Show performance include Ilene Kristen, Baayork Lee, Priscilla Lopez, and Pia Zadora.
And here's the pop version of that song.
Courtesy YouTube.
Pippin, which opened in 1972 at the Imperial Theatre.
"How do you feel?"
"Trapped ... which isn't too bad for the end of a musical comedy."
Tintypes, which opened in 1980 at the John Golden Theatre. Another short-lived production that scored a featured actress Tony nomination for a talented lady, in this case Lynne Thigpen.
Courtesy YouTube.
Triumph of Love, which opened in 1997 at what is now the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. One last short-lived musical that nevertheless included a Tony-nominated female. In this case, it was Betty Buckley.
Courtesy YouTube.
Disgraced, which opened in 2014 at the Lyceum Theatre. Ayad Akhtar's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "includes an ex-Muslim, an African American, a Jew and a WASP discussing the topic of religious faith."
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