Show Boat

[magruder]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 3:45pm

A post from MisterMatt in the chronologically challenged thread sent me back to the John McGlinn studio recording of Show Boat.

Thought I'd try to get a thread started on the achivements of this remarkable show, particularly when you hear how the authors originally conceived the material. Show Boat has been softened over the years, with many of its disturbing elements removed, until the piece has seemed operetta-lite. Even the generally respectable Hal Prince revival a few years ago didn't bring back all of the elements that made the opening night audience in 1927 greet the show with stunned silence at curtain call.

As originally written, sweet little Show Boat contains a rather shocking opening lyric. Race relations throughout the show are depicted in unsparing terms, with the famous miscegenation scene a particular stunner. (I don't think there's anything quite like it until you get to South Pacific).

Yes there are questionable passages, and "In Dahomey" should probably never be performed in any production, but the scope of the score is an astonishment, and the next revival simply must incorporate the brash, mournful "It's Getting Hotter in the North" to bring it all full circle. (The song also links mother and daughter in Show Boat, by having Kim simg a melody line based on Magnolia's piano exercise when she meets Gaylord.)

With all due respect to the achievements of Oklahoma! (and they are considerable), the innovations of Show Boat always knock me out when I revisit it every few years. Any other admirers?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 4:04pm

Thank you Magruder. What a great topic!

SHOW BOAT is indeed phenomenal piece of theatre book-writing, music and lyrics. I too am a big fan of what was accomplished by its creators and its impact on the musical art form.

Its true that over the years political correctness has changed musical moments of the original piece. I don't however subscribe to editing art for political correctness, or history for that matter. If one is to totally eliminate "In Da Homey" one would then eliminate whole sections of PORGY AND BESS. Miles Krueger wrote a terrific book on SHOW BOAT, the most authoritive in my humble opinion.

McGlinn's recording is the most complete to date, I believe. The 1936 Universal film version, directed no less than by James Whale of "Frankenstein" fame ["Gods and Monsters"], is superb.

I didn't see the fairly recent Broadway revival. I too would like to hear from others on SHOW BOAT. Anyone?

Bulldog.

Updated On: 12/28/03 at 04:04 PM

[magruder]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 4:16pm

The Prince revival restored "Mis'ry's Coming Around" to its rightful place. (How prescient that Jerome Kern made the song the main theme of his Overture, despite the fact the song was dropped from the original production). But the Prince revival used the expurgated "Colored folks work on the Mississippi" for the opening lyric, and also included "I Have the Room Above Her" though it's not really necessary to the stage Show Boat. Additionally, "Kim's Charleston," though nicely staged, was used in place of the more striking (in my opinion), "It's Getting Hotter in the North" as noted in my original post. There were also some sentimentalized touches...a reprise of "Why Do I Love You?" for Elaine Stritch's Parthy to sing to baby Kim, and so forth.

As for "In Dahomey," it was cut entirely. I like what the song is trying to accomplish (white perception of African Americans vs. reality - the black Dahomey natives are actors playing the role of savages for white audiences) and I think it does prove itself, but that "Gyunga do" chant material at the top is a little too much to take. Still, I'll admit, it would probably be possible for a talented director/choreographer to use it and make it work.

Updated On: 12/28/03 at 04:16 PM

[magruder]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 4:27pm

I forgot. There was also a very strange version of "Til Good Luck Comes My Way" in the Prince revival, sung at an almost double time rapid fire tempo, with a kind of carnival barker delivery from Mark Jacoby that I still don't quite understand.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 5:30pm

Magruder, do you know the James Whale SHOW BOAT film?

Bulldog

[bob8rich]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 5:46pm

Taken in the context of when it was written, "Showboat" was a landmark show that ranks even now as a masterpiece of musical theatre - hard hitting, controversial and at the same time highly entertaining - and with a Jerome Kern score to die for.

It is not perhaps the watershed that has sometimes been suggested - as most musicals for many years afterwards continued to be "fluffy" and trite. But it announced Oscar Hammerstein as the founder of the "modern" musical, a mantle he took up again 16 years later when he and Rodgers launched the "new age" of musical theatre.

I saw the Hal Prince production in London - a very satisfying recreation of the clasic, which had two GREAT performances by Hugh Panaro as Ravenal and Michel Bell as Joe.

