Story of Lucy and Jessie (Lucy being Phyllis and Jessie being [56], The Dublin Concert was held in May 1996 at the National Concert Hall. The musical numbers "Ah, but Underneath" (replacing "The Story of Lucy and Jessie"), "Country House", "Make the Most of Your Music" (replacing "Live, Laugh, Love"), "Social Dancing" and a new version of "Loveland" have been incorporated into various productions. is a 1917 American silent comedy film directed by Clarence G. Badger and starring Gloria Swanson. YOUNG SALLY - A Follies chorine, 20 years old in 1940, and caught He tells Sally that he's done, but she is lost in a fantasy world and tells him that Ben has asked her to marry him. serenades those Beautiful Girls, the now-elderly ing6nues They all shout hysterically at each other, screaming out all Produced at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London, Oh, you do? out his wife's name and we return sharply to reality. Suddenly, at the peak of madness and confusion, the couples are engulfed by their follies, which transform the rundown theater into a fantastical "Loveland", an extravaganza even more grand and opulent than the gaudiest Weismann confection: "the place where lovers are always young and beautiful, and everyone lives only for love". Bernadette Peters, who's stopped more shows on Broadway than the stagehands union, joins us in our studios. The plot takes place in a crumbling Broadway theater, now scheduled for demolition, previously home to a musical revue (based on the Ziegfeld Follies). Broadway impresario Dimitri Weismann arranges a reunion of the actors, singers, dancers, and personalities who peopled his famous Follies in the years between the World Wars . 'A truly fantastic evening,' The Financial Times concluded, while the London Daily News stated 'The musical is inspired,' and The Times described the evening as 'a wonderful idea for a show which has failed to grow into a story. [38] The production was the premiere attraction at the newly constructed 1,800-seat theater, which, coincidentally, was itself razed thirty years later (in 2002, in order to build a new office building), thus mirroring the Follies plot line upon which the musical is based. Ms. PETERS: But he is like an actor, but with notes and words. an eerie operetta waltz, all dreams are a sweet mistake and eventually As more guests arrive, Sally's husband, Buddy, enters. Young Daisy Eagan sings "Broadway Baby" from Sondheim's "Follies."This video is an excerpt from the highly recommended 1992 concert DVD "Sondheim: A Celebrat. Ben yells at his younger self for not appreciating all the work that Phyllis did. you can't turn the clock back: as Heidi Schiller reminds us in "[88] The production's run was extended, and its grosses exceeded expectations, but it did not recoup its investment. Cast. Only Carlotta seems Songs cut before the Broadway premiere include "All Things Bright and Beautiful" (used in the prologue), "Can That Boy Foxtrot! The evening follows a reunion of the Weismann Girls who performed during the interwar period. Goldman's revised book offered some small improvements over the original. "[21], According to Sondheim, producer Cameron Mackintosh asked for changes for the 1987 London production. of the derelict theatre Loveland rises - the apotheosis of a Weismann Once the party gets under way it isn't long before the regulars The theatermania.com reviewer wrote that "The result is an album that, more so than any of the other existing recordings, allows listeners to re-experience the heartbreaking collision of past and present that's at the core of the piece. It was directed by Prince and starred Dorothy Collins (Sally; replaced by Janet Blair), Alexis Smith (Phyllis), John McMartin (Ben; replaced by Edward Winter), Gene Nelson (Buddy), and Yvonne De Carlo (Carlotta) reprising their original roles. [91] Out of seven Tony Award nominations, including Best Revival of a Musical, it won only one, for Barnes' costumes. [55], Julianne Boyd directed a fully staged version of Follies in 2005 by the Barrington Stage Company (Massachusetts) in JuneJuly 2005. Other cast replacements included Millicent Martin as Phyllis. Ms. PETERS: Oh, you know, what's great about it is that there's no comparison. HATTIE WALKER - After all these years, still a Broadway Baby. I want you so. Afterwards, though, Buddy's The-God-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me-Blues begin Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. [75][76] Donna McKechnie enjoyed top billing as Carlotta. "When Follies opened in London it had an entirely different, and significantly more optimistic, tone. It starred Toni Lamond (Sally),[60] Jill Perryman(Carlotta), Judi Connelli (Phyllis), Terence Donovan (Ben), Nancye Hayes (Hattie), Glenn Butcher (Buddy), Ron Haddrick (Dimitri), Susan Johnston (Heidi),[61] and Leonie Page, Maree Johnson, Mitchell Butel, Maureen Howard. [43], The book "was extensively reworked by James Goldman, with Sondheim's cooperation and also given an intermission." The musical was written in one act, and the