THE STORY OF MY LIFE (2009)

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 3:04pm

With the recent thread about Glory Days, I thought I'd make one about another flop show, The Story of My Life. 9 months after Glory Days, this show opened and ran for 5 performances. While it's a similar set-up to Glory Days' failure (2 young inexperienced writers putting on a show that's not ready for Broadway), this one had some notable people behind it. Stephen Sondheim's buddy Jonathan Tunick orchestrated the music, and Richard Maltby Jr., of Ain't Misbehavin' and Miss Saigon fame was the director. Unlike Glory Days, it also scored a couple Drama Desk nominations for it's book and score.

 

I've listened to this show a couple times, and I really like it. I agree it was not a Broadway-bound show, but it has it's really charming moments and some really great music.

 

Is there anyone else who likes this show? If not, what other problems do you have with it?

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 3:40pm

Did not get the chance to see it. When the recording was released I bought it and became a bit addicted to it. Love the score. Have not listened to it in years but this thread made me pull it back up and listen!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 3:56pm

Good lord it was awful.   I could have given myself whiplash from the eye rolls I was sporting.   Had there been an intermission (or I wasn't smack dab in the middle of the row) I would have left.  It was simply insipid.

[denali.fire]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 3:59pm

I was one of the lucky people to see this show. 

Love the music esp Mrs Remington and The Butterfly.   They used to be available on the shows website.  

Pulling the music up from my iPod. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 4:40pm

I saw a regional production about 6 years ago, and completely fell in love with it. In subsequent years I was a staunch proponent of the show - it was one of my absolutely favorites. 

I just listened to the album a few days ago for the first time in years. I still think it has a lot of beautiful emotional honesty. Some of the music I still think is beautiful - other songs definitely lost their charm for me. I actually think the lyrics are the strongest element of the show - very well constructed, and they cut deep into the truth of the characters and heir emotions. Some parts definitely feel sort of inane, or  emotionally manipulative though. I still like it, but I'm not as enamoured with it as I once was. Also, I've seen a bootleg of the Broadway production, and I totally see why it didn't work. They were just drowning on that huge Broadway stage, and the material isn't quite full enough to make its mark in such a big house. 

Something interesting that occurred to me: the show actually bears a strong resemblance to Fun Home in a lot of ways. I think Fun Home is significantly more well written, but some of the major themes and storytelling devices that it employs we're actually done by Story of My Life first. I realize that the graphic novel came out before SOML, but if I recall correctly, the novel didn't utilize that same "author using their writing to explore their memories and process a loss" device (because that's just what the graphic novel WAS).

im not saying Fun Home was derivative of SOML per se, but it's interesting to compare them, especially since Fun Home came later, but is much better, 

Updated On: 8/11/17 at 04:40 PM

[JaglinSays]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 4:49pm

It is small.  As in "small genitals."

[ashley0139]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 7:12pm

I actually saw this show.  It might be the shortest run show I've ever seen.  I don't remember much about it, but I do remember liking and listening to some of the songs after the fact.  I specifically remember 1876 and Mrs. Remington.  I also remember really liking the set.  Or at least, the set still stands out in my mind.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 8/11/17 at 9:56pm

I saw this show as well and loved it at the time. However, I don't think it belonged on Broadway. I sat quite close but I'm guessing further back it was swallowed, even in the tiny Booth Theatre. It's a really sweet show with some beautiful music, and Malcolm Gets and Will Chase were both wonderful. 

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 12:35am

Was this the one with the white sets and the white letters and the white actors?  It was so awful. 

[ren598]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 2:26am

Will Chase and Malcolm Gets are doing a reunion concert at Feinstein's 54 Below in December. 

For those interested, check it out:

https://54below.com/events/story-life-reunion-concert-will-chase-malcolm-gets/

[denali.fire]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 9:51am

Mrs Remington smiled because Mrs Remington knew that the battlefield of childhood was easier with two.

 

 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 8/12/17 at 10:03am

I remember very little about it other than that it was opening night, my ticket was only $5, and I was sitting next to Didi Conn. I also remember the score and book being totally groan-worthy. Malcolm Gets and Will Chase were trying very hard, but it was a bomb of a show. Maybe it would've fared better Off-Broadway, but it wouldn't have improved such insubstantial material.