Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Writing Your Very Own Rodgers & Hammerstein Musical

September 3, 2018

Several years ago, I watched a monologue by Anna Russell giving detailed instructions on writing your very own Gilbert & Sullivan operetta. She had much of the plot worked out for hers, detailing the exploits of the lovely maid Pneumonia. There was a patter song and a contralto involved. She observed that most of Gilbert & Sullivan’s operettas were basically the same, with all the same elements.

It got me thinking… Rodgers & Hammerstein were another classic pair of composers. They also had similarities in style and story elements in all or most of their musicals. A few years ago (more recently than when I watched Anna Russell), I wrote some tips on writing your own Rodgers & Hammerstein musical. Unfortunately, I don’t know where I put it, but I remember enough that I think I can recreate it from memory (all alone in the moonlight… oh wait, wrong composer).


First of all, the music. Your Rodgers & Hammerstein musical must have the same style as every other Rodgers & Hammerstein musical. It can have varieties in instruments (for example, The King & I uses a Thai-sounding style, and The Sound of Music involves yodeling), but the songs from one musical to another must sound like they could easily be from the same musical. 

The plot. Your Rodgers & Hammerstein musical must involve a somewhat controversial plot. South Pacific addresses interracial relationships (more controversial at the time than it is now), racism and a “good” character who had to flee for his life because he killed a man. Flower Drum Song involves a mail-order bride. Oklahoma! sees a main character taking a hallucinogen, and also involves abuse and a fight to the death. Carousel also addresses abuse, adding murder and stealing to the mix. The King & I involves slavery, a harem, and violent punishment (although Tuptim being whipped was less violent than the real story, in which she fled the palace, posed as a monk, and was subsequently beheaded). The Sound of Music involves Nazis.

The vocabulary. There are certain words that must be used in your Rodgers & Hammerstein musical:

Cockeyed. This can mean crooked, askew or absurd.

Examples:
“They call me a cockeyed optimist.” (South Pacific)
“While somersaulting at a cockeyed angle, we make a cockeyed circle round the sun.” (The Sound of Music)

Dope. This is the older definition of the word, as in a silly or stupid person.

Examples:
“I’m stuck like a dope with a thing called hope.” (South Pacific)
“I sit around and mope, pretending I am wonderful and knowing I’m a dope.” (State Fair)
“The gentleman is a dope!” (Allegro)
“The world is full of zanies and fools who don't believe in sensible rules, who don't believe what sensible people say, and because those daft and dewy-eyed dopes keep building up impossible hopes, impossible things are happening every day!” (Cinderella)

Gay. Again, this is an older definition of the word, as in happy or fun.

Examples:
“I feel so gay in a melancholy way that it might as well be spring.” (State Fair)
“Younger than springtime am I. Gayer than laughter am I.” (South Pacific)
“The games they played were bright and gay and loud! They used to shout, ‘Red Rover! Red Rover, please come over!’” (Flower Drum Song)

Louise. It is important for a character to be named Louise or a variant on that. Julie Bigelow names their daughter Louise in Carousel. Anna’s son in The King & I was Louis. When writing The Sound of Music, none of the children’s names were anywhere similar. We can’t have that! The solution was to change the names of all seven children so that one of them could be named Luisa. (I’m more inclined to believe that their names were changed because the real “Luisa” was named Maria, and that could lead to confusion in the storytelling. It caused enough confusion when she died a couple years ago, and a lot of people thought it was a different Maria von Trapp who died. I’m not sure why they changed the names, but that’s my theory.)

The haunting plea. In South Pacific, Bloody Mary decides that Lt. Joe Cable would make a great husband for her daughter Liat, and thus expounds on the virtues of her island “Bali Ha’i” to him. The tune is slow and haunting. In The King & I, Lady Thiang realizes that Anna is the only person who can help the King in his current predicament, but as Anna is currently angry with the King, Lady Thiang sings a haunting ballad about how the King can be infuriating at times, but sometimes he can do “Something Wonderful.”