original director, Prince, did not want an intermission, while the co-director, Bennett, wanted two acts. their dressing rooms - but for Ben these memories awake old regrets Sign up today to unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. The director and choreographer was Casey Nicholaw. Clines, Francis X. by Stephen Elsewhere, Willy Wheeler (portly, in his sixties) cartwheels for a photographer. mimic their movements. Whose Baby? Were Still Here! ROSCOE - The Follies' famous tenor whose golden tones saluted Kinky Boots (Original 2013 Broadway Cast) Cyndi Lauper, Billy Porter & Stark Sands. Ms. PETERS: He does that with notes and music. "[33], Among the reasons the concert was staged was to provide an opportunity to record the entire score. [92], The 2011 Broadway and Kennedy Center production transferred to the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, California, in a limited engagement, from May 3, 2012, through June 9. the giddy hopefuls of 1940. The net result was four new songs For reasons which I've forgotten, I rewrote "Loveland" for the London production. The production starred Bob Gunton (Ben), Warren Berlinger (Dimitri Weismann), Patty Duke (Phyllis), Vikki Carr (Sally), Harry Groener (Buddy), Carole Cook (Hattie), Carol Lawrence (Vanessa), Ken Page (Roscoe), Liz Torres (Stella), Amanda McBroom (Solange), Grover Dale (Vincent), Donna McKechnie (Carlotta), Carole Swarbrick (Christine), Stella Stevens (Dee Dee), Mary Jo Catlett (Emily), Justine Johnston (Heidi), Jean Louisa Kelly (Young Sally), Austin Miller (Young Buddy), Tia Riebling (Young Phyllis), Kevin Earley (Young Ben), Abby Feldman (Young Stella), Barbara Chiofalo (Young Heidi), Trevor Brackney (Young Vincent), Melissa Driscoll (Young Vanessa), Stephen Reed (Kevin), and Billy Barnes (Theodore). The Sydney Symphony was conducted by Maestro Tommy Tycho. That, long as you ignore me, you're the only thing that matters, feeling. "[65], Theater writer and historian John Kenrick wrote "the bad news is that this Follies is a dramatic and conceptual failure. Tickets always were tough to come by. "[122] The exceptions are the title song, from Follies, which she sang memorably at the 1984 Tony Awards show, and "Bobo's" from The Act. Sondheim's songs aren't parodies or deconstructions; they are evocations that recognize the power of a love song. And as years went on and I got out of that bad habit, my real voice revealed itself. Whitman recall their sweetly naive duct, Rain on the Roof: For the 1985 concert, no one was going. Several show-stopping routines are provided by choreographer Warren Carlyle." For Sally and Buddy, Phyllis and Ben, To extend the show, it would have been necessary to negotiate new contracts with the entire company because of the Belasco's limited seating, it wasn't deemed financially feasible to do so. BENJAMIN STONE - A big man on Wall Street, with a chic Manhattan wife, Sondheim "did not think the London script was as good as the original." Sondheim. A celebrated New York event since 2010 (Its a Hit! The production was directed by Eric Schaeffer, with choreography by Warren Carlyle, costumes by Gregg Barnes, set by Derek McLane and lighting by Natasha Katz. [73] Tom Bosley originally was cast as Dimitri Weismann. [54] This production received a full-length recording on two CDs, including not only the entire score as originally written but a lengthy appendix of songs cut from the original production in tryouts. He feigns a lack of interest; there is an underlying tension in their relationship. The plot takes place in a crumbling Broadway theater, now scheduled for demolition, previously home to a musical revue (based on the Ziegfeld Follies ). The Company of our. In 1971, on the soon-to-be-demolished stage of the Weismann Theatre, a reunion is being held to honor the Weismann's Follies shows past and the beautiful chorus girls who performed there every year between the two world wars. Dolores Gray was praised as Carlotta, continuing to perform after breaking her ankle, although in a reduced version of the part. [62][63] It followed a similar presentation at the 1995 Melbourne Festival of Arts with a different cast and orchestra. [5] Sally, Phyllis, Ben, and Buddy show their "real and emotional lives" in "a sort of group nervous breakdown".[6]. The production was directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman, set design by Ray Klausen, lighting design by Tom Ruzika, costumes by Randy Gardell, sound design by Philip G. Allen, choreography by Kay Cole, musical director Gerald Sternbach.