PART ONE – 1940s
Richard Rodgers
Although not born into a theatrical family, Rodgers' earliest memories are of his parents singing the complete vocal scores from the latest musical comedies.
By age six, he had taught himself to play piano with both hands.
The Princess Theatre shows made a major impact on him-Kern's contribution cast a spell on the stage-struck youngster.
By age fourteen he produced two complete songs, and in high school he wrote the scores for two amateur shows.
He was introduced to Lorenz Hart through a mutual friend--their collaboration lasted from 1918 to 1943.
Oscar Hammerstein II
Born into a theatrical family of managers and producers-grand father opened an opera house; father ran a vaudeville theatre.
Began his career as a stage manager.
An encounter with Mae West--she told him "Get out of theatre. You've got too much class to hang around the stage."
Much of his success lies in operettas--for 25 years he put lyrics to music of such famous composers: Jerome Kern, Sigmund Romberg, Rudolf Friml, and George Gershwin.
By 1927, he had achieved a technical skill which allowed him to construct not only the lyrics, but the book as well--a practice he would continue.
After Showboat , between 1928-1940, he collaborated on 8 forgettable musical comedies
THE RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN CONNECTION
Rodgers and Hart were offered Lynn Rigg's play, Green Grows the Lilacs by Teresa Helburn of the Theatre Guild.
Rodgers was immediately taken; Hart thought is would be a dud.
Hammerstein was offered--he declined; he did not want to take Hart's place while there was the slightest spark of work left in him.
The project was eventually was thrown by Ira Gershwin (he was still mourning the loss of George, 1 937) who turned it down to contemplate movies.
Rodgers wanted Hamerstein:
1. This man wrote Showboat.
2. Hammerstein's worked closely aligned with Jerome Kern--a boyhood idol.
3. Hammerstein was a revolutionary librettist, as well as lyricist.
FATE intervened and brought together this revolutionary new team.
Why is R&H so important :
1. R&H supported the conviction that the song was the servant of the play.
Hammerstein said, "lt is wrong to write first what you think is an attractive song and then wedge it into a story."
Only three shows successfully pursued this prior to 1943
1. Showboat
2. Pal Joey
3. Of Thee I Sing
2. The shows of R&H are a product of sincerity.
They believed in what they wrote - Hammerstein particularly embraced life's simple truths and thought it was his duty as an artist to communicate this to an audience.
3. Artistic integrity allowed collaborations to focus on the "direct" and "honest,” rather than on "formula" and precedent.
Their work became the model of collaboration for the next generation of musical writers:
FIRST , "exterior" problems--initial planning would revolve the material, story line and probable placement of songs.
SECOND , the "interior" problems would be addressed
The mood of a song or scene; the attitude of a character etc...
Also involved would be:
1. Treatment of minor characters.
2. Nature of dialogue, comedy and romance.
3. An agreement on setting, atmosphere, possible actors and staging techniques.
THIRD , "creative" forces in full swing.
The men would work alone - the lyrics were written first, music followed.
Hammerstein would go through several stages of re-writes etc., and then shared his lyrics with Rodgers.
Rodgers was known for his ability to respond quickly. "Bali Hai" was written in five minutes over lunch. "Happy Talk" was written in bed by a sick Rodgers--Hammerstein allowed for the lyrics to be delivered and then waited ten minutes. He called and the song was finished.
The men also worked on an honest veto-basis. If Hammerstein submitted a questionable lyric, it was discarded--likewise with music.
This worked because each man has joint responsibility in planning the song which encases dramatic action.
THE R&H PRODUCTIONS
PART ONE: THE 1940'S
1943 Oklahoma!
Based on Lynn Rigg's play, Green Grow the Lilacs and presented by the Theatre Guild with Theresa Helburn.
Directed by Rouben Mamoulian (down 'n out since Porgy and Bess) and introduced choreographer Agnes de Mille, who was chosen primarily because of a recent ballet work "Rodeo."
The inclusion of a dream ballet placed a great deal of storytelling importance to dance.
Originally opened under the title Away We Go --but R&H thought that was too much like other musical comedies. They had thrown around the idea of Oklahoma, but they were leery of advertising the western feel. In the end the western feel was one of the show's charm and the exclamation point was added for theatrical excitement!
An arch rival of the show, a producer of a competing show, saw an out of town production and exclaimed "no girls, no gags, no chance.” How wrong was he?!
