HIGH BUTTON SHOES

[broadwaydanwi]

For those who want to learn more about a somewhat forgotten musical comedy, I have posted a new page on "Memories of Melody Top" about a 1978 production of HIGH BUTTON that starred Monty Hall and Anne Jeffreys (both of whom passed away in September of 2017). Click on the link below to see some very rare color photos from this production. I have hoped for years that Encores! would stage a new HIGH BUTTON SHOES so that the entire score is finally recorded.

HIGH BUTTON SHOES at Milwaukee's Melody Top

[fashionguru_23]

I HATE when you post about Melody Fair! My heart always breaks that there is nothing like this! I want to see Chita Rivera in "Flower Drum Song", or George Chakiris & Rita Moreno in "Guys and Dolls".

Thanks!

[Dollypop]

I've loved HIGH BUTTON SHOES ever since I did it in summer stock in the mid sixties. It was a wonderful score and some endearing characters. Oh, how I'd love to see Warren Carlyle chorograph the zany seaside ballet!

[broadwaydanwi]

Thanks for the comments! Melody Top included "The Things We Did Last Summer," by Styne and Cahn, in their HIGH BUTTON SHOES for the characters of Papa and Mama Longstreet. And as for dance, there is more in the musical than the Bathing Beauty/Keystone Kops ballet. A comic tango, the "Lulu Fadoo," takes place in the first act for young Stevie and Nancy (the maid). And at the end of the second act is a rousing number called the "Castle Walk." I couldn't think of a better show for Encores! to revive.

[Dollypop]

As I recall, "Papa Won't You Dance With Me?" was a big dance number, too!

[markypoo]

I saw that 1978 production in Milwaukee, and remember it well.

[broadwaydanwi]

Dollypop said: "As I recall, "Papa Won't You Dance With Me?" was a big dance number, too!"

Yes, I agree that "Papa" is more of a full-blown production number instead of a solo turn for Mama Longstreet. The song is so catchy that I'm able to image it going on for a long time with lots of dancers.

[beaemma]

I saw this production and do remember a production number for "Papa." HIGH BUTTON SHOES is one of those entertaining, well crafted shows that isn't produced much any more. Melody Top did it one other time, with Gabe Dell and Margaret Whiting. It's a fun show, and I agree that it would be a good choice for Encores.

[markypoo]

At the curtain call following the performance I saw, Monty Hall gestured toward Anne Jeffreys and adlibbed: "How'd you like to find HER behind Door Number Three?"
To which she replied: "I'll make a deal with this man anytime."

[broadwaydanwi]

markypoo said: "At the curtain call following the performance I saw, Monty Hall gestured toward Anne Jeffreys and adlibbed: "How'd you like to find HER behind Door Number Three?"
To which she replied: "I'll make a deal with this man anytime.""

Ah, yes! The "third act" act Melody Top was always memorable. I loved it when the stars stayed on stage and talked to the audience. I've heard that Van Johnson always ended his little speeches by saying that his jams and jells were for sale in the lobby. And Jo Anne Worley used to throw little packages of Kleenex into the audience because she was in television commercials for the tissue.

 

[SmoothLover]

Is anyone going to the Encores dress tomorrow? 

[ilysespieces]

I am so annoyed (mostly joking) that this is on this week/weekend, I'm moving next week and just can't afford the time commitment to see this when I have so much packing left to do.

I was in HBS in middle school and haven't heard anything about it since. We actually had Joan Roberts (one of the replacement cast for the original production in the 40s) come in and teach us some of the original choreography (my school music/theatre teacher was close friends with her). She also come in when we did Oklahoma in high school.

I can't wait for the reports to start coming in from people seeing it, I will live vicariously through you.

[SmoothLover]

Michael Urie reminds me of Jonathan Bennett. They should do a Netflix series together.

[StageLEFT]

I am not familiar with the show but from the clips i have seen online it looks like a really fun show.  

NY City Center put out a bunch of videos on Youtube about the production:

1)  The creative team talking about the show and that they will recreate the original choreography for Sunday by the Sea and Jealous :  https://youtu.be/f6H499piQ3o 

2)  The principals:  https://youtu.be/SRG6ZOk1Ln4

3)  Sunday by the Sea:    https://youtu.be/-bul8xKV22s 

Here's BWW video of the cast and the rehearsal:  https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-TV-Michael-Urie-Kevin-Chamberlin-More-Preview-Encores-HIGH-BUTTON-SHOES-20190504 

Looks like the cast is having fun!  I hope those that will see the show post about here!  I wanna hear about it.  