[71]. YOUNG BEN - Ben thirty years earlier, in 1940, when he was dating The former radio star Ethel Shutta was 74 when she originated the role and debuted its great song "Broadway Baby"; her own Broadway debut was in 1922. Former Weismann performers at the reunion include Max and Stella Deems, who lost their radio jobs and became store owners in Miami; Solange La Fitte, a coquette, who is vibrant and flirtatious even at 66; Hattie Walker, who has outlived five younger husbands; Vincent and Vanessa, former dancers who now own an Arthur Murray franchise; Heidi Schiller, for whom Franz Lehr once wrote a waltz ("or was it Oscar Straus?" that he no longer loves her, that for him "all of it was over [125][126], In January 2015, it was reported that Rob Marshall signed on to direct, with Meryl Streep rumored to star. who would finally feel just fine." Ben pledging their love. The majority of the Broadway cast reprised their roles, with the exception of Bernadette Peters, who had prior concert commitments and was replaced by Victoria Clark in the role of Sally, a role she has previously played in New York. "You're Gonna Love Tomorrow" / "Love Will See Us Through" - Young Ben, Young Sally, Young Phyllis and Young Buddy. Variety gave a very favorable review to the "lavish and entirely satisfying production", saying that Schaeffer directs "in methodical fashion, building progressively to a crescendo exactly as Sondheim does with so many of his stirring melodies. Sally is awed by Ben's apparently glamorous life, but Ben wonders if he made the right choices and considers how things might have been ("The Road You Didn't Take"). "), as they are mirrored by their younger selves. SOLANGE LAFITTE - A Broadway Parisienne. Amidst a deafening discord, Ben screams at all the figures from his past and collapses as he cries out for Phyllis. The show and the score have a double vision: simultaneously squinting at the messes people make of their lives and wide-eyed at the lingering grace and lift of the music they want to hear. He creates what's necessary for the piece. Chapin relates that "there was one song that Dick Jones [producer of the cast album] didn't want to include on the album but which Steve Sondheim most definitely did. In the foreword to "Everything Was Possible", Frank Rich wrote: "From the start, critics have been divided about Follies, passionately pro or con but rarely on the fence Is it really a great musical, or merely the greatest of all cult musicals?" [85] The four principal performers reprised their roles, as well as Paige as Carlotta. Some productions substitute "Ah, but Underneath" when the actress portraying Phyllis is not primarily a dancer. [128], In November 2019, it was announced that Dominic Cooke will adapt the screenplay as well as direct, following the successful 2017 National Theatre revival in London, which returned in 2019 due to popular demand.[129]. kiss me, " Sally tells him, I think I'm going to die.". [77], New York City Center's Encores! Buddy warns Phyllis that Sally is still in love with Ben, and she is shaken by how the past threatens to repeat itself. She then tells Ben that their marriage can't continue the way it has been. [70], Follies was part of L.A.'s Reprise series, and it was housed at the Wadsworth Theatre, presented as a staged concert, running from June 15 to 23, 2002. Mr. DANNY BURSTEIN (Actor, singer): (as Buddy) (Singing) I've got those, God why don't you love me? Like an actor turns himself into another character. And then the rest of the cast is fantastic, Jan Maxwell and Ron Raines and Danny Burstein. [82] Also featured were Rosalind Elias as Heidi, Rgine as Solange, Susan Watson as Emily, and Terri White as Stella. "[45] In The New York Times, the critic Francis X. Clines wrote: "The initial critics' reviews ranged from unqualified raves to some doubts whether the reworked book of James Goldman is up to the inventiveness of Sondheim's songs. Songs. to read expert guidance for Broadway Baby and unlock other amazing theatre resources! "[14] "Follies contains two scores: the Follies pastiche numbers and the book numbers. SIMON: Is there a role you wish you could do over or do again? "[120], There have been six recordings of Follies released: the original 1971 Broadway cast album; Follies in Concert, Avery Fisher Hall (1985); the original London production (1987); the Paper Mill Playhouse (1998); the 2011 Broadway revival; and the 2017 London revival. It also highlights that the Follies were such an incredible mix of high art and low art. James Goldman On the drab stage FIRST NIGHT ENCORE CD3 - London Cast. He is a salesman, in his early 50s, appealing and lively,[4] whose smiles cover inner disappointment. Oh. "[117] Ben Brantley, reviewing the 1998 Paper Mill Playhouse production in The New York Times, concluded that it was a "fine, heartfelt production, which confirms Follies as a landmark musical and a work of art". Sally and her younger self enter and Ben firmly tells Sally that he never loved her. Phyllis Rogers Stone, a stylish and elegant woman,[4] arrives with her husband Ben, a renowned philanthropist and politician. In 2001, a physically scaled-back but starry-cast production was mounted by the Roundabout Theatre Company. If you don't New York, NY, Accessibility Statement Terms Privacy |StageAgent 2020. Sally appears next, dressed as a torch singer, singing of her passion for Ben from the past - and her obsession with him now ("Losing My Mind"). The supporting role of Carlotta was created by Yvonne De Carlo and usually is given to a well-known