In 1955 Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein
wrote the music for Pipe Dream,
their 7th musical together...just after Me & Juliet
and right before Cinderella.
It was based on a John Steinbeck novel called
Sweet Thursday,
a sequel to Cannery Row.
A romance between a marine biologist (Doc) and a prostitute (Suzy).
And that was one of the problems.
Steinbeck was "delighted" with the initial script,
but as auditions and rehearsals progressed,
he became less than enchanted.
Oscar and Richard were afraid of the prostitute angle,
and changed Suzy's character into a lodger at Fauna's bordello,
"The Bear Flag",
not an actual "working girl."
Above, William Johnson as Doc and Mike Kellin as Hazel.
The cast? Henry Fonda was thought to be the perfect choice for Doc...
but after weeks of singing lessons,
everyone concerned admitted Hank just couldn't sing.
William Johnson was chosen, fresh off the tour of Annie Get Your Gun.
Rodgers hired Helen Traubel, an opera singer, to play Fauna...
and Judy Tyler
(Princess Summer Fall Winter Spring from The Howdy Doody Show)
to portray Suzy.
Julie Andrews AND Janet Leigh were both considered for the part of Suzy;
neither was available.
Lucky them.
Above, William and Judy and The Pipe.
Below, Judy and Helen and The Bear Flag's (no doubt RED) couch.
At the very beginning of the rehearsal process,
Rodgers underwent surgery for cancer of the jaw.
He returned to rehearsals 10 days later,
but as a frustrated (jaw-wired-shut) observer.
You can imagine the notes he must've passed!
The musical lasted 6 months (245 performances)
and was nominated for 9 Tonys,
losing all of them with the exception of Best Costume Design.
(Damn Yankees clinched the Best Musical award that year,
the only other show up for it!)
On a gruesome note,
both William Johnson and Judy Tyler died within a year of the show's closing.
Helen claimed the show cursed and
began carrying a lucky charm in her pocket
whenever she performed!
Come 2012,
New York City Center Encores! produced a long-overdue Pipe,
a staged concert version with...
Will Chase as Doc,
Laura Osnes as Suzy...
Leslie Uggams played Fauna (above center),
Steven Wallem as Hazel (below left),
and Tom Wopat (below center) played Mac.
The production and subsequent cast recording
was deemed by the NY Times
"a fascinating musical on several counts, and one which displays the rich, vibrant sound of pure Rodgers & Hammerstein."
What changed? A better cast? An audience who could understand
(and allow for) a bordell-aised heroine?
Better intermission drinks?
Whatever the reason, thank the theatre gods for Encores! and
their mission of producing shows that could easily
slide between the Broadway cracks
and never be seen again.
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