[magruder]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 6:02pm

The James Whale film has "Gallivanting Around," right? I've seen the two main Show Boat films (there's a third, I think from 1930 (?) which I haven't seen), but I'm more familiar with the 1950s Howard Keel/Ava Gardner film.

[bob8rich]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 6:34pm

James Whate directed the 1936 film (which has "Galivantin Around", as you say). It starred Allan Jones, Helen Morgan, Irene Dunn, Hattie MacDaniel (the oscar winning actress from "Gone With The Wind") and the legendary "honorary Welshman" from New Jersey, Paul Robeson.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 6:37pm

Yes it does. Irene does it in blackface no less on the show boat.

I have a copy if you ever care to see it.

Bulldog.

[ChrisLovesShows]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 6:58pm

Many on the board know that Show Boat and its score are real loves of mine, and I have ten different recordings of the show. So....I'll throw in my two cents:

The credit or blame for excising the "n" word does not go to Prince. A change to "darkies" was made as early as the 1936 film version and the 1946 revival substituted "colored folks."

The 1951 film version is enjoyable in that lavish, MGM spectacular style and it stars my beloved Howare Keel, but I will agree that the 1936 film is truer emotionally to the core of the work (as I understand it) and is generally a more moving experience. It can't be denied that the film is dated, however (you'll roll your eyes at the over-literal interpretation of "Ol' Man River"), and the stereotypes of the day are clear in the sometimes squirm-inducing scenes between Joe and Queenie (Paul Robeson and Hattie McDaniel). Don't forget that "I Still Suits Me" is also almost always left out of modern productions.

"Mis'ry's Comin' Around" is an achingly beautiful song and is wonderfully realized by Gretha Boston in the Prince revival. There was not a "Broadway" recording of the revival, but the same cast (Boston, Mark Jacoby, Lonette McKee, Rebecca Luker, Elaine Stritch) was recorded in Toronto and, though out-of-print, used copies of the CD are easily found on the internet.

The 1929 movie was made as a silent film, but music and songs from Kern's score were inserted later. It was briefly available on video years ago and Turner Classic Movies has broadcast a "restored" version. I have never had a chance to see it, HEAVEN HELP ME! SOBBING, SOBBING.... There is an informative user review of the 1929 film on the internet movie database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020402/.

Does ANYONE remember a video collection called "The Complete Show Boat" featuring all three film versions being sold about 10 years ago? I could kill myself for not buying it at the time. I cannot even find a reference to it anymore on Amazon or other online stores. Did I imagine this???

Updated On: 12/28/03 at 06:58 PM

[magruder]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 7:15pm

Just so it's clear, I hope it didn't sound like I was blaming Prince for the substitute lyric. I know there are many variations that have been used over the years...including the meaningless "Here we all work on the Mississippi..." among the others mentioned. The word is still so shocking that I understand the African American chorus on the McGlinn recording refused to sing it. A pity, because the ugliness of the opening lyric is Hammerstein's point.

[ChrisLovesShows]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 8:26pm

I'm just so excited about there being a Show Boat thread that I had to bump it. Don't let it die, please, please, don't let it die. Please, IN GOD'S NAME, don't LET IT DIE!!!

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 12/28/03 at 8:39pm

i would have to check, but i think the original opening lyric (or a less-softened version of it) is in place for the FOURTH filmed version of SHOWBOAT...that which serves as the frame for the Kern biopic TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY. Devotees must see these selections, if only to hoot at the horribly musical theatre staging of "Ol Man River"...

[magruder]

Posted: 12/29/03 at 10:23am

I held that Ultimate Show Boat in my hands (I think it was just on laser disc), but regrettably, didn't buy it. I could kill myself now. But maybe we'll have luck and it will come out on DVD.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/29/03 at 11:12am

The show and story did have an impact when it first reached the public that the first film version was a silent, in my recollection. Naturally minus the glorious score.

I have the '36, '51, and the CLOUDS on VHS. Not bought as a package however.

Bulldog.