NOTE: hit musicals of the day ran a season--400 performances; with a national tour running approximately 1 1/2 years.
The show opened March 31,1943 and closed May 29, 1948. (2,212performances and five years and two months later.)
The national tour ran 101/2 years from 1943-1954.
Oklahoma! was not a sell-out--it was a turn away!
First original cast recording with full orchestra.
Hit songs include:
"Oh, What a Beautiful Morning"
“Surrey wth the Fringe on Top” (one of the earliest musical scenes)
"I Cain't Say No"
"People Will Say We're in Love"
"Oklahoma"
First musical to gain national merit of entire score
Oklahoma! solidified a new set of rules for Broadway musicals to come:
1. Don't start with a star, start with a story--the cast was relatively unknown.
2. Don't paste fun onto the show; find the fun within the action.
3. The songs and dances define characters or further the narrative.
The show featured Alfred Drake (as Curly; KISS ME KATE 1946) and Joan Roberts (Laurey, in her most noted role).
The 1955 film starred Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones
After the success of OKLAHOMA! The team split to pursue personal projects
1945 State Fair
Their only original film--it is considered by many as the "dud" of their 17 year career.
The revolves around a story set in rural lowa, it sounded perfectly suited for them.
One of the biggest challenges: NO STORY--too many ``performance" songs and numbers performed "on stage"; not enough of the R&H character song.
Nonetheless, the film was by no means a disgrace--it proved to be profitable.
In 1962, Fox produces a ``remake"; it is considered to be an even bigger flop
The sixties idea of an important musical is a "very long musical"-bloated the dialogue and added five new songs by Rodgers. (Hammerstein died in 1960, and he probably rolled over in his grave.)
Song: "It's a Grand Night For Singing"
1997 Chanhassen Dinner Theatre (Minneapolis) revamps a stage version based on the movie. Broadway producers actually checked out the show, to no avail.
1945 Carousel
This production was another Theatre Guild production. It was another piece of regional Americana. And it was again directed by Rouben Mamoulian and choreographed by Agnes de Mille.
Based on Ferenc Molnar's Liliom ; a fantasy about a "loser" whose defensive and restless personality destroys his marriage, his life and even a last attempt in his afterlife. In the novel, the setting is Budapest. R&H transported it to New England.
Carousel is much more of a musical play, than Oklahoma!
Musical play definition:
Musical elements blended with the passion of a ``sensible" operetta, combined with the delight of a "penetrating" musical comedy.
In comparison, Oklahoma! could be done by youngin's, however, Carousel needs "voices." It is R&H's musical with extra music--an opera with book scenes.
Carousel , as does most of R&H shows, emphasizes "simple" people. Hammerstein said, "You find people who are primitive in their education and they're more likely, I think, to say what they mean. They haven't got the subtle tools to cover up their meaning."
As with their other shows, R&H wrote the show first then cast it--which was a relatively new idea.
R&H, believing in casting unknown talent, religiously held ``Tuesday open-door auditions." One Tuesday in walked John Raitt who was cast as Curly in the touring company of Oklahoma! and who went on to star as Billy Bigelow in Carouse l.
R&H were tireless in the passion to revamp when necessary. Carousel needed a lot of work "out-of-town.” While in preview, Carousel underwent a major reworking of act two--including the big ballet sequence (which now had become a standard during this time, not only for R&H, but with all their imitators as well), which after careful fine-tuning, stopped the show.
One night in Boston the applause after the ballet was so intense that it took the actors four attempts to get the show started again. AND after the "star" of the ballet came on later, the crowd roared until she stepped out of character and took a bow.
Carousel opened in 1945 at the Majestic Theatre--directly across the street from the St. James Theatre, where Oklahoma! was still running.
Like Oklahoma!, the score for Carousel became popular as a whole, including such hits as:
"If I Loved You"
"Soliloquy"
"June is Bustin Out All Over"
"You'll Never Walk Alone"
What makes Carousel "great" is what it implanted for the musical play. It hallmarked the musical play as THE form that all major Broadway musical works inevitably take--that is, a one-of-a-kind story that sings deeply in character and that dances to express what words and music cannot, so that each show will be unlike all other shows.
Stephen Sondheim said, " Oklahoma! is about a picnic. Carousel is about life and death."