 

[SmoothLover]

Hopefully it will be better than the other 2 Encores shows from this season. I noticed the last time I was there the show started l0 minutes late and some other patrons around me indicated that it was the new normal. I guess the standards at City Center are different than Broadway which is ok. It is more casual.

[goldenboy]

Caught the dress rehearsal tonight.  I  did this show in middle school and love some of the music so I was looking forward to this.. Nothing like a Model T... Papa Won't you Dance with me..  I still get jealous.. etc.

Never saw the show from the audience and all I can say is they don't make shows like they used to and in this case... thank god. It is a kitchen sink kind of show ...very clunky.

There is  this swindler named Harrison Floy  who sells watches and then sells snake oil and we go to  Philadelphia and Washington and then New Brunswick New Jersey  and ingratiates himself to a family and then we go to Atlantic City and then we sell swamp land and then there is a football game. It's bad musical comedy derived from vaudeville-- absolutely no substance as we have grown used to. I am all for entertaining musicals for entertainment sake  (Crazy for You, No No Nanette, to name a few)  but this one was annoyingly jolting  in its plotting and not very funny or entertaining.

The reason to sit through the production is the choreography. by Sarah O' Gleby. She recreates some of Jerome Robbin's work and mixes  it in with her own--most notably the second act Bathing Beauty Ballet, a Robbins recreation  which alone is worth the price of admission.  The choreographer almost saved the evening as well as the always delightful Encore full orchestra.

Everyone sang beautifully but everyone  seemed very bland in their characterizations. This show needs characters!!!! Michel Urie was doing his best Phil Silvers imitation compete with black framed glassed-- an impersonation which just didn't land and wasn't grounded or believable. He seemed uncomfortable.  Betsy Wolfe was pleasant but dull and characterless.  Even Kevin Chamberlain who was so hysterical as Fester didn't quite have a grounded character. The only one with a semblance of  character of  was Mark Koeck as Oggle.

I can't help but wonder that if it has a real comedian with his own personality and lots of crazy characters supporting him, perhaps the show would have played better. Perhaps a Howie Mandel or Martin Short  or a Jason Alexander as Harrison Floy. A Nancy Opel as Mrs. Longstreet. They would have brought personality to this personality-less piece. Someone needs to give the shoes some personality.

 

[AntV]

What was the running time?

[SmoothLover]

I had high hopes for the evening given that the other two shows of the Encore season had not been very good. But this was another miss. The first act was exhausting and the 2nd was salvaged somewhat by the choreography.

To be fair there is a reason that High Button Shoes is not done very often. The script is very thin and the music is less than thrilling.; Unfortunately the musical hinges on the lead performance of Floy played by Mr.Urie. His performance was all on one level and lacked playful spontaneity. He was not in the moment which was the biggest surprise. He spoke rapidly and at times loudly for no particular reason. He really needed to go back into the text and figure out what his character wanted and how he was going to get it using various colors thus creating more humor and providing more depth of character. A previous poster said that he was not grounded and I could not have said it better. The other problem was that he did not sing very well and was a little clunky on his feet. The part would have been better served by the likes of Nathan Lane or Christian Borle. 

[goldenboy]

About 2 hrs and 4o

[SmoothLover]

goldenboy said: "About 2 hrs and 4o"

 

No it is shorter than that although it felt longer. The running time was about 2 hours and 15 minutes with intermission. The dress ran a little longer because there was a curtain speech,

 

[EdEval]

I don't know. Watching the trailer videos for this one somehow turned me off.  I'm skipping this.

[RippedMan]

Does Encores have a rule for how recent a show can be? They seem to always pick zany musical comedies from a specific era, but I’d love to see them do something like Martin Guerrer or The Pirate Queen or Dude. Or Amor.

[CATSNYrevival]

Amour would be fascinating. There's a production on right now in London at the Charing Cross Theatre I'd love to see if I could.

[RippedMan]

I love the score! I’d just like to see them do something different. Like the big pop operas, etc. I’m sure they’d sound amazing with those orchestras.

[raddersons]

I think the only real qualification is that the score needs to be written by an American composer.