The Apple Tree
Encyclopedia
The Apple Tree is a series of three musical playlet
s with music by Jerry Bock
, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
, and a book by Bock and Harnick with contributions from Jerome Coopersmith. Each act has its own storyline, but all three are tied together by a common theme (someone who believes that they want something, but once they get what they wanted they realize that it wasn't what they wanted) and common references, such as references to the color brown
. The first act is based on Mark Twain
's The Diary of Adam and Eve; the second act is based on Frank R. Stockton
's
The Lady or the Tiger?
; the third act is based on Jules Feiffer
's Passionella.
on October 9, 1966 at the Shubert Theatre
and ran for 463 performances, closing on November 25, 1967. It was produced by Stuart Ostrow
, directed by Mike Nichols
and starred Barbara Harris
, Alan Alda
, and Larry Blyden
. Harris won the Tony Award
for Best Actress in a Musical. The Apple Tree also received several other major Tony nominations: Bock and Harnick for Best Composer and Lyricist, Nichols for Best Direction of a Musical, Lee Theodore
for Best Choreography, and the show itself for Best Musical.
The Encores!
staged concert production ran from May 12, 2005 through May 16, 2005, and starred Kristin Chenoweth
, Malcolm Gets
and Michael Cerveris
.
The Roundabout Theatre Company
mounted a revival that ran from December 14, 2006 until March 11, 2007 with Kristin Chenoweth
in Harris' roles, Brian D'Arcy James
in Alda's roles and Marc Kudisch
in Blyden's. The consensus of reviews was that the playlets themselves are all creaky with age, the music interesting but not inspired, and Chenoweth's performance a marvel and the evening's only important attraction. It ran for 18 previews and 99 regular shows for a total of 117 performances.
This musical is popular for high school productions because of its ease of presentation.
In the first story, Adam is awakes to find that he is required to name all of the animals. He names them simply: flyers, swimmers and crawlers. He enjoys being the "sole and single man" on Earth. Then, he meets Eve, the "long haired creature", in the garden. Eve greatly enjoys her time "Here in Eden", and begins to name everything with more detailed names: cows, ducks, horses, etc. Adam becomes annoyed with Eve and she hurts his feelings when he discovers that she thinks she is superior to him. Eve doesn't think that Adam appreciates her and he makes her feel put out, but she begins to have some "Feelings" for him. Adam builds a shelter for himself, but when he sees Eve sitting in the rain he invites her in, where she immediately begins redecorating which Adam hates. Although Adam is annoyed, he too begins to have "Feelings" for Eve. The two get into another argument, this time about cutting the grass around their house. After the fight, Adam storms away and Eve decides to go to a pond, where she thinks her reflection is someone just like her and that they are best "Friends". Soon, a snake appears. It seems to know everything, and tells Eve that she can know everything, too, as long as she eats the apples from the tree over the hill - the tree that Adam told her was forbidden. The snake tells her that Adam is wrong and that the apples are not "Forbidden Fruit". She eats an apple, but suddenly Adam realizes that something has happened to his "Beautiful, Beautiful World". Once the couple is out of Eden, they become closer. They now need each other more and have come to tolerate each other's weaknesses. Soon, Eve has their first child, Cain, but Adam thinks that "It's a Fish". Eve sings the baby a "Lullaby", and soon they have another son, Abel. After the boys grow up, Cain kills Abel and Eve reflects on her life, including her feelings for Adam. She tells Adam that she wants the two of them to die together, or at least have her die first because she needs him more than he needs her (to which he protests). She then reflects on "What Makes Me Love Him". Eve dies and Adam, who always hated flowers, begins to water her garden, because she loved the flowers so much.
The Lady or the Tiger?
