Broadway 'almosts"

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 2/18/04 at 6:57pm

Ever since Dollypop mentioned that Carol Channing had been Cole Porter's first choice for Pistache in CAN CAN, I was wondering ---what other facinating 'almost' tidbits - either of announced shows that never materialized or casting and song-writing switcheroos - in Broadways recent and distant past come to mind?

Here are a few to get you started:

HAIRSPRAY was originally envisioned with a cut-and-paste score with hit sings from the early '60s.

Mary Martin was the first choice for FUNNY GIRL. The very idea of her as Fanny Brice caused Sondheim to drop out as lyricist for the show.

Jerome Kern was to have written ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, but died before he could do anything.

Cole Porter's first choice for the star of DuBARRY WAS A LADY was not Ethel Merman - it was Mae West.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 2/18/04 at 7:05pm

Elia Kazan actually kicked around the idea of casting Mary Martin as Blanche in "Streetcar". True story.

[nyctopone]

Posted: 2/18/04 at 7:12pm

Didn't Jerry Herman originally write Hello Dolly with Ethel Merman in mind? She turned it down but ended up closing the Broadway run.

[King Stevos]

Posted: 2/19/04 at 4:38am

Sutton allmost wasn't a star.
STEVOS

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/19/04 at 8:16am

Carol Burnett was offered Funny Girl.

Phantom of the Opera was originally written with Colm Wilkinson in mind.

Cabaret was written with Liza Minnelli in mind. Kander & Ebb pulled the song "Maybe This Time" when she wasn't cast.

[onceadancer2]

Posted: 2/19/04 at 11:52am

Going back to the dark ages, there was a rumor (corroborated by no one although everyone heard of it), that in the original New York production of Peter Pan, Charles Frohman wanted Ethel Barrymore to play Wendy opposite the Peter Pan of Maude Adams. This was not the stately, matronly and overbearing Barrymore of the 1940s, but the thought of Adams and Barrymore is very funny!

Miriam

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/19/04 at 2:36pm

Colm Wilkenson played the Phantom in the Toronto production. I have the recording.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/19/04 at 6:35pm

After Mary Martin was not signed for FUNNY GIRL but before Streisand was inked, Ann Bancroft was starting to pick up the pen. That thought is scary enough without the threat that Mel Brooks might have been lyricist to Jule Styne's music.

Lena Horne was the intended star--as Georgina--of HALLELUJAH, BABY! instead of opening night star Leslie Uggams.

Mary Martin gained stardom as Venus in the Weill-Nash ONE TOUCH OF VENUS although the role was originally intended for Marlene Deitrich.


Bulldog Updated On: 2/19/04 at 06:35 PM

[QueenS]

Posted: 2/20/04 at 9:57am

Mary Martin seems to be the running theme here. I have more about her:

She was the original choice for Eliza in "My Fair Lady." After Lerner & Loewe played her several of the songs, she reportedly said to her husband as they left the room, "Poor dears have lost their talent."

R&H credit Mary Martin as one of the reasons "Oklahoma!" was so successful. Had she taken the show (she opted instead for the disasterous "Jeannie" about the life of Laurette Taylor) they would have written it as a star vehicle. Without a major name in the show (at that point in their careers), they balanced the story among the 6 leads in the 2 love triangles.

The score to "The Sound of Music" was originally to be songs from the Trapp singers repetoire only. Then R&H were to add a few new songs. Eventually, all the pre-existing songs were cut and the score as we know it today was written, with R&H writing their own "traditional" folk songs.

Sondheim was working on a musical version of "Sunset Blvd" that changed Norma from a former silent screen star to a former Donna Reed type television star. With Mary Martin as Norma. (kidding about that last bit...)

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 2/20/04 at 8:32pm

"Colm Wilkenson played the Phantom in the Toronto production. I have the recording."

Me too. I much prefer it to the OLC, but I can't stand either lead, so that doesn't hurt.

Wilkinson played the Phantom in the Act-one-only workshop version at ALW's converted church at Sydmonton. Most of the rest of the cast was made up of the then-current original London cast of Les Miz.