Chances are, this weekend, you’ll have at least one chance on at least one network to see the movie version of 1776, one of Broadway’s greatest musicals.
In March, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the opening of the original production, I replicated some of the diary that Ingrid Edwards, the widow of Sherman Edwards, the show’s songwriter and conceiver, kept during the long and torturous road to Broadway. It started on June, 1966, at a time when it looked as if the show would never get on, almost three years before the triumphant Broadway opening. (If you’d care to take a look at that column, turn the electronic pages on the calendar to the right to March 23, and see what happened between the many stops and starts.)
I left the diary on June 14, 1968, after Peter Stone had been signed to refurbish Edwards’ original book, but after superstar director Gower Champion asked for too much, and producer Stuart Ostrow told him to forget it. But many readers – starting with Ron Fassler, Scott Linn, and Bob Stempin – asked for more of the diary. So, on this Independence Day weekend, here’s a bit more of what Ingrid Edwards reported over the next nine months:
June 16, 1968 – “Sit Down, John” now incorporates parts of “Sextet in Revolutionary Time, “Tea Party, Concord, Lexington, and Bunk,” etc. Worked out great, and now “Piddle, Twiddle” follows after Adams is told, “Will someone shut that man up!” followed by Peter Stone’s new scene.
June 17 – Stu said he never liked “Sextet,” and thought its content a bore and a cliché compared to the rest of the score. It is out.
June 20 – A bombshell letter. Letter from Gower made Stu out a villain. Gower seemed dumbstruck by fantastically unacceptable contract. Still loved the score and Sherman, though.
June 21 – I feel Gower really wanted to do the show, but as a prestige artistic hobby piece in his sunny California. When it got to be for real in New York, he ran scared. Bob Fosse not interested.
Middle of July – Read fourth scene of Peter’s. So sad. The humor has fled. John Adams has been whittled down to a foolish man, dependent on Ben Franklin, who is too strong, serious, and talks too much. Play is becoming too real.
July 27 – Went to see Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead for Derek Goldby as possible director. Incredible bore!
August 16 – Derek Goldby as director got a good bill of heath from (esteemed David Merrick associate) Biff Liff. Derek is becoming more desirable to all. Sherm is ignoring Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Stu can afford him. He is young, new, has ideas, thoughtful, unmannered, and to some extent malleable. He’s also been called to Boston to see what he can do with the floundering Her First Roman.
August 18 – Sherm is on his way with a new song for Act One, Scene Four, “A Letter from Silas Deane,” translated into song for John Adams, to do “Why the urgency for a Declaration now?” (Goldby’s question.) Colonies must declare themselves a country first, an idea that Sherman played with two years ago, but never felt that necessary and never resolved. It’s good now.
October – Her First Roman got clobbered. Exit Derek, enter (eventual director) Peter Hunt.
November -- Auditions started. Sherm disappointed at first at turnout. Such poor talent.
Late November – Howard Da Silva called Stu and Sherm personally rather than via agent to say he wants Franklin.
December 21 – Flora (Roberts, superagent) had to fight for Sherman’s Dec. 1 money, which arrived today. But then, if producers instantly obeyed their contracts, who would need lawyers and agents?
Dec. 28 – Last audition. Everyone is cast. Bill Daniels is Adams with strong endorsement from Maxine Marx (Groucho’s daughter). Only person not gotten but desired was Roundsville. He had too great a set-up and security with La Mancha.
Dec. 29 – The four Peters have established the framework: Stone, writer; Hunt, director; Howard, musical director; Stern, stage manager. Eddie Sauter (the orchestrator) is great! So is (set designer Jo) Mielziner. The ad in the Sunday Times came out; it has a light stylish touch with bite. A reading was held. Wives not allowed. I will never forgive Stu for this mental anachronism.
Dec. 30 – First day of rehearsal. All went well.
Jan. 2, 1969 – Strange rumblings. Seems the company manager didn’t tell quite a few actors that they were also to play soldiers in New Brunswick scene. Peter Hunt said he’d smooth it out. Sherm working hard with everyone, even understudy Gretchen Cryer. Then he auditioned for the “Ladies of the Evening” -- meaning the theater-party ladies.
Jan. 5 – Sherm, Peters Hunt and Stone went in to watch Rhoda (Levine, choreographer)’s staging of “Sit Down, John.” After a few bars, Sherm just got up and left. A little later, the two Peters came in to see him. All were of one mind – seems Rhoda had misconceived the idea of a large, hot, sluggish congress as contrasted to a peppery, aggravated, badgering Adams. After discussion, Hunt went in and restaged the whole thing. Then Sherm and two Peters unhappy with Rhoda’s staging of “The Lees of Old Virginia.” Hokey. Took “Cakewalk” instruction literally. N.G.
Jan. 6 – Peter H. feels Rhoda has lost face and so of course authority. All got flu shots.
Jan. 10 – Rhoda is out. Sherm and Stu are meeting Onna White at the Plaza, and will do full-blown version of the show for her.
Jan. 12 – Onna liked audition, but did not commit. Stu had gone all out, taking a $400 suite, table spread with food and drinks, and no one even slept there.
Jan. 13 – Onna’s in! At Columbia Records, the Banjo Barons cut “Momma, Look Sharp,” along with four other songs, one of which came from Red, White, and Maddox.
Jan. 16 – Small rumbling from DaSilva. Unhappy over one line, about the ox, the bull, and “When did you notice yours were missing?” Stone will not remove it. Give in to an actor, and he’ll rewrite the script. Line stayed in the show, and so did DaSilva.
Jan. 24 – Courier to be replaced by an older man.
Jan. 27 – First complete run-through. Two hours and 40 minutes. Stu still upset about same men in Congress being soldiers.
Feb. 2 – Talk with Sherm. Tears. Myriad problems, minute details, and frustrations. I felt a bit like Abigail Adams. Don’t know how these women stood their lives!
Feb. 3 – Sherman left for New Haven, but run-through last night didn’t seem to please him, but Rutledge, Dickinson, and Adams were great. There’s talk of taking Vestoff’s “Are You That Man?” out.
Feb. 4 -- “Are You That Man?” out.
Feb. 7 – Took bus to New Haven, watched last half of afternoon rehearsal. DaSilva’s “Increase and Multiply” is adorable and tasty.
Feb. 10 – Back home (in New Jersey) Opening night in New Haven. Sat with suitcases in the kitchen and by the phone all day. With all the snow, we couldn’t get out of the driveway. Nor could anyone else, including the New Haven critics.
Feb. 11 – Braved the results of the blizzard and managed to get to New Haven. It took us 10 hours, but it was fun, an adventure, and worth it! The show looked wonderful. “Increase and Multiply” is out. Big rumblings. Da Silva furious, of course, charged into Stu’s office raving. Stu said he’d accept Howard’s resignation.
Feb. 12 – Rex Everhart hired as Franklin. Finally getting some reviews. One horrible, one mixed with what I feel has many truths in it. The first act can do no wrong, second act sluggish and frantic, and of course the whole show is too long! (Daughter) Valerie had an interesting reaction: Once she was able to discard her preconception of what she thought the show would be like and was able to see what was actually there, she adored it. For many of us I believe.
You said it, Ingrid! It’s one of the reasons so many of us adore 1776.
More of her Diary to come at another time.
You may e-mail Peter at pfilichia@aol.com
