Everything Was Possible: The Birth of the Musical Follies (Applause Books) (49 page)

S
ince I was never sure I’d actually get around to writing this book, I must thank those who made it happen. First, Eden Ross Lipson. I was introduced to her at a party, and as our conversation got around to Sondheim—she’s a big fan—I told her about my
Follies
experience. She looked me in the eye and told me I
had
to write the book, and
now.
She pointed me in the direction of Sarah Lazin, who taught me how book publishing works and steered the project to Robert Gottlieb, who has been an inspirational and patient editor. For a first-timer, I struck gold. I know it and am most grateful.

Thanks, of course, to the two major creators of
Follies
who are still around: Stephen Sondheim and Harold Prince. I asked them both if they were okay with the idea of this book before I began. They were supportive and enthusiastic, agreeing to sit for interviews along the way. They read the manuscript and offered amazingly helpful corrections and suggestions. Thanks to Bob Avian, ace assistant to Michael Bennett, who offered perceptive and helpful comments, and special thanks to Bobby Goldman, keeper of the James Goldman flame and new friend. And to Lisa Aronson, widow of designer Boris Aronson, my deepest thanks. When Lisa presented me with a ¼-inch scale model of the set as a gift following our lunch at her home, I was speechless. I still am.

Thanks to Frank Rich, whose agreement to provide a foreword, long before word one had been put down on paper, was an early sign of faith. We have always had
Follies
at the Colonial Theatre in common, and it’s been great having an opportunity to share it. For your kind words, your eloquence, and for the years of friendship, thank you.

I am indebted to the photographers who documented
Follies,
both behind the scenes and in production, and who made their photographs available for this book with amazingly good cheer: Bill Yoscary, Van Williams, and Martha Swope. Thanks also to Robert Galbraith for his photos and to Margo Feiden for the Hirschfeld drawing.

From the original production of
Follies,
my thanks go to those I either ran into or sought out, all of whom were helpful: David E. Byrd, Larry Cohen, Graciele Daniele, Mary Jane Houdina, Florence Klotz, Dick Latessa, John McMartin, Joanna Merlin, Terry Marone, Spencer Mosse, Kurt Peterson, Marti Rolph, and Jonathan Tunick. And a special thank you to Harvey Evans. His being in the 2002 Broadway production of
Oklahoma!
made him the most accessible of the group, and he had wonderful stories to tell.

Thanks also to the various people who provided counsel, insight, thoughts, and/or paraphernalia through the years: Bill Ankenbrock, John Breglio, Barry Brown, Paula Cianci, Steve Clar, Pat Collins, Dr. Susan Corso, Osborn Elliott, Alan Gomberg, Arlene Graston, Jane-Howard Hammerstein, Judy Haring, Jerome Leonard Isaacs, Robert LoBiondo, Donna McKechnie, Judith Maidenbaum, Stuart Ostrow, Alice Playten, Roger Puckett, Marilyn Rennegal, Paul Salsini, Steven Suskin, Jack Viertel, Joshua White, and Frank M. Young. And thanks to Bill Rosenfield, who loaned me the copy of the Boston poster that he had gotten signed by the company—by waiting, as a teenage fan, outside the stage door in both Boston and New York.

Special thanks to Dory Langdon, whose precise comments helped clarify moments in the text that needed help.

Thanks to those at Connecticut College who were supportive of my
Follies
notion way back when: Robley Evans, Jane Bredeson, Jan Hersey, and the late Rita Barnard.

To my colleagues at the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, my deepest thanks. Wayne Blood, Carol Cornicelli, Mike Dvorchak, Nicole Harman, and Victoria Traube helped in a variety of ways. Mike Hidalgo and Maxyne Lang were both helpful by reading the manuscript. Special thanks to Bert Fink, whose enthusiastic and consistent encouragement, as well as smarts, is deeply appreciated, and to Bruce Pomahac, who was indirectly responsible for my working on
Follies
in the first place and whose support, guidance, and friendship has been more important than he knows.

I owe a great deal to Mary Rodgers Guettel and Hank Guettel. As they made their brief but important appearances in this story, who knew how important they would become to me? Were it not for the friendship between the Guettels and the Chapins, I have no idea what my professional life would be today. It was Mary who phoned me one day in 1981 and said, “What are you doing? I think they could use you at the Rodgers & Hammerstein office.” How often does a thirty-second phone call lead to a career? And in this instance, it couldn’t have happened without the support of the brothers Hammerstein, Bill and Jamie. I miss them and am sorry not to be able to share this book with them both. They would have gotten a kick out of it.

