Do I Hear a Waltz?

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Do I Hear a Waltz?
Original Boadway Cast Album
Music Richard Rodgers
Lyrics Stephen Sondheim
Book Arthur Laurents
Based upon "The Time of the Cuckoo", a play by Arthur Laurents
Productions 1965 Broadway

Do I Hear A Waltz? is a musical, with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Arthur Laurents. It was adapted from Laurents' 1952 play The Time of the Cuckoo. The play was the basis for the 1955 film Summertime starring Katharine Hepburn.

Contents

[edit] Background and productions

Sondheim was persuaded to take on the job of writing the lyrics by his friends Laurents and Mary Rodgers (Richard's daughter), even though he did not think the original play should be musicalized. Further, before Sondheim's mentor Oscar Hammerstein II died, he had asked Sondheim to work on the project.[1]

The musical was produced by Richard Rodgers and directed by John Dexter, with choreography by Herbert Ross. It opened on Broadway on March 18, 1965 at the 46th Street Theatre and ran for 220 performances. The original cast included Elizabeth Allen, Sergio Franchi, Carol Bruce, Madeleine Sherwood, Julienne Marie, Stuart Damon, Fleury D'Antonakis and Jack Manning. It received Tony Award nominations for: Best Composer and Lyricist, Best Actress in a Musical, and Best Scenic Design.

The original production was not well-received and did not recoup its investment, but several songs, including the title song, received radio play. It was no secret that Richard Rodgers and Stephen Sondheim disliked each other, and did not work well together.[citation needed]

The production was recorded by Columbia.

A revival was produced at the Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena CA, opening on July 15, 2001, and closing on August 19, 2001. The cast included Alyson Reed as Leona, Anthony Crivello as Renato, and Carol Lawrence as Fioria. This production was subsequently recorded by Fynsworth Alley. This time around the critics were much more positive about the show and score.

[edit] Synopsis

Leona Samish is an American spinster visiting in Venice who has an intense but foredoomed affair with a married man, Renato Di Rossi. It is the story of a woman who "could not give herself emotionally", but was young enough to have a future. [2]

[edit] Characters

[edit] Song List

Act I
  • Overture
  • Someone Woke Up - Leona Samish
  • This Week Americans - Signora Fiora
  • What Do We Do? We Fly! - Leona Samish, Mrs. McIlhenny, Mr. McIlhenny, Eddie Yaeger and Jennifer Yaeger
  • Someone Like You - Renato Di Rossi
  • Bargaining - Renato Di Rossi
  • Here We Are Again - Leona Samish, Vito and Ragazzi
  • Thinking - Renato Di Rossi and Leona Samish
  • No Understand - Signora Fiora, Eddie Yaeger and Giovanna
  • Take the Moment - Renato Di Rossi
Act II
  • Moon in My Window - Jennifer Yaeger, Signora Fiora and Leona Samish
  • We're Gonna Be All Right - Eddie Yaeger and Jennifer Yaeger
  • Do I Hear a Waltz? - Leona Samish and Company
  • Stay -Renato Di Rossi
  • Perfectly Lovely Couple - Leona Samish, Renato Di Rossi, Mr. McIlhenny, Mrs. McIlhenny, Jennifer Yaeger, Eddie Yaeger, Giovanna and Signora Fiora
  • Thank You So Much -Renato Di Rossi and Leona Samish
  • Finale

[edit] Cut Songs

  • Perhaps
  • Two by Two
  • Philadelphia
  • Everybody Loves Leona

[edit] References

  1. ^ Secrest, Meryle, Stephen Sondheim: A Life, 1998, ISBN 0-385-33412-5, pp. 174-175
  2. ^ Secrest, Meryle, Stephen Sondheim: A Life, 1998, ISBN 0-385-33412-5, p. 175

[edit] External links

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Stephen Sondheim musicals
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s