Forgotten Musicals: "Romance/Romance"

[Mr. Tuttle]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 12:07am

I'm sure there are numerous "lost musical" threads here, but I just was thinking of the beauty that is "Romance/Romance". Some of the best music I have heard in ages. Herman and Harman (a collective.."who??") constructed such a loving, passionate show that has now been lost to the over produced likes of "Wicked". Songs like "It's Not Too Late", "Goodbye, Emile," "The Night it Had To End," "Summer Share." "Words He Doesn't Say" and the captivating "Romantic Notions" are simply stunning.

I know in a world of defying gravity, these selections will soon be gathering dust. But since auditons songs are such a popular topic here, I suggest you look at some of these cause they are hardly done and would be amazing audition pieces.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 12:12am

great music, average show

[jasonf]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 12:14am

Great score -- Words He Doesn't Say and Romantic Notions are two of my favorite songs from any show! You also missed "Moonlight Passing Through A Window" and "Yes, It's Love" -- great great score :)

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 12:15am

moonlight passing through a window LOVE IT

[jasonf]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 12:17am

I've never gotten the chance to see it, but someone played "Words..." for me in college and I knew if I ever came across the recording I'd have to get it. At that time (this was some 7 or 8 years ago) the recording was VERY expensive on the net - then I happened to stumble across a copy of it in a discount bin in a Sam Goody of all places for 2.99! The store didn't know what it was selling, and I quickly bought it. It seems pretty obvious from the score the show itself probably isn't the greatest, but the score IS very strong.

[harris007]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 12:20am

great show

[Broadway Bob*]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 12:25am

The local theater here is doing this show next Spring!

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 12:26am

It does have some nice tunes here and there, but, please, it is certainly not a strong show, it's very weak in book and structure.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 1:37am

Clairol on Broadway produced a TV version that was shown a few tims on A&E around 1992. (Those were the days when A&E was actually devoted to Arts and Entertainment!) KI forget who starred in in though. There were others on A&E: NUNSENSE, STOP THE WORLD, BREAKFAST WITH LES AND BESS. I don't think any of these were ever released on DVD.

[tazber]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 6:58am

I always wondered why Harrman never wrote more. How Did I End Up Here and It's Not Too Late are gems.

[Joelbeans]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 8:09am

I did this show at a dinner theatre here in St. Louis for a couple of months, and I had such a blast doing it. Only four people in the show, and we really got to know each other really well. One of my best friends now is the girl I played opposite. Scott Bakula, who starred in the original version is from the St. Louis area, and our producer told us one night that he was coming to see the show, we were petrified, but actually Scott's parents did come see the show, and loved it, of course they told me that Scott played the part a little better than me, but they said I did a great job, hey I'll take second place to Scott any day.
Yeah the book isn't that great, but some of the music is just so much fun. Word he doesn't say, and It's Not to Late (both versions) are my favorite songs and then the best is Romantic Notions.
Only bad thing about the show, if you are doing a long run, try to have an understudy. I lost my voice with a few weeks left, and we had no understudy, so I went on, somehow I got the songs out, but it was hard.

Great show.

[best12bars]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 9:04am

frontrowcentre2---The 1992 Clairol on Broadway televised "Romance/Romance" from the Cherry County Playhouse in Michigan was released on VHS (there was no DVD back then).

I have it and ordered it directly from an ad that ran during the televised performance. It starred John Herrera and Susan Moniz, plus Deborah Graham and John De Luca.

It's a very solid production. The book doesn't suck by any means. It's just not the strongest show you'll ever see. But the music is terrific.

Does anyone know why we've not heard new material from Herman and Harmon? It was a very promising debut that seems to have led nowhere.

I particularly love "The Night It Had To End" (which is beautifully acted and sung by Susan Moniz in the TV version), "Yes, It's Love" and "How Did I End Up Here?" (which I always wanted Streisand to record... back then.

The leads from the TV version aren't as strong as Alison Fraser and Scott Bakula, but they're still very good. John had been Tony-nominated for The Mystery of Edwin Drood a few years before this.

