- Henry, Sweet Henry
Infobox Musical
name= Henry, Sweet Henry
subtitle=
caption= Original Recording
music=Bob Merrill
lyrics=Bob Merrill
book=Nunnally Johnson
basis= Novel and film
"The World of Henry Orient "
productions=1967 Broadway
awards="Henry, Sweet Henry" is a musical with a book by
Nunnally Johnson and music and lyrics byBob Merrill .Based on the novel "
The World of Henry Orient " by Johnson's daughter Nora and the subsequent film of the same name, the plot focuses on Valerie and Marian, two wealthy, love-struck teenagers who stalk anavant-garde composer and aging philanderer.After twelve previews, the Broadway production, directed by
George Roy Hill andchoreographed byMichael Bennett , opened onOctober 23 ,1967 at the Palace Theatre, where it ran for 80 performances. The cast includedDon Ameche ,Neva Small , Robin Wilson,Carol Bruce ,Louise Lasser ,Baayork Lee ,Priscilla Lopez ,Alice Playten , andPia Zadora .The stage musical was never filmed: however, during its brief Broadway run, Alice Playten and the chorus performed one song from the score -- "Poor Little Person" -- on "
The Ed Sullivan Show "; this video recording survives.The show is one of those tracked by
William Goldman in his 1968 book "The Season ", which describes the ins and outs of a season on Broadway. He contends that "Henry, Sweet Henry" was well-received by audience members (getting "every bit as good a reaction as "Mame" gets", referring to a smash hit of the time) but couldn't survive a bad review fromClive Barnes in the New York Times, who was then on a crusade to bring pop music into Broadway scores. Goldman also describes how the show was intended as a vehicle to propel its young lead Robin Wilson to stardom, but instead accidentally allowed second leadAlice Playten to steal the show.ong list
;Act I
* Academic Fugue
* In Some Little World
* Pillar to Post
* Here I Am
* Whereas
* I Wonder How It Is To Dance With a Boy
* Nobody Steps on Kafritz
* Henry, Sweet Henry
* Woman in Love
* The People Watchers;Act II
* Weary Near to Dyin'
* Poor Little Person
* I'm Blue Too
* To Be Artistic
* Forever
* Do You Ever Go To Boston?
* Here I Am (Reprise)Awards and nominations
*
Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Playten, nominee)
*Tony Award for Best Choreography (nominee)
*Theatre World Award (Playten, winner)External links
*
* [http://www.nodanw.com/shows_h/henrysweethenry.htm Guide to Musical Theatre - Synopsis, Casting, Musical Numbers, Choreography]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.