Henry, Sweet Henry
Encyclopedia
Henry, Sweet Henry is a musical
with a book by Nunnally Johnson
and music and lyrics by Bob 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 an avant-garde
composer and aging philanderer.
After twelve previews, the Broadway
production, directed by George Roy Hill
and choreographed by Michael Bennett
, opened on October 23, 1967 at the Palace Theatre
, where it ran for 80 performances. The cast included Don Ameche
, Neva Small
, Robin Wilson, Carol Bruce
, Louise Lasser
, Baayork Lee
, Priscilla Lopez
, Alice Playten
, and Pia 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 from Clive 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 lead Alice Playten
to steal the show.
An off off Broadway revival of the musical, directed and produced by James Rocco and choreographed by Rebecca Urich, of the original cast, was in the midst of tech rehearsals when the theatre it was playing at, the Mercer Arts Center
, collapsed to the ground. Rocco, 16 at the time, was given a challenge by the Lambs Club; if he could reorganize the show they would let the company use their theatre on 45 Street. The youngsters rose to the challenge and the show went on to play its limited engagement with a few added performances. It opened to enthusiastic repsonse and starred Rebecca Urich in the role of Val, which she had understudied in the original production.
Act II
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with a book by Nunnally Johnson
Nunnally Johnson
Nunnally Hunter Johnson was an American filmmaker who wrote, produced, and directed motion pictures.Johnson was born in Columbus, Georgia. He began his career as a journalist, writing for the Columbus Enquirer Sun, the Savannah Press, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and the New York Herald Tribune...
and music and lyrics by Bob Merrill
Bob Merrill
Bob Merrill was an American songwriter, theatrical composer, lyricist, and screenwriter.Merrill was born Henry Merrill Levan in Atlantic City, New Jersey and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Following a stint with the Army during World War II, he moved to Hollywood, where he worked as a...
.
Based on the novel The World of Henry Orient
The World of Henry Orient
The World of Henry Orient is a 1964 American comedy film based on the novel of the same name by Nora Johnson. It was directed by George Roy Hill and stars Peter Sellers, Paula Prentiss, Angela Lansbury, Tippy Walker, Merrie Spaeth, Phyllis Thaxter, Bibi Osterwald, and Tom Bosley.Filming started in...
by Johnson's daughter Nora
Nora Johnson
Nora Johnson is an American author.-Early life:She was born in daughter of filmmaker Nunnally Johnson in Hollywood, California. She attended the Brearley School, graduated from Smith College in 1954 and soon married and settled in New York.-Writings:Her first novel, The World of Henry Orient, was...
and the subsequent film of the same name, the plot focuses on Valerie and Marian, two wealthy, love-struck teenagers who stalk an avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
composer and aging philanderer.
After twelve previews, the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production, directed by George Roy Hill
George Roy Hill
George Roy Hill was an American film director. He is most noted for directing such films as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, which both starred the acting duo Paul Newman and Robert Redford...
and choreographed by Michael Bennett
Michael Bennett
Michael Bennett was an American musical theater director, writer, choreographer, and dancer. He won seven Tony Awards for his choreography and direction of Broadway shows and was nominated for an additional eleven....
, opened on October 23, 1967 at the Palace Theatre
Palace Theatre, New York
The Palace Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 1564 Broadway in midtown-Manhattan.-History:Designed by architects Kirchoff & Rose, the theatre was built by Martin Beck a California vaudeville entrepreneur and Broadway impresario. The project experienced a number of business problems before...
, where it ran for 80 performances. The cast included Don Ameche
Don Ameche
Don Ameche was an Academy Award winning American actor with a career spanning almost sixty years.-Personal life:...
, Neva Small
Neva Small
Neva Small is an American actress, singer, and puppeteer.-Career:Born in New York City, Small was acclaimed for her three-octave voice from an early age. She made her Broadway debut in the 1964 musical Something More!...
, Robin Wilson, Carol Bruce
Carol Bruce
Carol Bruce was an American band singer, Broadway star, and film and television actress.Bruce was born Shirley Levy in Great Neck, New York, the daughter of Beatrice and Harry Levy. She began her career as a singer in the late 1930s with Larry Clinton and his band...
, Louise Lasser
Louise Lasser
Louise Lasser is an American actress. She is known for her portrayal of the title character on the soap opera parody Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. She was married to Woody Allen and appeared in several of his films.-Personal life:...
, Baayork Lee
Baayork Lee
Baayork Lee is an Asian-American actress, singer, dancer, choreographer, theatre director, and author.-Early life and career:Lee was born in New York City's Chinatown to an Indian mother and Chinese father...
, Priscilla Lopez
Priscilla Lopez
Priscilla Lopez is an American singer, dancer, and actress.-Early life:Lopez was born in the Bronx, New York to Francisco Lopez, a hotel banquet foreman and Laura , who were moved to New York from their native Puerto Rico...
, Alice Playten
Alice Playten
Alice Playten was an American actress and singer.-Life and career:Born Alice Plotkin in New York City, Playten began her career in the Broadway musical Gypsy...
, and Pia Zadora
Pia Zadora
Pia Zadora is an American actress and singer. After working as a child actress on Broadway, in regional theater, and in the film Santa Claus Conquers the Martians , she came to national attention in 1981 when, following her starring role in the highly criticized Butterfly, she won a Golden Globe...
.
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
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
; this video recording survives.
The show is one of those tracked by William Goldman
William Goldman
William Goldman is an American novelist, playwright, and Academy Award-winning screenwriter.-Early life and education:...
in his 1968 book The Season
The Season
The Season may refer to:*Season *The Season *The Seasons - A set of 12 compositions by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky for solo piano, one for each month of the year....
, 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 from Clive Barnes
Clive Barnes (critic)
Clive Alexander Barnes, CBE was a British-born American writer and critic. From 1965 to 1977 he was the dance and theater critic for the New York Times, the most powerful position he had held, since its theater critics' reviews historically have had great influence on the success or failure of...
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 lead Alice Playten
Alice Playten
Alice Playten was an American actress and singer.-Life and career:Born Alice Plotkin in New York City, Playten began her career in the Broadway musical Gypsy...
to steal the show.
An off off Broadway revival of the musical, directed and produced by James Rocco and choreographed by Rebecca Urich, of the original cast, was in the midst of tech rehearsals when the theatre it was playing at, the Mercer Arts Center
Mercer Arts Center
The Mercer Arts Center was a group of live theaters on Mercer Street in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, and was part of the Broadway Central Hotel until its collapse on August 3, 1973....
, collapsed to the ground. Rocco, 16 at the time, was given a challenge by the Lambs Club; if he could reorganize the show they would let the company use their theatre on 45 Street. The youngsters rose to the challenge and the show went on to play its limited engagement with a few added performances. It opened to enthusiastic repsonse and starred Rebecca Urich in the role of Val, which she had understudied in the original production.
Song 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 AwardTony AwardThe Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Playten, nominee) - Tony Award for Best Choreography (nominee)
- Theatre World AwardTheatre World AwardThe Theatre World Award, first awarded for the 1945-46 season, is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or off-Broadway.-History:...
(Playten, winner)