On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#0On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/26/04 at 11:38pmFor anyone who saw that delicious Broadway production one of the first things that might pop to mind is Robin Wagner's STUNNING scenery. I was just reading a 1978 article about the "soaring costs" of musicals and was astonished to read that Twentieth Century cost a mere $950,000. Can you imagine what a show like that would cost today? Updated On: 9/26/04 at 11:38 PM
#1re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/26/04 at 11:41pm
Saw it and will never forget Imogene Coca coming towards the audience on the front of the train. Goofy.
It's the same with ballet sets. The sets built in the 70s and 80s would cost a fortune to build today.
" ...the happiness in the tune convinces me that I'm not afraid."
#2re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/26/04 at 11:44pmOn the Twentieth Century is the most perfect production I've ever seen on Broadway. What's very funny in retrospect is that many people complained about how Robin Wagner's set was too much and it was the first time I heard the phrase "You can't hum the scenery." But what Prince and Wagner did in that production was make the train an important "character" in the show. The elegance of its design and the spectacular scenes of it in motion added to the plot far more than today's spectacle for the sake of spectacle sets. Updated On: 9/26/04 at 11:44 PM
#3re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/26/04 at 11:55pm
Twentieth Century was a Musical?
lna
Stand-by Joined: 5/19/04
#4re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/26/04 at 11:56pmThe complaint I remember was that people were coming out "humming the scenery." It wasn't a knock against the scenery, it was a problem with the rest of the show. The scenery was quite good, in fact, but the rest of the show ought to match it.
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#5re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/26/04 at 11:59pmWinner of 5 Tony Awards in 1978 -- best book (Comden and Green), score (Cy Coleman), sets (Robin Wagner), best actor (John Cullum) and best featured actor (Kevin Kline).
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Updated On: 9/27/04 at 11:59 PM
#6re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 12:08amTrue, Ina -- as I recall people either loved this show or hated it. It's very over-the-top. John Cullum was rolling on the floor half the time going through his John Barrymore fits.
#7re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 12:10amI remember this show well and I still sing songs from it. I never came out "humming the scenery." It was a fun show and John Cullum, Kevin Kline, Imogene Coca and Madeline Kahn (before she had to quit) were all quite good.
"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"
Marquise
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/1/04
#8re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 12:36amwhy did madeleine kahn have to quit... i came across the double cd set of this for $9.99..is it worth getting? is the score any good?
#9re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 12:41amMadeline Kahn developed problems with her vocal chords and was advised by her doctors to leave the show. Judy Kaye, who had played the role of Agnes in the show, stepped in and took over the lead role.
"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#10re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 12:48amHey Marquise...you should get the cast recording if only to hear one of the most exciting overtures ever (be warned though, it's one disc in a two disc jewel case but has a nice booklet with notes on the show). The score is intelligent, sophisticated, and appropriately over the top. Cy Coleman's music and Comden and Green's lyrics are a sendup of (and pay homage to) the operetta's of the 30's as well as many famous opera composers. It's always been one of my favorite musicals and it has a beautiful and stylish score.
Marquise
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/1/04
#11re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 2:13am
morosco - - -
u have sold me on getting the cast recording. was it recorded before or after madeleine kahn left the show? i'll be picking it up tomorrow regardless. 
#12re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 2:15amMadeline Kahn IS on the OBC recording.
"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"
magruder
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#13re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 10:11am
Marquise -
On the Twentieth Century is actually just one disc, but it's in that two CD box to accomodate the booklet.
In one of the Hal Prince biographies, Prince mentions that Madeline Kahn despite moments of genius, performed the show rather listlessly on stage, when she wasn't out sick. She apparently delivered an incredible full-throttle performance for the critics, but explained to Prince, "I hope you don't expect me to do that every night."
I was never fortunate enough to catch Kahn in a musical, but did love her in The Sisters Rosensweig, for her incredibly memorable performance as Dr. Gorgeous.
"Gif me the cobra jool!"
