Book Read Free

Everything Was Possible

Page 39

by Ted Chapin


  Thanks also to the various people who provided counsel, insight, thoughts, and/or paraphernalia through the years: Bill Ankenbrock, John Breglio, Barry Brown, Paula Cianci, Steve Clar, Pat Collins, Dr. Susan Corso, Osborn Elliott, Alan Gomberg, Arlene Graston, Jane-Howard Hammerstein, Judy Haring, Jerome Leonard Isaacs, Robert LoBiondo, Donna McKechnie, Judith Maidenbaum, Stuart Ostrow, Alice Playten, Roger Puckett, Marilyn Rennegal, Paul Salsini, Steven Suskin, Jack Viertel, Joshua White, and Frank M. Young. And thanks to Bill Rosenfield, who loaned me the copy of the Boston poster that he had gotten signed by the company—by waiting, as a teenage fan, outside the stage door in both Boston and New York.

  Special thanks to Dory Langdon, whose precise comments helped clarify moments in the text that needed help.

  Thanks to those at Connecticut College who were supportive of my Follies notion way back when: Robley Evans, Jane Bredeson, Jan Hersey, and the late Rita Barnard.

  To my colleagues at the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, my deepest thanks. Wayne Blood, Carol Cornicelli, Mike Dvorchak, Nicole Harman, and Victoria Traube helped in a variety of ways. Mike Hidalgo and Maxyne Lang were both helpful by reading the manuscript. Special thanks to Bert Fink, whose enthusiastic and consistent encouragement, as well as smarts, is deeply appreciated, and to Bruce Pomahac, who was indirectly responsible for my working on Follies in the first place and whose support, guidance, and friendship has been more important than he knows.

  I owe a great deal to Mary Rodgers Guettel and Hank Guettel. As they made their brief but important appearances in this story, who knew how important they would become to me? Were it not for the friendship between the Guettels and the Chapins, I have no idea what my professional life would be today. It was Mary who phoned me one day in 1981 and said, “What are you doing? I think they could use you at the Rodgers & Hammerstein office.” How often does a thirty-second phone call lead to a career? And in this instance, it couldn’t have happened without the support of the brothers Hammerstein, Bill and Jamie. I miss them and am sorry not to be able to share this book with them both. They would have gotten a kick out of it.

  And my family: To my wife, JoAnna, and daughters Anika and Zoë, I owe an enormous debt. It was their time I stole to write this book. And to my parents, Betty and Schuyler Chapin, who invited my brothers and me into their world of the arts in the most gracious ways imaginable, and to Catia, who, following the death of my mother, came into the Chapin life at just the right moment. Sincerest thanks to you all.

  Index

  Abbott, George

  ABC-TV

  Abelard and Heloise (play)

  Actors’ Equity

  Addams, Charles

  After Dark magazine

  “Ah, Paris!”

  Alberghetti, Anna Maria

  Albertson, Jack

  Aldredge, Theoni V

  “All Things Bright and Beautiful”

  Allen, Fred

  Alvin Theater (New York)

  Ameche, Don

  American Cancer Society

  American Theater Lab, illus.; first week in rehearsal studio at; second week in rehearsal studio at

  And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little (Zindel)

  “Another Hundred People”

  Anyone Can Whistle (musical)

  Applause (musical)

  Arden, Eve

  Ari (musical)

  Aronson, Boris, illus.; at Boston performances; Company set by; at Feller’s Scenic Studio; and lighting design; on opening night; scale model of set by; at technical rehearsals, illus. ; Tony awards of

  Aronson, Lisa, illus.

  Ash, Ingram

  Associated Press (AP)

  Atkinson, Brooks

  Avedon, Richard

  Avian, Bob, illus. ; during Boston run; choreography by; dancing ensemble rehearsed by; at sitzprobe; staging by, illus. ; at technical rehearsals; Yvonne and

  Azar, Ted

  Bacall, Lauren

  Bacharach, Burt

  Backus, Jim

  Bailey, Pearl

  Baird, Bil

  Baker, David

  Baker Street (musical)

  Ballard, Kaye

  Banfield, Stephen

  Barnes, Clive

  Barrie, Barbara

  Barrymore, Ethel

  Bartlett, Michael, illus. , illus.

