Jews on Broadway: An Historical Survey of Performers, Playwrights, Composers, Lyricists and Producers

by Stewart F. Lane

  Meeting composer William Finn, Lapine also took on the role of librettist on the shows March of the Falsettos and In Trousers in the early 1980s, the latter of which opened with the song Four Jews in a Room Bitch ing. A reworked version of March of the Falsettos, simply called Falset-169

  Jews on Broadway

  tos, would make it to Broadway in the early 1990s and win Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Score.

  But it was in the early 1980s that Lapine would meet and start working with Stephen Sondheim. He would write the book for Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods and Passion. Together, Sondheim and Lapine developed a chemistry that merged Sondheim’s music with the chemistry taking place onstage between the actors.

  Like many Broadway directors, Lapine would head to Hollywood in the 1990s to direct feature films. After three highly acclaimed films with modest box office returns, Lapine returned to Broadway. This time he collaborated with Brooklyn-born writer/actress Claudia Shear to create a show about the legendary Mae West entitled Dirty Blonde, which opened on Broadway in 2000 and ran for over 350 performances. After teaming with Michael Legrand on a post–World War II musical fantasy flop called Amour, Lapine was back on track serving as director on the entertaining box office hit The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in 2005, which ran for nearly three years.

  Like Coleman and Sondheim, another theater veteran to thrive in the late 1980s and through the ’90s was Alfred Uhry, who enjoyed a brief taste of Broadway as a lyricist in 1968 with the help of Frank Loesser and a show called Here’s Where I Belong, which opened and closed the same night. It was not until the mid–1970s that Uhry would truly enjoy his first Broadway success working along with composer Robert Waldman on The Robber Bridegroom. The Robin Hood–esque musical saw over 550 performances at Broadway’s Helen Hayes Theater and earned Uhry a Tony Award nomination.

  Then, in the late 1980s, now in his 50s, the Atlanta-born Jewish lyri cist turned his attention to playwriting and quickly emerged as a significant writer for both stage and screen.

  Uhry wrote about Southern-based Jews in three plays that became known as the Atlanta Trilogy. The first play, set in Georgia, was about the relationship between an elderly Jewish woman and her African American chauffeur. The Off Broadway Pulitzer Prize–winning drama was called Driving Miss Daisy. The play delved gently into the subject of rac -

  ism and prejudice through a series of events in their sentimental journey together, illustrating the bond these two very different, yet compassionate seniors shared in the eyes of a society wrought with prejudice. The film 170

  7. Young Playwrights with a Message, Inflation, Disney and Me adaptation later won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Writing of an Adapted Screenplay.

  Having now achieved prominence as a writer, Uhry took on anti–

  Semitism even within the Jewish community itself with his play entitled The Last Night of Ballyhoo, a 1996 comedic-drama set at the onset of World War II. The play, about a Southern Jewish family that celebrates Christmas, knows little to nothing about Passover and is even naive to the prejudice that exists within their own Jewish community, received a Tony Award for Best Play. It also generated a lot of discussion about Jew ish culture and how it was often misinterpreted even by many Jewish people in a time of growing anti–Semitism.

  The third play in Uhry’s trilogy brought him back to his musical back ground as he also served as librettist on Parade. Despite being a musi cal, Parade explored the 1913 lynching by the Ku Klux Klan of a Jew ish factory manager accused of murder. Once again Uhry explored anti–Semitism and in this case, the founding of the Anti-Defamation League as a response to this unjust crime. While the musical was not suc cessful on Broadway, it won the Tony Awards for best book and best score.

  At a time in the 1990s when anti–Semitism and prejudice toward American Jews had become far less outwardly prevalent, Uhry brought very real reminders of such intolerance to the public through his critically acclaimed works.

  And Me

  It was also in the 1980s that I was fortunate to come into my own as a Broadway producer. Yes, another Jewish boy from Long Island grew up with a love of theater. It all emanated from that first experience, seeing Little Me in 1961. Some 20 years later, I had become co-owner of the Palace Theater along with Jimmy Nederlander, and in 1981 I had the pleasure of starting the new decade by working with Lauren Bacall, as the first of three major stars to take the lead role in Woman of the Year (the others were Raquel Welch and Debbie Reynolds). The show ran for two years, and each of the stars was marvelous in the lead role.

  It was on my next hit show, La Cage aux Folles in 1983, that I realized I had actually become a part of something very significant — Broadway.

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  Producer Allan Carr was originally trying to create an American version of the French play and film, La Cage Aux Folles, called The Queen of Basin Street. The original effort did not pan out, but because the show had such potential, Carr forged ahead bringing in Jerry Herman to write both the music and lyrics. I joined the team when they started seeking a theater and became involved as a producer. Soon Harvey Fierstein was brought in to write the book, and Arthur Laurents came onboard to direct. This was truly a very Jewish team. It was also largely a gay team, who looked at me and shook their heads as I was the token heterosexual in the group. Nonetheless, I too appreciate that we were teaming up on something more than just a great comical musical with a fabulous score.