[Joelbeans]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 9:10am

Oh when the single tear falls at the end of "The Night it Had to End" on the TV version, gets me every time. I loved it.

[Jon]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 12:18pm

Barry Harman had previously wrote book and lyrics for OLYMPUS ON MY MIND, with composer Grant Sturiale.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 12:36pm

Ooooh I am choreographing this show this summer directed by a Broadway diva. So excited!

[scooter38432]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 4:49pm

Please don't judge this show by the lackluster TV version with John Herrera and Susan Moniz! I was so disappointed when I saw this after seeing the Broadway cast twice.

[WayWicked]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 7:55pm

I love the music! This is such a "lost show". But the music is so beautiful. I can only imagine what they would write for a full cast muscial.

[bingbong]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 9:26pm

Hello please, this is one of my fave scores! I did How did i end up here at one of my school auditions. Love it!
Good call to bring it up!

Wonder Boy - you are too cool for school, hope all goes well xx

[TheEnchantedHunter]

Posted: 4/2/07 at 11:44pm

So very, very average.








Ensign Lisa Minnelli
French Polynesia Updated On: 4/13/07 at 11:44 PM

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 4/3/07 at 11:45am

I remember something about them working on a musical version of "Spiderman" (ages before the movie version came out).

I know that the guy who wrote the book has directed other shows since then. He directed a production in Philadelphia of the Alan Jay Lerner/Kurt Weill musical "Love Life" that starred Debbie Shapiro Gravitte, and wrote some new lyrics for it also.

And the guy who wrote the music also wrote the music to "Onward Victoria". Consult your copies of "Not Since Carrie" to read about that one.

It is a shame that they have yet to write another show...

[Lizzya9]

Posted: 4/3/07 at 4:38pm

in my drama class we watched the DVD, I really liked it. I wish they would bring it back, but they would have to find really good people. I can't really think of anyone right now who could fit the roles, maybe they would find some great unknowns.

Posted: 4/3/07 at 7:55pm

I have it taped off tv but thought it wasn't out on DVD--has this changed?

So anyone know the background of this score? What else have the creators done?

To say this show is now lost to the over produced lot of Wicked isn't really fair--after all didn't it open the same year as Starlight Express, among others? I think even back then it kinda slipped away...

It's a good show with a pretty great score but it's not a masterpiece--I prefer the part set in "modern day" which kinda feels like an attempt at a 1980s Company but... (actually this may be another reason it's kinda forgotten--anthology musicals are notorious to have really sustainable hits with) i admit until this thrad made me track down the video and the IBDB production credits I didn't even realize the first play was base don a Shnitzler play and the second on a Renard.

And as for that cast--Scot Bakula is great but what happened to Alison Fraser? After playign a strong Martha in Secret Garden

Hearing the one guy was involved with a revision of Love Life is pretty neat though and seems fitting to his strengths (man why hasn't that been recorded...)

[Salene]

Posted: 4/3/07 at 8:35pm

"what happened to Alison Fraser? After playign a strong Martha in Secret Garden"

http://www.alisonfraser.com/Home.html

She was recently in High School Musical in Atlanta:
http://www.alisonfraser.com/High%20School%20Musical.html

Posted: 4/3/07 at 8:38pm

"She was recently in High School Musical in Atlanta:
http://www.alisonfraser.com/High%20School%20Musical.html "

I think I'm gonna cry

[dramaqueen2]

Posted: 4/3/07 at 8:42pm

loooove this score!!
i actually love the title song as well! =)
glad someone is giving a shout out to this show, the music is wonderful!
if you've never heard of it, i definitely suggest looking it up and getting your hands on a copy of the cast recording, it will easily become one of your most listened CDs.
i think it might've become lost in the shuffle, because when it was up for best musical and scott bakula was up for best actor.. they lost to phantom of the opera and michael crawford respectively. phantom kind of devoured everything else good from that year, i suppose.

yay romance, romance!