A Time for Singing is a musical with music by John Morris, lyrics by Gerald Freedman and John Morris, and a book by Freedman and Morris. The work was based on Richard Llewellyn's novel of a Welsh mining village, How Green Was My Valley . [1] The show takes place in the memory of Protestant minister David Griffith, recalling conflict within the Morgan family over the possible formation of a miners' union within the village, and the romance between Griffith himself and Angharad of the Morgans, who ultimately marries the mine owner instead. The show starred Ivor Emmanuel (as David Griffith), Tessie O'Shea, Shani Wallis and Laurence Naismith.
The original Broadway production began a series of ten previews at The Broadway Theatre on May 12, 1966, and opened officially on May 21, 1966, running for a total of only 41 performances. It closed on June 25, 1966.
An Alexander H. Cohen production, it has been called "probably the best musical he ever produced." [2] Cohen used an "extravagant publicity machine" to bring attention to the show, with the first 100 ticket buyers receiving "folding chairs and a picnic lunch catered by the Brasserie restaurant." [2] Ken Mandelbaum argued that A Time for Singing pointed the way to later grand musicals like Les Misérables and Grand Hotel in both its staging and its music, which was "richer and more serious" than other shows of the period, with a "cinematic fluidity and continuous movement" that later became common in 1980s musicals. [2]
Theatre Historian Gerald Bordman, however, acknowledged the musical's "fine choral singing" but stated that the music the singers were given was drab and did little to enhance the grim story of the Morgan family's tribulations". [3]
Bing Crosby recorded two songs from A Time for Singing for Reprise Records on May 9, 1966, with the Johnny Keating Orchestra and Chorus: "Far From Home" and "How Green Was My Valley." They were released as a single. Stereo versions of the songs were released in 2010. A remastered CD of the original Broadway cast recording was issued in a limited edition by producer Bruce Kimmel on his Kritzerland label on April 3, 2013. [4]
How Green Was My Valley is a 1939 novel by Richard Llewellyn, narrated by Huw Morgan, the main character, about his Welsh family and the mining community in which they live. The author had claimed that he based the book on his own personal experiences but this was found to be untrue after his death; Llewellyn was English-born and spent little time in Wales, though he was of Welsh descent. Llewellyn gathered material for the novel from conversations with local mining families in Gilfach Goch.
Babes in Arms is a 1937 coming-of-age musical comedy with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart and book by Rodgers and Hart. It concerns a group of small-town Long Island teenagers who put on a show to avoid being sent to a work farm by the town sheriff when their actor parents go on the road for five months in an effort to earn some money by reviving vaudeville.
Hit the Deck is a musical with music by Vincent Youmans, lyrics by Clifford Grey and Leo Robin and book by Herbert Fields. It was based on the 1922 play Shore Leave by Hubert Osborne. The title refers to a nautical slang term that means to prepare for action (general) or to drop to a prone position on the ground.
Michael Bennett was an American musical theatre 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.
Donna McKechnie is an American musical theater dancer, singer, actress, and choreographer. She is known for her professional and personal relationship with choreographer Michael Bennett, with whom she collaborated on her most noted role, the character of Cassie in the musical A Chorus Line. She earned the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for this performance in 1976. She is also known for playing Amanda Harris/Olivia Corey on the Gothic soap opera, Dark Shadows from 1969 to 1970.
Ivor Lewis Emmanuel was a Welsh musical theatre and television singer and actor. He is probably best remembered, however, for his appearance as "Private Owen" in the 1964 film Zulu, in which his character rallies outnumbered British soldiers by leading them in the stirring Welsh battle hymn "Men of Harlech" to counter the Zulu war chants.
How Green Was My Valley is a 1941 American drama film set in Wales, directed by John Ford. The film, based on the best-selling 1939 novel of the same name by Richard Llewellyn, was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck and scripted by Philip Dunne. It stars Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O'Hara, Anna Lee, Donald Crisp, and a very young Roddy McDowall.
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1975 to Wales and its people.
Thank Your Lucky Stars is a 1943 American musical comedy film made by Warner Brothers as a World War II fundraiser, with a slim plot involving theater producers. The stars donated their salaries to the Hollywood Canteen, which was founded by John Garfield and Bette Davis, who appear in this film. It was directed by David Butler and stars Eddie Cantor, Dennis Morgan, Joan Leslie, Edward Everett Horton and S.Z. Sakall.
Billy is a musical based on the novel and play Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall. The book was written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, the music is by John Barry, and the lyrics are by Don Black.
Little Women is a musical with a book by Allan Knee, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and music by Jason Howland.
Gerald Alan Freedman was an American theatre director, librettist, and lyricist, and a college dean.
The 38th Annual Tony Awards were held on June 3, 1984, at the Gershwin Theatre and broadcast by CBS television. Hosts were Julie Andrews and Robert Preston.
Shine on Harvest Moon, starring Ann Sheridan and Dennis Morgan, is a 1944 musical–biographical film of the vaudeville team of Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth who wrote the popular song "Shine On, Harvest Moon". The film was directed by David Butler. Ann Sheridan's singing voice was dubbed by Lynn Martin.
How Green Was My Valley is a BBC Television serial based on the novel by Richard Llewellyn, and features one of the last performances by Stanley Baker. It was first shown in the UK from 29 December 1975 in six weekly parts. Producer Martin Lisemore also cast Siân Phillips in his next production, I Claudius (1976). Phillips won a BAFTA award for best actress in 1976 for her portrayal of Beth Morgan. The series was co-produced by 20th Century Fox as they owned the rights to the novel and had produced the 1941 film.
"Applause" is the title song from the 1970 Broadway musical Applause, with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams, originally performed by Bonnie Franklin, who originated the role of Bonnie in the musical, and recorded as a single with orchestra and chorus conducted by Donald Pippin. The single was released with a B-side featuring the star of the production, Lauren Bacall, making her musical theatre debut, performing "Something Greater" together with Len Cariou. The single's popularity led to Franklin's being invited to perform it on the 24th Tony Awards broadcast on television, where the show gained Best Musical, Bacall Best Leading Actress in a Musical, but Bonnie Franklin missed out on the best supporting actress to Melba Moore.
Cabin in the Sky is a musical with music by Vernon Duke, book by Lynn Root, and lyrics by John Latouche. The musical opened on Broadway in 1940. The show is described as a "parable of Southern Negro Life with echoes of Ferenc Molnár's Liliom and Marc Connelly's The Green Pastures." Several songs from the Broadway musical were released as a 3-record shellac set under the title "The Music of Cabin in the Sky featuring Ethel Waters" in 1940.
How Green Was My Valley is a British historical television drama series which originally aired on BBC One in eight parts during 1960. It is an adaptation of the 1939 novel How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn, set in a Welsh coal-mining community.
Up, Into The Singing Mountain is a 1960 novel by Richard Llewellyn, and a sequel to his 1939 novel, How Green Was My Valley.
