| Promenade | |
|---|---|
cover of the 1969 original off-Broadway cast album |
|
| Music | Al Carmines |
| Lyrics | María Irene Fornés |
| Book | María Irene Fornés |
| Productions | 1965 New York City 1969 Off-Broadway 1983 Off-Broadway |
| Awards | OBIE Award for Distinguished Plays[1] |
Promenade is an experimental musical with book and lyrics by María Irene Fornés and music by Rev. Al Carmines. The show itself, although a musical comedy, originally produced off-broadway by Edgar Lansbury & Joseph Beruh, falls more into the category of Theatre of the Absurd. The most fitting description was given by Stephen Holden in a review in the New York Times for a 1983 New York revival: "This work, which suggests a mixture of Candide and Samuel Beckett viewed through Lewis Carroll's looking glass, is a little too avant-garde and absurdist to appeal to mainstream tastes. But in its odd way it's an exquisite piece of musical theater."
Promenade premiered on April 9, 1965 at the Judson Poets' Theatre, Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square, NYC, where it played for three weekends.
It went on to a commercial run off-Broadway, at the Promenade Theatre (for which it was named), produced by Edgar Lansbury & Joseph Beruh,opening on June 4, 1969. It was the show to see in its time. The cast was superb, led by Madeline Kahn, playing the role of the Servant, but also including Shannon Bolin (Damn Yankees, Denny's Restaurants "Lenny's"), Ty McConnell (Ryan's Hope:TV), Gilbert Price (Roar of the Greasepaint), Alyce Playton (Oliver, Seussical, "Alka Seltzer:Marshmallowed Meatballs" etc etc), Michael Davis (Coco, 1776, Company etc etc), Carrie wilson (Lincoln Center & The Pinter Plays). When Ms Kahn left Promenade to make her first film "What's Up Doc", she was replaced by Sandra Schaeffer, an unknown singer from the NYC Opera and understudied by Marie Santell. However, despite a lovely voice, Ms Schaeffer was no Madeline Kahn so the producers brought in the talented Pamela Hall, in the hopes of reclaiming its initial appeal. (Ms Hall went on to impressively direct the revival of Promenade in 2010.) After a successful run, Promenade closed on January 18, 1970 after 259 performances.
"Promenade is listed in the "Time Life Decade Book Series" as an "anti-Viet Nam War" statement...perhaps because of the scene towrds the end where rich people are dancing in a maypole around the two convicts who are now dressed in bandages as war victims.
It was said, and this is perhaps a cast joke, that Rev Carmines and Ms Fornes got together one evening and each said that they had lyrics and songs that they loved but that had never been included in a musical. So they threw them in a hat and pulled out a batch which they then wrote a story around. Thus became the interesting and eclectic "Promenade". Complete original cast:
| 105 | Ty McConnell (replaced during the run by Kenneth Carr) |
| 106 | Gilbert Price (replaced during the run by Tony Falco) |
| Jailer | Pierre Epstein |
| Servant | Madeline Kahn (replaced shortly after opening by Sandra Schaeffer(on album) (Understudy Marie Santell)and later by Pamela Hall) |
| Miss I | Margot Albert |
| Miss O | Carrie Wilson |
| Miss U | Alice Playten |
| Mr. R | Marc Allen III |
| Mr. S | Glenn Kezer |
| Mr. T | Michael Davis |
| Miss Cake (Rosita) | Florence Tarlow |
| Waiter | Edmund Gaynes |
| Dishwasher | Art Ostrin |
| Mayor | George S. Irving |
| Mother | Shannon Bolin (replaced during the run by Mary Jo Catlett) |
Originally, Columbia was interested in recording the cast album as a two-record set, but after a disagreement between the record company and the cast over salaries, Columbia abandoned the project. RCA agreed to record the album, but only as a single LP. By the time the recording was finally made Ms. Kahn was no longer available, having gone on to Hollywood to star in films. And so the role was sung on the album by Sandy Schaeffer. Cast members George S. Irving and Mark Allen III were on vacation, and so their musical numbers were not recorded. Because of the time limitations of a single disc, several production numbers, including "Spring Beauties" and "The Laughing Song," also were not recorded. The recording, such as it is, can be found on CD (RCA Victor 09026 63333 2).
Scenes and Musical Numbers
ACT 1
SCENE 1: THE CELL
Promenade Theme—Orchestra
Dig Dig Dig* -- 105 & 106
SCENE 2: THE BANQUET ROOM
Unrequited Love—Misses I, O, U, Messrs. R, S, T, Servant, Waiter, 105, 106
Isn't That Clear—Mr. S with Ensemble
Don't Eat It* -- Ensemble
Four (Naked Lady) -- Misses I, O, U, Messrs. R, S, T, Servant, Waiter, 105, 106, Dishwasher
Chicken Is He—Rosita
The Moment Has Passed—Miss O
A Flower—Miss I
Rosita Rodriguez* -- Mayor
Apres Vous* -- 105, 106, Jailor
Bliss* -- Servant, 105, 106, and Ensemble
SCENE 3: THE STREET
The Cigarette Song—Servant, 105, 106
Thank You* -- Dishwasher
The Clothes Make The Man—Servant, 105, 106
Two Little Angels—Mother, 105, 106
The Passing of Time—105, 106
Capricious and Fickle (You Cad) -- Miss U
Crown Me—Servant, 105, 106
ACT 2
SCENE 1: THE BATTLEFIELD
Mr. Sidney N. Phelps* -- Waiter
Madeline* -- Waiter
Spring Beauties* -- Ensemble
Apres Vous (reprise)* -- Ensemble
A Poor Man (When I Was Born) -- 105, 106
Why Not? (Promenade Theme)* -- Servant, 105, 106, Mother, Dishwasher, Waiter
SCENE 2: THE DRAWING ROOM
The Finger Song* -- Mr. R, Ensemble
Little Fool—Mr. T, Ensemble
Chardiz* -- Servant
The Laughing Song* -- Ensemble
A Mother's Love* -- Mother
SCENE 3: THE CELL
Listen, I Feel—Servant
I Saw A Man—Mother
All is Well in the City—105, 106, Ensemble
(*Not on the original cast recording)
On Monday, April 12, 2010, a semi-staged concert of Promenade was performed Off-Broadway at New York City's New World Stages (Stage 2) as the first of a planned series called Legacy: the Musicals of Off-Broadway. It was produced by Edmund Gaynes and directed by Pamela Hall. Ken Lundie was music director.
2010 Concert Cast:
| 105 | Brian Childers |
| 106 | Tim Ewing |
| Jailer | Gene Castle |
| Servant | Julie Cardia |
| Miss I | Victoria Mallory |
| Miss O | Neva Small |
| Miss U | Andrea McArdle |
| Mr. R | Ron Spivak |
| Mr. S | Jim Brochu |
| Mr. T | James Donegan |
| Miss Cake (Rosita) | Virginia Seidel |
| Waiter | Allen E. Read |
| Dishwasher | Joshua Nicholson |
| Mayor | Dale Radunz |
| Mother | Loni Ackerman |