[ChrisLovesShows]

Posted: 12/29/03 at 5:06pm

I was looking around again on the internet last night. It looks like the only time the 1929 silent/talkie hybrid film was commercially avaiable was with the MGM/UA laserdisc box set of all three films, "The Complete Showboat." The only other broadcast I know of was on Turner Classic Movies. For an interesting discussion about the 1929 film version, check out this page: http://home.earthlink.net/~davidp_hayes/Articles/m02.html

What a wonderful DVD package the three films would make!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/29/03 at 5:25pm

I ran across the 1936 version of the film by accident on cable. I think it's far superior to the simplified 1951 version with Ava Gardner. The 1929 film is mostly silent with some music from the musical added in later. Did anyone catch the 1989 Paper Mill production broadcast on TV with Eddie Bracken and Richard White? I saw the Hal Prince revival and enjoyed it, but like Anything Goes, after hearing the studio recording of the original score, I long to see a revival of the original production. Every time I think about what Show Boat must have been like during its original run, I'm convinced it's the greatest accomplishment in musical theatre.

[magruder]

Posted: 12/29/03 at 5:49pm

Maybe more people will respond to this thread if we try to cast a Show Boat revival. Naturally, with Kristin Chenoweth as Magnolia and Sutton Foster as Ellie.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 12/29/03 at 5:53pm

The only version of Show Boat I saw was the revival almost 10 years ago (gee, how time flies). Considering when it was originally written, I found the show and score to be absolutely fascinating and beautiful. I remember that Papermill Playhouse did a version that was presented on PBS in the late 80s but I didn't see it when it aired.

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 12/29/03 at 6:02pm

Magruder, I am hanging on every word here. I was just never informed before of how important show boat really was. So I am silently reading and absorbing every little tid bit posted. I like these threads much better than the "list every possible musical you can possibly remember in alphabetical order of thelyricists middle name!" OY! That makes my head hurt. Keep plowing away I'm sitting here absorbing like a sponge. My theatre teachers in high school told us nothing of anything theatre, it was always learn your lines and that was it, nothing more and I know for a fact that they know all this stuff...oooh I'm off topic ummm how to get it back on topic.....hmmmmm and because they didn't teach anything like that I want to know all you know about showboat. (whew that was easier than I thought) (and please don't take this as me being a suck-up, its jst really interests me.)

Updated On: 12/29/03 at 06:02 PM

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/29/03 at 6:11pm

awwwwwwwwwww.. young minds. Isn't Son adorable? teach us!

[magruder]

Posted: 12/29/03 at 6:15pm

Son, check out the Amazon.com listing for the John McGlinn complete recording of Show Boat (EMI), which explains how the score was reassembled to the 1927 version. There are also some user reviews that are helpful.
Show Boat - Amazon.com

[Dollypop]

Posted: 12/29/03 at 7:03pm

My favorite version of SHOWBOAT is the one that played at the State Theater of Lincoln Center around 1966. It was a lovely production with a cast that included Barbara Cook, Stephen Douglass, David Wayne, Margaret Hamilton, Paul Wharfield, Rosette LeNoir, Allyn Ann McLearie--and Constance Towers.

I will never forget Ms. Towers, who was stunning with her blue eyes and black wig, as she sat perched atop the piano singing "Bill". It was a moment when actress and song connected in an inexplicable way. Her vocalizing was sensational and the emotional intensity she brought to the role was unsurpassed. She wound up giving three encores before finally leaving the stage. A superb moment in the theater.

I thought the Hal Prince version added so much material that it diminished the show's impact. When I saw the production Marilyn McCoo (from the Fifth Dimension) had taken over the part of Julie. The gal could sing, but she was a dreadful actress. Her "I'm goin' on a tear" line was laughable.

About the John McGlinn recording of SHOWBOAT, I was very good friends with Jerry Hadley at the time that it was recorded. I think Jerry's vocalizing is excellent, but when he's uttering dialogue, he comes off as a kid who's just landed a lead role in a junior high production. I absolutely cringe when he's speaking on this disc.

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 12/29/03 at 7:32pm

Sadly the library only has the simplified version with Ava Gardner so I'm gonna have to settle for that for now. I called up a bunch of my theatre friends and we're having an improptu Showboat party at 8:30! We're gonna look stuff up online about the show and I may show then these posts since there is a lot of information in them. Yay for random friends who decide to have a party at the last minute! I am gonna find that earlier version if it kills me!

[magruder]

Posted: 12/29/03 at 7:33pm

Sure, he's a little wooden, but his vocals are terrif. And the other opera singers on the recording fare well, especially Stratas.

Too bad to hear about Marilyn McCoo's Julie, but Lonette McKee who opened the production was really lovely in the role. Anyone know what happened to her?