And my family: To my wife, JoAnna, and daughters Anika and Zoë, I owe an enormous debt. It was their time I stole to write this book. And to my parents, Betty and Schuyler Chapin, who invited my brothers and me into their world of the arts in the most gracious ways imaginable, and to Catia, who, following the death of my mother, came into the Chapin life at just the right moment. Sincerest thanks to you all.

Abbott, George
ABC-TV
Abelard and Heloise
(play)
Actors’ Equity
Addams, Charles
After Dark
magazine
“Ah, Paris!”
Alberghetti, Anna Maria
Albertson, Jack
Aldredge, Theoni V
“All Things Bright and Beautiful”
Allen, Fred
Alvin Theater (New York)
Ameche, Don
American Cancer Society
American Theater Lab,
illus.
; first week in rehearsal studio at; second week in rehearsal studio at
And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little
(Zindel)
“Another Hundred People”
Anyone Can Whistle
(musical)
Applause
(musical)
Arden, Eve
Ari (musical)
Aronson, Boris,
illus.
; at Boston performances;
Company
set by; at Feller’s Scenic Studio; and lighting design; on opening night; scale model of set by; at technical rehearsals,
illus.
; Tony awards of
Aronson, Lisa,
illus.
Ash, Ingram
Associated Press (AP)
Atkinson, Brooks
Avedon, Richard
Avian, Bob,
illus.
; during Boston run; choreography by; dancing ensemble rehearsed by; at sitzprobe; staging by,
illus.
; at technical rehearsals; Yvonne and
Azar, Ted

Bacall, Lauren
Bacharach, Burt
Backus, Jim
Bailey, Pearl
Baird, Bil
Baker, David
Baker Street
(musical)
Ballard, Kaye
Banfield, Stephen
Barnes, Clive
Barrie, Barbara
Barrymore, Ethel
Bartlett, Michael,
illus.
,
illus.
“Beautiful Girls”
and illus.
“Being Alive”
Bennett, Joan
Bennett, Michael; at American Theater Lab rehearsals
and illus.and illus.
; on Boston opening night; during Boston previews; during Boston run; casting of
Follies
by; choreography by,
illus.
as codirector; and composition of songs; and costume designs; curtain call staged by; dancing ensemble rehearsed by; at dress rehearsals; at Feller’s Scenic Studio rehearsals,
illus.
,
illus
.,
illus.
,
illus.
,
illus.
; and ghost figure concept; and lighting design; and National Theater Institute students; during New York previews; on opening night on Broadway; reviews of; and set design and construction,
illus.
; at sitzprobe; at technical rehearsals,
illus.
Tony nominations and awards of
Berkman, John,
illus.
Berle, Milton
Bernstein, Leonard
Bissell, Richard
Blair, Janet
Bless You All
(musical)
Blount, Helon
and illus.
Blyden, Larry
Bock, Jerry
Bogart, Humphrey
“Bolero d’Amour”
and illus.
Bold Ones, The
(television show)
Boockvor, Steve,
illus.
Borrie, Alexandra
Boston After Dark
Boston Globe
Boston Herald Traveler
Boston Justice
Boston Record American
;
see also
Norton, Elliot
Botto, Louis
Bridge, Peter
Briggs, Suzanne,
illus.
illus.
“Bring On the Girls”
“Broadway Baby”
illus.
Broadway Arts Studio
Browning, Susan
Bryant, Mary
Brynner, Yul
“Buddy’s Blues”
Burns, David
Bye Bye Birdie (musical)
Byrd, David

Cabaret
(musical)
Cactus Flower
(play)
Call Me Madam
(musical)
“Can That Boy Fox Trot!”
Candid Camera
(television show)
Candide
(musical)
Capitol Records
Carlisle, Kitty
Carnival
(musical)
Carroll, Earl
Carson, Johnny
Caruso, John
Cassidy, Jack
Chaikin, Joseph
Chakiris, Georgie
Chamberlain, Richard
Champion, Gower
Chapin, Schuyler
Chorus Line, A
(musical)
Christian Science Monitor
Churchill, Allen
Cianci, Paul
Civic Light Opera
Clayton, Jan
Clum, John
Coco
(musical)
Cohen, Alexander H.
Cohen, Billy
Cohen, Hildy
Cohen, Larry,
illus.
Collins, Dorothy,
illus.
,
illus.
illus.
,
illus.
in American Theater Lab rehearsals; on Boston opening night; in Boston previews; during Boston run; casting of; death of; costumes and wigs for,
illus.
illus.
; dressing rooms of; in dress rehearsals; in Feller’s Scenic Studio rehearsals
and illus.
; Hirschfeld caricature of,
illus. ;
in New York previews; on opening night on Broadway; on original cast album; reviews of; salary of; television career of; at
Time
magazine photo shoot; Tony nomination of
Collins, Pat
Colonial Theatre (Boston); costume parade at; dress rehearsals at; opening night at; previews at; technical rehearsals at
Colt, Alvin
Colt, Ethel Barrymore,
illus.
and illus.
Columbia Artists Management
Columbia Records
Comden, Betty
Company
(musical)
Conflict
(movie)
Connecticut College
Cook, Barbara
“Could I Leave You?”
Couto, Tom
Crawford, Joan
Cypher, Jon

