Anyone see the original "They're Playing Our Song"

[Leadingplayer]

Who'd you see? How were they? This show had a lot of intersting casting.

[AADA81]

While I never saw the production, I had just moved to NYC right after this show opened and it was a big hit at the time. Tickets were hard to get and I wanted to see the original "Sweeney Todd " more anyway. I do remember, though, that there was a bit of talk about Lucie Arnaz not getting a Tony nod like Robert Klein, as she surprised a lot of people with her work in the show.

[thetinymagic2]

Saw the show many times, and like most people, loved it. Lucie and Klein had wonderful chemistry, and the music was fun, Of course, that era was when Neil Simon was the king of bway!

[After Eight]

I saw the original cast. It was a smart, funny show. Neil Simon was in fine form here.

[best12bars]

^ You really believe "They're Playing Our Song" should have won over "Sweeney Todd" for Best Musical? It was a travesty?

Okay.

[chewy5000]

Smile and back away slowly.

[best12bars]

LOL

[After Eight]

[inlovewithjerryherman]

I'd love to see a high-profile revival of "They're Playing Our Song". Wouldn't surprise me if this becomes an "Encores!" production. (I know it's hardly forgotten, but is "Fiorello!"?)

[best12bars]

EDIT: Because you edited your post.

Play on.

[newintown]

Thinking the score to They're Playing Our Song is superior to that of Sweeney Todd is like saying polyester is superior to silk.

You're certainly entitled to hold that belief, but don't be surprised when people look at you aghast.

[Auggie27]

Saw the original, and saw it when Stockard went in.

What fascinates me about the production is the legendary strain between the stars. Klein infamously noted that they used to speak to each other for the first time every night when they met onstage. He later said "I don't know why she didn't like me; she married a man who looks like me." Which is true, Laurence Luckinbill is a similar type. I guess they buried the hatchet, as they've done charity concert reunions in recent years.

By the way, Arnaz was even better in the national company of SEESAW, which I saw at the Kennedy Center. She got a new number ("The Party's On Me") and gave a star performance in an admittedly better version of the show that even eclipsed Michelle Lee's wonderful one on Broadway.

[jayinchelsea]

It's a cute show, very slight with a good pop-sound score, Robert Klein was terrific, but better than Sweeney??? But it's a good choice for Encores!, although Rob Berman and company have outdone themselves for next season; 3 great choices, and how wonderful that Fiorello is being revisited!

[ZoeTheGoat]

Lucie Arnaz STILL has so much talent, charm and charisma. She'd be great in Linda Lavin's role in The Lyons. Just saying.

[Gothampc]

"What fascinates me about the production is the legendary strain between the stars."

I wonder if Lucie had some animosity that Robert was first billed even though she had a higher profile from being on Here's Lucy?

Also, she was raised by Lucille Ball who was known to drive people crazy with her perfectionism, so maybe that had something to do with it.

[PalJoey]

I was about to say I loved this show, but then I saw After Eight's ridiculous post saying the score was better than the score of Sweeney Todd, and I decided I couldn't.

But then I saw his subsequent and even-more-ridiculous post saying the score to Carmelina was better than Sweeney Todd and I had to laugh out loud.

His obsessive Sondheim hatred is the equivalent of the mouth-foamingly crazy hatred the Birther movement has for the president. Except the Birthers seem more level-headed than After Eight does.

I loved They're Playing Our Song, and I will forever love Lucie Arnaz because of it. I only wish I had gotten to see Lorna Luft on the national tour, because this was what she was like in it:




Lorna Luft: 'I Still Believe in Love'

[NYadgal]

I saw the original. Twice. With the original cast.

I still listen to the OCR.
"If He Really Knew Me" and "I Still Believe In Love" are timeless.

I loved the show.
(But there is no comparison with Sweeney Todd!)

[After Eight]

[Gothampc]

"Fallin'" used to be on the list of most overdone audition songs.

[newintown]

"And I'm not in the slightest bit aghast."

Of course you're not; it's others who are aghast at the silly comments you make.

[madbrian]

I've never seen They're Playing Our Song, but I saw Arnaz in The Witches Of Eastwick in London and in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, where she took over for Joanna Gleason. She was terrific in both. I think she'd be a terrific Carlotta in Follies.

[ajh]

Saw the London revival at the Menier Chocolate Factory a couple of years ago and this show has NOT aged well. Didn't help that the production design didn't seem to know whether it was sending up or celebrating the 70s and little chemistry between the leads. But the score seemed thin and the plot (especially the comedy) was terribly laboured. No surprise that this lame duck didn't have the subsequent B'way lives as Sunday, La Cage and Night Music.

[amoni2]

Eeegaads, Sondheimites, can't live with them, can't beat them to death with a "Passion" libretto.

[thommg]

Saw Luci Arnaz and Robert Klein in DC before they got to Broadway and they were both terrific. The show is slight and it is all about the relationship the leads build together which was nicely played bu Luci & Robert. That said, the road company with Victor Garber and Marsha Skaggs (now Marsha Waterbury) was exceptional. They had terrific rapport with each other and Marsha sang the hell out of the score. Her version of I Still Believe In Love was heartbreaking. I was working at the National in DC at the time and got to see this amazing pair multiple times.

[Overkill]

I have a boot of Victor Garber and Marsha Skaggs in the show on Broadway, and they're SO great, especially Victor.

I've been saying for years that it's time for a revival... The last two real productions that come to mind were the concerts with Seth Rudetsky and Sutton Foster (AFBC) and Jason Alexander and Stephanie J. Block for Reprise! in LA. Both got awful notices.

Honestly, I thought that it could work perfectly well as a revival starring Robert and Lucie. There's nothing in the script that says they can't be old now... It would actually work very well, IMO.