The second story takes place in a somewhat barbaric kingdom. The story, told by a balladeer, is about love and jealousy ("I'll Tell You a Truth"). He introduces King Arik and his daughter Princess Barbara entering a great banquet that is being held ("Make Way"). They show a traditional trial: the prisoner is put into a large arena with two doors. Behind one door is a beautiful woman - if the prisoner chooses that door, he is innocent and is required to marry the woman. Behind the other door is a ravenous tiger. If the prisoner chooses that door, he is deemed guilty and the tiger will kill him. After the trial, the King's Captain Sanjar returns from a long battle that they have won. The captain collapses, but the King and his court leave him there and decide to celebrate. A slave, Nadjira, stays behind to comfort him, but Princess Barbara comes back and orders that she leave. It is then discovered that Barbara and Sanjar are in love, but that because of class no one can know. They discuss their "Forbidden Love" and consider running away to Gaul. They realize that their place is here, and while they are stealing a kiss, King Arik walks in and catches them. Arik sentences Sanjar to a trial, much to Barbara's dismay. She decides to find out which door the tiger is behind so that Sanjar is not slaughtered. She asks the Royal Tiger Keeper (who is also the balladeer) to tell her which door hides the tiger. He tells her, but first warns her about having the information. She sings to herself, "I've Got What You Want", until she sees Nadjira being led to the arena to hide behind the other door. Barbara had forgotten about this door, but she now realizes that he will have to marry Nadjira if he doesn't chose the other door ("Tiger, Tiger"). King Arik, Princess Barbara and their court entourage enter the arena ("Make Way (reprise)") and the court contemplates "Which Door" Sanjar will choose. Sanjar begs Barbara to tell him which door to choose, and hesitating, she points to a door. The balladeer reenters and sings about the pains of jealousy ("I'll Tell You a Truth (reprise)". Which door Barbara choses for Sanjar is not revealed.
Passionella
A Narrator tells of Ella, who sings about the perils of being a chimney sweep and how great it would be to be famous ("Oh, to be a Movie Star"). One day, Ella comes home to find that her television is not working. Suddenly her Friendly Neighborhood Godmother (also the narrator) appears and grants her "her most cherished wish." Instantly, Ella becomes "Gorgeous", however she can only be Passionella from the seven o'clock news until the end of the late late show (7 P.M. until 4 A.M.). She then leaves her house ("Who is She?") A producer signs her to a lifetime contract, and she instantly becomes a star. Men love her and women wish to be exactly like her, and she knows exactly how they feel ("I Know"). Ella is still sad, though. She has fame, beauty and wealth, but she wants love. She meets Flip, a famous singer who is also a hippie
, and falls in love with him, but he rejects her, telling her "You Are Not Real". Because of this, Passionella goes to her producer and tells him that she will retire unless she can play a chimney sweep in her next movie. He agrees, and Passionella wins the Academy Award for her role. Flip presents the award to her, and he realizes that he loves her and proposes marriage. The couple makes love in front of the television, but they lose track of time, and suddenly it is 4 A.M. Passionella is now Ella, but Flip is no longer Flip, either - he is George L. Brown. They get to know each other's true self and live happily ever after.
The Lady or the Tiger?
Passionella
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
s with music by Jerry Bock
Jerry Bock
Jerrold Lewis "Jerry" Bock was an American musical theater composer. He received the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama with Sheldon Harnick for their 1959 musical Fiorello! and the Tony Award for Best Composer and Lyricist for the 1964 musical Fiddler on the Roof with...
, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Sheldon Harnick
Sheldon Harnick is an American lyricist best known for his collaborations with composer Jerry Bock on hit musicals such as Fiddler on the Roof....
, and a book by Bock and Harnick with contributions from Jerome Coopersmith. Each act has its own storyline, but all three are tied together by a common theme (someone who believes that they want something, but once they get what they wanted they realize that it wasn't what they wanted) and common references, such as references to the color brown
Brown
Brown is a color term, denoting a range of composite colors produced by a mixture of orange, red, rose, or yellow with black or gray. The term is from Old English brún, in origin for any dusky or dark shade of color....