The advice. In The King & I, Anna advises Louis to “Whistle a Happy Tune” when he is afraid. In The Sound of Music, Maria reveals her strategy in a similar situation is to think about “My Favorite Things.”

The lovers. Their song(s) must start with one lover singing a verse. Then the other lover must repeat back almost verbatim what the first lover sang. Certain adjustments are all right. For example, “You are sixteen going on seventeen” in the first verse becomes “I am sixteen going on seventeen” for the second verse. Sometimes the verses are almost completely identical. For example, “I Have Dreamed” and “We Kiss in a Shadow” from The King & I, “Do I Love You Because You’re Wonderful?” and “Ten Minutes Ago” from Cinderella. The Sound of Music mixes this one up a bit with the song “How Can Love Survive,” as the duet is about the lovers, but only one of the lovers in question is actually singing. Interestingly, that love does not survive, as the Captain later realizes that the Baroness is far too willing to compromise on important matters. Flower Drum Song flips the formula, in which two characters try to convince the other: “Don’t Marry Me!”

Denial. In Oklahoma!, Curly and Laurey give each other advice on how to behave, as they aren’t willing to admit publicly that they’re dating. They worry that “People Will Say We’re in Love,” so they decide to pretend they are not. In Carousel, Billy and Julie (played by the same actors as the previous couple in the classic movies) aren’t willing to admit to each other, let alone publicly, that they’re in love, so they tell each other what they would do “If I Loved You.” It just so happens that what they sing about doing is exactly what they are doing. They end up not verbalizing their love for each other until it’s too late. (“Make Believe” from Show Boat also fits in this category, and that musical was by Oscar Hammerstein, though he composed it with Jerome Kern rather than Richard Rodgers.)

The breakup. At least one of the lovers decides they can’t go forward in this relationship. After learning of his children by a Polynesian woman in South Pacific, Nellie decides she cannot get past that and resolves to “Wash that Man Right Out of My Hair.” Emile quickly manages to help her get over her racist attitude, and that resolution falls flat. In The Sound of Music, Maria counsels Liesl what to do when she realizes that Rolf doesn’t love her as much as she thought, in “Sixteen Going on Seventeen (Reprise).” (Again, Show Boat fits into this category, as Gaylord Ravenal leaves and Magnolia must raise their daughter on her own. He eventually returns, but their daughter has grown up by then.) The breakup sometimes leads to the women singing about their frustrations with men and marriage. “Give It to ’Em Good, Carrie!”, “Stonecutters Cut It on Stone”, “Many a New Day”. These songs often don’t work to convince her to foreswear her love. Either the lovers get back together, or they never stopped loving each other in the first place and were just in denial or pretending.

The soliloquy. A character should ponder their options, as they have a difficult choice ahead of them. In his “Lonely Room” in Oklahoma!, Jud Fry considers how to proceed in his relationship with Laurey and resulting rivalry with Curly, having just been taunted and threatened by Curly. Jud’s decision ultimately leads to his death. In Carousel, Billy Bigelow walks along the beach singing his “Soliloquy” dreaming about his child and pondering how he is going to provide for him or her. Again, his decision ends up resulting in his death. On the other hand, the “Twin Soliloquys” in South Pacific combine the love song and soliloquy. Nellie and Emile are pondering their options related to their budding romance. They sing nearly verbatim what the other person sings, but they are pondering these things to themselves rather than singing to each other. Unlike the lone soliloquys mentioned above, their decisions do not end up in their deaths. Another variation is near the beginning of the musical, as the character sings a soliloquy about their current situation, such as “In My Own Little Corner” from Cinderella and “It Might as Well Be Spring” from State Fair.

The ballet. Carousel, Oklahoma! and Flower Drum Song have dreamy ballets. The one in Oklahoma! is particularly important to the plot, as it helps Laurey realize the extent of the danger she is in from Jud’s abuse.