  “Beautiful Girls” and illus.

  “Being Alive”

  Bennett, Joan

  Bennett, Michael; at American Theater Lab rehearsals and illus.and illus.; on Boston opening night; during Boston previews; during Boston run; casting of Follies by; choreography by, illus. as codirector; and composition of songs; and costume designs; curtain call staged by; dancing ensemble rehearsed by; at dress rehearsals; at Feller’s Scenic Studio rehearsals, illus., illus., illus., illus., illus.; and ghost figure concept; and lighting design; and National Theater Institute students; during New York previews; on opening night on Broadway; reviews of; and set design and construction, illus. ; at sitzprobe; at technical rehearsals, illus. Tony nominations and awards of

  Berkman, John, illus.

  Berle, Milton

  Bernstein, Leonard

  Bissell, Richard

  Blair, Janet

  Bless You All (musical)

  Blount, Helonand illus.

  Blyden, Larry

  Bock, Jerry

  Bogart, Humphrey

  “Bolero d’Amour” and illus.

  Bold Ones, The (television show)

  Boockvor, Steve, illus.

  Borrie, Alexandra

  Boston After Dark

  Boston Globe

  Boston Herald Traveler

  Boston Justice

  Boston Record American; see also Norton, Elliot

  Botto, Louis

  Bridge, Peter

  Briggs, Suzanne, illus. illus.

  “Bring On the Girls”

  “Broadway Baby” illus.

  Broadway Arts Studio

  Browning, Susan

  Bryant, Mary

  Brynner, Yul

  “Buddy’s Blues”

  Burns, David

  Bye Bye Birdie (musical)

  Byrd, David

  Cabaret (musical)

  Cactus Flower (play)

  Call Me Madam (musical)

  “Can That Boy Fox Trot!”

  Candid Camera (television show)

  Candide (musical)

  Capitol Records

  Carlisle, Kitty

  Carnival (musical)

  Carroll, Earl

  Carson, Johnny

  Caruso, John

  Cassidy, Jack

  Chaikin, Joseph

  Chakiris, Georgie

  Chamberlain, Richard

  Champion, Gower

  Chapin, Schuyler

  Chorus Line, A (musical)

  Christian Science Monitor

  Churchill, Allen

  Cianci, Paul

  Civic Light Opera

  Clayton, Jan

  Clum, John

  Coco (musical)

  Cohen, Alexander H.

  Cohen, Billy

  Cohen, Hildy

  Cohen, Larry, illus.

  Collins, Dorothy, illus., illus. illus. , illus. in American Theater Lab rehearsals; on Boston opening night; in Boston previews; during Boston run; casting of; death of; costumes and wigs for, illus. illus. ; dressing rooms of; in dress rehearsals; in Feller’s Scenic Studio rehearsals and illus.; Hirschfeld caricature of, illus. ; in New York previews; on opening night on Broadway; on original cast album; reviews of; salary of; television career of; at Time magazine photo shoot; Tony nomination of

  Collins, Pat

  Colonial Theatre (Boston); costume parade at; dress rehearsals at; opening night at; previews at; technical rehearsals at

  Colt, Alvin

  Colt, Ethel Barrymore, illus. and illus.

  Columbia Artists Management

  Columbia Records

  Comden, Betty

  Company (musical)<
br />
  Conflict (movie)

  Connecticut College

  Cook, Barbara

  “Could I Leave You?”

  Couto, Tom

  Crawford, Joan

  Cypher, Jon

  Dalton, Kathie, illus.

  Daniele, Graciela, illus., illus.

  David, Hal

  Davidson, Gordon

  Davis, Bette

  Davis, Christopher

  De Carlo, Yvonne, illus., illus. illus.; in American Theater Lab rehearsals, illus. 68; on Boston opening night; in Boston previews; during Boston run; casting of; composing and staging of new song for; costumes for; curtain call for; dressing room of; in dress rehearsal; in Feller’s Scenic Studio rehearsals, illus. ; Hirschfeld caricature of, illus.; movie and television career of; in New York previews; on opening night on Broadway; reviews of; salary of; song composed for; in technical

  De Carlo, Yvonne (continued) rehearsal; at Time magazine photo shoot

  Dear World (musical)

  DeHaven, Gloria

  Dexter, John

  Dickinson, Angie

  Dietrich, Marlene

  Do I Hear a Waltz? (musical)

  Doll’s Life, A (musical)

  “Don’t Look at Me”

  D’Orsay, Fifi, illus., illus. and illus.; in Boston performances; at Boston rehearsals; casting of; costume for; death of; Hirschfeld caricature of, illus. ; at New York rehearsals; on opening night on Broadway; salary of

  Duckworth, Dortha

  Eaves Costumes

  Ebb, Fred

  Education of Hyman Kaplan, The (musical)

  Elkins, Hillard

  Elliott, Osborn

  Evans, Harvey, illus.

