Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (musical)
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| Seven Brides for Seven Brothers | |
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| London cast recording | |
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| Music | Gene de Paul Al Kasha Joel Hirschhorn |
| Lyrics | Johnny Mercer Al Kasha Joel Hirschhorn |
| Book | Lawrence Kasha David Landay |
| Based upon | 1954 film musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers |
| Productions | 1982 Broadway 1985 West End 2003 Madrid 2005 Goodspeed Opera House 2006 West End revival 2007 U.S. regional |
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is a musical with a book by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay, music by Gene de Paul, Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn, and lyrics by Johnny Mercer, Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn. It is based on the 1954 Stanley Donen film of the same name which is, itself, an adaption of the short story "The Sobbin' Women," by Stephen Vincent Benét, based on the Ancient Roman legend of The Rape of the Sabine Women.
After a U.S. tour, the musical opened on Broadway in 1982 but quickly flopped. A more successful London production followed, and revised versions have met with success in U.S. regional theatres and in amateur productions on both sides of the Atlantic.
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[edit] Synopsis
In 1850 Oregon, Milly meets and quickly marries Adam, who lives in a backwoods cabin with his six brothers. Milly reforms Adam's ill-mannered brothers Benjamin, Caleb, Daniel, Ephraim, Frank and Gideon, even teaching them to dance. Having met six girls that they like, the brothers want wives of their own, but the girls all have jealous suitors. Adam reads the story of the "Sobbin' Women" (a pun on the Sabine Women), and the brothers decide to get the girls by bride kidnapping.
The brothers kidnap the girls, and then cause an avalanche so that they can't be followed by the townspeople until spring comes. The girls are upset at being kidnapped, and Milly is furious at Adam. She banishes the brothers to the barn while the girls are living in the house. By spring, however, the girls have fallen in love with the brothers. After many plot complications – angry townspeople, a baby born, the girls gone missing – Adam is reunited with Milly, and the brothers finally marry their sweethearts.
[edit] Productions
- U.S. national tour and Broadway
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers had a successful national tour and then opened on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre on July 8, 1982 after fifteen previews. Directed by Lawrence Kasha and choreographed by Jerry Jackson, the cast included Debby Boone as Milly and David-James Carroll as Adam. It closed on July 11 after only five performances. It received a Tony Award nomination for Best Original Score.
- 1985 West End and 2002 UK tour
The musical had a more successful West End production in 1985, starring Roni Page and Steve Devereaux and included Michaela Strachan in the supporting cast. It received a cast recording.
- 2003 Madrid
A Spanish production premiered at Teatro Nuevo Apolo on August 29, 2003, starring David Castedo as Adam and Xana García as Milly, and directed by Ricard Reguant with choreography by María Giménez.
- 2005 Goodspeed Opera House
A major revival ran from April 15, 2005 - June 26, 2005 at the Goodspeed Opera House (Connecticut). It starred Jacquelyn Piro Donovan and Burke Moses and was directed by Greg Ganakas with choreography by Patti Colombo. The production earned rave reviews from Variety and the New York Times. Two songs, "Where Were You?" and "I Married Seven Brothers" were added, "Glad That You Were Born" was revised, and the book was heavily rewritten. With a realistic approach, rustic orchestrations and a focus on the Oregon Trail, the show was quite different from its film predecessor. Plans for a 2005-2006 National Tour of this production failed.[1]
- 2006 West End revival
A production ran at the West End Haymarket Theatre from August 16, 2006 through November 18, 2006.[2]
- Revised 2007 U.S. production
A revised version played at several venues, including the Paper Mill Playhouse (New Jersey) (April 11, 2007 - May 11), North Shore Music Theatre (May 29, 2007 - June 17), Theatre Under the Stars (June 26, 2007 - July 1), and Theater of the Stars (Atlanta) (June 26, 2007 - July 1).
Under the direction of Scott Schwartz, set design was by Tony Award nominee, Anna Louizos and lighting by Tony Award winner Donald Holder. This production was a hybrid between the literal approach of the Goodspeed production and the slapstick camp of the original film. While reviews were positive, the attention focused on Patti Colombo's choreography.[3] [4]
[edit] Musical numbers
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"One Man", "Love Never Goes Away", "The Townsfolk's Lament", " A Woman Ought To Know Her Place", "We Gotta Make It Through The Winter", "Spring Dance", and "Glad That You Were Born" were written by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn for the musical. "Bless Your Beautiful Hide", "Wonderful Wonderful Day", "Goin' Courtin'", and "Sobbin' Women" are from the 1954 film and written by Gene de Paul and Johnny Mercer.
[edit] References
- ^ playbill.com article, April 15, 2005, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Bounds Onto Goodspeed Stage Beginning April 15
- ^ thisistheatre.com listing
- ^ playbill.com article, Feb. 16, 2007, Revised Seven Brides to Play TUTS, Paper Mill and North Shore
- ^ http://www.playbill.com/news/article/107224.html playbill.com article, April 11, 2007, Seven Brides Will Go On at Paper Mill Playhouse April 11]