Dalton, Kathie,
illus.
Daniele, Graciela,
illus.
,
illus.
David, Hal
Davidson, Gordon
Davis, Bette
Davis, Christopher
De Carlo, Yvonne,
illus.
,
illus.
illus.
; in American Theater Lab rehearsals,
illus
. 68; on Boston opening night; in Boston previews; during Boston run; casting of; composing and staging of new song for; costumes for; curtain call for; dressing room of; in dress rehearsal; in Feller’s Scenic Studio rehearsals,
illus.
; Hirschfeld caricature of,
illus.
; movie and television career of; in New York previews; on opening night on Broadway; reviews of; salary of; song composed for; in technical
De Carlo, Yvonne
(continued)
rehearsal; at
Time
magazine photo shoot
Dear World
(musical)
DeHaven, Gloria
Dexter, John
Dickinson, Angie
Dietrich, Marlene
Do I Hear a Waltz?
(musical)
Doll’s Life, A
(musical)
“Don’t Look at Me”
D’Orsay, Fifi,
illus.
,
illus.
and illus.
; in Boston performances; at Boston rehearsals; casting of; costume for; death of; Hirschfeld caricature of,
illus.
; at New York rehearsals; on opening night on Broadway; salary of
Duckworth, Dortha

Eaves Costumes
Ebb, Fred
Education of Hyman Kaplan, The
(musical)
Elkins, Hillard
Elliott, Osborn
Evans, Harvey,
illus.
Evening Primrose
(Collier)
Exodus
(Uris)

Family Affair, A
(musical)
Fantasticks, The
(musical)
Feller, Lynn
Feller, Peter
Feller’s Scenic Studio,
illus.
,
illus.
Fiddler on the Roof (musical)
Fidelio
(Beethoven)
Fillmore East (New York)
Fink, Bert
Fiorello!
(musical)
Fisher, Carl
Fisher, James
Fisher,Joan
Fisher, Jules
Fisher Theater (Detroit)
Fleming, Rhonda
Flynn, Errol
Follies Company
Forbes
magazine
42nd Street
(musical)
Fosse, Bob
Fradkin, Phil
Freidman, Arthur
Friedlander, Harold
Frost, David
Funny Girl
(musical)
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, A
(musical)
Furth, George

Gabel, Martin
Gable, Clark
Galbraith, Robert
Gelbart, Larry
Gemignani, Paul,
illus.
Georgy
(musical)
Gershwin, George
Get Smart
(television show)
Ginzler, Robert
Girls Upstairs, The
(musical)
“God-Why-Don’t-You-Love-Me Blues, The,”
see
“Buddy’s Blues”
Godspell
(musical)
Golden Apple
(musical)
Goldman, Irving
Goldman, James,
illus.
; at American Theater Lab rehearsals; during Boston run; at costume parade; at Feller’s Scenic Studio rehearsals,
illus.
,
illus.
; on opening night on Broadway; and Ostrow production of
The Girls Upstairs
; at
Prettybelle,
reviews of; at technical rehearsals; television interview of; Tony nomination of
Goldman, Marie
Goldman, William
Gordon, Joanne
Gottfried, Michael
Goulet, Robert
Grant, Cary
Green, Adolph
Green, George
Greenstreet, Sydney
Griffin, Victor
Griffith, Robert E.
Grigas, John
Guare, John
Guettel, Henry
Gussow, Mel
Gypsy
(musical)

Hagen, Uta
Hamilton, George
Hammerstein, Bill
Hammerstein, Dorothy
Hammerstein, Jane-Howard
Hammerstein, Oscar
Hammerstein, Oscar
Happy Time, The
(musical)
Hardy, Joseph
Harnick, Sheldon
Hart, Lorenz
Hart, Moss
Harvard University;
Crimson
Hastings, Harold; at American Theater Lab rehearsals
and illus.
; during Boston run; at dress rehearsals; at Feller’s Scenic Studio rehearsals; during New York previews; at Prologue recording session; at technical rehearsals
Hays, David
Hayward, Leland
Hello, Dolly!
(musical)
“Hello, Doughboy”
Henry, Sweet Henry
(musical)
Henson, Jim
Hepburn, Katharine
Herald News of Passaic
Herscher, Seymour
Hirsch, Samuel
Hirschfeld, Al,
illus.
Holgate, Ron
Hollywood Reporter
Holt, Fritz,
illus.
,
illus.
; during Boston run; at dress rehearsal; during New York previews; at New York rehearsals,
illus.
at technical rehearsals
Houdina, Mary Jane,
illus.
House of Blue Leaves, The
(Guare)
How Now, Dow Jones
(musical)
How the Other Half Loves
(play)
Howdy Doody
(television show)
Hullabaloo
(television show)

