ARI: the musical based on Exodus - 1971

[markypoo]

Posted: 1/20/20 at 7:58pm

After forty nine years, I confess that although I never saw it since I was in my sophomore year of high school in Wilmette, IL, and the show was running -
albeit briefly in NYC - I continue to be fascinated by this flop; mostly because of the choice of subject matter.
If anyone on this board happened to see it, please share critiques and comments.
They don't make 'em like that anymore.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/20/20 at 8:12pm

I saw it! I grew up in the DC area, and it tried out at the National when I was home from college. It played Christmas of 1970 before moving to NY and opening 1/15/71. I mostly remember Constance Towers in the Eva Marie Saint role, and one good song that I believe closed the first act ("The Exodus" -- rousing, could that be the title? Logical) John Savage had the Sal Mineo role. The tile was David Cryer, and he made little impression.

Anyone else recall much? It wasn't much to looks at, by the numbers, a lot of military costumes. But the story would not fold into a 2 hour 45 minute musical and the plot didn't sing.

 

UPDATE: The songs, on opening in NYC.

Act One

• [Overture .... Orchestra]
• Children's Lament .... Children
• Yerushaliam .... Ari
• The Saga of Haganah .... David, Zev, Joab, Mandria
• The Saga of Haganah (Reprise) .... Mandria
• Give Me One Good Reason .... Kitty
• Dov's Nightmare .... Dov, Victims of the Holocaust
• Karen's Lullaby .... Karen
• Aphrodite .... Mandria, Armeteau
• My Galilee .... Ari and Palestinians
• The Lord Helps Those Who Help Themselves .... David and Palestinians
• Alphabet Song .... Karen and Children
• Give Me One Good Reason (Reprise) .... Kitty
• My Brother's Keeper .... Ari

Act Two

• [Entr'acte.... Orchestra]
• The Exodus .... David and Ensemble
• He'll Never Be Mine .... Kitty
• One Flag ....Karen and Children
• The Lord Helps Those Who Help Themselves (Reprise) .... Mandria
• I See What I Choose to See .... Karen and Dov
• Hora Galilee .... Dance—Karen, Dov, Children, Palestinians
• Ari's Promise .... Ari
• Ari's Promise (Reprise) .... The Company
• The Exodus

 
 

Updated On: 1/20/20 at 08:12 PM

[The Other One]

Posted: 1/21/20 at 8:09am

Ann Miller was famously quoted as saying when she heard there was to be a musical called ARI that she wanted to play Jackie.

 

I never saw it.  I can say that the film it is based on does not hold up very well at all these days, but I don't know if that has anything to do with its failure as a musical.  Reading about its cast, Constance Towers certainly deserved but apparently never got a good original show, David Cryer had been a good replacement Rutledge in 1776 and I had no idea that John Savage had actually been in a Broadway musical seven years before filming HAIR.

[markypoo]

Posted: 1/21/20 at 9:27am

Thanks to you both for the comments and info.!