  We had a cause to rally around as we worked to bring the show to Broadway. It was a call for tolerance and for acceptance of gays in society at a time when such acceptance was still shaky at best.

  We opened in Boston in July to great reviews. Of course that made us a little worried because now the New York critics would have higher expectations. The show finally opened in New York in August of 1983.

  New York Times critic Frank Rich called it the “most old-fashioned major musical Broadway has seen since Annie, and it’s likely to be just as popular with children of all ages.”2 My father, who was always one of my most staunch supporters called that (the “old-fashioned musical” reference) the kiss of death. In fact, after returning to my apartment with some friends, following the lavish opening night party at the Pan Am building complete with a 28-piece orchestra, my father convinced me that the show was doomed. So, the celebration ended quickly, and I spent the evening alone nursing two bottles of champagne. The next morning, despite a hangover, I remember going to the meeting with the show’s creative team and all of the producers. Everyone was all smiles. “We have a big hit on our hands, the money’s rolling in,” was the theme of this joyful meeting. While my dad thought that the “old-fashioned musical”

  would be the kiss of death, apparently Broadway needed just that, a good old-fashioned musical, only this one was about accepting gays. Go figure.

  La Cage ran for 1,176 performances.

  Despite the success of La Cage, we were still the underdogs when it came to the Tony Awards and not expected to top Sunday in the Park with George. Much to our surprise, we won for Best Musical, and Arthur, Jerry and Harvey walked off with their own Tonys.

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  7. Young Playwrights with a Message, Inflation, Disney and Me On a side note, shortly thereafter, co-producer Marty Richards was having a fifth anniversary party in the Hamptons, and I was invited. In fact, the whole La Cage cast was invited. The setting was a beautiful house on the beach with topiaries, a marvelous ocean view and the Peter Duchin Orchestra playing. After making the rounds, saying hello to the cast and crew of the show, I found that I was seated at a table with Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Phyllis Newman, Bob Fosse, and acclaimed director Josh Logan and his wife, Netta. I recall looking around in awe of these people whose work I had admired for years. This was a table of Broadway legends — and me. I’ve never forgotten that evening and how much it meant to me as a still fairly young producer.

  And Then Came Will Roge
rs Follies

  My other significant show during the ’80s and ’90s was The Will Rog ers Follies. It was significant to me, not only because it was a hit, but because it gave me the opportunity to actually work with Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Cy Coleman .

  Oddly enough, I was almost not involved in The Will Rogers Follies at all. As was the case with Alan Menken and our Nederlander audition, the creative team behind the show invited me to a presentation of the show. Sometimes it can be very charming when the writers and composers present their own work, but it doesn’t always accomplish the goal of getting a producer on board. I was honored to be sitting in and watching as Betty Comden and Adolph Green played the songs, with Peter Stone (also Jewish) who was writing the book also on hand. Tommy Tune even stopped by for a brief cameo. The problem was, when they were finished, I had to admit that I did not really think they had a full-fledged show on their hands.

  This seasoned creative team, however, did not give up that easily.

  I was then invited to see another presentation at the landmark New York restaurant Tavern on the Green. This time, Keith Carradine was on hand, and he made all the difference in the world. He was funny, insightful and totally brought the show to life. I remember saying that I could certainly watch this guy for two-and-a-half hours. And in the end, not only did I enjoy producing the show with Keith Carradine in the starring 173

  Jews on Broadway

  role, but theatergoers enjoyed the musical at the Palace Theater for 981

  performances. In addition, The Will Rogers Follies would go on to win six Tony Awards.

  I enjoyed the opportunity to work with Betty Comden and Adolph Green. They were the consummate professionals, always there for meet-ings, rehearsals and ready to do whatever was necessary. They were indeed troopers, even at one point when Betty broke her leg. The only way to get to the meeting room at the Palace Theater was by a spiral staircase that went down to the basement. Yet, it never slowed Betty down one bit. Even with crutches she went to every meeting and never complained.

  It was evident that both Betty Comden and Adolph Green simply loved what they did and nothing was going to stop them.

  As for Cy Coleman, he was also great to work with, very comfortable in his own genius. I say this because he was a child prodigy and his music was such a part of him that it was innate. He’d simply get up, perform and enjoy every minute of it. He clearly loved his music and his work.

  I also recall that when we brought Marla Maples in to join the show, Coleman stepped up to help her. An aspiring actress, Maples was known all throughout the media because of her relationship with billionaire Donald Trump, whom she would later marry. However, when she auditioned for a role in the show, some of the producers were concerned that she couldn’t handle the part. So, Cy Coleman, along with Tommy Tune, volunteered to take the extra time necessary to work with her. Sure enough, after working with Cy, and Tommy, Marla Maples turned out to be a big hit in the show.

  Along with the successful shows such as La Cage and Will Rogers came a few flops along the way. Nonetheless, my experiences during this era as a burgeoning producer were highlighted by working on some marvelous shows with some legendary talents.

