Product Description
CD89919 Blitzstein's Reuben Reuben (Eddie Albert, Evelyn Lear)
Here is a re-upload of Marc Blitzstein's REUBEN REUBEN, his opera/musical that
closed in Boston in 1955 rather than coming to Broadway as planned. This seems
to have been recorded off of the stage monitor/squawk box.
Under the circumstances, the sound is quite good, but there are dropouts, some
severe distortion in loud passages, and perhaps some pitch fluctuation. Still,
once you get past the first minute or two, most of the time the sound is quite
listenable and most of the words come through very clearly. This recording is
not complete, missing a bit in each act. I'm told there is a complete recording
out there (not sure if it's of the same performance), but I've not been able to
obtain a copy.
The production opened at the Shubert Theatre in Boston on October 10, 1955, and
it closed there on October 22, 1955, having received extremely negative reviews
and audience reaction that was sometimes downright hostile. My guess is that
this is from late in the run,. For one thing, a friend who's seen the score says
that by the time of this recording, cuts had already been made (and the account
of the Boston run in a book about William and Jean Eckart, the production's set
designers, confirms that cuts were made during the run). Also, some of the
dialogue heard here is recitative in the score and may have been sung in early
performances. (As you can hear, some of the dialogue rhymes, which suggests that
Blitzstein never rewrote it, but just cut the music and told the performers to
speak it instead of singing it.)
Interestingly, this audience at least occasionally seems quite enthusiastic.
As you can see in the cast list below, the cast included several opera singers:
Evelyn Lear (in the leading female role), George Gaynes (aka George Jongeyans),
and in several small roles, Thomas Stewart (here known as Tom Stewart).
To help out with understanding the plot, here's a brief synopsis taken from Ken
Mandelbaum's book "Not Since Carrie": " 'Reuben' took place from 9:30 p.m. to
dawn on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and its hero (Eddie Albert) was a
victim of aphonia, unable to speak unless approached with warmth and love. The
son of a circus performer known as the Human Dart who, as the show begins, has
recently jumped to his death because of world tension, Reuben is encouraged to
do likewise by a shady barkeeper who has taken out an insurance policy on
Reuben's life. With the help of a girl (Evelyn Lear) he meets, Reuben learns to
communicate and ultimately realizes that he is free to avoid his father's fate."
REUBEN REUBEN
Presented by Cheryl Crawford
Directed by Robert Lewis
Choreography by Hanya Holm
Musical direction by Samuel Krachmalnick
Orchestrations by Marc Blitzstein
Orchestration assistants: Hershy Kay and Bill Stegmeyer
Choral direction by Abba Bogin
(Note: According to Steven Suskin's book THE SOUND OF BROADWAY MUSIC, the
orchestrations were actually largely the work of Hershy Kay.)
The action takes place during one night at the present time on the Lower East
Side of Manhattan.
Fez Will Lee
Blazer Timmy Everett
Reuben Eddie Albert
Jane Anita Darian
Mr. J. Doakes Emile Renan
Mrs. J. Doakes Karen Anders
Ignatz G. Wood
Doc Al Checco
Mr. Chipper Charles Welch
Bart George Gaynes
Countess Kaye Ballard
Harry Tony Gardell
Kid Edmund Gaynes
Nina Evelyn Lear
Cop Kerry Dean Dittman
Attilio Enzo Stuarti
Zia Teresa Nina Varela
Two Zie Doris Davis, Josephine Lang
Amalfi Quartet Andrew George, Alan Smith, Tom Stewart, Marvin Zeller
Gisella Sondra Lee
Signore Ugo Alan Smith
Beppo Joe Rocco
Jake Crandall Diehl
Dee Dee Sonia Savig
Shoo Shoo Sara Dillon
Pot Pot Karen Anders
Smith Elwood Smith
Mr. Smythe Emile Renan
Mrs. Montague Nina Varela
Cigarette Girl Billie Allen
Arnold Skeet Guenther
Maitre d'Hotel Tom Stewart
Doorman John Ray
Cook Marvin Zeller
Attendant Alan Smith
Matron Evelyn Page
Firemen Andrew George, Skeet Guenther, Joe Rosen, Enzo Stuarti
Ury Crandall Diehl
Zoe Billie Allen
Xavier Tom Stewart
Yolanda Josephine Lang
Henry Lippincott Allen Case
Singing Ensemble: Betsy Bridge, Al Checco, Anita Darian, Doris Davis, Sara
Dillon, Dean Dittman, Edmund Gaynes, Josephine Lang, William Pierson, Alan
Smith, Elwood Smith, Tom Stewart, Enzo Stuarti, Nina Varela, Charles Welch, G.
Wood, Marvin Zeller.
Uploaded at 192. Inside the main folder, there are separate folders with each
disc.
The product you receive will be better quality than what you see and hear below.