Rainbow Jones, anyone?

[commasplice]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 4:19pm

Has anyone here seen Rainbow Jones? It was a one-performance flop (with three previews, plus a Boston tryout under the name "R.J.: A Musical Fable") from 1974, with book, music, and lyrics by Jill Williams (her only Broadway appearance to date); it starred Ruby Persson (ditto) and was directed by her husband, Gene Persson (not his only Broadway show, but the only show for his production company, Rubykate Inc.).

The basic plotline is that Rainbow Jones is a troubled woman who has imaginary friends in the form of animals from Aesop's Fables, and with the help of a man she meets in Central Park, she realizes that the animals are an emotional crutch she created to represent dead family members, and she learns how to move on and engage in the real world. From what I can tell, it was an original show.

The reason I ask "has anyone seen" rather than "did anyone see" is because I recently learned that you can license the show (through a company called Pioneer Drama Service), which surprised me. I'm just curious to hear about the show from anyone who's seen it in one form or another, because there's so little about it out there. Heck, even Ken Mandelbaum missed it.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 5:58pm

I saw it but it was so long ago I remember nothing of it. T%he only thing I have from it is the Playbill.

[Silverfamily]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 2:25am

HI there,
Well, for anyone interested in Rainbow Jones, or have questions
about it, I would be happy to answer them. I was in the show
through-out its entire run. I'm including Washington DC
and Boston, our try-out cities. I was the youngest member
of the cast and quite under the spell of having a steady
job while having a great time. It is a shame that it didn't
do well in New York, but it was a very small musical, and
(as said then) it may have done better off-Broadway. We'll
never know. The cast was great though. Lots of talent,
nice people. I played the part of Cardigan (the Lamb in Aesop's
Fables) Rainbow's imaginary sister. You can see all 4 fantasy
family members (Lion, Fox, Dog, Lamb) with Rainbow (Ruby P)
in "Theatre World '73 -'74" She is sitting on a bench and we
are singing around her. If you want any info, email me.
Thank you for asking about RJ (Its first title).

Sincerely, STEPHANIE SILVER

[bnm73]

Posted: 10/14/09 at 2:04pm

I would love to talk to you, Silverfamily, about the original production. Jill Williams (the author of Rainbow Jones) has been talking with me over the past couple of months about the show, and I would love to have your take on it.