. The first act is based on Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
's The Diary of Adam and Eve; the second act is based on Frank R. Stockton
Frank R. Stockton
Frank Richard Stockton was an American writer and humorist, best known today for a series of innovative children's fairy tales that were widely popular during the last decades of the 19th century...
's
The Lady or the Tiger?
The Lady or the Tiger?
"The Lady, or the Tiger?" is a much-anthologized short story written by Frank R. Stockton for publication in the magazine The Century in 1882. "The Lady, or the Tiger?" has come into the English language as an allegorical expression, a shorthand indication or signifier for a problem that is...
; the third act is based on Jules Feiffer
Jules Feiffer
Jules Ralph Feiffer is an American syndicated cartoonist, most notable for his long-run comic strip titled Feiffer. He has created more than 35 books, plays and screenplays...
's Passionella.
Production history
The musical opened on BroadwayBroadway 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...
on October 9, 1966 at the Shubert Theatre
Shubert Theatre (Broadway)
The Shubert Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 225 West 44th Street in midtown-Manhattan, New York, United States.Designed by architect Henry Beaumont Herts, it was named after Sam S. Shubert, the second oldest of the three brothers of the theatrical producing family...
and ran for 463 performances, closing on November 25, 1967. It was produced by Stuart Ostrow
Stuart Ostrow
Stuart Ostrow is an American theatrical producer and director, professor, and author.Born in New York City, Ostrow began his career as an apprentice of Frank Loesser and eventually became Vice-President and General Manager of Frank Music Corporation and Frank Productions, Incorporated, the...
, directed by Mike Nichols
Mike Nichols
Mike Nichols is a German-born American television, stage and film director, writer, producer and comedian. He began his career in the 1950s as one half of the comedy duo Nichols and May, along with Elaine May. In 1968 he won the Academy Award for Best Director for the film The Graduate...
and starred Barbara Harris
Barbara Harris (actress)
Barbara Harris is an American actress who was a Broadway stage star and later became a film actress. She appeared in such films as A Thousand Clowns, Plaza Suite, Nashville, Family Plot, Freaky Friday, Peggy Sue Got Married, and Grosse Pointe Blank...
, Alan Alda
Alan Alda
Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo , better known as Alan Alda, is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and author. A six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner, he is best known for his role as Hawkeye Pierce in the TV series M*A*S*H...
, and Larry Blyden
Larry Blyden
Larry Blyden was an American actor and game show host, best known for his appearances on Broadway and as the host of the game show What's My Line?-Personal life:...
. Harris won the Tony Award
Tony Award
The 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 Actress in a Musical. The Apple Tree also received several other major Tony nominations: Bock and Harnick for Best Composer and Lyricist, Nichols for Best Direction of a Musical, Lee Theodore
Lee Theodore
Lee Theodore was a Broadway director/choreographer and performer. Lee appeared as Anybodys in the original production of "West Side Story" and in "Tenderloin" and "The King And I". As a choreographer, Theodore created dances for "Baker Street," "Darling Of The Day," "Flora, The Red Menance" and...
for Best Choreography, and the show itself for Best Musical.
The Encores!
Encores!
Encores! Great American Musicals in Concert is a program that has been presented by New York City Center since 1994. Encores! is dedicated to performing the full score of musicals that rarely are heard in New York City...
staged concert production ran from May 12, 2005 through May 16, 2005, and starred Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth is an American singer and actress, with credits in musical theatre, film and television. She is best known on Broadway for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown , for which she won a Tony Award, and for originating the role of Glinda in the musical...
, Malcolm Gets
Malcolm Gets
Hugh Malcolm Gerard Gets is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Richard in the American television sitcom Caroline in the City. Gets is also a dancer, singer, composer, classically trained pianist, vocal director, and choreographer. He has a small part in the film adaptation of...
and Michael Cerveris
Michael Cerveris
Michael Cerveris is an American singer, guitarist and actor. He has performed in many stage musicals and plays, including in several Stephen Sondheim musicals: Assassins, Sweeney Todd, Road Show, and Passion...