Careful, awkward wording. A character is put in an awkward situation where they must word their requests very carefully. In South Pacific, Nellie is set the task of asking Emile why he killed a man. This is a red flag in the mission the US army has in mind for him, and they need to be sure he is trustworthy. But for Nellie, who has feelings for Emile, she doesn’t want to damage their relationship, and she can’t reveal why she is asking. In The King & I, Anna must give the King advice without seeming to. She resorts to “guessing” what the King is going to do, thus preventing an international incident. In Cinderella, the title character tells her stepfamily about the “Lovely Night” she just had at the ball, but can’t reveal that she was actually there. So she acts like she’s dreaming about how it would have been had she gone.

Singing about the location of the musical. Oklahoma! has an enthusiastic song about the virtues of their territory that will soon be “a brand new state!” State Fair has a similarly enthusiastic song about “All I Owe Ioway.” In both of these examples, they spell out the name of their state/territory in the song. When State Fair was revamped and reset in Texas, “All I Owe Ioway” was replaced with “The Little Things in Texas.” The similar tribute in The Sound of Music doesn’t mention Austria by name, but “Edelweiss” does ask to “bless my homeland forever.” Flower Drum Song gets very specific with its song about “Grant Avenue, San Francisco, California, USA!”

The smaller story within the story. Characters tell a story. Sometimes they reenact it. Tuptim composes a play called Small House of Uncle Thomas, based on the classic novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, in The King & I. Maria and the children sing the story of “The Lonely Goatherd” (using marionettes in the movie, but not in the stage version) in The Sound of Music. We learn (very briefly) about “Fan Tan Fanny” in Flower Drum Song.

The big dance. This is different from the ballet. It is much more enthusiastic, and is accompanied by a song sung partially or entirely by the full company. I’m talking “The Farmer and the Cowman” (Oklahoma!) “It’s a Grand Night for Singing” (State Fair), and others

The finale. No matter the subject matter, the title of the song must be “Finale Ultimo.” While not necessary, it is a good idea to have the audience incredibly moved at this point. They could be grieving a lost main character. Maybe the wedding was just that powerful. It could be any variety of reasons.

I hope this gets your creative juices going, and I look forward to seeing everyone’s Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals on Broadway someday!

Steven Sauke grew up watching Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals. He has performed in two of them.

---

This is a reblog of a post I wrote in 2018 for the All Things Broadway blog, which is no longer online.

Monday, December 26, 2022

The Magic of Carol

February 2019

Credit: CBS Photo Archive, 1965

Steven Sauke

Last month, we lost a legend, and the lights of Broadway and Hollywood got a little dimmer. Carol Channing was one of the most beloved of Broadway greats.

She had me at “Raspberries!”

I don’t recall when exactly I found out about her, but I learned about the movie Thoroughly Modern Millie in the ’90s. I was excited to see a movie musical starring Julie Andrews, who I grew up watching in The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins. Carol Channing’s portrayal of Muzzy van Hossmere was the stuff of legends. From her completely random first word in the movie (“Raspberries!”) in that very distinctive voice, seated in a biplane and holding a bottle of wine, I knew I was going to love her. Her willingness to try anything was truly inspirational and hilarious. She had instructors for dancing, piloting (in a musical set 15 years before Amelia Earhart’s legendary flight, and 64 years before Beverley Bass became the first female captain on American Airlines), playing multiple instruments, being shot from a cannon, weaponizing song and dance, giving important life tips, and so much more. Her low notes (in the musical, anyway) could shatter glass.

Then came the Broadway version. I fell in love with the musical anew with the new casts and songs. I believe that was my introduction to Sutton Foster, and I have been a fan of her ever since. When the show came through Seattle in its national tour, they had a promotional event at the Bon Marché (right around the time it was purchased by Macy’s), and it was perfectly timed during my lunch break. I got to meet and get autographs from Darcie Roberts (Millie) and Pamela Isaacs (Muzzy). Each of them sang a song from the show (“Gimme, Gimme” and “Only in New York”, respectively, if I remember right). I recall Pamela being particularly friendly and asking me questions. When she found out I loved the movie, she informed me, “I play Carol Channing.” Not Muzzy. Carol Channing.

