"THE HAPPY TIME"

[AttendTheTale]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 1:26am

I was recently told about the musical "The Happy Time". After doing some research, I discovered that it was written by Kander and Ebb. Has anyone seen the show? I have never heard of it before and was wondering why it doesn't seem to ever be produced by regional and/or community theatres.

The person who told me about it also said that he had heard a rumor that the reason it flopped was because the composers had done something that made the critics very angry, so they slammed it, while it was in fact a very good piece of musical theatre. Is there any truth to this? Come on all of you theatre historians!

[jo]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 1:32am

Believe it or not - I had seen the Broadway version with Robert Goulet decades and decades ago. I had some pleasant recollections of the show ( and I did get the CD when it was released years and years after) but I cannot remember it as being extraordinary - one or two memorable songs, though. If I recall right, the setting of the show was in French Canada.


Updated On: 1/8/05 at 01:32 AM

[AttendTheTale]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 1:36am

This is part of the review that I read on Amazon:

"The story involves a world renowned photographer, who makes a journey back to his hometown of St. Pierre, French Canada. It is a story of reflection. and the authors do their very best to make it a very poigant piece."

I'm considering purchasing the recording. Do you think it is worth it?

[jo]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 1:49am

I am looking for it right now

I have to listen to it again - as I have forgotten the musical score. I do remember a song which mentions or is a tribute to Saint Pierre.

[AttendTheTale]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 1:55am

Yes the review on Amazon hinted towards a song that was a tribute to St. Pierre. I listened to the clips on Amazon and the score seems pretty good.

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 2:18am

I recommend it - you really can't go too wrong with Kander/Ebb. There are some great tunes on there!

[jo]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 2:46am

Okay, I have listened to it again - and some memories have surprisingly come back.

I think the musical score is probably the best thing that went for the show ( the album notes will tell you what went wrong with the show, although it was mostly the book that was blamed for the problems) - the songs are melodious, luminous, and very evocative. The singing is very clear and evokes the right emotions. I am fan of the Robert Goulet of Camelot and he is in strong and romantic voice here. He sings some memorable ballads here...plus the song that I remember most ( "Saint Pierre", with a boys' chorus and in French). Incidentally, he also won the TONY for this role.

I recommend getting this album, if you can find one. I am glad I got one - now that I have heard it all over again.

[eslgr8]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 4:00am

I'm dating myself so don't quote me, but I saw the show in L.A. in its pre-Broadway run. I remember seeing Michael (then Mike) Rupert in his first big show, as the teenager (which I was at that time too) and in my not yet fully figured out developing gay heart having a bit of a crush on him. I saw him two years later (still as Mike) in Pippen and in 1992 (as an adult) in Falsettos. What a beautiful talented man, of whom I'm still a fan! I just saw the Happy Time CD at a local library last week. All this talk has convinced me to check it out next time I'm there. I remember liking the show, that much I do recall. And I think the lead actress was replaced between LA and Broadway.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 4:21am

I Don't Remember You and Please Stay are beautiful and characterful songs but the rest of the score just isn't very interesting. It seems like a show that didn't have a compelling lyrical reason to be a musical. I think Gower Champion was intrigued by the multi-media aspect of the show (photographs were used throughout) and the idea of memory and and revisiting the past. But Goulet's character was unsympathetic and the show never really took flight.

[wildcat]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 8:34am

The musical strayed too far from Samuel Taylor's original play, which was a charming intimate family comedy. William Goldman in his book "The Season" tends to blame the overblown physical production of the musical, especially those humungous projections, the casting of Goulet in a role that cried out for someone with "more mileage" on them, and a soft edged approach to the central conflict between the Goulet and Rupert characters. I personally love the score and would love to see a production that addresses these weaknesses.

[AttendTheTale]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 11:04am

Thanks for the info/opinions everyone. I think maybe I'll order a copy of the recording from Amazon. It seems like something that would be fun to have in my collection.

eslgr8 - that is interesting about Michael (Mike) Rupert! "Flasettos" is my favorite show, and I have never really heard Michael in anything prior to it. Can he be heard on the recording?

[WChafin]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 11:20am

AttendTheTale...Michael does appear on "THE HAPPY TIME" recording. You can go to his website www.jrockingr.com and click on the discography page and listen to some snippets of the songs he sings in the show.

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 11:25am

I did "and the World Goes Round" in college and I loved singing "I Don't Remember You". Gorgeous song - probably one of my favorite songs I have performed thus far in my life. Compelling.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/8/05 at 7:46pm

I, too, saw the original production and loved it. Yes, the book had problems, but the score was (and is) marvelous. The sweeping title song was a favorite of mine and it was one of the few albums my mother would ask me to play again and again.

I guess the show suffered from Gower Champion's intrigue with photographic projections onstage. These projections were often built into the production numbers and got a bit annoying as the show went on.

I recall a lively production number with the boys that built and built and built. Was that called "Without Me"? And Goulet's leading lady (Julie Gregg?) was quite lovely.