Sweet Smell of Success (musical)

Sweet Smell of Success is a musical created by Marvin Hamlisch (music), Craig Carnelia (lyrics), and John Guare (book). The show is based on the 1957 movie of the same name, which in turn was based on the 1955 novelette of the same name by Ernest Lehman. The show tells the story of a powerful newspaper columnist named J. J. Hunsecker (based on famed New York columnist Walter Winchell) who uses his connections to ruin his sister's relationship with a man he deems inappropriate.

This article is about the musical. For other uses, see Sweet Smell of Success (disambiguation).
Sweet Smell of Success
Original Cast Recording
MusicMarvin Hamlisch
LyricsCraig Carnelia
BookJohn Guare
BasisSweet Smell of Success
by Alexander Mackendrick
Clifford Odets
Ernest Lehman
Sweet Smell of Success
by Ernest Lehman
Productions2002 Broadway

It was a critical and commercial failure.[1][2]

Production history

A workshop was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in August 1998. According to a Livent spokesman "the show had a cast of 18, made up mainly of Canadians. The performers' names were not revealed."[3] The workshop was directed by Nicholas Hytner. The workshop was followed by a reading in November 1998 in New York City, with Jonathan Pryce as J.J. Hunsecker, Brian d'Arcy James as Sidney, Anastasia Barzee, Patrick Wilson, Stacey Logan and an ensemble of 12.[4]

It had a pre-Broadway tryout in Chicago, Illinois, in January 2002.[5] Critics' reactions were not favorable. Chicago Tribune critic Chris Jones found that it had an "identity crisis" and warned that "...[b]etween now and the Broadway opening, director Nicholas Hytner and the other multitalented parties involved had better all get on the same conceptual page, or what’s left of the gossip column fraternity will have a lot to chew on."[6]

Subsequently changes were made to the show, including a new ending.[2]

Modifications to the plot and differences from the film reportedly reflect author Ernest Lehman's original intent.[1] Lehman, the author of the original novelette, was a producer on the musical adaptation.

The musical opened on March 14, 2002 at the Martin Beck Theatre on Broadway. Again directed by Hytner, it closed on June 15, 2002, after 109 performances and 18 previews. The show starred John Lithgow as J.J. Hunsecker, and Brian d'Arcy James as Sidney Falcone.

The creative team included choreography by Christopher Wheeldon, sets and costumes by Bob Crowley, and lighting by Natasha Katz.[7] Sweet Smell garnered 7 Tony Award nominations including Best Musical. John Lithgow received the show's only Tony Award, winning Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical.[8]

Cast and characters
Character Broadway (2002)[9]
J.J. Hunsecker John Lithgow
Sidney Brian d'Arcy James
Susan Kelli O'Hara
Dallas Jack Noseworthy
Rita Stacey Logan
Club Zanzibar Singer Bernard Dotson

Musical numbers

Source: Playbill[10]

† Not included on the Original Broadway Cast Recording (2002)

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production
Year Award Category Nominee Result
2002 Tony Award Best Musical Nominated
Best Book of a Musical John Guare Nominated
Best Original Score Marvin Hamlisch and Craig Carnelia Nominated
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical John Lithgow Won
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Brian d'Arcy James Nominated
Best Orchestrations William David Brohn Nominated
Best Lighting Design Natasha Katz Nominated
Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Musical Nominated
Outstanding Book of a Musical John Guare Nominated
Outstanding Lyrics Craig Carnelia Nominated
Outstanding Music Marvin Hamlisch Nominated
Outstanding Actor in a Musical John Lithgow Won
Brian d'Arcy James Nominated
Outstanding Director of a Musical Nicholas Hytner Nominated
Outstanding Choreography Christopher Wheeldon Nominated
Outstanding Costume Design Bob Crowley Nominated
Outstanding Set Design Nominated
Outstanding Lighting Design Natasha Katz Nominated

Reception

Despite eager anticipation, the musical version received largely negative reviews and it was a commercial flop. Reportedly, it lost its entire $10 million investment.[1][2] One critic lamented that it was "a real heartbreaker; one of those fabulous sounding new musicals with an impeccable pedigree which never quite comes together and ultimately only disappoints."[11]

A 2012 London production of the musical met with mixed reviews. Theatre critic Lyn Gardner of The Guardian praised the score and choreography but found that it: "sugars the pill and never locates the savage, cynical heart... It wants to be a straightforward song-and-dance show – the problem is, this piece is anything but."[12]

References
  1. Jefferson, Margo (24 March 2002). "Why Sweet Smell of Success Went Sour on Stage". The New York Times. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  2. Jones, Kenneth (2002-06-15). "Sweet Smell of Success Ends Broadway Run June 15". Playbill. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  3. Simonson, Robert. "Sweet Smell of Success Musical Workshopped In Canada to Aug. 15" playbill.com, August 5, 1998
  4. Jones, Kenneth and Lefkowitz, David."Livent Holds 'Sweet Smell of Success' Readings Nov. 9-19; Eyes 2000 Bway Run" playbill.com, November 12, 1998
  5. Zoglin, Richard (March 17, 2002). "Baby, It's Dark Outside". Time. Archived from the original on March 19, 2005., March 17, 2002.
  6. "Sweet Smell of Success". Variety. 14 January 2002. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  7. Brantley, Ben. "THEATER REVIEW; A Faustian Pact in a City of Demons", The New York Times, March 15, 2002.
  8. The Broadway League. "Sweet Smell of Success". IBDB: The Official Source for Broadway Information.
  9. "Sweet Smell of Success - Cast". Playbill. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  10. "Inside Playbill Gallery". Playbill. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  11. Burke, Thomas (2012-11-15). "Sweet Smell of Success". The Guardian. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  12. Gardner, Lyn (2012-11-15). "Sweet Smell of Success – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
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