The 1956 film starred Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones (deja vue from OK!) - the film neglected to credit Agnes de Mille for her contribution of choreography (she did not choreograph the film); she went to court over this matter. Because of this incident, it marked the end of her relationship with R&H on every level.
1947 Allegro
The first time a choreographer, and more importantly Agnes de Mille, a woman, had been invited to direct.
Allegro was a commercial musical that set-out to be uncommerical from the onset.
The story told by Hammerstein seemed to denounce urban life--and appears to those closest to him, to be autobiographical.
R&H's first work to be entirely original in conception-not based on any previous material.
Conceived as a "seamless" evening of entertainment (no scene changes or delays); a bare stage, a little furniture, curtains and projections.
Although this sounds "simple," it was far from it. It ended up being one of the largest musicals: 18 principals, 22 dancers, 38 singers, 35 instrumentalists and 40 stage hands. (twice as many needed for a musical with conventional scenery.)
The cast included a "Greek chorus," that urged on the action and explained subtext.
Allegro is associated with legendary disasters.
All the following happened during one out-of-town performance:
A dancer is noticeably seen limping off stage after catching his leg in a groove cut out for scenery.
A tender scene between a husband and wife is played with the husband holding up a wall piece, even during his big solo.
Smoke began to seep into the theatre from a fire in the alley .
A leading lady got caught in another groove while singing, and tumbled into the woodwind section.
It opened on Broadway with mixed reviews-from rave to pan; however, de Mille received her due praise for stunning, satirical and evocative choreography.
Nonetheless, a few “theatre people” blame de Mille for the failure; and swore it would have been different with a different director.
Allegro is flawed:
1. Technically, the show was conceived beyond means.
2. The score is disjointed and lacks any true genius.
3. Allegro is about an idea, not a character-which challenged the public and is generally thought as the antithesis of the R&H-style show.
Carousel was serious, but Allegro is serious, grave and absorbed.
Ironically, here is one of the show's first lines: "Maybe going forward is easier than standing still."
There is currently a revised production of Allegro set to open at Signature Theatre in Washington, DC next year.
1949 South Pacific
Yet another serious subject, war.
Based on James Michener's cycle tales, Tales of the South Pacific .
Originally "Fo' Dolia," the Cable/Liat story, was to be the focus, however, R&H thought it was too close to Madame Butterfly .
In the end, they incorporated three individual stories:
1. Our Heroine (Nellie & Emille for the main story line)
2. Fo' Dolla (Cable & Liat for the subplot)
3. A Boar's Tooth (Luther Billis for comedy)
South Pacific varied the usual "deep" couple balanced by the "prankish" second couple--both couples are "deep."
Because of these serious love stories, this was the first R&H show not to feature a great deal of choreography.
Joshua Logan, the director ended up as choreographer; hence, the movements were designed to look like improptu movements and amateur performances.
Once again, R&H dropped their "successful formula."
Unlike Carousel , South Pacific had very little fine-tuning needed during the out-of-town try out.
When South Pacific opened on Broadway, it played against both Oklahoma! and Carousel .
The first R&H show to star "big" names; Mary Martin as Nellie-musical comedy and superstar Ezio Penza as Emile-opera big-hitter.
South Pacific solidified the "seamless" staging first seen in Allegro . The scenes "dissolved" into each other. This was the first time it was done successfully with a representational set.
The first scene was the most shocking to the audience-Emile and his children are exiting upstage, when from the wings, a boisteruous group of soldiers are appearing. This style of multi-focus staging was definitely "new."
What distinguishes South Pacific , is that it is truly a musical play that acts like a musical comedy
It is the R&H style of great composition:
1. Unique characters fully brought forth.
2. A compelling story set against a colorful background.
3. One of the most popular scores ever written.
Songs include:
"A Cockeyed Optimist"
"Some Enchanted Evening"
"There is Nothing Like a Dame"
"I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair"
"Younger Than Springtime"
"This Nearly Was Mine"
It is the most award-winning show of R&H, including the Pulitzer prize-only the second musical in history to win this award.
South Pacific was a smash in London (as was Oklahoma! and Carousel ), so much so, that one London headline read, 'Why do all good musicals have to be American?"
During the run in London, Mary Martin came out of the theatre to find scores of people standing in the rain for a chance to see the show--they begged her for a song, the now drenched star obliged by singing "I'm Gonna Wash That Man..."-ahh...how sweet.