veteran performer who can belt out a song. For Buddy, life is all about findingThe Right The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. and soon Sally and Buddy, together with their younger selves, join Sondheim, too, has added and removed songs that he judged to be problematic in various productions. Buddy tells her she must be either crazy or drunk, but he's already supported Sally through rehab clinics and mental hospitals and cannot take any more. Sally), telling us that if only juicy but drab Lucy and dressy CARLOTTA CAMPION - A resilient motion picture star, once a vamp, then Sally thinks this is a sign that the two will finally get married, and Ben is about to protest until Sally interrupts him with a kiss and runs off to gather her things, thinking that the two will leave together. "[123] The recording of the 2011 revival was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Musical Theater Album category. Stephen Sondheim, Hattie Walker is a retired star of the Weismann Follies, an iconic. Before she has a chance to really let loose, they are both called on to participate in another performance Stella Deems gets Sally, Phyllis, Emily, Hattie, and some others to perform an old number ("Who's That Woman? According to the Associated Press (AP) reviewer, "A revised version of the Broadway hit Follies received a standing ovation from its opening-night audience and raves from British critics, who stated the show was worth a 16-year wait." The AP quoted Michael Coveney of the Financial Times, who wrote: "Follies is a great deal more than a camp love-in for old burlesque buffs and Sondheim aficionados. Follies was performed in concert at the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra[59] in February 1998 as the highlight of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and had three performances. Inspired by a New York Times article about a gathering of former Ziegfeld Girls, they decided upon a story about ex-showgirls. Leading Lady / Broadway Baby / Another Openin' Another Show: Jill Perryman: 1975: Medley: Broadway Baby: Bernadette Peters: 1981: Broadway Baby: Dorothy Loudon: 1986: Broadway Baby: Daisy Eagan: February 23, 1993: Washington, DC, Auditons for AMDA (Washington) Ms. PETERS: (as Sally Durant Plummer) (Singing) If I stick it long enough, I can get to strut my stuff. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Di Botcher sits at her former dressing room table and sings Broadway Baby. between Buddy and his pal, Ben. "Who's That Woman?" - Stella and Company. THEODORE WHITMAN - Emily's husband. ", "Who Could Be Blue? Ben, caught in the passion of memories, kisses Sally as Buddy watches from the shadows. Ms. PETERS: I don't know. times, she's grateful just to have got through it, and confidently [47] Clines further commented: "In part, the show is a tribute to musical stage history, in which the 57-year-old Mr Sondheim is steeped, for he first learned song writing at the knee of Oscar Hammerstein II and became the acknowledged master songwriter who bridged past musical stage romance into the modern musical era of irony and neurosis. to Ben as they meet for the first time in years. Phyllis Newman and Liliane Montevecchi reprised the roles they played in the Lincoln Center production. At its very start, ghosts of Follies showgirls stalk the stage, mythic giants in winged, feathered, black and white opulence. [23] The 1987 West End, 2005 Barrington Stage Company,[24] the 2001 Broadway revival[25] and Kennedy Center 2011 productions were performed in two acts. The Who. A London revival was performed in the Olivier Theatre at the National Theatre (August 22 until November 4, 2017 - later extended to January 3, 2018, as extensions are common practice at the National Theatre). The Company of our celebrated, long-running series, #SondheimUnplugged, is thrilled to be Back in Business for season thirteen of our award-winning program at #54below. At the height of the confrontation the orchestra suddenly swells Radiantly optimistic and more than a little sexy, they turned "You're Gonna Love Tomorrow" into one of the highlights of the evening. Ms. PETERS: As a little girl, yeah. [64] It was significantly stripped down (earlier productions had featured extravagant sets and costumes) and was not a success critically. Even the songs we love are dangerous. [121] The original cast album has always been controversial, because significant portions of the score were cut to fit onto one LP. enchanted citadel where the two couples can re-visit their individual to read expert guidance for Broadway Baby and unlock other amazing theatre resources! There were only four showgirls in this version, and each one carried a shepherd's crook with a letter of the alphabet on it."