  The ’80s and ’90s were indeed a changing time for Broadway. From the new breed of young playwrights focusing their attention on significant social causes, to the mouse that roared, bringing Disney to 42nd Street, the Jewish influence continued with a new generation of names and faces interspersed with some familiar favorites, such as Sondheim and Coleman. And while writers like Alfred Uhry dutifully reminded us of the anti– Semitism that had existed in the past, and was still prevalent to some extent in other parts of the country, I was aware of my good fortune.

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  7. Young Playwrights with a Message, Inflation, Disney and Me I was lucky to be working and living in New York City at a time when I was not a victim of the prejudice or persecution that befell so many Jewish people who had come before me. While I was grateful, like so many Jews in the theater industry, I was aware that our Broadway success did not mean we could ever take our good fortune for granted.

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  8

  The New Millennium

  Sees Broadway Breakthroughs:

  Veterans and Newcomers

  The 20th century brought theater from a much-needed form of entertainment and self-expression for the new immigrants to a forum for social and political expression as well as marvelous entertainment. The Jewish influence impacted theater in all facets both on and off stage, broad ening the way in which the Jewish people and their culture were presented and perceived by a secular audience. The Jewish contributors to Broadway during the 20th century faced their own challenges, whether it was the Great Depression, anti–Semitism, the war efforts or McCarthyism. Through it all, they never buckled under or stood idly by without being heard. Instead the Jewish people continued to have a voice on stage, and be part of the message, much as Tovah Feldshuh noted earlier.

  No matter what was taking place socially or politically, the Jewish people let their indomitable spirit continue to shine on the stages of Broadway.

  By the end of the century, not only had the Jewish people made a signifi -

  cant contribution to Broadway, but their contributions also impacted the way in which theater continues to be presented today.

  At the turn of the new century, there was great concern over Y2K.

  Broadway, however, was always prepared with their own source of backup energy, which came not from technology, but from a wealth of creative talent.

  As the new century began, it was clear that the social activism of the 1990s had spilled over into the new era, along with the passion for presenting top-notch entertainment. Of course, as the cost of staging a 176

  8. The New Millennium Sees Broadway Breakthroughs

  show, particularly a musical, continued to increase, taking a low-risk route with a proven commodity was still the best bet. With that in mind, revivals continued to be one means of drawing an audience for a musical.

  Popular movies, such as Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Full Monty and those with significant cable television exposure — such as Legally Blonde, Shrek, The Producers and the Disney films proved to be another manner in which to find material with a built-in fan base. The music and/or stories of popular entertainers such as Billy Joel, the Four Seasons and Frank Sinatra also provided shows with an established fan base. Even television shows, such as The Addams Family, could be fertile sources for musicals with fans at the ready.

  While ticket prices limited families from making frequent the ritual of seeing a weekly or monthly Broadway show, as was the case in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s (especially for Jewish families), Broadway theater remained very appealing for that special night out. It might cost a family $500, but for a special occasion it became fashionable to see the characters in The Lion King or Mary Poppins up close performing live onstage.

  The number of new shows in a given year continued to be much lower than in the past. Totals were down from over 100 in the early years of the 20th century to around 70 per year in the 1960s to roughly 45

  per year by 2005, nearly half of which were revivals. Nonetheless, quality pre vailed over quantity, and the first decade saw a number of highly acclaimed productions, and box office hits; I was very happy to be a part of a few of them.

  9/11 and Broadway

  Before talking about the shows and stars of the decade, it would be remiss not to mention the effects that 9/11/2001 had on Broadway in the early part of the new century. To see Nathan Lane and cast members of The Producers come out during the final curtain call and stop the orchestra to ask people to please give money for the ongoing rescue efforts, some ten days after the horrible tragedy, was a testament to how all New Yorkers were pitching in, along with the rest of the country, to help in the after-math.

  In the weeks and months following 9/11, tourism came to a halt, and even many New Yorkers were fearful of coming into Manh
attan.

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  Peo ple in New York City, Washington, D.C., and all over the country were in shock and disbelief that such a terrorist attack could occur here in the United States.

  If it weren’t for the both the city and state government pushing to get Broadway up and running as soon as possible, many shows would have closed. The city purchased 50,000 theater tickets, while the state put $1 million behind a promotional campaign for Broadway. The idea was to show that New York City would not shut down and give in to terrorism. The lights on Broadway were, and still are, a symbol of New York’s vitality and resolve. Sadly, many of the downtown shows and Off Broadway productions did not get any help from the city or state, and some were forced to close despite very good reviews.

  While the theater was up and running within a short time after 9/11, it took time to fill all of the seats again. The usually bustling holiday season was much quieter than in the past, with fewer tourists and a much-subdued holiday spirit. It took time, but the audiences did return.

  A lot of credit has to be given to the cast members and to the crews who went back to work on Broadway within a few days of the tragedy.

  Breakthroughs: The Veterans

  MEL BROOKS

  Few people have the distinction of winning an Oscar, Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award. Mel Kaminsky, better known as Mel Brooks, is one of them. While Brooks’ long list of accomplishments spanned four decades before he landed firmly on Broadway, when he finally “made it,”