Say Darling.rtf
ANTA Theatre, April 3, 1958 (332 performances)
Cast: (In Order of Appearance)
MR. SCHNEIDER - Gordon B. Clarke
FRANKIE JORDAN - Constance Ford
JACK JORDAN - David Wayne
PHOTOGRAPHER - Jack Naughton
PILOT ROY PETERS - Jack Manning
TED SNOW - Robert Morse
JUNE, THE SECRETARY - Eileen Letchworth
SCHATZIE HARRIS - Horace McMahon
RICHARD HACKETT - Jerome Cowan
IRENE LOVELLE - Vivian Blaine
RUDY LORRAINE - Johnny Desmond
SIDEMEN - Wendell Marshall Peter Howard
CHARLIE WILLIAMS - Robert Downing
MAURICE, A PIANIST - Colin Romoff
ARLENE MCKEE - Wana Allison
JENNIFER STEVENSON - Jean Matter
EARL JORGESON - Elliott Gould
CHERYL MERRILL - Virginia Martin
ACCOMPANIST - Peter Howard
SAMMY MILES - Steve Condos
REX DEXTER - Mitchell Gregg
BORIS RESHEVSKY - Matt Mattox
WAITER - Jack Naughton
MORTY KREBS - Walter Kalvun
TATIANA - Jean Mattox
JOYCE - Kelly Leigh
ASSORTED MINOR CHARACTERS
Book by Richard Bissell, Abe Burrows, Marian Bissell
Songs by Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Jule Styne
Production designed by Oliver Smith
Costumes Designed by Alvin Colt
Lighting by Peggy Clark
Dances by Matt Matter
At the pianos Colin Romoff and Peter Howard
Associate producer George Gilbert
Directed by Abe Burrows
Liner Notes:
Not since Ring Lardner has there been a writer to match Richard Bissell
for originality, irreverent wit and the unerring ability to transcribe
fragrant, graphic glory. SAY, DARLING is unquestionably his finest,
Book-of-the-Month Club selection that became "The Pajama Game") has
crammed all of the wise-cracking, big-money, gaudy and glamorous world
of Broadway into a book that hardly slows down for laughs. Richard
Bissell, Abe Burrows and Marian Bissell have combined their talents in
the dramatization of SAY, DARLING. Turning a novel into a stage
production hardly comes under the heading of news. But in this
particular case, not only is the show based on a book, but the book in
turn was inspired by Mr. Bissell's experiences in adapting still another
prime example of the multiplicity of gold nuggets that can be mined from
one: literary vein, and future students of economics--as well as of the
theater--may possibly study it as a cast: history. Might even make a good
textbook. While SAY, DARLING abounds in the atmosphere of backstage
theatrical life with its ups, downs, ins and outs, it is no conventional
"star-breaks-leg-so-chorine-can-
take-over-and-make-stardom-and-leading-man-al-the-same-time" type of
musical. In fact, it is not really a musical comedy, but rather-to use:
the exact wording--"a comedy about a musical." The songs that are so
liberally spotlighted throughout the play illustrate points made in the
book. Some of the tunes are used as part of the score for the musical
show-within-the-show, "The Girl from Indiana," and are performed on
stage as they would be for auditions and rehearsals. For this special
original cast recording, however, the two pianos which serve as the
show's only musical accompaniment have been augmented by a full
orchestra conducted by Sid Ramin, the brilliant young arranger of TV,
recordings and the theater. The songs written for SAY, DARLING are the
work of composer Jule Styne (the play's co-producer) and lyricists Betty
Comden and Adolph Green, the team responsible for such musical pleasures
as "Two on the Aisle," "Peter Pan" and "Bells Are Ringing." For their
current offering, they have used a striking variety of musical moods,
from the nostalgic waltz Dance Only with Me to the more modern types of
love ballads (Say, Darling and Try to Love Me Just As I Am). There are
even a couple of rock-and-roll specialties. Something's Always Happening
on the River is not only the production show-stopper that solves the
problem of "The Girl from Indiana's" second act, but provides a rousing,
pre-finale climax to the recording as well.
This particular song might well be the personal anthem of the play's
co-author, Richard Bissell, who, along with Mark Twain, rates the
distinction of being the only licensed Mississippi River pilot ever to
succeed as a writer. Sharing creative credit with the amphibious Mr.
Bissell and his wife is Abe Burrows, who also directs the show. Mr.
Burrows has previously won the town with "Guys and Dolls" (co-author),
"Can-Can" (author and director) and "Happy Hunting" (director).
Heading the cast as the playwright is David Wayne, whose unforgettable
characterizations have included Og the leprechaun in "Finian's Rainbow,"
Ensign Pulver in "Mr. Roberts" and Sakini in "The Teahouse of the August
Moon." First typed as the sweet young thing in Hollywood musicals,
Vivian Blaine gave it all up for such diverse stage roles as Adelaide in
"Guys and Dolls," the unhappy wife in "A Hatful of Rain" and her current
assignment as the tempestuous musical comedy star. Johnny Desmond, here
making a most auspicious Broadway debut in the part of the composer, has
long been one of the nation's most popular recording, night club and TV
singers.
Released by RCA Records
LOC 1045 (Mono) LSO 1045 (Stereo)
Musical Direction and orchestrations for the album by
Sid Ramin
1. OVERTURE Orchestra
2. WHO'S RUDY LORRAINE? (DIALOGUE)* Robert Morse, David Wayne,
Horace McMohan
3. TRY TO LOVE ME - Vivian Blaine
4. SPOKEN INTRO*/IT'S DOOM - Johnny Desmond
5. SPOKEN INTRO* Jerome Cowan, David Wayne, Johnny Desmond
THE HUSKING BEE Johnny Desmond, Cast 2
6. IT'S THE SECOND TIME YOU MEET THAT MATTERS Johnny Desmond
7. SPOKEN INTRO* Jerome Cowan, David Wayne
LET THE LOWER LIGHTS BE BURNING - David Wayne, Jerome Cowan
8. SPOKEN INTRO* Jerome Cowan, Vivian Blaine
CHIEF OF LOVE Vivian Blaine
9. SAY, DARLING Johnny Desmond
10. THE CARNIVAL SONG - David Wayne, Vivian Blaine, Steve Condos
11. TRY TO LOVE ME Johnny Desmond
12. DANCE ONLY WITH ME - Vivian Blaine
13. SOMETHING'S ALWAYS HAPPENING ON THE RIVER - David Wayne, Cast
14. FINALE - Cast
Bonus Tracks
15.SOMETHING'S ALWAYS HAPPENING ON THE RIVER
Bob Scooby's Frisco Band with Clancy Hayes
16. DANCE ONLY WITH ME
Perry Como with Mitchell Ayre's Orchestra & The Ray Charles
Singers
17. IT'S THE SECOND TIME YOU MEET THAT MATTERS
Dinah Shore with Harry Zimmerman's Orchestra
18. SAY, DARLING Tony Martin with Dennis Farron's Orchestra & Chorus
19. TRY TO LOVE ME Tony Martin with Dennis Farron's Orchestra & Chorus
* Spoken introductions from unreleased session master tapes
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