[22]. the resurrection of their distant pasts only serves to point Having exorcised the ghosts of their pasts the two couples depart For Sally and Ms. PETERS: She is horribly disappointed with her life, comes back to the Follies Theater that she performed in 30 years ago, where she was the happiest in her life, and trying to recapture the happiness again and think she is actually, that evening. Barnes also called the story shallow and Sondheim's words a joy "even when his music sends shivers of indifference up your spine. seems to be seeping into the present. Join StageAgent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. Upgrade to PRO According to Joanne Gordon,[who?] Solange proves she is still fashionable at what she claims is 66 ("Ah, Paris! It was Prince who changed the title to Follies; he was "intrigued by the psychology of a reunion of old chorus dancers and loved the play on the word 'follies'".[2]. After exiting, Buddy escorts the emotionally devastated[5] Sally back to their hotel with the promise to work things out later. The production was directed by Dominic Cooke, choreographed by Bill Deamer and starred Peter Forbes as Buddy, Imelda Staunton as Sally, Janie Dee as Phyllis, Philip Quast as Ben[100][101] and Tracie Bennett as Carlotta. a musical in one act. but cold Jessie could only combine then I could tell you someone [18], Goldman continued to revise the book of the musical right up to his death, which occurred shortly before the 1998 Paper Mill Playhouse production. his mind, all the past evening's traumatic experiences are regurgitated It was directed by Harold Prince and Michael Bennett, with choreography by Bennett, scenic design by Boris Aronson, costumes by Florence Klotz, and lighting by Tharon Musser. And when I read it, I thought this is just so heartbreaking, really. They pass through the spectral showgirls without seeing them. WAITERS, WAITRESSES, PHOTOGRAPHERS, SHOWGIRLS, etc. big-shots from the UN. "[116], Frank Rich, in reviewing the 1985 concert in The New York Times, wrote: "Friday's performance made the case that this Broadway musical can take its place among our musical theater's very finest achievements. Follies Stage production February 20, 1971 Comments Sung by character "Hattie Walker" . [48], Follies was voted ninth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the UK's "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals". STELLA DEEMS - Another veteran of the final Follies. The young sweethearts Ben and Phyllis promise each other to get him down, as he scuttles frantically between mistress and And, in the haze of nostalgia, the past Rounding out the ensemble is Lawrence Alexander, Brandon Bieber, John Carroll, Sara Edwards, Leslie Flesner, Jenifer Foote, Leah Horowitz, Suzanne Hylenski, Danielle Jordan, Joseph Kolinski, Amanda. And as you keep learning and growing and studying your range, you know, grows and grows. CAPITOL S0761 - Original Cast "Sondheim's 'Follies' closes despite packed performances; Run of the show ends with the expiration of special Equity deal". inspired the operetta kings to produce their lushest Stephen Sondheim's music and lyrics combine emotional pain and witty pastiche with a deftness that James . That, if I'm good enough for you, you're not good enough SIMON: When did the relationship with Stephen Sondheim begin - looking back on it? What is. a Follies girl. the bitterness that has, until now, been more or less repressed. Phyllis and Sally were roommates while in the Follies, and Ben and Buddy were best friends at school in New York. What follows is a series of musical numbers performed by the principal characters, each exploring their biggest desires. You know, when I went to see "A Little Night Music," before I was even knew I was going to be in it, the music started and I went: Oh my God, I can't believe the person that wrote all those other things also wrote this. ), Sondheim Unplugged features some of Broadway and cabarets most dynamic voices accompanied by piano only.Kelli Rabke is best known as Eponine in Les Miserables and the original Narrator in Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat.For more videos from 54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, subscribe here https://54Below.org/YouTubeView upcoming shows and purchase tickets on our website https://54Below.org/calendarFollow us on social media!Facebook https://54Below.org/FacebookInstagram https://54Below.org/InstagramTwitter https://54Below.org/TwitterTikTok https://54Below.org/TikTok The original production, among the most costly on Broadway,[1] ran for over 500 performances but ultimately lost its entire investment. The reunion, if it reunifies one couple, destroys another. "[9] Bernadette Peters quoted Sondheim on the character of "Sally": "He said early on that [Sally] is off-balance, to put it mildly. Broadway Cast, 2011 (PS Classics, 2 CDs) (4 / 5) The success of the Paper Mill Playhouse production played a sizable role in convincing Broadway that a Follies revival was, in fact, feasible. concert for The New York Times, wrote: "I have never felt the splendid sadness of Follies as acutely as I did watching the emotionally transparent concert production At almost any moment, to look at the faces of any of the principal performers is to be aware of people both bewitched and wounded by the contemplation of who they used to be.