#1
Posted: 3/15/06 at 3:01am
MY FAIR LADY opened at the Mark Hellinger theatre.
The Lerner and Loewe musical was the biggest hit of the decade. Tickets were notoriously hard to get.
It didn’t start out as sure-fire hit. Several authors, including Rodgers and Hammerstein, had tried to adapt Shaw’s PYGMALION for the musical stage without success. Even Lerner and Loewe had made one attempt and given up, but returning to the property in 1955 they partners decided to let Shaw’s text lead the way and they were off and running.
The next problem was to raise the money. Goddard Lieberson, president of Columbia Records convinced CBS to bankroll the entire show with the provision that Columbia make the cast album. Recorded on March 24, 1956 the Lp was released in mono as OL 5090 later that same week. Within a few months OL 5090 was the #1 best-selling Lp in the country. And the show was still selling out every week. Those who couldn't get seats bought the original cast album.
It would be hard today for some people to understand how big this show was. Way bigger than any of today's hits. Pop singers recorded songs from the score. In addition to the cast album, Columbia released an album of the score played by Percy Faith's orchestra. Later when the show opened in London they re-recorded the cast album in stereo. Columbia also did the 1964 film ST and the 1976 Broadway revival cast.
Whichever one you like, play it today to honour one of the greatest musicals of all time, and remember a time when Broadway musicals were our pop culture. Rex Harrison and Stanley Holloway are gone now. The Mark Hellinger Theatre is now the Times Square church and hasn't been used as Broadway theatre since 1989. Julie Andrews is thankfully still with us but no longer able to sing. But not matter - it's all preserved on this wonderful original cast recording.
The Lerner and Loewe musical was the biggest hit of the decade. Tickets were notoriously hard to get.
It didn’t start out as sure-fire hit. Several authors, including Rodgers and Hammerstein, had tried to adapt Shaw’s PYGMALION for the musical stage without success. Even Lerner and Loewe had made one attempt and given up, but returning to the property in 1955 they partners decided to let Shaw’s text lead the way and they were off and running.
The next problem was to raise the money. Goddard Lieberson, president of Columbia Records convinced CBS to bankroll the entire show with the provision that Columbia make the cast album. Recorded on March 24, 1956 the Lp was released in mono as OL 5090 later that same week. Within a few months OL 5090 was the #1 best-selling Lp in the country. And the show was still selling out every week. Those who couldn't get seats bought the original cast album.
It would be hard today for some people to understand how big this show was. Way bigger than any of today's hits. Pop singers recorded songs from the score. In addition to the cast album, Columbia released an album of the score played by Percy Faith's orchestra. Later when the show opened in London they re-recorded the cast album in stereo. Columbia also did the 1964 film ST and the 1976 Broadway revival cast.
Whichever one you like, play it today to honour one of the greatest musicals of all time, and remember a time when Broadway musicals were our pop culture. Rex Harrison and Stanley Holloway are gone now. The Mark Hellinger Theatre is now the Times Square church and hasn't been used as Broadway theatre since 1989. Julie Andrews is thankfully still with us but no longer able to sing. But not matter - it's all preserved on this wonderful original cast recording.
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com
Updated On: 3/15/06 at 03:01 AM
