Christine (musical)

Last updated
Christine
Christine Playbill.jpg
Christine Playbill
Music Sammy Fain
Lyrics Paul Francis Webster
Book Pearl S. Buck; Charles K. Peck Jr.
SettingIndia
Basis"My Indian Family" by Hilda Wernher
PremiereApril 28, 1960: 46th Street Theatre
Productions1960 Broadway

Christine is a musical by Pearl S. Buck and Charles K. Peck Jr. (book), Paul Francis Webster (lyrics) and Sammy Fain (music). [1] Loosely based on the 1945 novel My Indian Family by Hilda Wernher, it tells the story of a woman who travels to India where she ends up falling in love with her recently widowed Indian son-in-law. [2] Notable for the involvement of Pulitzer & Nobel prize winning author Pearl S. Buck, the musical premiered on Broadway in 1960.

Contents

History

Pearl S. Buck first adapted Hilda Werhner's book "My Indian Family" for a 1945 stage production at Stanford University. [3] While this production didn't ever move beyond Stanford, it was notable for featuring Jack Palance in his first acting role. [4] Oscar Lerman and Martin B Cohen later tapped Buck for a musical stage adaptation which they hoped to present during the 1957-1958 Broadway season. [5] Rewrites on the libretto took much longer than expected, with a "final" version not being ready until 1959. [6]

Synopsis

The musical is based on the book "My Indian Family", which tells the story of an Austrian woman who travels to India to spend time with her daughter and her Indian son-in-law. While in India, the daughter dies and the mother-in-law steps in to help the widowed husband find a new bride. [7] The musical follows some of the broad strokes of the book, but with significant changes including a love story between the mother-in-law (Christine) and the widowed son-in-law.

Act I

Christine arrives in India to visit her daughter Mary-Anne, and her daughter's husband, Dr Rashil Singh ("Welcome Song/My Indian Family"). She discovers though that her daughter has died in childbirth, along with the child, her widowed doctor husband racked with sorrow and guilt over not being able to save her life ("A Doctor's Soliloquy").

Aided by Dr Singh's Auntie and Uncle, Christine takes on the mother's duty to find a new wife for her son-in-law ("How to Pick a Man a Wife" and "The Lovely Girls of Akbarabad"), but instead finds herself falling in love with him ("Room in My Heart"). As Act I ends, Christine and the Doctor sing of their love for each other ("I Never Meant to Fall in Love").

Act II

Act II opens on explorations of the perceived cultural peculiarities of India ("Freedom Can Be a Most Uncomfortable Thing" and "Ireland Was Never Like This"), before exploring the unrequited love a local girl, Sita Roy, has for Dr. Singh ("He Loves Her"). Sita works in the doctor's clinic and notes that the locals have stopped coming to the doctor's dispensary, due to Christine's presence, so Sita implores Christine to leave. Christine tells the doctor of her discomfort with the situation, but he asks her to marry him and she agrees ("Christine").

As the ceremony is prepared in which Christine is to reveal the wife she has chosen for Dr. Singh, she decides that she can't stay after all ("I Love Him"). At the ceremony, she shocks everyone by choosing Sita Roy to be his bride. She tells Dr. Singh she must return to Ireland ("The Woman I Was Before"), which she does, slipping away while Sita & Dr. Singh's wedding is taking place. [8]

Production

Following its out of town tryout at the Erlanger Theatre, it opened on Broadway at the 46th Street Theatre on April 28, 1960 and closed on May 8, 1960, after 12 performances. The show was directed by Jerome Chodorov, with set and lighting design by Jo Mielziner, costumes by Alvin Colt, choreography by Hanya Holm, and dance and vocal arrangements by Trude Rittmann.

The cast featured Maureen O'Hara (Lady Christine FitzSimons), [9] Nancy Andrews (Auntie), Laurie Archer (Amora), Bhaskar (Rainath), Steve Curry (Krishna), Leslye Hunter (Jaya), Daniel Keyes (Dr.MacGowan), Phil Leeds (Uncle), Morley Meredith (Dr. Rashil Singh), Jonathan Morris (Mohan Roy), Janet Pavek (Sita Roy), Augie Rios (Rajendra), and Barbara Webb (The Matchmaker).

Song list

Source: Internet Broadway database; [10] AllMusic [11]

Recordings

"Christine: Original Broadway Cast" was released in 1960 on Columbia Masterworks Records, [12] then re-released in 2002 on compact disc by DRG Records. [13]

Related Research Articles

Mary Rodgers was an American composer, author, and screenwriter, most famous for her novel Freaky Friday, which served as the basis of a 1976 film, for which she wrote the screenplay, as well as three other versions. Her best-known musicals were Once Upon a Mattress and The Mad Show, and she contributed songs to Marlo Thomas' successful children's album Free to Be... You and Me.

