Remembering THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE (77 years later)

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 11/23/15 at 1:07am

The show opened at the Alvin Theatre on November 23, 1938.

 

I've never seen a production but love the score so much. Hit after hit, with a holy trinity in "This Can't Be Love," "Falling In Love With Love" and "Sing For Your Supper." The Overture is one of the best ever. Not sure how the comedy lands today though having never seen a production.

 

Contemporary caricature:

Not sure how I feel about poor Wynn Murray's depiction here...

 

Production Photos:

 

Anyone have any memories to share from seeing the show over the years?

Updated On: 11/23/15 at 01:07 AM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/23/15 at 1:31am

The Stratford production is online https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYNtQVo6Qvg

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 11/23/15 at 10:40am

Oh wow! Look at a very young Eddie Albert! Thanks for sharing the photos.Wasn't Betty Bruce in the original Broadway and film version of GYPSY. I believe she played "Tessie Tura"?

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 11/23/15 at 11:25am

The Encores production gave us two wonderful recordings: Rebecca Luker's rendition of "Falling in Love with Love," another one of Rodgers' great waltzes, and "Sing For Your Supper" with  Luker, Debbie Gravitte and Christine Ebersole. (Sorry, haven't learned how to embed Youtube yet)  Actually this version was from a PBS special on Rodgers and Hart that arose from the Encore's production (which I would love to see).

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laE3dcf_dDw

 

"Sing for Your Supper" for a while became a hot item, with many performances, including one with Audra McDonald, which irritated her fans because she was the one in the trio that didn't sing the lead. It's on Youtube.

 

Mama Cass Eliot also recorded this with TM&P many years before Encores.

 

Thanks for the great photos.

 

Updated On: 11/23/15 at 11:25 AM

[NoName3]

Posted: 11/25/15 at 3:37am

Th Encores production was one of their very best productions, such a treat. The recording is a must have.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 11/25/15 at 4:04am

I saw a terrific, multi-ethnic production directed by Kenny Leon when he was the Artistic Director of the Alliance Theatre Company in Atlanta.  The R&H Org. pitched it to the Public for their summer season at the Delacorte but they didn't bite. Judi Dench directed a production at Regent's Park in the early 90s that I heard was also terrific.

[chewy5000]

Posted: 11/25/15 at 5:58am

Thanks for posting that video, Eric. 'twas a pleasantly surprising way to spend my afternoon.

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 11/25/15 at 10:35am

Fantastic photos, link to stratford and recommendation on the encores production

Ive been doing a deep dive on Rodgers & Hart (even got some of the bagley cds including their complete score for "too many girls" and loving every minute

For those living in or coming to the SF Bay. 42nd street moon will HAVE a production of The Boys from Syracuse in march-april 2016.  Im excited about it. 

42nd street moon uses a combination of equity and local non equity actors with 2 piece orchestration (piano and violin, or two pianos), and generally puts on a very nice show in about a 200 person theatre

Last year they brought out Emily Skinner to lead "do I hear a waltz" and it was incredible. They havent announced casting yet, ill share with the group when they do! 

https://www.42ndstmoon.org/2015-2016-season

 

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 11/26/15 at 2:26am

At their first performance of SCROOGE IN LOVE tonight,  Joe Mader of 42nd St. Moon  announced that Boys from Syracuse will feature a set of real-life identical twins as Dromios. (The Antipholi are not actual siblings, though they do look significantly alike.) 

[The Other One]

Posted: 11/26/15 at 7:23am

http://www.alhirschfeldfoundation.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/full_watermarked/images/news/boysfromsyracuse.jpeg

 

This off-Broadway revival featured many great 60's Broadway-performers-to-be, and the album is a delight.