49 years ago today at the Uris (Gershwin) Theater...

[David10086]

Posted: 11/6/22 at 1:27pm

49 years ago on November 7, 1973, at the newly opened 'Uris Theater' (now 'The Gershwin Theater', the musical 'Gigi' opened for a week of previews, before it's official opening on November 13, 1973.  It was the fourth production to open at the theater in it's first year, as the Uris opened on November 28, 1972 as the biggest theater on Broadway, boasting just under 2,000 seats (1940) at a cost of $12.5M to build. 

 

The theater opened with the musical 'Via Galactica' with Rahul Julia, and closed after just seven performances - becoming the first Broadway show to lose $1M. Next on the marquee was Cy Coleman's musical "Seesaw", opening in March, 1973 and then transferred to the Hellinger in August, 1973 and played a total of 296 performances. The next show to take the stage was a revival of the Romberg operetta "The Desert Song'" in September, 1973 which closed after jsut 15 performances. 

This was followed by the Lerner & Lowe musical, "Gigi" produced by Edwin Lester, which featured Karin Wolfe as 'Gigi', Agnes Moorehead as 'Aunt Alicia', and Daniel Massey as 'Gaston'.  Moorehead, who was suffering from uterine cancer at the time, left the production in late Janaury, 1974 due to illness. Her friend, Arlene Francis, took over the role but only lasted a few weeks as the show closed on February 19, 1974 after just 103 performances (including previews). Moorehead passed away on April 30, 1974. 

 

The show was nominated for three Tonys (Best Score, Best Costumes, Best Scenic Designs) and won for Best Score. An original cast recording was released by RCA. 

As for The Uris Theater, after four attempts at Broadway musicals, it faced foreclosure and the theater turned it's attention to concert performances for all of 1974 and mostly through the rest of the decade, capitalizing on it's outstanding acoustics, as well as dance performances. It slowly rolled in more musicals towards the end of the decade - with the 'King and I' opening in May, 1977 and lasting 719 performances - becoming the theater's longest running show at the time. It was followed by Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd" starring Angela Lansbury, which opened in March, 1979 - and ran for 755 performances. 

42 years later, a 'Gigi' revival opened at the Neil Simon Theater on April 8, 2015, and fared worse - lasting only 86 performances. 

 

https://youtu.be/Jf3vEf2qe3I

[joevitus]

Posted: 11/6/22 at 3:34pm

Rahul????

It's Raul Julia. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/6/22 at 5:56pm

I had no idea the theatre had such a troubled start.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 11/6/22 at 6:09pm

The Nederlander's Gershwin is lucky to have such a HIT WICKED since 2003. It will be 20 years next year!

[Smaxie]

Posted: 11/6/22 at 6:32pm

David10086 said: As for The Uris Theater, after four attempts at Broadway musicals, it faced foreclosure and the theater turned it's attention to concert performances for all of 1974 and mostly through the rest of the decade, capitalizing on it's outstanding acoustics, as well as dance performances. It slowly rolled in more musicals towards the end of the decade - with the 'King and I' opening in May, 1977 and lasting 719 performances - becoming the theater's longest running show at the time. It was followed by Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd" starring Angela Lansbury, which opened in March, 1979 - and ran for 755 performances.

Sweeney played for 557 performances, not 755.

Sweeney at IBDB
 

 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 11/6/22 at 9:25pm

Patrik Wilson's OKLAHOMA! also played that theater.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 11/7/22 at 9:39pm

Prior to Wicked, the Uris / Gershwin was essentially a white elephant.  Lots of flops, e.g., also Singing in the Rain and Meet Me in St. Louis and I think the Disappointing Rex Harrison MFL revival.  Thank GOD for Wicked!!!

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 11/8/22 at 2:52pm

It also had the Hal Prince revival of Show Boat, which managed to run two and a half years. Looking at IBDB it looks like it was fairly successful in terms of keeping the house respectably full, though I’m sure it was a very expensive show to keep running week to week. It was also produced by Livent, so who knows what kind of mess the books were actually in. 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 11/8/22 at 3:19pm

AEA AGMA SM said: "It also had the Hal Prince revival ofShow Boat,which managed to run two and a half years. Looking at IBDB it looks like it was fairly successful in terms of keeping the house respectably full, though I’m sure it was a very expensive show to keep running week to week. It was also produced by Livent, so who knows what kind of mess the books were actually in."

Good reminder.  That was truly a MAGNIFICENT production, for my money the best I ever saw. 
 

Thinking on it further, they also had The 1973?? Production of Pirated of Penzance with Kevin Kline, whic — despite my hating it (and all G&S) — had a very respectable run.

[Bill Snibson]

Posted: 11/8/22 at 5:40pm

The first show I ever saw at The Gershwin was "Starlight Express" circa 1987. A hot mess of a show with an epic scenic design and I fully fell in love with it and it size. It was the perfect theater for this massive show. Oh, the 80's!  I kinda miss them, tbh. 

[denali.fire]

Posted: 11/9/22 at 1:27pm

Jarethan said: "Prior to Wicked, the Uris / Gershwin was essentially a white elephant. Lots of flops, e.g., also Singing in the Rain and Meet Me in St. Louis and I think the Disappointing Rex Harrison MFL revival. Thank GOD for Wicked!!!"

Didnt The King and I have a rather lengthy stay there with Yul ?

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 11/9/22 at 3:19pm

denali.fire said: "Didnt The King and I have a rather lengthy stay there with Yul ?"

It played from April 1977, until December 1978. Opening in May '77, and played 695 performances

[oknazevad]

Posted: 11/9/22 at 11:05pm

Another fairly successful run there was Roundabout's previous revival of 1776 (the one with Brent Spiner as John Adams) which transferred there after first opening at Criterion Center Stage Right, Roundabout's home base at the time. Huge venue for the production, but it ran for some six months after having already run for three at the much smaller venue. 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 11/10/22 at 7:57am

The Pirates of Penzance with Kevin Kline, Linda Ronstadt, Rex Smith, Estelle Parsons and George Rose ran in the 1980s not 1973.

Another flop the Uris endured was the revival of Mame starring Angela Lansbury.  It lasted only 41 performances. 

 

Updated On: 11/10/22 at 07:57 AM

[David10086]

Posted: 11/10/22 at 10:09pm

The theater really had a checkered past! Some hits and many misses.