Flora the Red Menace is the cast recording of the 1965 musical of the same name released by RCA Victor in May 1965. The musical, which opened on Broadway on May 11, 1965, tells the story of Flora Meszaros, an aspiring fashion designer, and her romance with Harry Toukarian, a Communist party member, set against the backdrop of the Great Depression in New York. The show marked the Broadway debut of 19-year-old Liza Minnelli and the first stage collaboration of composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb. Despite a short run of 87 performances, the production featured a strong ensemble cast alongside Minnelli.
The album captures the score by Kander and Ebb, blending comic and tuneful numbers that showcase the performers' abilities. RCA Victor recorded the album two days before the Broadway opening, aiming to release it immediately after critics’ reviews. Prior to the album's release, Capitol issued the single "A Quiet Thing", which received praise from Billboard as a show-stopping ballad performed "brilliantly" by Minnelli.
Music critics praised the "lively" score by John Kander and Fred Ebb, highlighting the strong performances of the cast, particularly the lead vocals. While opinions varied on certain songs, the album was noted for its memorable numbers and engaging arrangements. Commercially, the recording charted on both the Billboard 200 and the Cash Box Top 100 Albums charts.
Overview
Flora the Red Menace is a Broadway musical that opened on May 11, 1965, and closed after 87 performances on July 24.[1] Based on Lester Atwell's novel Love Is Just Around the Corner, the show is set in New York during the Great Depression and follows the romance between Flora Meszaros, an aspiring fashion designer, and Harry Toukarian, a Communist party member. The musical marked the Broadway debut of 19-year-old Liza Minnelli and the first stage collaboration of composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb.[2] Despite its short run, the production showcased the combined talents of its ensemble cast, including Bob Dishy, Marie Louise Wilson, James Cresson, and Cathryn Damon, rather than relying solely on Minnelli's presence.[3]
The original cast recording captures the spirited score by Kander and Ebb, which contains songs with comic and tuneful qualities that highlight the performers' abilities. Minnelli's performance blends traces of her mother Judy Garland, Ethel Merman, and her own emerging vocal personality.[4]
Before the release of the album, Capitol issued the single "A Quiet Thing" by Liza Minnelli. Billboard praised the song as a show-stopping ballad that Minnelli performs brilliantly, noting that composers Fred Ebb and John Kander had outdone their previous hit "Coloring Book". The B-side of the single is "All I Need" (Sunbeam, ASCAP, Capitol 5411).[5]
RCA Victor broke with the traditional practice of waiting until after a Broadway show's opening to record the original cast album by conducting the recording sessions for Flora, the Red Menace two days before its Broadway premiere. This strategy, planned by Victor vice-president George R. Marek, aimed to capitalize on the New York critics' reviews as quickly as possible. As a result, the album was released in stores the day after the reviews appeared.[6] The album was released on May 1965.[7]
As reported by Billboard on June 3, 1978, RCA Records re-released Flora, the Red Menace (CBL1-2760), along with other Broadway cast albums, including Two's Company, starring Bette Davis, and Allegro by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. According to the magazine, these shows' original releases had maintained steady sales over the years and, in some cases, became collector's items.[8]
Billboard described the album as "a musical treat", highlighting the "sprightly sounds" created by John Kander and Fred Ebb. The review praised Liza Minnelli's leading performance along with the support of Bob Dishy, Marie Louise Wilson and Cathryn Damon, noting that songs such as "Sing Happy", "A Quiet Thing", "Dear, Near", "The Flame" and "Express Yourself" stood out as memorable show numbers.[10]
John S. Wilson of The New York Times noted that while both Judy Garland's influence and Liza Minnelli's rising stardom hover over the cast recording, neither dominates as much as one might expect. He observed that Minnelli shows traces of her mother's style and Ethel Merman's energy, yet is already shaping her own vocal personality. Wilson praised standout moments such as Minnelli's performances on "A Quiet Thing" and "Dear Love", Bob Dishy's perceptive comic delivery, and the supporting cast's vibrant contributions. Despite noting some abrupt transitions between numbers, Wilson concluded that the album remains the most entertaining show recording of the season.[11]
William Ruhlmann of AllMusic observed that Kander's music is standard Broadway fare and Ebb's lyrics show occasional wit, but the score is not among their most memorable. He highlighted Minnelli's performance, particularly on 'A Quiet Thing', noting her vocal style as a blend of Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, and her own emerging personality.[4]
Peter Filichia of Cast Album Reviews criticized three songs — 'Knock, Knock', 'Palomino Pal', and 'Hello, Waves' — as wince-inducing, but praised 'A Quiet Thing' and 'Sing Happy' as standout numbers, particularly in Minnelli's youthful performance. He also highlighted Don Walker’s orchestrations and described the overture, originally the theater entr’acte, as swingin'.[9]
Commercial performance
The original cast recording debuted on the Billboard 200 chart on July 3, 1965, eventually peaking at number 111. It remained on the chart for a total of eight weeks.[12] The album entered the Cash Box Top 100 Albums chart on June 12, 1965, reaching its highest position at number 69 in its sixth week. Its last appearance on the chart was on August 7, 1965, at number 95, spending a total of nine weeks on the list.[13]
↑ "Singles Reviews"(PDF). Billboard. Vol.77, no.15. 10 April 1965. p.48. Archived(PDF) from the original on 25 October 2025. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
1 2 Filichia, Peter (27 March 2015). "Flora, the Red Menace". Cast Album Reviews. Archived from the original on 21 April 2025. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
↑ "Album Reviews"(PDF). Billboard. Vol.77, no.23. 5 June 1965. p.52. Archived(PDF) from the original on 25 October 2025. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
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