"Dick- a - Dick - a - Dick-a- Dick-a-Dick"- Page 2

[Demitri2]

Posted: 9/14/05 at 8:23am

It's funny you should mention "Bianca". In the last Porter biography I've mentioned the history of the song was as follows. The original actor playing the Berresse role in the forties version was Harold Lang. While the show was previewing out of town, Lang kept complaining to the producers that he didn't have a solo number and desperately wanted one. Finally after tiring of his complaining, the producers went to Porter and asked him to please write the most mundane, simple and uninteresting song he could come up with, with the intention that it would be such a dud when performed before an audience thus warranting it being cut and therefore depriving Lang of his solo. However Lang was such a pro that to their amazement the song was well received by the audience and kept in the show.

[Jon]

Posted: 9/14/05 at 11:50am

"Bianca" is very often cut. I've been involved in two productions in which it was cut, and Bill/Lucentio sang "Too Darn Hot" instead of Paul (which then becomes a very tiny part).