I didn’t get the pleasure of meeting Carol, but I know someone who did, and we will be hearing from him later in this blog. In fact, he came up with its title. I have asked some of my fellow bloggers to share their memories and impressions, and they have graciously agreed.

Kelly Ostazeski

I never expected to love Hello, Dolly! as much as I do, so naturally I respect Carol Channing as the original, legendary Dolly Gallagher Levi. She set the standard for the rest of the Dollys that followed. Even though I never saw her perform the role live, I can hear her in the score, no matter who sings the role. Her voice is unmistakable. 

My main memory of Ms. Channing, however, comes from the animated Don Bluth film Thumbelina, where she voiced Mrs. Fieldmouse, and urged Thumbelina to "Marry the Mole" through song. I also enjoyed her performance as Muzzy in the Julie Andrews film Thoroughly Modern Millie. It's kind of fate (and amazing) that two of my favorite stage musicals (Dolly and Millie) have a connection to Carol Channing. 

Rest in peace, Ms. Channing. Your legendary performances will live on forever. 

Michael Kape

“So, I’m sure you know Carol Channing is coming to town in Hello, Dolly!” my editor at Southern Voice said to me. “Since you’re our resident theatre person, how would you like to interview her before the show?”

I threatened Devin with bodily harm if he gave that assignment to anyone else. Fortunately, since I was also the newspaper’s lead feature writer at the time (only because I could churn out a full-length story in an hour), I landed the gig.

Interviewing the legendary Carol Channing. Seeing her in Hello, Dolly! Thanks to my other theatre post in town as the critic for WABE-FM (which meant running up the aisle at the Fox Theatre, jumping in my car, and writing the review in my head for broadcast the next morning).

I mean, like, what more could you ask for than this?

The thing is, it was much more than I expected—both the interview and the show.

I had seen others in the role of Dolly Gallagher Levi, and they had acquitted themselves well. But why was her performance the one people clamored to see, I asked her.

“Well,” she said in that unmistakable growl, “I guess I’ve become identified with Dolly, which is not a bad thing. But maybe I had one small advantage over the other ladies—who were all fine. See, when we were working on Dolly on the road, [Producer] David Merrick called in Thornton Wilder to consult, since he had written the original plays The Merchant of Yonkers and The Matchmaker [the bases for Dolly]. He created Dolly Gallagher Levi.

“Thornton was such a dear. He gave Michael [Stewart, the book writer] and I tremendous insight into Dolly. It really helped me a lot.”

At the time of our interview, Carol was a sprightly 72 years old. And Dolly is a tough role for an actress of any age. Yet here she was, doing eight a week. How?

“It’s simple, Michael,” she told me, “I sleep 20 hours a day and I keep to a strict diet. That’s my secret; don’t tell anyone. I sleep. Get up. Go to the theatre. Do Dolly. Take my final bow. Then go back to sleep. A girl’s gotta keep her energy up, you know.”

We talked at length about the covert anarchy in Dolly, something most people miss. “Oh, that’s Thornton. Such a dear man but very complex.” Yeah, that’s true if you think about his body of work.

Still, there was Carol Channing on a stage performing the role of a lifetime, and it was unlike anything I’d ever seen. Onstage she wasn’t 72; she was maybe 30—tops. She was funny, touching, energetic, precise, magnificent in her red dress—and magical. That’s the only word I think can adequately describe her performance. Seeing her perform Dolly Gallagher Levi was one of those rare theatre moments you cherish.

After all, she was Miss Carol Channing. Goodbye, Dolly. It was nice to have you here where you belonged. The world has lost something very special.

---

I would like to thank Kelly Ostazeski and Michael Kape for their contributions to this post. We wrote it in February 2019 for the All Things Broadway blog, which is no longer online. Both have given me their permission to include their contributions here.

