Minnie's Boys

Minnie's Boys is a musical with a book by Arthur Marx (Groucho Marx's son) and Robert Fisher, music by Larry Grossman, and lyrics by Hal Hackady.

Minnie's Boys
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Original Cast Recording
MusicLarry Grossman
LyricsHal Hackady
BookArthur Marx
Robert Fisher
BasisEarly years of the Marx Brothers
Productions1970 Broadway
2008 Off-Broadway

It provides a behind-the-scenes look at the early days of the Marx Brothers and their relationship with their mother Minnie Marx, the driving force behind their ultimate success.

Production

There was a long preview period lasting for sixty-four performances, during which the creators constantly tinkered with the troubled show. The original choreographer, Patricia Birch, was replaced and "...there were rumors about replacing Shelley Winters..." The musical had mixed to negative reviews, "although Walter Kerr...enjoyed it."[1]

The musical opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre officially on March 26, 1970 and closed on May 30, 1970 after 80 performances. The musical was directed by Stanley Prager and choreographed by Marc Breaux, with scenic design by Peter Wexler, costume design by Donald Brooks and lighting by Jules Fisher.[2][3]

The cast featured Shelley Winters as Minnie Marx, Lewis J. Stadlen as Julius "Groucho" Marx, Daniel Fortus as Adolph "Harpo" Marx, Irwin Pearl as Leonard "Chico" Marx, Alvin Kupperman as Herbert "Zeppo" Marx, and Gary Raucher as Milton "Gummo" Marx.[2][3] Stadlen won both the 1970 Theatre World Award and 1970 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance in a Musical.[4]

The score's song "Mama, a Rainbow" has become a standard for cabaret performers,[5] and was recorded by Steve Lawrence and Jim Nabors soon after the show opened. In the show, the song is performed by Harpo,[6] whose screen and stage persona was always silent.

An original cast album was released by Project Three Records, although the cast album was originally scheduled to be recorded and released by RCA Victor.[7]

Groucho Marx received a playbill credit as the show's advisor; after the show closed, it was revealed that Groucho had made no real contributions, and had basically been paid off so that he would not raise any legal objections to the production.

During its brief run, Groucho did help promote the musical by appearing on the Dick Cavett Show with Shelley Winters and the five young actors who portrayed the Marx boys in the show.[8]

The show received a 2008 revival staging under the direction of Stuart Ross at Off-Broadway's York Theatre Company. The cast included Erik Liberman, Pamela Myers, Jim Walton, Dan Bogart, Ryan Duncan, Nick Gaswirth, Beth Glover, Don Mayo, Nancy McCall, Emily Shoolin, Kelly Sullivan, and Stuart Zagnit.[9][10]

Casts

Source:[11][12]

Character Original Broadway Cast (1970) Off-Broadway Revival (2008)
Julius "Groucho" Marx Lewis J. Stadlen Erik Lieberman
Leonard "Chico" Marx Irwin Pearl Ryan Duncan
Adolph "Harpo" Marx Daniel Fortus Nick Gastwirt
Herbert "Zeppo" Marx Alvin Kupperman Dan Bogart
Milton "Gummo" Marx Gary Raucher
Mrs. Flanagan Jean Bruno Beth Glover
Mrs. Krupnik Jacqueline Britt Nancy McCall
Minnie Marx Shelley Winters Pamela Myers
Sam "Frenchie" Marx Arny Freeman Stuart Zagnit
Hochmeister Merwin Goldsmith Don Mayo
Al Shean Mort Marshall Jim Walton
Maxie Richard B. Shull Don Mayo
E.F. Albee Roland Winters Don Mayo
Miss Murdock Jacqueline Britt Emily Shoolin
Mrs. McNish Julie Kurnitz Beth Glover

Song list

Source:[6] [11]

References
  1. Mandelbaum, Ken. Minnie's Boys Not Since Carrie: Forty Years of Broadway Musical Flops, St. Martin's Press, 1992, ISBN 1466843276, p. 219
  2. Minnie's Boys Playbill (vault), retrieved May 8, 2019
  3. Kerr, Walter. Kerr on ‘Minnie's Boys’" The New York Times, April 5, 1970
  4. "Lewis J. Stadlen Awards" ibdb.com, retrieved May 9, 2019
  5. Jones, Kenneth. " 'Minnie's Boys', the Marx Brothers Musical, Gets Concert Revival Oct. 31, Nov. 3-4" Playbill, October 21, 2002
  6. "Minnie's Boys Synopsis and Musical Numbers" guidetomusicaltheatre.com, retrieved May 8, 2019
  7. Dietz, Dan. Minnie's Boys, The Complete Book of 1970s Broadway Musicals, Rowman & Littlefield, 2015, ISBN 1442251662, pp. 11-13
  8. "The Dick Cavett Show, 3/20/70" dickcavettshow.com, retrieved May 8, 2019
  9. Gans, Andrew (May 16, 2008). "Liberman Will Join Myers in Mufti Minnie's Boys". Playbill. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
  10. "Walton to Join Duncan, Liberman, Myers, et al. for York's Minnie's Boys | TheaterMania". www.theatermania.com. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
  11. "Minnie's Boys Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  12. Gans, Andrew (May 30, 2008). "Minnie's Boys, with Myers, Walton and Zagnit, Begins York Run May 30". Playbill. Retrieved 2021-05-02.
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