The 1958 film version starring Rossano Brazzi as Emile, and Mitzi Gaynor as Nellie.
RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN
PART II – THE 1950S
1951 The King & I
Gertrude Lawrence (the first British actress to originate a role on Broadway before repeating it in London; Gershwins' Oh, Kay! 1926) approached R&H about doing her next show.
Remember R&H don't do star vehicle shows. They were a little vexed by the proposition; but were intrigued with her subject-- Margaret Landon's 1944 bestseller, Anna and the King of Siam . 1946 hit film with Rex Harrison and Irene Dunn with a script by Sally Benson & Talbot Jennings.
The story revolves around a Western woman battling for democratic fairness (and feminism) in the patriarchal, totalitarian East.
In actuality, R&H based their work much more on the movie than the book. The book was more a chronicle with very little plot--the movie really established a ficticious relationship between Anna and the King
This show brought the importance of dance back to R&H (they had just finished South Pacific without the need of a choreographer), with the famous stylized ballet "The Small House of Uncle Thomas" choreographed by Jerome Robbins.
The show is once again a R&H character driven show, which yields some first rate acting opportunities AND ironically the show that began as a vehicle for Lawrence, eventually became a vehicle for the King, Yul Brynner.
Brynner was not their first choice for King. It had been offered to: Rex Harrison (who will wait until My Fair Lady to become musical star) Alfred Drake (Broadway Curly--Movie Billy Bigelow) and Noel Coward. (the English phenom who wrote Hay Fever & Blithe Spirit --also is one of the few personages that had written the book, music and Iyrics--Cohan and Frank Loesser.)
It was Mary Martin (Nellie in South Pacific ) who recommended Brynner to R&H.
Brynner came to auditions dressed casually with a guitar. He sat down crossed legged, plunked a whacking chord and began howling in a strange language--R&H just looked at each other and nodded.
There was a lot of trouble with the director, John van Druten. In actuality, Brynner, Hammerstein and Robbins did most of the staging.
In true R&H fashion, a lot of out-of-town fine tuning happened--most dramatically, two major songs were dropped to "lighten" the show; ultimately a new song was added "Getting to Know You." (based on a melody discarded from South Pacific .)
It opened at the St. James Theatre, March 29, 1951; ran 1,246 performances.
Songs:
"Getting to Know You" "
"We Kiss in a Shadow"
"I Have Dreamed"
"Shall We Dance"
The 1956 film starred Brynner and Deborah Kerr; Brynner won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in the film--very unusual for an actor in a musical.
Ironically, both Brynner and Lawrence died during runs of the show. Lawrence succumed to cancer 17 months into the original run; and Brynner died of cancer during his last tour of K&I in1984. Brynner performed the role 4,625 times.
1953 Me and Juliet
Rodgers' baby-- an all out "musical comedy." Hammerstein was not interested, but after Allegro he owed him one.
The show revolved around the back stage business of actors; complete with a "show within a show."
The second and final original libretto by Hammerstein.
It was truly a contemporary musical comedy--harkening back to the times of Rodgers and Hart; urban feel with saucy, syncopated music of the times. This was truly not Rodgers and Hammerstein--a timely, not timeless, show.
The two biggest things that plagued the show: music and lyrics
Rodgers is at less than his best; Hammerstein is clearly out of his element. Remember this man changed the way in which book musicals were written and developed.
It was the biggest R&H show:
85 tons of scenery and the most complicated set of lighting cues to date; one scene saw the entire stage, proscenium and all, move stage left to reveal the wings.
It opened May 28, 1953 at the Majestic Theatre and ran for 358 performances.
No real memorable tunes or characters.
Hammerstein said "it was our first play in which nobody dies."
Robert Coleman, Daily Mirror, `'Having set new high standard for musicals throughout the world, R&H dipped into the lower drawer of their desk for Me and Juliet .
1955 Pipe Dream
Based on the 1954 John Steinback novel, ( Of Mice and Men , The Grapes of Wrath ) Sweet Thursday .
R&H failed to capture the disorderly conduct of Steinback's characters--an ambivalent down 'n out man and a prostitute.
Much of the show was tamed after tryout audiences reacted uneasily at having to go slumming at a R&H show. Needless to say, the show was not well received.
