marilyn:an american fable

at the Minskoff, in the early 1980s. As I was appearing in Europe at the time, I never did get to see it. Anyone have any memories or pics? Alyson Reed,(someone I had the pleasure to work with many times) was apparently wonderful in the role. I did hear some stories about the "dancing pills" from her but not much else. And I was able to hear a bootleg of just one song from the show

I posted this on the West End Board on your similar thread on there.

The Broadway Marilyn Musical (Marilyn: An American Fable) is just odd, i have a naughty DVD of it and to say they play fast and lose with the facts is an understatment. It had no idea what it was trying to be. That show also met a similar fate as the London Marilyn Musical closing very early (34 previews and 17 regular performances). Reed was very good in the role.

The funny thing was they gave the show a happy ending lol

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Sorry I have no memory of specific numbers, but I did happen to remember that Alyson Reed was not originally cast as Marilyn. The show began rehearsals with a young woman (Gerilyn Petchel???) who was I think, a beauty pageant winner who bore some resemblance to Miss Monroe. Problem was, she had little or no acting, singing, or dancing skills -- at least not by Broadway standards. The producers scrambled and replaced her with Alyson Reed. The fact that Ms. Reed developed such a strong performance under such circumstances makes her work even more impressive -- and if you've seen the film of A CHORUS LINE, you would not think the actress playing Cassie would make a believable Marilyn, but indeed she did.

Updated On: 5/23/11 at 09:22 AM

I remember vividly "I'm Going Public" - Why I have no idea...I don't even know if it was a good song or not...but I remember it!

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I have vivid memories of cast members impersonating "Marilyn's Demons" crawling and writhing all over Marilyn's bed in one outrageously campy number. Also a constant presence of Louella and Hedda as kind of MC's of the story (without last names since I guess they didn't have signoffs from the Parsons and Hopper clans). It was a show that was constantly slipping into the silliest camp tone that would invariably undercut Alysson Reed's really legitimate and dynamite portrayal. The set left no impression but the costumes were really deluxe.

Yes my partner gave up watching it at about the hour mark and like me he loves Marilyn.

The best line from the NY times review

'Marilyn: An American Fable' is so confused that it never gets around to its heroine's death. If nothing else, it must be the first exploitation of the Monroe legend that even denies necrophiliacs a good time'

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Marilyn's demons had a name. The three performers who played this role were collectively called "Destiny". How floppola is that?

Mary Testa, theretofore unknown to me, was either Hedda or Louella, and those two actresses stole the show.

Poor Alyson Reed worked like the trouper she is and came out of this manure pile smelling like a rose.

Still the whole thing looked like a money laundering production.

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