Imagine, Two Such Iconic Shows Opening The Same Night, 22 Years Apart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

                                                                                     

                              This is a big night in Musical Theater History, darlings!

                             But before getting to that, I have an announcement for the 2023 company of 'Merrily,' now performing nightly at the Hudson Theatre.  Tonight, at the curtain call, it should be acknowledged that you were performing this the same night the original opened.  Two 'Merrilys' on the same date, albeit with a 42-year separation.  I would be honored to share this moment, and I think it should be shared by the company with the audience.

                                 Now, "The Sound Of Music" opened on this night 64 years ago, at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.  This was just two days before my fifth birthday.  It starred Mary Martin as Maria--the ideal choice, as this was Rodgers And Hammerstein's last musical--Theodore Bikel as Captain Von Trapp, Marion Marlowe as the Baroness, and Kurt Kasznar as Max Detweiler. Patrica Neway played the Mother Superior and won a TONY Award for shaking the chandelier each night, while hitting the final notes of "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," at the end of the first act.  Mary Martin won a TONY Award for playing Maria--Can you believe it, darlings?  She beat out Ethel Merman in "Gypsy!!!!!!!!!!!!"  The Children were played by Laurie Peters (Liesl), William Snowden (Friedrich), Kathy Dunn (Louisa), Joseph Stewart (Kurt), Marilyn Rogers (Brigitta), Mary Susan Locke (Marta), and Evanna Lien (Gretl).

                                    The show paved the way for the iconic 1965 movie, with Julie Andrews doing that opening twirl.  But the film owes all to what started tonight.

                                      As for 'Merrily,' especially now that it is the hit I always knew it was destined to become, well, almost enough has been said.  Except thankfully people persevered with this show, Sondheim especially, until director Maria Friedman got it right.  And the cast is perfect with this trio being the first to equal the original.

                                        So, thank about these two shows at 8PM as the curtain rises on the 2023 'Merrily.' 

                                          And girls, if in your Cast Album collection, take both out, and listen.