All I Really Need to Know I Learned on Broadway

Way back in the dark ages of the 20th Century, in 1986 to be precise, a new musical came out called The Phantom of the Opera. There were others, but that was the most popular new one that year. In the world of books, Robert Fulghum published his classic All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. It detailed lessons we all learned in kindergarten that formed us as people. Some were simple, and others were more profound. Since then, I have seen parodies crop up over the years.

I thought it might be helpful to do a Broadway version. So, without further ado, I give you... All I Really Need to Know I Learned on Broadway.
 
Photo by Steven Sauke, September 2022

  1. "Any dream will do."
  2. "The difference between a cow and a bean is a bean can begin an adventure."
  3. "You will be found."
  4. "Because I knew you, I have been changed for good."
  5. "Because we come from everywhere, we all come from away."
  6. "To love another person is to see the face of God."
  7. "It's such a fine line between a good man and a bad."
  8. "No more talk of darkness. Forget these wide-eyed fears. I'm here. Nothing can harm you."
  9. "Love in your heart wasn't put there to stay. Love isn't love 'til you give it away."
  10. "The slotted spoon can't hold much milk."
  11. "The things that I prize, like the stars in the skies, are all free!"
  12. "Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around."
  13. "Every year on September 11th, I close my office and give each employee $100 to do random acts of kindness."
  14. "Everything today is thoroughly modern. Check your personality."
  15. "Nothing's wrong with being 50, unless you're acting 20!"
  16. "The slotted spoon can catch the potato."
  17. "Don't wait until wrinkles and lines pop out all over my brow! Show me now!"
  18. "They were great men, with huge flaws, and you know what — those flaws almost made them greater."
  19. "Come on in, the door's open!"
  20. "What you've got to do is finish what you've begun. I don't know just how, but it's not over 'til you've won."
  21. "Green Mountain Dew activates you. Red shuts you off."
  22. "Old Man River, he just keeps rolling along."
  23. "I loved you then, and I love you still!"
  24. "There's no business like show business."
  25. "Careful the things you say. Children will listen."
  26. "Give my regards to Broadway!"
  27. "Life is fraughtless when you're thoughtless."
  28. "First you gotta read 'em. Then you gotta heed 'em. You never know when you're gonna need 'em."
  29. "A cat is not a dog."
  30. "You'll never walk alone."

*dramatic chord
        "Et cetera!"
*more dramatic chord
                "Et cetera!"
*even more dramatic chord
                        "ET CETERA!"

---

I wrote this in September 2018 for the All Things Broadway blog, which is no longer online; thus the reblog here.

The Showtunes of Christmas

This time of year, Christmas carols are everywhere you go! In the stores, in restaurants, at the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, everywhere! Most of them are actually Christmas carols, but some people seem to have the idea that if it’s Broadway, it must be Christmas. In the spirit of the season, I thought it would be helpful to come up with some suggestions for those wanting to record their very own Broadway Christmas album.

There are many important considerations when selecting songs to include in your Broadway Christmas album. First of all, it is very important to make sure to procure the rights to perform any showtunes. You should also consider your vocal range, as some songs just aren’t for everyone. For the purposes of this blog, I will just focus on the songs themselves, presenting appropriate and inappropriate songs for your consideration.

When selecting your songs, I propose asking some important questions:
  1. Is it a showtune? We know not all musicals are Broadway, but for the sake of inclusiveness, I will not differentiate between Broadway, off-Broadway, off-off-off Broadway, or that musical you just decided to write that will hopefully someday be Broadway! If it’s a showtune, great!
  2. Is it a Christmas song? If the majority of the song is about Christmas or winter, great! But this is one area where many Christmas albums miss the mark. More on that later. All the songs I will suggest are showtunes. But not all are Christmas songs. In my opinion, only Christmas showtunes should be included in your Broadway Christmas album. 
So without further ado, here we go.

IS IT CHRISTMAS? YES!

We Need a Little Christmas. From Mame.
This is an obvious, delightful choice. It is also timely in these turbulent times. It reminds us of the joys of Christmas and how it can help in difficult times.