.
The Roundabout Theatre Company
Roundabout Theatre Company
The Roundabout Theatre Company is a leading non-profit theatre company based in New York City.-History:The company was founded in 1965 by Gene Feist and Elizabeth Owens and now operates five theatres, all in Manhattan: the American Airlines Theatre ; Studio 54 ; the Stephen Sondheim Theatre The...
mounted a revival that ran from December 14, 2006 until March 11, 2007 with Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth is an American singer and actress, with credits in musical theatre, film and television. She is best known on Broadway for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown , for which she won a Tony Award, and for originating the role of Glinda in the musical...
in Harris' roles, Brian D'Arcy James
Brian d'Arcy James
Brian d'Arcy James is an American actor and musician.-Personal life:James was born in Saginaw, Michigan, the son of Mary , a seller of children's books, and a lawyer father, Thomas F. James. Brian's maternal grandfather was Harry F. Kelly, former Governor of the state of Michigan...
in Alda's roles and Marc Kudisch
Marc Kudisch
Marc Kudisch is an American stage actor, who is best known for his musical theatre roles on Broadway.-Early life and education:...
in Blyden's. The consensus of reviews was that the playlets themselves are all creaky with age, the music interesting but not inspired, and Chenoweth's performance a marvel and the evening's only important attraction. It ran for 18 previews and 99 regular shows for a total of 117 performances.
This musical is popular for high school productions because of its ease of presentation.
Synopsis
The Diary of Adam and EveIn the first story, Adam is awakes to find that he is required to name all of the animals. He names them simply: flyers, swimmers and crawlers. He enjoys being the "sole and single man" on Earth. Then, he meets Eve, the "long haired creature", in the garden. Eve greatly enjoys her time "Here in Eden", and begins to name everything with more detailed names: cows, ducks, horses, etc. Adam becomes annoyed with Eve and she hurts his feelings when he discovers that she thinks she is superior to him. Eve doesn't think that Adam appreciates her and he makes her feel put out, but she begins to have some "Feelings" for him. Adam builds a shelter for himself, but when he sees Eve sitting in the rain he invites her in, where she immediately begins redecorating which Adam hates. Although Adam is annoyed, he too begins to have "Feelings" for Eve. The two get into another argument, this time about cutting the grass around their house. After the fight, Adam storms away and Eve decides to go to a pond, where she thinks her reflection is someone just like her and that they are best "Friends". Soon, a snake appears. It seems to know everything, and tells Eve that she can know everything, too, as long as she eats the apples from the tree over the hill - the tree that Adam told her was forbidden. The snake tells her that Adam is wrong and that the apples are not "Forbidden Fruit". She eats an apple, but suddenly Adam realizes that something has happened to his "Beautiful, Beautiful World". Once the couple is out of Eden, they become closer. They now need each other more and have come to tolerate each other's weaknesses. Soon, Eve has their first child, Cain, but Adam thinks that "It's a Fish". Eve sings the baby a "Lullaby", and soon they have another son, Abel. After the boys grow up, Cain kills Abel and Eve reflects on her life, including her feelings for Adam. She tells Adam that she wants the two of them to die together, or at least have her die first because she needs him more than he needs her (to which he protests). She then reflects on "What Makes Me Love Him". Eve dies and Adam, who always hated flowers, begins to water her garden, because she loved the flowers so much.
The Lady or the Tiger?
