Broadway History: The Year 1970

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 5/28/04 at 7:39pm

I was wondering if anyone on the board could tell me about the climate of Broadway in 1970. Anyone remember what shows opened or closed that year, or anything important that happened? I love to learn what can I say? I said I'd work on asking questions more so here it goes. What were your favorite shows that year and you general thoughts. If you want once we get through 1970 we could move right on to 71, the 72, etc. This would be a nice little history lesson for the posters who don't know nearly as much as some of the veterans on the board.

[Chip1012]

Posted: 5/28/04 at 7:55pm

your icon is frightening.

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 5/28/04 at 7:58pm

Yes it is! I can do it to anyone's icon so I may "edit" a few people's icons for fun. Now back to Broadway in 1970!

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 5/28/04 at 10:37pm

Well I'm trying but no one is biting.

Posted: 5/28/04 at 11:14pm

1970 was a good year for divas (a term not used much back then)!
Lauren Bacall in Applause, Hepburn in Coco, Melba Moore in Purlie (also Linda Hopkins) - not to mention Joan Diener in Cry for Us All. This is an interesting topic, hope you keep it up.

[Jon]

Posted: 5/28/04 at 11:17pm

The 1970 Tony winner musical was APPLAUSE with Lauren Bacall. Other nominted musicals were PURLIE and COCO (with Katherine Hepburn. Bacall won best actreess, Clevon Little won best actor for Purlie.

Best Play was "Borstal Boy", which I believe as an Irish play. Others were "Child's Play", "Indians", "Last of the Red Hot Lovers". Best actor was Fritz Weaver in Child's Paly. Best actress was Tammy Grimes in the revival of Private Lives.

[Jon]

Posted: 5/28/04 at 11:25pm

Here's more:

Shows from the previous year that were still running:
Hair, Promises Promises, 1776, Zorba.

Shows that opened late 70 or early 71:
Musicals: COMPANY (Tony winner 1971), The Rothschilds, The Me Nobody Knows, revival of No No Nannette,

Hit Plays: The Gingerbread Lady, Sleuth, And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little.

[junglered]

Posted: 5/28/04 at 11:25pm

Aaaah, "Applause"! That musical also introduced a very young Bonnie Franklin to the populus at large. I believe there is a clip of her and the ensemble singing the title song on the 2003 DVD "Broadway's Lost Treasures". It's a bonus performance not shown on the original PBS special. Very vintage, a little naughty and lots of fun.

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 5/28/04 at 11:53pm

Hey now I know where BorstalBoy got his board name! See now isn't this fun? As youngind are learning. Seriously keep it coming I want to hear what you personally like or didn't like about certain shows. I won't remember it all. I think they say you remember 10% of the information you are told, but this is good stuff.

[NuggetMonkeys]

Posted: 5/28/04 at 11:55pm

COMPANYCOMPANYCOMPANYCOMPANYYYYYYYYY.
-d.b.j-

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 5/29/04 at 12:20pm

Sweeney Todd!!! Two words that make such a difference!

[SideShowMan]

Posted: 5/29/04 at 12:46pm

Sweeney was 1979.....The Me Nobody Knows opened in 70, a bit of a concept musical based on poems by inner city grade school kids

[CastAlbumFan]

Posted: 5/29/04 at 2:38pm

Interesting note about 1970: There were A LOT of musicals running during that year with one-word titles (APPLAUSE, COCO, PURLIE, GANTRY, GEORGY, COMPANY, etc.)

I was in THE ME NOBODY KNOWS with Jesse L. Martin while I was at the Buffalo Academy for Visual & Performing Arts. He was Clorox and I was Benjamin. Excellent show!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/29/04 at 5:07pm

TWHM closed on December 27, 1970.

I was dreading the day but absolutely HAD to be there--and it turned out to be one of the most memorable of all my 34 visits to the show!

Merman was Dolly and she got a thunderous ovation the moment she stepped off the trolly. Every character got wild applause on their entrances--even Mrs. Rose. Gower Champion danced with the ensemble in "I Put My Hand In" and got wild applause. In fact, every number was enthusiastically cheered. When Dolly appeared at the top of the staircase I seriously feared for my safety. There was stomping and cheering like I've never heard in the theater prior to that moment. Heck, we all thought it was the last time we'd ever see this number!!!

At the curtain calls, Merman was joined by TGC who was performing across the street at the Broadhurst in a dreadful comedy called FOUR ON A GARDEN. The audience went wild when the first and last women to play Dolly appeared together.

It turned out to bew a very exhilerating afternoon in the theater.

[John4763]

Posted: 5/31/04 at 2:05pm

At the age of 7 I saw my first Broadway show in the fall of 1970.

It was Man of La Mancha, with Gideon Singer and Emily Yancy.