Counting Down to Christmas. From A Christmas Story.
It’s a fun reminder of the childlike joy of anticipation as we look forward to the exciting time of family, gifts, giving, and the occasional Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun under the tree. (Try not to poke an eye out!) Another great choice from that musical would be “Somewhere Hovering over Indiana.”

Merry Almost Christmas. From A Year with Frog and Toad.
This is another fun song about the anticipation of Christmas. It isn’t very often that you are serenaded by amphibians and birds singing Broadway (well, unless you regularly watch A Year with Frog and Toad, and you’d have my full support if so)!

White Christmas. From Holiday Inn and White Christmas.
Irving Berlin tended to recycle his songs from one musical to another. This is one of several songs that are in both aforementioned musicals, and it is another delightful reminder of the joy of the season.

Snow. From White Christmas.
Like the song “White Christmas,” this reminds us of the joy of the season, though it doesn’t mention Christmas specifically.


From White Christmas, 1954

Almost anything from A Christmas Carol.
That said, “Jolly, Rich and Fat” and “Dancing on Your Grave” may be a little odd out of context.

A Christmas Song. From Elf.
This is a happy reminder of the magic of the season, and reminds us of Buddy’s mantra that “the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” Actually, almost any song from Elf would be great.

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas. From Here’s Love.
Show of hands how many people knew this was a showtune? It is from Meredith Willson’s musical based on Miracle on 34th Street. It’s a Christmas classic.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. From Meet Me in St. Louis.
This is another Christmas classic that not everyone knows is a showtune. It would be a great song to include!

Christmas Is My Favorite Time of Year. From Catch Me if You Can.
Even notorious fugitives from the law need to remember the joy of the season!

Christmas Time is Here. From A Charlie Brown Christmas.
This is another Christmas classic. It isn’t technically Broadway, but Charlie Brown has been on Broadway in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, and A Charlie Brown Christmas is a show with songs. So in my opinion, it counts.

Baby, It’s Cold Outside. From Neptune’s Daughter.
Is it Christmas? Yes. Do I recommend using it in 2018? No. Enough said.

STARTING TO TRANSITION…

Happy Holiday. From Holiday Inn.
This is typically associated with Christmas, but in the context of the musical, it was actually a New Year song.

This Time Next Year. From Sunset Boulevard.
This is decidedly not Christmas, but it is New Year, which is a week later. This might be a nice choice as the final song on your album.

IS IT CHRISTMAS? NO!

My Favorite Things. From The Sound of Music.
My theory is that this is commonly included in Christmas albums because it could be misinterpreted as a Christmas wish list, and it includes fleeting mentions of “brown paper packages tied up with strings” and “snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes.” But the song is not about any holiday, or even a specific season. It’s about thinking happy thoughts when you’re scared, thus distracting your mind from your surroundings. Rodgers & Hammerstein wrote “I Whistle a Happy Tune” for The King & I with a similar aim, but you don’t often hear that song on Christmas albums. It’s also possible that “My Favorite Things” is often included because networks tend to play The Sound of Music on TV around Christmas time.

You’ll Never Walk Alone. From Carousel.
This is even more baffling. It is an optimistic song, and it falls into a similar category (and by the same composers) as the previous song with its themes of bearing up through tough times with hope. It’s a beautiful song and would be a great addition to your other showtune album that isn’t seasonal or holiday-related, but please do not include it in your Christmas album.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I hope you find this helpful and instructive. I always feel it is best for a Christmas album to have Christmas music, and not generic non-holiday-related songs. There are many other Christmas showtunes I didn’t mention. Also, New Years songs might be nice for the end of the album. If you wanted to spice it up further, you could look for showtunes related to Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan and other winter holidays as well.

Best wishes in your Christmas showtune endeavors, and to quote a song from A Christmas Carol (which takes the words straight out of Charles Dickens’ masterpiece), “God bless us, every one!”

----

This is a reblog of a post that I wrote at Christmas 2018 for the All Things Broadway blog, which is no longer online.