Company - Opening Night Audio

[E111081]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 12:35am

I recently came across a complete audio recording of the opening night of "Company" with the complete original cast from April 26, 1970. I know that this may sound like a stupid question, so please forgive my ignorance in advance. I was just wondering how this would have been recorded in the first place? I know that in this day and age, pretty much anybody can walk into a theater and make an audio recording of a complete live performance without it being know. But back in 1970, I am not sure if that how that would have been possible. I am assuming that the explanation is a simple one, so once again I am sorry for my stupidity.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 12:40am

Soundboard.

And this thread may get deleted.

[Soliantu]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 12:54am

yea probably

[jv92]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 3:57pm

I think Sondheim authorized a lot of these recordings. I know he authorized Follies' "good quality" soundboard (The one that nearly sounds professional) since there was a good chance even before the album was made that the full score was not going to get recorded. Again, I could be wrong but Follies I'm pretty certain about.
And yes, this thread will probably get deleted, especially since I mentioned Follies.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:01pm

Since this is going bye-bye...

Cameron Mackintosh had the london FOLLIES professionally filmed for his own personal archives. Apparently, Sondheim has a copy and has been known to show it at parties for Dolores Grey's "Losing My Mind", which is his personal favorite version of the song.

P

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:01pm

Sondheim himself is behind all of those opening night soundboard recordings, FOLLIES, COMPANY, NIGHT MUSIC, SWEENEY TODD, PACIFIC OVERTURES even the older ones like ANYONE CAN WHISTLE, FUNNY THING...etc.

Deleting this thread would be ridiculous. It's a discussion on how a composer wants to preserve his own work and make sure it's not lost forever. Why does that scare so many people or get them so upset?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:01pm

And Pgenre, (since it's getting deleted anyways) I've been known to show that at parties, myself. lol
Updated On: 7/27/09 at 04:01 PM

[TheatreDork2]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:04pm

Did he authorize the Gypsy soundboard as well?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:11pm

Did he authorize the OBC Dreamgirls Boston tryout. Oops, I've said too much.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:12pm

No but he did authorize the GLORY DAYS video.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:13pm

Wait, there's a recording of the Forum OBC? I knew about the others, but not Forum.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:14pm

Gothampc - I think he only was on the night "One Night Only" was dropped in favor of its MUCH inferior and way too funky replacement!

P

[jv92]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:17pm

There's a Forum audio! I gotta hunt that one down!
It's wonderful to know he's interested in preserving theatre.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:20pm

There's even a *GASP* WEST SIDE STORY audio recording out there (somewhere).

And yes it is wonderful knowing people are interested in preserving their work. Jerry Herman is another one. Anyone remember the documentary that just aired with footage from MAME & DEAR WORLD? And the good thing about that is, what was shown isn't even a FRACTION of what was filmed.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:25pm

^ I wish I could say that surprises me, but it really doesn't.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:26pm

"Gothampc - I think he only was on the night "One Night Only" was dropped in favor of its MUCH inferior and way too funky replacement!"

Thank goodness what I have is almost identical to what opened on Broadway. Dang! Now I have to move or the Bennett estate will come knocking on my door.

[jv92]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:29pm

Fred Ebb and Frank Loesser were two others. There's loads of footage from Most Happy Fella Frank shot from the wings. I believe Fred Ebb shot the Chicago footage that exists today, but there's another story that one of the dancers did. I don't know which one to believe.
And I have a great deal of the Mame footage. Thank you Jerry! I would die to see all the footage of Mack and Mable in rehearsal that was in the documentary.
What has always confused me is that if Jerry Robbins was so interested in preserving his work, why did he forbid any portion of West Side to be filmed, except for the Ed Sullivan excerpts? It was such a legendary production and the one show of his where his work endures the most, why would he do that? Some people just hated their work to be shot (Fosse, for example) but Robbins filmed many rehearsals, most of his ballets and did Jerome Robbins' Broadway just to preserve the work he did. It baffles me.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:31pm

Wait, so there's a Boston "Dreamgirls" *with* "One Night Only" instead of that awful Rainbow song?

I guess I lied, I am surprised. I thought it was excised for the entire Boston run.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:37pm

JV92, a few things -

Different people involved with CHICAGO shot different footage of. I know of at least three different sources for that material, adding up to around 50 minutes (including the Liza footage).

The MACK & MABLE footage is pretty great including a very young Bernadette Peters getting screamed at during a rehearsal. It's actually available to watch at Lincoln Center.

As for WEST SIDE STORY (and here's the sad part) portions of the show were actually filmed. They are being held captive along with the CAMELOT, DAMN YANKEES, GYPSY, MY FAIR LADY and all the other footage "You Know Who" has. Luckily he has learned the proper way to store these things so nothing else can be damaged.

[jv92]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:40pm

Oh, "You Know Who." We know all about him. I didn't know the Mack and Mabel stuff is at Lincoln Center. Who screams at poor Bernadette? Gower?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:43pm

I believe it's him, yeah. I haven't seen that video in a really long time I just remember at first being shocked and than laughing pretty hard.

I stumbled on it one day while I was there researching and trying to find footage for a project for a completely unrelated show and just couldn't pass up seeing good quality footage after years of having only the 200th generation vhs of the same thing.

[viola13]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:43pm

Where did the silent rehearsal footage of Gypsy come from?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:44pm

"I guess I lied, I am surprised. I thought it was excised for the entire Boston run."

I was told it was Boston. Maybe it's Broadway preview. It contains two phone calls home when the girls are at the talent contest (I think one Deena call, one Effie call). I thought one of the phone calls was deleted before it reached Broadway but I could be mistaken.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:49pm

There's 2 from Boston and a few from Bway previews.

Also for anyone interested, I discovered something else amazing - At Lincoln Center in their dance video archives (available to anyone for any reason at anytime) there is a video that has about 5 minutes of footage from the original productions of THE PAJAMA GAME, SILK STALKINGS and PETER PAN. Shot from the audience and silent but just AMAZING to see.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 7/27/09 at 4:53pm

Apparently, Sondheim has a copy and has been known to show it at parties for Dolores Grey's "Losing My Mind", which is his personal favorite version of the song.

Do you mean "I'm Still Here"?