Lolita, My Love

First off: Hi, I'm new to the board--I'm Sean (:

But, my rant. Lolita, My Love is a musical done in 1971 by Lerner based on Vladimir Lobokov's novel, "Lolita". The concept is scary, I know...considering it's about a pedophile. But, actually...it has grown on me. I've heard the recording a few times. It's great! The first time listening to it, I thought, "This is different." I think I love it so much because it takes such an unusual story and has such great, classical musical theatre-like music to it. It sounds very classic. I don't understand why it didn't make it to Broadway, in all honesty. Dorothy Loudon was excellent, even though I didn't see her actually perform, her voice nearly brings me to tears when she reads Humbart's diary calling her mean names and all that. And "Tell Me, Tell Me" is a very moving song about replacing love with objects. Denise Nickerson as Lolita=perfect. It's just such a great piece.

Now, here's what baffles me: The show didn't make it to Broadway. That's clear, the reason probably being it was too ahead of its time, I don't think people in 1971 were ready for musicals with that material, but...what baffles me is there is nothing. left. of. this. show. Not even pictures! I have only that recording, no video, no script, no sheet music, nothing! How is this possible?! Carrie: The Musical was a flop too and there's everything left from it, sheet music, script, recording and video! I don't get it at all! It just seems weird that everything possible from that show has just...stopped!

I would love if someone could provide me with sheet music to it. I'm audio-copying the script, but I would love the sheet music. Or I would honestly pay someone to make a midi file.

Thanks for reading!

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Updated On: 4/7/08 at 07:00 PM

I agree it's a super score - some vintage Lerner lyrics and hauntingly beautiful music by John Barry. (I was fortunate enough to get hold of the "soundboard" recording too.) I love in particular "How Far Is It To The next Town" and "In The Broken Promised Land Of Fifteen". Sorry I can't help you about where to find the score - but you can hear great quality recordings of "Tell me, Tell Me" and "In The Borken Promised Land Of Fifteen" on Brent Barrett's Alan Jay lerner album.

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I;ve been looking for the score as well. I advise a theater group that is looking to get in touch with John Barry, we want to update the orchestrations and do this show, but we've hit a dead end.

I actually am good friends with someone who played rehearsal piano for this show. (No, he doesn't still have any of the musica.) He said it was a maddening, but exhilarating process--maddening because of Alan Jay Lerner, who was nasty to everybody (he realized early on it wasn't going to work) and exhilarating because of the material and Dorothy Loudon, who brought so much energy to her role that the show never recovered from her character's death in Act One.

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