Jerry Herman has revised DEAR WORLD and cut the title tune, which he claims is the worst thing he's ever written. I believe the title of the revised show is THE SPRING OF NEXT YEAR.
HELLO, DOLLY! has a breezy, brilliant book that is a masterpiece of economy and comedy, so I'd have to place it first on my list. MAME is episodic and hit-and-miss, but the hits outnumber the misses and it is a pleasure to see again and again regionally, particularly for the choice supporting roles. In terms of sheer listening pleasure, I'd put MACK AND MABEL on top. I've sen three different productions of varying quality, and all have left me longing for the superb original cast album. DOLLY, MAME and DEAR WORLD's recordings sound too big for the recording studio with their over-singing choruses and blaring trumpets, so give me MACK AND MABEL any time. Just the overture is enough to send me into musical theatre heaven.
It's hard to pick a favorite show of mine written by Jerry. I own the cds for all of his shows, and I just love even his less successful scores. The Grand Tour is full of wonderful music, as is Dear World, and Mack and Mabel (I just love the Original London Cast recording from 1995). Even Miss Spectacular, the concept album, is great. I listen to one of his scores every day. Mrs. Santa Clause is one great song after another, especially "Avenue A." That song was in my brain constantly for months after the movie was telecast. Of course his hits, Dolly, La Cage and MAME are awesome.
I just find it sad that there are not more scores available. Jerry turned down alot of shows and could have had dozens of scores by now. He only will write if he is excited about the material. He turned down The Producers, a musical of the film Bullits over Broadway" and from what he says in his book, hundreds of shows. I would sure love to have a recording of songs that were never used, he says he has hundreds in his "trunk."
If you have not read his autobiograpy "SHOWTUNE" or the other newer book Jerry Herman, poet of a Showtune." I suggest all fans read these, I've read both about 10 times now, they are beautifully written. So which show is my favorite? I would have to say a tie, Mack and Mabel and Mame.
I love ONE PERSON. Dear World is a fair song, written against Jerry's wishes to have a "title" song. One of my favorite songs is I BELONG HERE, from The Grand Tour, beautiful! And "I won't Send Roses" as sung by Michael Feinstein in the Jerry Herman at the Hollywood Bowl concert is a tear-jerker!
I would go with Mack & Mabel as probably my favorite. I definately enjoy listening to Dear World and The Grand Tour nowadays. Perhaps familiarity with Hello, Dolly! and Mame has blunted my enthusiasm towards them for the time being, unfortunately.
i really do not like Mr Herman at all but i do enjoy Mack and Mabel...
"movies were movies when i ran the shoW!"
"Picture "The View," with the wisecracking, sympathetic sweethearts of that ABC television show replaced by a panel of embittered, suffering or enraged Arab women" -the Times review of Black Eyed
And the other thing about the Phantom Lady was, Bert, she realized, in the city that never sleeps...
What did she realize, Kitten?
That all the songs she'd listened to, all the love songs, that they were only songs.
What's wrong with that?
Nothing, if you don't believe in them. But she did, you see. She believed in enchanted evenings, and she believed that a small cloud passed overhead and cried down on a flower bed, and she even believed there was breakfast to be had...
Where?
On Pluto. The mysterious, icy wastes of Pluto.
MACK AND MABEL, the original 1995 London cast...what a recording! Sorry but I think it's much better than the original Boradway cast. Now if one day I could get to see the show, WOW.
this is a tricky question. MAME is Jerry Herman's best musical. Gower Champion's production of Jerry Herman's HELLO DOLLY! is one of the greatest treats in theatrical history, not much comes close. But it must be the original Gower Champion production. MAME plays much better in concert than DOLLY. And the Dolly score is an excellent one. The MAME score is just simply, practically perfect and thrilling. However, again, if you ever have the chance, DO NOT MISS Gower Champion's production of HELLO DOLLY! It is magic.
"Blow out the candles Robert and make a wish. Want something, want SOMETHING."
I love all of Jerry's work, but I have a particular soft spot for THE GRAND TOUR; I directed a production at the local Jewish Community Center and had the best time doing it.
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