Kander&Ebb's "The Happy Time"

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Kander&Ebb's "The Happy Time"

Posted: 3/19/05 at 6:57am

Hi there to all,

having listened to the recording of it, some time ago, I wish I'd know more about the show. Anyone details and a somewhat detailed synopsis?

Thanx.

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/19/05 at 10:31am

I know it was Tony nominated and I believe it starred Robert Goulet? I recall at the Tony awards, they did a number from the show........."There's a Kind of Walk You Walk When You're Walkin Happy" the show was not a big hit and had a short run, other than that I don't know much about it.

"Blow out the candles Robert and make a wish. Want something, want SOMETHING."

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/19/05 at 11:00am

Robert Goulet plays a photographer (his occupation) living in Canada. The show is about him coming home & trying to disuade his nephew from following in his footsteps & not to make the same mistakes he did. There is also his Grandfather's (David Wayne) party

I saw it & found it entertaining. I do enjoy the score

Poster Emeritus

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/19/05 at 11:07am

"I'm longing to see you smile and hear you laugh so I can have the photograph and remember you, remembering the happy time!"

Excellent score! My mom and my aunt were at opening night and really enjoyed it.

2006 Encores should be The Happy Time, Side Show and Carrie!

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/19/05 at 11:11am

I read about the show . Kander & Ebb originally envisioned it as a small type of chamber musical. A number of numbers were cut along the way. I would love to hear them

I do not think Merrick fought to hard for the show

Poster Emeritus

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/19/05 at 11:26am

"There's a kind of walk you walk..." is not from The Happy Time. It is from Walking Happy (Cahn/Van Heusen).

The Happy Time is based on a 1950 play by Samuel Taylor which was produced on Broadway by Rodgers & Hammerstein. A film version was made in 1952.

I've always loved the opening title number.

(2006 Encores should be Paint Your Wagon, Juno, By Jupiter.)

Updated On: 3/19/05 at 11:26 AM

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/19/05 at 11:31am

The number that Goulet, David Wayne and Michael Rupert performed at the Tonys was "A Certain Girl".

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/19/05 at 11:36am

The lyrics you quote, WithoutA, remind me that Liza did a wonderful recording of the title song on one of her early albums. I can still hear her ringing out "I want to remember you remembering the haaaaaap-pyyyyyy time!"

Updated On: 3/19/05 at 11:36 AM

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/19/05 at 11:39am

Did she really?? I would LOVE to hear that!

#10

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/19/05 at 4:22pm

I read somewhere that there was some staging device with photographs, do you know anything more about that? And anyone more on the story?

#11

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/19/05 at 5:56pm

I checked my copy of the Tony Awards broadcast. Yes, "A Certain Girl" was the number performed that year. "Walking Happy" from the musical of the same name, was performed in the 1967 broadcast with Norman Wisdom.
Speaking of the tune,"A Certain Girl.." Liza Minnelli did this number as part of a medley including "It's Today," when she appeared in Vegas one year. This live remote from Vegas was on the Ed Sullivan show.
I believe she was appearing in Vegas around the time she did THE STERILE CUCKOO.
Minnelli did record "The Happy Time." It was on one of her early A&R albums called "Liza Minnelli." I know it is on one of the compilation CD's that was released a few years ago.

#12

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/19/05 at 7:30pm

I know there were a number of photographs used during the show but it was so long ago that is all I remember

Poster Emeritus

#13

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/19/05 at 7:42pm

Because Robert Goulet played a professional photographer, Gower Champion used a device where photographs af scenes and characters were projected on an enormous screen behind the onstage action. This caused endless trouble as the screen completely dwarfed the actors, and the photographs had to be continually reshot due to the numerous out-of-town firings.

#14

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/19/05 at 9:30pm

Well, well....

MORE misinformation from WISHIHADATONY who writes: "re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time' I recall at the Tony awards, they did a number from the show........."There's a Kind of Walk You Walk When You're Walkin Happy" ... other than that I don't know much about it."

Well at least you got that last part right! :)

The song "Walking Happy" is from the show called WALKING HAPPY which opened Nov 26, 1966 for 161 performances.

THE HAPPY TIME starring Robert Goulet, David Wayne and Michael Rupert opened Jan 18, 168 for 285 performances. So there is no way BOTH shows would have been nominated in the same season.
The score by Kander and Ebb includes the songs "The Happy time", "I Don't Remember You", "Seeing Things" and "A Certain girl."

RCA Victor did the OCR and it is still available on CD and well worth seeking out.

WALKING HAPPY, on the other hand, is out-of-print and frankly not worth getting unless you are a die-hard collector who must have every single OCR out there.

Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com

#15

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/20/05 at 12:25pm

He was Mike Rupert at the time, and if you listen to the OBC recording, it's interesting to hear how different his voice was as a teeneager from the way he sounded in Falsettos, for example. I've listened to The Happy Time a few times recently, and enjoy it a lot, but I must say that Rupert's voice in it gives no hint of the beauty and subtlety you in in later recordings. I wonder if it was deliberate, because the character was so young, or if it shows just an early stage in the development of his voice.

#16

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/20/05 at 12:29pm

I"d assume it was his voice at the time. He was one of the replacements I mentioned earlier...he was bumped up from the chorus into the role of Bibi.

#17

re: Kander&Ebb's 'The Happy Time'

Posted: 3/20/05 at 2:58pm

I saw The Happy Time BEFORE it went to Broadway (as part of the LACLO season) and he was already playing the same role he played on Broadway. If he was moved up from the ensemble, when did that take place? I do recall that the leading lady was different in LA, though I can't recall who it was that I saw. Mike Rupert did make an impression on me, because we were about the same age at that time and it was exciting to see "myself" on stage, or maybe as I wish I'd been.

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