  Evening Primrose (Collier)

  Exodus (Uris)

  Family Affair, A (musical)

  Fantasticks, The (musical)

  Feller, Lynn

  Feller, Peter

  Feller’s Scenic Studio, illus., illus.

  Fiddler on the Roof (musical)

  Fidelio (Beethoven)

  Fillmore East (New York)

  Fink, Bert

  Fiorello! (musical)

  Fisher, Carl

  Fisher, James

  Fisher,Joan

  Fisher, Jules

  Fisher Theater (Detroit)

  Fleming, Rhonda

  Flynn, Errol

  Follies Company

  Forbes magazine

  42nd Street (musical)

  Fosse, Bob

  Fradkin, Phil

  Freidman, Arthur

  Friedlander, Harold

  Frost, David

  Funny Girl (musical)

  Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, A (musical)

  Furth, George

  Gabel, Martin

  Gable, Clark

  Galbraith, Robert

  Gelbart, Larry

  Gemignani, Paul, illus.

  Georgy (musical)

  Gershwin, George

  Get Smart (television show)

  Ginzler, Robert

  Girls Upstairs, The (musical)

  “God-Why-Don’t-You-Love-Me Blues, The,” see “Buddy’s Blues”

  Godspell (musical)

  Golden Apple (musical)

  Goldman, Irving

  Goldman, James, illus. ; at American Theater Lab rehearsals; during Boston run; at costume parade; at Feller’s Scenic Studio rehearsals, illus., illus.; on opening night on Broadway; and Ostrow production of The Girls Upstairs; at Prettybelle, reviews of; at technical rehearsals; television interview of; Tony nomination of

  Goldman, Marie

  Goldman, William

  Gordon, Joanne

  Gottfried, Michael

  Goulet, Robert

  Grant, Cary

  Green, Adolph

  Green, George

  Greenstreet, Sydney

  Griffin, Victor

  Griffith, Robert E.

  Grigas, John

  Guare, John

  Guettel, Henry

  Gussow, Mel

  Gypsy (musical)

  Hagen, Uta

  Hamilton, George

  Hammerstein, Bill

  Hammerstein, Dorothy

  Hammerstein, Jane-Howard

  Hammerstein, Oscar

  Hammerstein, Oscar

  Happy Time, The (musical)

  Hardy, Joseph

  Harnick, Sheldon

  Hart, Lorenz

  Hart, Moss

  Harvard University; Crimson

  Hastings, Harold; at American Theater Lab rehearsals and illus.; during Boston run; at dress rehearsals; at Feller’s Scenic Studio rehearsals; during New York previews; at Prologue recording session; at technical rehearsals

  Hays, David

  Hayward, Leland

  Hello, Dolly! (musical)

  “Hello, Doughboy”

  Henry, Sweet Henry (musical)

  Henson, Jim

  Hepburn, Katharine

  Herald News of Passaic

  Herscher, Seymour

  Hirsch, Samuel

  Hirschfeld, Al, illus.

  Holgate, Ron

  Hollywood Reporter

  Holt, Fritz, illus., illus.; during Boston run; at dress rehearsal; during New York previews; at New York rehearsals, illus. at technical rehearsals

  Houdina, Mary Jane, illus.

  House of Blue Leaves, The (Guare)

  How Now, Dow Jones (musical)

  How the Other Half Loves (play)

  Howdy Doody (television show)

  Hullabaloo (television show)

  “I’m Still Here”

  “In Buddy’s Eyes”

  Into the Woods (musical)

  Ironside (television show)

  Jacobs, Bernard

  Jennie (musical)

  Johnson, Van

  Johnston, Justine

  Jones, Dean

  Jones, Richard C.