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#14re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 10:57amJohn Cullum is superb on this cd as Oscar Jaffee, the washed up stage producer/director who is trying to get Lily Garland (Kahn) to star in his next vehicle. Many of his lyrics are laugh out load funny and he pulls out all the stops to win Lily back into his life. Listen carefully to some of the funniest lyrics ever. "Traitors! Look at the two of you. Judas Iscariot and...and his sister Sue!"
Flossie
Swing Joined: 6/20/03
#15re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 11:46amIt was a terrific show! Great music, great cast. I had never heard of Kevin Kline before I saw it. I still have the LP!! I was disappointed in the recent play....perhaps I would have liked it better had I not seen the musical.
#16re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 11:50amThe year that On the Twentieth Century was nominated for the Tony was the first time I had ever seen the Tony Awards Telecast. I believe the above mentioned opened the broadcast. The next day I took the bus to our local downtown area and bought the cast album (I was 14 at the time).
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
EddieVarley
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/4/04
#17re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 12:07pmOne of my favorite scores, "Our Private World" is so beautiful.
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#18re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 12:18pmKahn was magnificent when I saw it about a week after the opening, but as I understand the situation, it was one of those scores she had trouble singing full out 8 times a week. I remember reading that she wanted to sing some optional lower notes on the cast album because she didn't want the audience to come in expecting to hear the high stuff on a night she didn't have it in her.
SONDHEIM8
Understudy Joined: 6/23/03
#19re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 12:29pm
This is one of my favorite shows with a delicious score. It was the first time I saw Kevin Kline and I have admired his work ever since.
John Cullum, Judy Kaye and Imogene Coca were all wonderful.
LINK: Tracy, you look beautiful behind bars.
TRACY: It must be the low-watt institutionallighting.
#20re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 1:46pm
I loved ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. It still bothers me that it lost the best musical Tony to AIN'T MISBEHAVIN, which is really a "revue."
"OUr pRIVATE world" is a gorgeous song and almost the whole score is delightful............Cullum, Coca, Kline and Kahn were simply sublime and Judy Kaye was sensational when she took over the role of Lily Garland from Madeline Kahn...
I love the recording and listen to it often....Alas, you cannot see the "train smoke" billowing from the orchestra pit during the overture as u did in the theater near the end of the overture............but it is still thrilling.
ADDITIONALLY, I think ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY had the singularly most beautiful theater poster ever created. I have a giant framed version of it in my home now for about 25 years. It is still a stunning work or art deco design, as was the design of the musical.
p.s. I saw the show 3 times during its Broadway engagement. I would have enjoyed seeing Betty Comden (of Comden and Green--they wrote the show's book and lyrics) as Mrs. Primrose when Imogene Coca vacationed.
The show later toured with Rock Hudson and then Frank Gorshin in the Cullum role of Oscar Jaffe. It is my understanding that Mr. Hudson's production cut one or two of Oscar Jaffe's songs for the vocally challenged star.
"MAY YOUR LIFE BE AS BRIGHT AS BROADWAY AT NIGHT"
Updated On: 9/27/04 at 01:46 PM
#21re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 1:53pmI also read somewhere that Christine Ebersole was Judy Kaye's understudy and that she was fantastic as Lily Garland.
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
#22re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 1:59pmI also have a framed poster of that show in my home. I remember seeing a clip on TV when the show was being reviewed and I said that I had to see. I had the opportunity to see it a few times and it never got old. I also got to see Betty Comden in the role of Letitia Primrose. She was no Imogene Coca but she was not bad either. I subsequently got to see the movie with Barrymore and Lombard and enjoyed it as well.
"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"
#23re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 2:14pmpab, wasn't Imogene divine in that show??????? You are lucky, I would have enjoyed seeing Betty Comden's fill in performance.:)
"MAY YOUR LIFE BE AS BRIGHT AS BROADWAY AT NIGHT"
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#24re: On The Twentieth Century (1978 musical)
Posted: 9/27/04 at 2:23pmDid anyone see the L.A. Reprise production of this show? I would imagine that Carolee Carmello was super as Lily Garland!