Peggy Cass

Mary Margaret "Peggy" Cass was an American actress, comedian, game show panelist, and announcer. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for her performance in the 1958 film Auntie Mame.

Pearl S. Buck American writer (1892–1973)

Pearl Sydenstricker Buck also known by her Chinese name Sai Zhenzhu was an American writer and novelist. As the daughter of missionaries, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in Zhenjiang, China. Her novel The Good Earth was the best-selling fiction book in the United States in 1931 and 1932 and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1932. In 1938, she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature "for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China and for her biographical masterpieces". She was the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.

<i>Mame</i> (musical)

Mame is a musical with the book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. Originally titled My Best Girl, it is based on the 1955 novel Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis and a 1956 Broadway play, by Lawrence and Lee, that starred Rosalind Russell. Set in New York City and spanning the Great Depression and World War II, it focuses on eccentric bohemian Mame Dennis, whose famous motto is "Life is a banquet and most poor sons of bitches are starving to death." Her fabulous life with her wealthy friends is interrupted when the young son of her late brother arrives to live with her. They cope with the Depression in a series of adventures.

Christine Baranski American stage and screen actress

Christine Jane Baranski is an American actress and singer. She is a 15-time Emmy Award nominee, winning once in 1995 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Maryann Thorpe in the sitcom Cybill (1995–98). Baranski has received further critical acclaim for her performance as Diane Lockhart in the legal drama series The Good Wife (2009–16) and its spinoff series The Good Fight (2017–present), as well as her recurring role as Dr. Beverly Hofstadter in the sitcom The Big Bang Theory (2009–19) for which she received four Emmy nominations. She is also known for her roles in numerous television films, such as her portrayal of Kate in To Dance with the White Dog (1993), Prunella Stickler in Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime, and Amanda in Who Is Simon Miller? (2011).

Peggy Wood

Mary Margaret Wood was an American actress of stage, film, and television. She is best remembered for her performance as the title character in the CBS television series Mama (1949–1957), for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series; her starring role as Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, in The Story of Ruth (1960); and her final screen appearance as Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music (1965), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award.

Sita Hindu goddess

Sita is a Hindu goddess and one of the central figures in the Hindu epic, Ramayana and its other versions. She is described as the daughter of Bhūmi and the adopted daughter of King Janaka of Videha and his wife, Queen Sunayana. She has a younger sister, Urmila, and the female cousins Mandavi and Shrutakirti. Sita is known for her dedication, self-sacrifice, courage and purity.

Mary Testa American actress

Mary Testa is an American stage and film actress and singer. She is a three-time Tony Award nominee, for performances in revivals of Leonard Bernstein's On the Town (1998), 42nd Street (2001) and Oklahoma (2019).

Moushumi Chatterjee Indian actress

Moushumi Chatterjee is an Indian actress who is recognised for her work in Hindi as well as Bengali cinema. Her on-screen pairing with Rajesh Khanna, Shashi Kapoor, Jeetendra, Sanjeev Kumar and Vinod Mehra were popular. She was the sixth highest paid actress in Hindi films during the 1970s. She joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on 2 January 2019.

<i>Maang Bharo Sajana</i>

Maang Bharo Sajana is a 1980 Indian Hindi-language drama film, produced by A. Purnachandra Rao under the Lakshmi Productions banner, and directed by Tatineni Rama Rao. The film stars Jeetendra, Rekha, Moushumi Chatterjee, Kajal Kiran and music composed by Laxmikant–Pyarelal. The film is a remake of the Telugu film Karthika Deepam (1979).

<i>Udhar Ka Sindur</i>

Udhar Ka Sindur is a 1976 Indian Hindi-language drama film, produced by L. V. Prasad under the Prasad Productions Pvt. Ltd. banner, directed by Chander Vohra. The film stars Jeetendra, Reena Roy and Asha Parekh, with music composed by Rajesh Roshan. It film is a remake of the Telugu film Manushullo Devudu (1974). Parekh received a Filmfare nomination for Best Supporting Actress, the only nomination for the film.

Maharani Sita Devi Sahib of Baroda, born to Telugu family on 12 May 1917 in Madras, India, died 15 February 1989 in Paris, France. She was known as the "Indian Wallis Simpson". She was a colourful lady who led an extravagant life for over 40 years and was a member of the international jet set.

