Minnie's Boys
Encyclopedia
Minnie's Boys is a musical
with a book by Arthur Marx
and Robert Fisher
, music by Larry Grossman
, and lyrics by Hal Hackady
.
It provides a behind-the-scenes look at the early days of the Marx Brothers
and their relationship with their mother, the driving force behind their ultimate success.
After an unusually long preview period lasting for sixty-four performances, during which the creators constantly tinkered with the troubled show, the Broadway
production, directed by Stanley Prager
and choreographed by Marc Breaux
, opened on March 26, 1970 at the Imperial Theatre, where it ran for eighty performances.
The opening night cast included Shelley Winters
as Minnie Marx and Lewis J. Stadlen
, whose portrayal of Groucho won him both the Theatre World Award
and Drama Desk Award
for Outstanding Performance in a Musical.
The score's one standout tune was "Mama, a Rainbow", which was recorded by Steve Lawrence
and Jim Nabors
soon after the show opened (The song is, ironically, sung by Adolph "Harpo" Marx
, whose screen and stage persona was always silent). An original cast album was released by a somewhat obscure label, Project 3.
Groucho Marx
, who was still alive at the time, received a playbill credit as the show's advisor; after the show flopped, it was revealed that Groucho had made no useful contributions, and had basically been paid off so that he would not raise any legal objections to the production. During its brief run, Groucho did help the musical by appearing on the Dick Cavett Show with the five young actors who portrayed the Marx boys in the musical.
Act 2
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 Arthur Marx
Arthur Marx
Arthur Julius Marx was an American author, a former ranked amateur tennis player, and son of entertainer Groucho Marx and his first wife, Ruth Johnson....
and Robert Fisher
Robert Fisher
Robert Fisher may refer to:* Robert M. Fisher , American artist* Robert Fisher , American writer on play The Impossible Years* Robert J. Fisher , American business manager and director of Gap Inc...
, music by Larry Grossman
Larry Grossman (composer)
Larry Grossman is a composer of Broadway musicals, as well as scores for film and television, notably the The Muppet Show.-Career:...
, and lyrics by Hal Hackady
Hal Hackady
Hal Hackady is an American lyricist, librettist, and screenwriter.Hackady began his career writing teleplays for early anthology series General Electric Theater and Alfred Hitchcock Presents...
.
It provides a behind-the-scenes look at the early days of the Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
and their relationship with their mother, the driving force behind their ultimate success.
After an unusually long preview period lasting for sixty-four performances, during which the creators constantly tinkered with the troubled show, 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 Stanley Prager
Stanley Prager
Stanley Prager was an American actor and a television and theatre director.Born in New York City, Prager began his career as the stage manager for the Broadway production The Skin of Our Teeth in 1942...
and choreographed by Marc Breaux
Marc Breaux
Marc Breaux is an American choreographer and occasional film director best known for his work on musical films of the 1960s and 1970s. Most of his well known work was in collaboration with Dee Dee Wood to whom he was married for many years...
, opened on March 26, 1970 at the Imperial Theatre, where it ran for eighty performances.
The opening night cast included Shelley Winters
Shelley Winters
Shelley Winters was an American actress who appeared in dozens of films, as well as on stage and television; her career spanned over 50 years until her death in 2006...
as Minnie Marx and Lewis J. Stadlen
Lewis J. Stadlen
Lewis J. Stadlen is an American stage and screen character actor.-Career:Born in Brooklyn, New York to voice actor Allen Swift, Stadlen studied acting with Sanford Meisner and Stella Adler...
, whose portrayal of Groucho won him both the Theatre World Award
Theatre World Award
The 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:...
and Drama Desk Award
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
for Outstanding Performance in a Musical.
The score's one standout tune was "Mama, a Rainbow", which was recorded by Steve Lawrence
Steve Lawrence
Steve Lawrence is an American singer and actor, perhaps best known as a member of a duo with his wife Eydie Gormé, billed as "Steve and Eydie"...
and Jim Nabors
Jim Nabors
James Thurston "Jim" Nabors is an American actor and singer. Born and raised in Sylacauga, Alabama, Nabors moved to Southern California because of his asthma. While working at a Santa Monica nightclub, The Horn, he was discovered by Andy Griffith and later joined The Andy Griffith Show, playing...
soon after the show opened (The song is, ironically, sung by Adolph "Harpo" Marx
Harpo Marx
Adolph "Harpo" Marx was an American comedian and film star. He was the second oldest of the Marx Brothers. His comic style was influenced by clown and pantomime traditions. He wore a curly reddish wig, and never spoke during performances...
, whose screen and stage persona was always silent). An original cast album was released by a somewhat obscure label, Project 3.
Groucho Marx
Groucho Marx
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx was an American comedian and film star famed as a master of wit. His rapid-fire delivery of innuendo-laden patter earned him many admirers. He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third-born...
, who was still alive at the time, received a playbill credit as the show's advisor; after the show flopped, it was revealed that Groucho had made no useful contributions, and had basically been paid off so that he would not raise any legal objections to the production. During its brief run, Groucho did help the musical by appearing on the Dick Cavett Show with the five young actors who portrayed the Marx boys in the musical.
Song list
Act 1- Five Growing Boys
- Rich Is
- More Precious Far
- Four Nightingales
- Underneath It All
- Mama, a Rainbow
- You Don't have to Do It for Me
- If You Wind Me Up
- Where Was I When They Passed Out Luck?
Act 2
- The Smell of Christmas
- You Remind Me of You
- Minnie's Boys
- Be Happy
- The Act
- Finale
External links
- Minnie's Boys at the Internet Broadway DatabaseInternet Broadway DatabaseThe Internet Broadway Database is an online database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel. It is operated by the Research Department of The Broadway League, a trade association for the North American commercial theatre community....
- Roger Ebert interviews Groucho Marx about Minnie's Boys http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19700308/PEOPLE/3080301/1023