The Mad Show

[RockyRoad]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 6:05pm

Are the rights to this show available? Has anyone ever done it?

I know the recording is being reissued and I've heard the song "The Boy From..", but really don't know about the show itself. Is it a dated thing?

[wildcat]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 11:00pm

Don't know about the rights, but a lot of Mad Magazine's humour is very much of its time and I would think the show would not hold up well today, although THE BOY FROM..., THE HATE SONG and THE GIFT OF MAGGIE still raise a giggle.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 11:08pm

I saw it .

One star was Jo Anne Worley. As I remember, Linda Lavin might have been in it too. It seemed like harmless fun. I cannot wait for th cd as my lp got rather beat up & I have not had it for years

[wildcat]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 11:22pm

I don't think Linda stayed with the show for long. Marcia Rodd took over.

[Mr. Tuttle]

Posted: 1/22/05 at 12:45am

is the sheet music available?

Posted: 1/22/05 at 12:41pm

Years ago Samuel French had the rights to it. And yes, there are still some funny scenes. And I can't wait to hear it again as my tape of a friend's LP has long since broke!

[Mr. Tuttle]

Posted: 1/22/05 at 12:41pm

I didn't know JoAnn Worley was on the cast recording. Any other stars?

[missthemountains]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 6:16pm

This score is so fun! A bit dated, but I think with the right cast and direction it could still be a lot of fun. I see Sam French owns the rights, but have there been any productions since? Love "Hate Song", "Boy From..." and "You Can Never Tell." Even the book scenes are a hoot!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 7:04pm

Linds Lavin MIGHT have been in it?

Oh boy.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 7:19pm

I guess we'll never know. Updated On: 1/18/15 at 07:19 PM

[RockyRoad]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 8:20pm

Oh my gawd....I can't believe someone would revive my old post from 2005!! But like all good Broadway shows, 10 years is the appropriate time for a revival.

I would still like to see a production of this one day.

But more importantly, looking at this thread, I miss Mr. Tuttle.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 9:07pm

I remember seeing this. I might still have the program they gave out than. Wonder if the little shoebox of a theater is still there.

I used to have the LP. I still however have the cd they eventually released of it.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 10:01pm

Was Linda Lavin in it? Someone told me she might have been.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 10:02pm

There are no records of The Mad Show having ever existed. Or the original version of "The Boy From…" ever heard.

[Fantod]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 10:04pm

In case anybody is curious, Linda Lavin actually was in it.

http://www.ovrtur.com/production/2881091

And the New Theatre, where it originally played, closed in 1974

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Theatre_(New_York_City) Updated On: 1/18/15 at 10:04 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 10:05pm

Nobody is curious.

[Fantod]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 10:05pm

Good to know you can speak on behalf of the whole human race.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 10:06pm

Yes. It is good to know.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 11:14pm

I made my parents take me to The Mad Show because at 10 years old, I was not only a fan of Mad Magazine, I was a button-wearing member of the Mad Club.

I don't remember what else you got for joining the Mad Club, other than the button, which I insisted on wearing to the show, but I was very proud to have joined it. Prior to that, I had joined the Archie Club, but the Mad Club was infinitely more sophisticated.

The show must have gone way over my 10-year-old head--especially "The Boy From"--but it was everything to me, especially Jo Anne Worley, whose madcap comedy and belt voice thrilled me.



I was obsessed with her for the next year, and when the Laugh-In pilot debuted as a special on Channel 4 in September 1967, I felt as if I were seeing an old friend make good. To me, she was an old friend and she loved me as much as I loved her.

A year later, my parents were making up the guest list for my bar mitzvah, which was to include 200 of my parents' closest relatives and friends and a few of my own. Naturally, I included Jo Anne Worley on my guest list, with her address listed as "Miss Jo Anne Worley, c/o Laugh-In, NBC Studios, Burbank, California."

My father said, "You are not inviting Jo Anne Worley to your bar mitzvah. That's final."

I said, "If Jo Ann is not invited, I'm not showing up."

My mother said, "You have to come. You can't not-show to your own bar mitzvah. Who's gonna read the haftorah? Who's gonna call up all your aunts and uncles to light the candles? Who's gonna help Uncle George cut the challah? And who's gonna collect all those envelopes from all the guests?"

I said, "I want Jo Anne Worley to get an invitation!"

My father said, "Those invitations are engraved! The envelopes are calligraphed by hand! Do you know how much the goddamn calligrapher is charging us for each one of those envelopes?"

In the end, Miss Jo Anne Worley received a hand-addressed, engraved invitation at NBC Studios in Burbank, California. Sadly, she did not RSVP. Nevertheless, I held out hope, up until the night of the affair, that Miss Jo Anne Worley would show up at the country club in New Rochelle, and make a funny entrance with her finger in her cheek, like she always did on Laugh-In.



She never showed up. My heart was broken. The next day, I became a man.

Updated On: 1/19/15 at 11:14 PM

[Fantod]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 11:22pm

Thank you for sharing that PalJoey.

[LetticeDouffet]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 8:47am

Yes, thank you, Joey. I wish I had seen it.

Fantod--did you see the show as well?

[ErinDillyFan]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 12:13pm

Great story PalJoey.

The CD was released in 2005:
http://www.amazon.com/Show-1966-Original-Off-Broadway-Cast/dp/B0007514HQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421687211&sr=8-1&keywords=the+mad+show&pebp=1421687464339&peasin=B0007514HQ

Samuel French licenses it:
http://www.samuelfrench.com/p/6443/mad-show-the

My musical comedy hero is Allan Sherman. I have a 45 demo from his show "Fig Leaves are Falling" which I don't believe was ever licensed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fig_Leaves_Are_Falling

Updated On: 1/19/15 at 12:13 PM

[thommg]

Posted: 1/19/15 at 2:03pm

I have to remember to start looking at dates on the first posts!

Nobody mentioned the 2011 Musicals In Mufti production at York Theatre. It was quite good, directed by Carl Andress. It made a good case for this little musical but some of the references are waaaay out of date and you need real comedic performers to make it work. This is where I first saw Tally Sessions and I thought he was just terrific. Stephanie D'Abruzzo was also lovely. Very glad to see this after years of listening to the LP (then cd) and reading through the script.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 1/24/15 at 11:00am

Pal Joey. I love your story. Thank you for sharing.