<i>Panthulamma</i>

Pantulamma is a 1977 Indian Telugu-language drama film directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao. The film won the Nandi Award for Best Music Director for Rajan–Nagendra and Lyricist for Veturi and also Lakshmi for Best Actress.

Indrani Mukherjee is an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films during the 1960s and 1970s and starred in over 70 films. After playing the heroine in some films, notably Usne Kaha Tha (1960) and Aakhri Khat (1966), she moved to playing character roles which were central to the film and made this her forte. Her roles in films like Dharam Veer (1977), Parvarish (1977) and Des Pardes (1978) were the pivot of the storyline, but they were not conventional heroine roles. Each of the movies were a success at the box office.

<i>Ek Hasina Thi</i> (TV series) Indian television series

Ek Hasina Thi is a crime thriller television series created by Cinevistaas Limited for the channel Star Plus from 14 April 2014 to 20 December 2014. Produced by Prem Krishen, The series has Sanjeeda Sheikh and Vatsal Sheth as leads and Simone Singh and Ayub Khan in supportive roles.

<i>Jeeo Aur Jeene Do</i>

Jeeo Aur Jeene Do is a 1982 Hindi-language action film, produced by Ratan Mohan under the R.M. Art Productions banner and directed by Shyam Ralhan. It stars Jeetendra and Reena Roy and music composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal.

Dr. Madhumati On Duty is an Indian Hindi hospital based drama television series, which was premiered on 1 August 2016 and broadcast on SAB TV. The series is produced by Optimystix Entertainment owned by Vipul D Shah and it is aired on weekdays. The show is the second season of its previous show Dr. Bhanumati On Duty. The show was re launched as Kavita Kaushik announced on social media that she will be leaving the show, the show went off air. From 1 August, the show was relaunched as Dr. Madhumati On Duty. Kaushik left the show due to her character not developing, and the show being very similar to her previous show, F.I.R., and most dialogues were copied. She got replaced by Debina Bonnerjee.

<i>Sanjivani</i> (2019 TV series) Indian medical drama television series

Sanjivani is an Indian medical drama television series which aired from 12 August 2019 to 13 March 2020 on Star Plus. Produced by Alchemy Films, it starred Surbhi Chandna, Namit Khanna, Mohnish Bahl, Gurdeep Kohli and Gaurav Chopra. Sanjivani is a rebooted version of the 2002 series of the same name.

<i>Maddam Sir</i> 2020 Indian TV series

Maddam Sir is an Indian Hindi-language comedy television series that premiered on 24 February 2020 on Sony SAB. The show is produced by Jay Mehta under the banner Jay Production. It stars Gulki Joshi, Yukti Kapoor, Sonali Naik and Bhavika Sharma.

<i>Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin</i> 2020 Indian television series

Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin is an Indian television drama series that premiered on 5 October 2020 on Star Plus. The series is a remake of Star Jalsha's Bengali series Kusum Dola. Produced by Cockcrow Entertainment and Shaika Films, it stars Ayesha Singh, Neil Bhatt and Aishwarya Sharma.

References

  1. ↑ Conn, Peter; Conn, Peter J. (1998-01-28). Pearl S. Buck: A Cultural Biography . Cambridge University Press. p.  344. ISBN   9780521639897. pearl buck christine.
  2. ↑ Mordden, Ethan (2015-04-07). Open a New Window: The Broadway Musical in the 1960s. St. Martin's Press. ISBN   9781466893467.
  3. ↑ Zolotow, Sam (4 Aug 1956). "Pearl Buck Doing Book For Musical". New York Times. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  4. ↑ Kelley, Marion (7 Jan 1951). "Jack Palance Scores As Prime Menace". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  5. ↑ Zolotow, Sam (4 Aug 1956). "Pearl Buck Doing Book For Musical". New York Times. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  6. ↑ Gelb, Arthur (14 Sep 1959). "Pearl Buck Play Ready For Stage". New York Times. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  7. ↑ Mallet, Isabelle (26 Aug 1945). "Raschid's Mother-in-Law". New York Times. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  8. ↑ "Christine". The Guide to Musical Theatre. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  9. ↑ Mandelbaum, Ken (1992-08-15). Not Since Carrie: Forty Years of Broadway Musical Flops . St. Martin's Press. p.  89. ISBN   9781466843271. pearl buck christine.
  10. ↑ " 'Christine' Songs" ibdb.com, accessed November 20, 2016
  11. ↑ "'Christine' Cast Album" allmusic.com, accessed November 20, 2016
  12. ↑ Rudolph, Jack (20 Jun 1960). "Records in Review". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  13. ↑ "Christine (Original Broadway Cast)". All Music. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.