Henry Sweet Henry

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 3:10pm

Anyone have this? I just bought it. Any thoughts on this recording?

[twogaab2]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 5:18pm

A lot of really good music. The only real duds in the score are those numbers for the title character. It was really out of touch with the teenagers at the time, however-"Age of Aqauaris", you know. A REALLY good listen!

[Marquise]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 5:22pm

I have it to because I like the movie it was based on "The World of Henry Orient".

It has an Act II Hippie Ballet that takes place in Washington Square Park: "Weary Near To Dyin'". I don't know how that fits into the plot but obviously it was an attempt to update the material.

[Marquise]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 5:25pm

TRIVIA: Pia Zadora played a "Norton School student" in the original cast and understudied the role of "Marian Gilbert".

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 6:09pm

Cool, I just ordered it today. I'll post my thoughts when I get it and give it a good listen.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 6:23pm

Saw the original which shows how old I am . Found it enjoyable but nothing outstanding

Whatever happened to Kafritz - Alice Playten ?

Updated On: 8/26/05 at 06:23 PM

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 6:23pm

AHh, another "Fabulous flop" and quite a bit of fun. Best song is "Nobody Steps on Kafritz" by Alice Playton. Wow! What a voice.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 6:28pm

Can't wait to hear it! Updated On: 8/26/05 at 06:28 PM

[roquat]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 6:32pm

This is one of the most charming neglected shows ever. It was killed because "Hair" had just come out and Clive "Know-Nothing" Barnes, the critic on the Times, had decided that all musicals needed to have a rock beat to survive, and he slammed the score for being an old-style, traditional Broadway score. Robin Wilson and Neva Small, who played the schoolgirl heroines, were wonderful and had great voices, and Alice Playten was a riot as the evil Kafritz.

Alice Playten has been on Broadway and televison most of her life. Her first big break, I believe, was as Bet in the original "Oliver"; some of her other credits include "Seussical" and "Caroline, or Change" (as the grandmother.) She also appeared as a teenager in a campy TV children's series in which she befriended aliens (dressed in shiny aluminum foil and played by Jim Nabors and Ruth Buzzy) and taught them about life on earth--I forget what it was called.

[Demitri2]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 8:25pm

Well Mr. Roxy, though an infant at the time, I saw it too. A cute musical at best, I've always enjoyed the score and still play it often. It once again had music by the much underrated Bob Merrill. The producers really pushed the lead, Robin Wilson, as the next new Broadway star and I remember them claiming vocally she was a cross between Barbra Streisand and Leslie Uggums. I believe she was a singer with Don Ho in Hawaii when discovered. As for my recollections of the show, I also remember Ms. Wilson appearing waaaaaaaay older than the young girl she portrayed. Neva Small, her partner in crime, was however perfect in her role. Don Ameche's role was surprisingly small as was Carol Bruce's and Louise Lasser had a brief role as a married woman that Henry was having secret trysts with culminating in the two young girls accidently exposing the affair as police and lights flashed as the Act One curtain came down. Alice Playton was the real star of the evening though and her rousing performance of "Poor Little Person" has been documented on the Ed Sullivan show tapes. In fact I remember her being referred to in one review as "a pint size Ethel Merman". My favorite recollection of the show was Michael Bennett's input. I recall how wonderful his staging of "I Wonder How It Is (To Dance With A Boy)" was done. It started out as a solo for Ms. Small and in a very cinematic change of scenery (shadows of his future staging in "Dream Girls")she flowed into a large hall with her fellow female classmates also dancing with a boy for the first time. It was a sweet show though unfortunately I don't think it warrants a revival. Without the music, the book was so much better served in the film version. I am grateful I saw it though.

[roquat]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 12:57pm

Unfortunately, I think a revival is probably out of the question. The show is full of references that would just not be understood today.

[evic]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 2:50pm

The revival at York Theater was excellent last year-Mark Nelson was hysterical-had a cut down cast of about 12- it worked well-good old fashioned musical that should have run longer....a favorite score of mine and sweet story-a pre Wicked musical for girls 12-17 and gay men.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 2:52pm

I better get this in the mail soon. I want to hear this score so bad. I've been reading so many good things about it lately.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 3:11pm

I hope we haven't built up too much in terms of expectations. Still, as floppo musicals go it isn'ta bad score. "I Wonder what it's like to dance with a boy" is charming and "Do you ever go to Boston?" has quite an unusual (and unresolved) melodic line. It's also a short score - about 40 minutes if I recall. It was originally on ABC records who taped a number of 60s flops (HIGH SPIRITS, FADE OUT FADE IN) finally getting a hit with APPLAUSE before they gave up on OCR's.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 3:13pm

Okay that's so weird. Guess what I'm listening to right now frontrowcentre2?

Applause!