Auditioning for Showboat...

[Christopher_Acts]

Posted: 6/27/08 at 3:18pm

I’ve been told I should look at the part of Frank.

I’ve searched numerous locations to see if there’s a breakdown of a song-by-character listing, so I know what to listen to.

I can’t find one anywhere.

Can anyone who’s familiar with the show let me know what numbers Frank is in?

Anyone who can lead me anywhere that will help me familiarize myself with the show a little more?

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 6/27/08 at 3:24pm

Updated On: 5/3/09 at 03:24 PM

[Christopher_Acts]

Posted: 6/27/08 at 4:06pm

Okay.

I've checked out the dreaded wikipedia. I get the gist of the story and everything.

Not much about Frank.

All I can gather is, he shows up and sings "Goodbye My Lady Love" with Ellie....

Anything more anyone can tell me?

[monestere]

Posted: 6/27/08 at 5:01pm

The part of Frank Schultz varies in size with the different versions of Showboat. In the original 1927 production Frank sings "I Might Fall Back on You" with Ellie & the interpolated "Goodbye My Ladylove". In Oscar Hammerstein's 1946 revision, Frank's part is cut considerably as it is in the 1936 film version. In current versions of the stage play, there is a tendency to return to the best aspects of the 1927 and 1946 versions. In all versions Frank is Ellie's dance partner but their romantic involvement also varies from each version except the 1951 MGM film version, where it is clearly stated that Frank and Ellie are a couple on and off stage. This has also become the norm for subsequent stage versions, mainly because the two numbers Frank & Ellie now perform, "Life upon the Wicked Stage" & "I Might Fall Back on You", are genuine showstoppers. Check out the 1951 MGM film version, which features the greatest Frank and Ellie of all time, Marge and Gower Champion. Their performances of Frank & Ellie's numbers leave everyone else who has performed these roles in the dust and Gower Champion, who went on to become one of Broadway's greatest choreographer-directors, gives a textbook example on playing Frank. The part of Frank Schultz requires fairly good singing but especially expert dancing skills. All this is just my opinion, of course, but I hope it helps you.

Updated On: 6/27/08 at 05:01 PM

[My Oh My]

Posted: 6/27/08 at 5:30pm

I respectfully disagree.

The 1951 MGM film version is a travesty. It takes the basic fabric of what made the show so moving and the characters so realistic and turned it into a glitzy, sugar-coated exercise in corniness. Queenie makes a brief appearance in the beginning, then disappears. Joe sings "Ol' Man River" and isn't seen much of again. Frank and Ellie are a top-notch, professional acrobatic/dance duo instead of the charming, endearing comedians they are in the original version. Julie is not only sexed-up in the MGM version, her tragic story is severely altered and would fit better within a daytime soap opera than Showboat. While I am NOT putting down any of the actors/performers of the MGM version (well, except the God-awful, shrill Magnolia), the film is an inferior representation of the Kern and Hammerstein masterpeice.

If you want to see how Frank Schultz was originally written in the show, check out the 1936 film version, which you could find in its entirety over on YouTube (search for username "LesMisere"). That version features the original 1927 Broadway production's Frank--Sammy White.

The 1936 version is the most faithful to the original stage version, but the ending is unfortunately altered and is quite silly , in my opinion. However, the preceding part of the film is wonderful, even though they've cut most of Frank and Ellie's numbers ("Life Upon the Wicked Stage," "I Might Fall Back On You").

If you want to familiarize yourself with the entire original version, I highly recommend the 1988 John McGlinn studio cast recording. It contains almost every single note of the show and features a wonderful orchestra, Robert Russell Bennetts's original orchestrations, and a superb cast.

Updated On: 6/27/08 at 05:30 PM

[monestere]

Posted: 6/27/08 at 6:10pm

This is a forum on the character of Frank Schultz, not a discussion of what version of Showboat is the most faithful or best. Frank is hardly represented in the 1936 film, which is no more faithful to the 1927 version of Showboat than any other production since. As My oh my stated, the 1936 version changes the ending of the original play and additionally all of the musical numbers from the stage version are either greatly shortened or missing. The performances are painfully dated, except for Paul Robeson. The 1936 version is very good when judged as a film but as Showboats go, it is as much or no more a travesty than the 1951 version, which, by the way, Oscar Hammerstein II, who wrote both the original stage book and 1936 screenplay, greatly admired. It was Hammerstein who advised John Lee Mahin, the 1951 screenwriter, that given the mandated 2 hour running time of the new film, that he concentrate on a core portion of the story, because, based on his problems in adapting the 1936 film, Hammerstein believed a minimum of 3 hours screen time was needed to tell the complete story properly, which MGM was not willing to do. Otherwise, you would wind up with sort of a rushed, Cliff's Notes version of the original, which the 1936 film version clearly was. So, in my opinion, neither film version as a whole captured the magic of the stage production.