  Jordan, Taft

  Joyful Noise, A (musical)

  Kalem, T. E.

  Kander, John

  Kanfer, Stefan

  Kaye, Danny

  Keel, Howard

  Keeler, Ruby

  Kelly, Fred

  Kelly, Gene

  Kelly, Kevin

  Kelly, Patsy

  Kennedy, Edward M.

  Kennedy, John F., Center for the Performing Arts

  Kern, Jerome

  Kerr, Walter

  Kert, Larry

  Ketterer, Drew

  Kim, Willa

  Kimbrough, Charles

  Kirkwood, James

  Klotz, Florence, illus.

  Krapp, Herbert

  Kroll, Jack

  Lady in the Dark (musical)

  La France, Charles

  Lahr, John

  Lansbury, Angela

  Latessa, Dick, illus.

  Laurents, Arthur

  Lawford, Peter

  Lawrence, Carol

  Layton, Joe

  Lenya, Lotte

  Lerner, Alan Jay

  Lester, Edwin

  Levkova, Sonja, illus.

  Lieberson, Goddard

  Life magazine

  Lincoln Center

  Lindsay, John V.

  Lion in Winter; The (Goldman)

  “Live, Laugh, Love”, illus.

  Logan, Joshua

  Lolita, My Love (musical)

  “Lonely Town”

  Long, William Ivey

  Long Island Catholic

  Look magazine

  Lorca, Federico García

  Lord, Howard

  “Losing My Mind”, illus. illus.

  Losey, Joseph

  Louis, Jean

  “Loveland” illus. illus., illus.

  “Love Will See Us Through” illus. and illus.

  Love of Sunya, The (movie)

  Lupino, Ida

  MacKenzie, Gisele

  Mad Show, The (musical)

  Mallory, Victoria, illus.

  Maltin, Leonard

  Mame (musical)<
br />
  Mann, Jack

  Marone, Terry

  Marshall, E. G.

  Martin, George, illus.

  Martin, John J., illus.

  Martin, Mary

  Maschmeyer, Ursula, illus. illus.

  Masteroff, Joe

  Matera, Barbara, illus.

  McCarty, Mary, illus. illus. illus.

  McKechnie, Donna

  McMartin, John, illus. illus. in Boston performances, ; casting of; costumes for; at dress rehearsal; in New York previews; at New York rehearsals; on opening night on Broadway; salary of; at technical rehearsals

  Meisner, Sanford

  Melnick, David

  Merlin, Joanna

  Merman, Ethel

  Merrick, David

  Merrill, Bob

  Metropolitan Opera

  Meyers, Annette

  MGM

  Middleton, Ray

  Miller, Ann

  Miller, Joe

  Misita, Michael, illus.

  Miss Liberty (musical)

  Mission: Impossible (television show)

  Mitchell, Ruth; at American Theater Lab; during Boston run; at Feller’s Scenic Studio, illus. illus. on opening night; at technical rehearsals, illus. at Tony Awards ceremony

  Mohr, Alex

  Monteux, Pierre

  Mordden, Ethan

  Morosco Theater (New York)

  Morrison, Hobe

  Morse, Robert

  Moss, Arnold

  Mosse, Spencer

  Munsters, The (television show)

  Muppets

  Music Man, The (musical)

  Musser, Tharon, illus.

  National Theater Institute

  Neal, Patricia

  Neighborhood Playhouse (New York)

  Nelson, Gene, illus., illus. in Boston performances, illus. ; casting of; costumes for; curtain call for; in dress rehearsal; at New York rehearsals, illus. , illus. in New York previews; movie career of; on opening night on Broadway; salary of

  Nelson, Marilyn

  New Dramatists

  Newsweek

  New York Daily News

  New York Drama Critics’ Circle

  New Yorker, The

  New York magazine

  New York Post

  New York Public Library

  New York Times, The, illus.

  Night and Day (movie)

  Nixon, Richard M.

  No, No, Nanette (musical)

  No Strings (musical)

  Nordell, Roderick

  Norkin, Sam

  Norton, Elliot

  Novick, Julius

  O’Connor, Rita, illus.

  O’Neill, Eugene, Theater Center (Waterford, Connecticut)

 

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