The second story takes place in a somewhat barbaric kingdom. The story, told by a balladeer, is about love and jealousy ("I'll Tell You a Truth"). He introduces King Arik and his daughter Princess Barbara entering a great banquet that is being held ("Make Way"). They show a traditional trial: the prisoner is put into a large arena with two doors. Behind one door is a beautiful woman - if the prisoner chooses that door, he is innocent and is required to marry the woman. Behind the other door is a ravenous tiger. If the prisoner chooses that door, he is deemed guilty and the tiger will kill him. After the trial, the King's Captain Sanjar returns from a long battle that they have won. The captain collapses, but the King and his court leave him there and decide to celebrate. A slave, Nadjira, stays behind to comfort him, but Princess Barbara comes back and orders that she leave. It is then discovered that Barbara and Sanjar are in love, but that because of class no one can know. They discuss their "Forbidden Love" and consider running away to Gaul. They realize that their place is here, and while they are stealing a kiss, King Arik walks in and catches them. Arik sentences Sanjar to a trial, much to Barbara's dismay. She decides to find out which door the tiger is behind so that Sanjar is not slaughtered. She asks the Royal Tiger Keeper (who is also the balladeer) to tell her which door hides the tiger. He tells her, but first warns her about having the information. She sings to herself, "I've Got What You Want", until she sees Nadjira being led to the arena to hide behind the other door. Barbara had forgotten about this door, but she now realizes that he will have to marry Nadjira if he doesn't chose the other door ("Tiger, Tiger"). King Arik, Princess Barbara and their court entourage enter the arena ("Make Way (reprise)") and the court contemplates "Which Door" Sanjar will choose. Sanjar begs Barbara to tell him which door to choose, and hesitating, she points to a door. The balladeer reenters and sings about the pains of jealousy ("I'll Tell You a Truth (reprise)". Which door Barbara choses for Sanjar is not revealed.
Passionella
A Narrator tells of Ella, who sings about the perils of being a chimney sweep and how great it would be to be famous ("Oh, to be a Movie Star"). One day, Ella comes home to find that her television is not working. Suddenly her Friendly Neighborhood Godmother (also the narrator) appears and grants her "her most cherished wish." Instantly, Ella becomes "Gorgeous", however she can only be Passionella from the seven o'clock news until the end of the late late show (7 P.M. until 4 A.M.). She then leaves her house ("Who is She?") A producer signs her to a lifetime contract, and she instantly becomes a star. Men love her and women wish to be exactly like her, and she knows exactly how they feel ("I Know"). Ella is still sad, though. She has fame, beauty and wealth, but she wants love. She meets Flip, a famous singer who is also a hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
, and falls in love with him, but he rejects her, telling her "You Are Not Real". Because of this, Passionella goes to her producer and tells him that she will retire unless she can play a chimney sweep in her next movie. He agrees, and Passionella wins the Academy Award for her role. Flip presents the award to her, and he realizes that he loves her and proposes marriage. The couple makes love in front of the television, but they lose track of time, and suddenly it is 4 A.M. Passionella is now Ella, but Flip is no longer Flip, either - he is George L. Brown. They get to know each other's true self and live happily ever after.
Songs
The Diary of Adam and Eve- Eden Prelude
- Here in Eden
- Feelings
- Eve
- Friends
- The Apple Tree (Forbidden Fruit)
- Beautiful, Beautiful World
- It's A Fish
- Go to Sleep, Whatever You Are (Lullaby)
- What Makes Me Love Him?
- Eden Postlude
The Lady or the Tiger?
- The Lady or the Tiger Prelude
- I'll Tell You a Truth
- Make Way
- Forbidden Love (in Gaul)
- The Apple Tree Reprise
- I've Got What You Want
- Tiger, Tiger
- Make Way Reprise
- Which Door?
- I'll Tell You a Truth Reprise
Passionella
- Passionella Prelude
- Oh, To Be a Movie Star
- Gorgeous
- (Who, Who, Who, Who) Who is She?
- I Know
- Wealth
- You Are Not Real
- Postlude
External links
- MTIShows.com Obtain a license to produce The Apple Tree at your theater
- Studio 54 New York showing The Apple Tree with Kristin Chenoweth
- Sheldon Harnick - Downstage Center interview at American Theatre Wing.orgAmerican Theatre WingThe American Theatre Wing is a New York City-based organization "dedicated to supporting excellence and education in theatre," according to its mission statement...
, November 2006 - Interview with Sheldon Harnick Remembrances of Jerry Bock