The Apple Doesn't Fall Very Far From Your Own Monday Headlines

 

Courtesy Broadway Box.

Today's Notable Opening Night is Feb. 9, 1984, when The Rink opened at what is now the Al Hirschfeld.

"It's great to have Chita Rivera and Liza Minnelli back on Broadway, even if it has to be in The Rink, a musical that clunks like roller skates with faulty ball bearings," Frederick M. Winship declared for United Press International (UPI).

Terrence McNally, who wrote the much-maligned book for John Kander & Fred Ebb's musical directed by A.J. Antoon, was able to poke fun at himself nearly two years later in It's Only a Play. A character notes that hits aren't guaranteed. "I loved The Rink." Closing after nearly six months, The Rink might have been able to make it to January 1985 had it not been for Liza leaving the production in mid-July. It wasn't out of sour grapes over losing the Tony to Chita. It was so she could go to The Betty Ford Center. Following Liza in the show was Stockard Channing, who wasn't enough of a draw.

The Rink is about an estranged mother and daughter reuniting. Anna (Chita) is selling the place at exactly the time that Angel (Liza) comes back as part of an effort to find herself.

Courtesy YouTube.

Anna and Angel argue, and argue, and argue some more, both in the past and present. Frank Rich, New York Times: "Nothing specific or compelling is at stake for the two women. Their only real conflict is a generalized, all-purpose logjam: they've never learned how to say 'I love you.'" Their lives have also been laden with miseries up to and including a bad marriage, getting gang raped, and losing a partner to drugs.

Courtesy YouTube.

Amid this multitude of tragedies, there's a couple fun songs. When Idina Menzel would appear on Glee, I figured she and Lea Michele would eventually sing "The Apple Doesn't Fall (Very Far From the Tree)."

Courtesy YouTube.

Chita got the raves. Rich: "Miss Rivera has been a powerhouse performer for roughly three decades, and it's a pleasure to see that power unleashed again, its force undiminished by time." Winship: "Her tough, wrinkly grin, explicity wiry body, sexy gams and punchy voice have never been better displayed." Liza got okay notices -- Winship: "When Miss Minnelli bets out a song it stays belted." -- but I'm suspect she didn't expect to win the Tony.

The Rink went one-for-five at the 1984 Tonys, scoring for Chita and being an also-ran for Liza, the score, the scenic design, and the choreography. Kander & Ebb lost to their contemporary, Jerry Herman for La Cage aux Folles. The Rink opened with a six-man ensemble, including a young Jason Alexander. The guys played roles including women. As both Rich and Winship noted, there didn't really seem to be much point in that other than following La Cage's lead.

Courtesy YouTube.

Other notable openings include:

Lulu Belle, which opened at the Belasco in 1926. Lenore Ulric, who performed in blackface, starred in this play about a prostitute and her white paramour. The show ran for more than a year and was adapted into a 1948 Dorothy Lamour film.

Rain or Shine, which opened at the now-demolished George M. Cohan's in 1928. Composers Milton Ager and Owen Murphy, lyricist Jack Yellen, and bookwriters James Gleason and Maurice Marks brought the circus to Broadway. Eh, I'll stick with Cy Coleman's Barnum, thank you.

Courtesy YouTube.

The Barretts of Wimpole Street, which opened at the now-demolished Empire (not to be confused with the AMC Empire 25 movie theater) in 1931. Katharine Cornell produced and starred as the future Elizabeth Barrett Browning, acting opposite Charles Waldron as Edward Moulton-Barrett and Brian Aherne as Robert Browning. Written by Rudolf Besier and previously a hit in London, The Barretts of Wimpole Street is perhaps best remembered its Oscar-nomined 1934 film adaptation. Norma Shearer and producer husband Irving Thalberg of MGM lost to the Columbia trio, Harry Cohn, Frank Capra, Claudette Colbert, and their film, It Happened One Night. Still, who doesn't love a Charles Laughton movie?

Courtesy YouTube.

Yes, My Darling Daughter, which opened at the now-demolished Playhouse in 1937 before closing on Jan. 22, 1938, at the now-demolished Vanderbilt. Mark Reed's comedy concerned a middle-aged mother (Lucile Watson) who once lived a liberated lifestyle in Greenwich Village, and the daughter (Peggy Conklin, then Halia Stoddard) who's following in her footsteps.

You won't have to wait long as time goes by -- my next Notable Opening Nights post is on Thursday.