Ironically Pipe Dream had the biggest ticket advance to date--over 1 million dollars; but few tickets sold after the disappointing reviews.
The show opened November 30, 1955 and ran for 246 performances.
John McClain, Journal-American, "they must be human, after all."
1957 Cinderella
Their first and only creation for television.
According to CBS, 107 million people saw the show on March 31, 1957 (the 14th anniversary of Oklahoma!)
107 million = A sold out Broadway run of 214 years.
It was revived by Rodgers in 1965, again by CBS, with an entirely new script.
Recently presented by ABC starring Whitney Houston and Jason Alexander in yet another adaptation of the script.
Originally starred Julie Andrews as Cinderella.
Songs:
"The Prince is Giving a Ball"
"Ten Minutes Ago"
“The Stepsister's Lament”
"In My Own Little Corner"
1958 Flower Drum Song
This show is considered one of their finest musical comedies.
Based on the novel by C.Y. Lee.
It was brought to R&H by Joseph Fields. (son of Lew Fields of Weber and Fields.)
Introduced Carol Haney as choreographer and Gene Kelly as director--his first and only time in this role.
The story revolves lightheartedly around the conflict between San Francisco's traditionalist older Chinese-Americans and their Americanized children who are anxious to break away.
Casting was hell--the Oriental talent pool was almost non-existent.
Choreography was being revitalized on Broadway--choreographers like Robbins, Kidd and Champion were working against the "old school" of dance. This was one of the last musicals to feature dance introduced and popularized by Oklahoma !--primarily the big ballet. One big reason was the cost of having both a dancing and singing chorus--the importance of cross discipline was becoming a reality.
The score is full of "songs"; no musical scenes or big surprises. Including:
"I Enjoy Being a Girl"
"Love, Look Away"
The show opened December 1, 1958 and ran 600 performances--and a national tour for a year and a half; then it disappeared, until a 2002 production brought it back to Broadway. The book was reworked by David Henry Hwang ( The Dance and the Railroad , M. Butterfly (1988 Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, John Gassner Awards; Pulitzer Prize finalist), and Golden Child (1997 OBIE Award, 1998 Tony nomination).
In 1961 a film version was completed.
1959 The Sound of Music
The sole R&H show that Hammerstein did not collaborate on the book.
The book was written by Howard Lindsey and Russell Crouse, who were script writers for the German film based on Maria van Trapp's autobiography.
The story revolves around the life of Maria van Trapp, the Austrian woman, who left the convent, married a baron widower, became a mother to his children and escaped with them when Germany invaded Austria
Although it was not written by Hammerstein, it clearly reads like a R&H show; full of Hammerstein's views of human relations.
The Broadway version starred Mary Martin.
There are no musical scenes or shocking outbursts.
The score, once again, becomes familiar as a whole (OK, SP) including the famous songs:
"The Sound of Music"
"My Favorite Things"
"Do-Re-Mi"
"Climb Ev'ry Mountain"
"Edelweiss"
Ran for 1,443 performances. Oscar Hammerstein died nine months after opening.
Mary Martin won the Tony over Ethel Merman as Mama Rose.
The stage version was successful, but the movie was a phenom.
The 1965 movie version starred Julie Andrews.
On a sheer head count of paid admissions it ranks with Gone With the Wind , as one of the most popular movies ever made.
In Moorhead, Minnesota, the local theatre ran it continuously for 49 straight weeks. The local college students picketed the theatre and demanded a change of bill.
Why do the works of R&H survive?
Great songs
Unusual subjects
Strong acting parts
They never relied upon formula-their shows (like other pillars of theatre) are unique and different:
OKLAHOMA!
STATE FAIR
CAROUSEL
ALLEG RO
SOUTH PACIFIC
THE KING AND I
ME AND JULIET
PIPE DREAM
CINDERELLA
FLOWER DRUM SONG
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Here is an anecdote from THE SOUND OF MUSIC :
Mary Martin's husband, during a production meeting for THE SOUND OF MUSIC , suggested that as Maria climbs out of the tree in the opening scene, that her bloomers will catch on a branch as she climbs down. R&H tell him that underpants humor has nothing to do with the story or her character. He stalks out of the room and says, "You know what wrong with you guys? All you care about is the show!"
Yes, they did. And American Musical Theatre is better for their thoughtful and caring ways.