“I’m Still Here”
“In Buddy’s Eyes”
Into the Woods
(musical)
Ironside
(television show)

Jacobs, Bernard
Jennie
(musical)
Johnson, Van
Johnston, Justine
Jones, Dean
Jones, Richard C.
Jordan, Taft
Joyful Noise, A
(musical)
Kalem, T. E.
Kander, John
Kanfer, Stefan
Kaye, Danny
Keel, Howard
Keeler, Ruby
Kelly, Fred
Kelly, Gene
Kelly, Kevin
Kelly, Patsy
Kennedy, Edward M.
Kennedy, John F., Center for the Performing Arts
Kern, Jerome
Kerr, Walter
Kert, Larry
Ketterer, Drew
Kim, Willa
Kimbrough, Charles
Kirkwood, James
Klotz, Florence,
illus
.
Krapp, Herbert
Kroll, Jack

Lady in the Dark
(musical)
La France, Charles
Lahr, John
Lansbury, Angela
Latessa, Dick,
illus.
Laurents, Arthur
Lawford, Peter
Lawrence, Carol
Layton, Joe
Lenya, Lotte
Lerner, Alan Jay
Lester, Edwin
Levkova, Sonja, illus.
Lieberson, Goddard
Life
magazine
Lincoln Center
Lindsay, John V.
Lion in Winter; The
(Goldman)
“Live, Laugh, Love”,
illus
.
Logan, Joshua
Lolita, My Love
(musical)
“Lonely Town”
Long, William Ivey
Long Island Catholic
Look
magazine
Lorca, Federico García
Lord, Howard
“Losing My Mind”,
illus
.
illus
.
Losey, Joseph
Louis, Jean
“Loveland”
illus.
illus.
,
illus.
“Love Will See Us Through”
illus.
and illus.
Love of Sunya, The
(movie)
Lupino, Ida

MacKenzie, Gisele
Mad Show, The
(musical)
Mallory, Victoria,
illus.
Maltin, Leonard
Mame
(musical)
Mann, Jack
Marone, Terry
Marshall, E. G.
Martin, George,
illus.
Martin, John J.,
illus.
Martin, Mary
Maschmeyer, Ursula,
illus
.
illus.
Masteroff, Joe
Matera, Barbara,
illus.
McCarty, Mary,
illus.
illus.
illus.
McKechnie, Donna
McMartin, John,
illus.
illus.
in Boston performances, ; casting of; costumes for; at dress rehearsal; in New York previews; at New York rehearsals; on opening night on Broadway; salary of; at technical rehearsals
Meisner, Sanford
Melnick, David
Merlin, Joanna
Merman, Ethel
Merrick, David
Merrill, Bob
Metropolitan Opera
Meyers, Annette
MGM
Middleton, Ray
Miller, Ann
Miller, Joe
Misita, Michael, illus.
Miss Liberty
(musical)
Mission: Impossible
(television show)
Mitchell, Ruth; at American Theater Lab; during Boston run; at Feller’s Scenic Studio,
illus.
illus.
on opening night; at technical rehearsals,
illus.
at Tony Awards ceremony
Mohr, Alex
Monteux, Pierre
Mordden, Ethan
Morosco Theater (New York)
Morrison, Hobe
Morse, Robert
Moss, Arnold
Mosse, Spencer
Munsters, The
(television show)
Muppets
Music Man, The
(musical)
Musser, Tharon,
illus.

National Theater Institute
Neal, Patricia
Neighborhood Playhouse (New York)
Nelson, Gene,
illus.
,
illus.
in Boston performances,
illus.
; casting of; costumes for; curtain call for; in dress rehearsal; at New York rehearsals,
illus.
,
illus.
in New York previews; movie career of; on opening night on Broadway; salary of
Nelson, Marilyn
New Dramatists
Newsweek
New York Daily News
New York Drama Critics’ Circle
New Yorker, The
New York
magazine
New York Post
New York Public Library
New York Times, The
,
illus.
Night and Day
(movie)
Nixon, Richard M.
No, No, Nanette
(musical)
No Strings
(musical)
Nordell, Roderick
Norkin, Sam
Norton, Elliot
Novick, Julius