Regardless, the part of Frank Shultz was not that different from the stage version in the 1951 film and it does not discount the fact that for an actor aspiring to do the role, which is the question asked here, Champion's performance is much better to study than Sammy White in the 1936 film, whose Vaudeville exaggerations undermined the impact of the role at every turn and whose stiff interpretation was already dated by the time of this film. Of course, as I said in my previous post, this is my opinion, one which is as valid as anyone's and that is what forums like this are about. If we all agreed on everything, it would be a dull world indeed.

I do agree that you should listen to John McGlinn's 1988 studio recording of the complete "Showboat" score. Except for its authenticity, it is the worst performed, worst conducted recording of Showboat ever with trite, jazz age orchestrations and singing styles that are so embarrassingly inappropriate that Robert Russell Bennett changed them for the 1936 film & 1946 revival. The McGlinn recording is now a textbook example of everything that could go wrong, despite the best of intentions, with a performance of Showboat when historians instead of musicians are in charge. Again, only my opinion but more and more people these days are becoming disenchanted with this recording. So I have to respectfully disagree with My oh my but I can see his point and advise that you watch both film versions and form your own opinion but if you are contemplating playing Frank it is a good idea to shape your own interpretation based on your own observation of others having played the role and more importantly, read the stage book and the Edna Ferber novel on which the play is based, for the authors' take on the character.

Updated On: 6/27/08 at 06:10 PM

[My Oh My]

Posted: 6/27/08 at 6:42pm

I recommend you look at the way the character was originally written in 1927. He has more depth and fits in with what is supposed to be a modest Showboat troupe, not a glitzy, Broadway-caliber acrobatic/dance group and professional theatre. If you want a more contemporary take on the character, then Gower's take on it might be more suitable, but it really all depends on how the production you're auditioning for is going to adapt the material.

The 1936 version is very faithful in that it keeps to the original 1927 storyline (except the ending). Yes, of course it cuts numbers, but like mentioned previously, there is no way they'd ever be able to incorporate the entire score--which runs more than three hours--in a film. I think James Whale did a fine job cutting and adding numbers into his version. Though I would have liked to see "Life Upon the Wicked Stage."

I only brought up the film because a member recommended the OP take a look at the 1951 film version. If others can recommend things, then I can too. And that was all I was doing. But I agree that it's best to check out both versions and make a decision on your own. And definitely agree to check out Edna Ferber's novel. Good luck.

Updated On: 6/27/08 at 06:42 PM

[Jon]

Posted: 6/27/08 at 7:38pm

In the 1946 revival version, Frank and Ellie reappear in the final scene (set in 1927). They are married and wealthy - because their adopted son is a silent film star. It's a stupid bit, but I guess Hammerstein wanted all the principals (except Julie) to show up in the last scene.

The 1946 script was used by most productions until the Hal Prince version.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 6/27/08 at 8:21pm

"In the 1946 revival version, Frank and Ellie reappear in the final scene (set in 1927). They are married and wealthy - because their adopted son is a silent film star. It's a stupid bit, but I guess Hammerstein wanted all the principals (except Julie) to show up in the last scene."

The original 1927 version ended with Frank, Ellie (and most of the principals) returning, as well. Except the 1946 version inserted a special number for Magnolia's daughter Kim entitled "Nobody Else But Me."

The show originally ended with a very long series of imitations of famous actors of the day (1927) by the principals. It was called "It's Getting Hotter In the North" and headed by Kim, as well.

I believe the Papermill Playhouse production, which was taped and broadcast on PBS, had a similar ending to the Hal Prince production. Both featured a charleston number performed by Kim and ensemble. I saw the Hal Prince version way back in 1996, and it is my favorite overall version of the show because it stays very close to the 1927 version (including ALL the original character portrayals and keeps most of Robert's original orchestrations), yet still manages to run under 3 hours without sacrificing the best numbers. I wish they'd revive this show again!

Updated On: 6/27/08 at 08:21 PM

[Christopher_Acts]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 2:30pm

Thank you for all of your input.

I have the Toronto cast recording.

I tried netflixing the movie and it's not there.

Any video rental store should have it right?

I'm not too worried, choreography wise. We're talking a community theatre here so we're not going to be doing too many acrobatic/gymnastic flashy choregraphy.

I'm pretty well researched on the story. I just want to know which songs in the recording I need to familiarize myself with.

I thank you all for the input.