The New York Times: The snow was coming down. The turntables didn’t turn. The star refused to perform. The cast was dismissed, thinking that that night’s show would not go on.
Yet “My Fair Lady” opened improbably, triumphantly, to its first paying audience on that Saturday, Feb. 4, 1956, at the Shubert Theater here, making the night the stuff of theater legend.
3 comments:
Looking back on the event, this reads like a funny story to tell the grandchildren. In the moment, I can only imagine how terrifying it must have been to deal with. Especially in the pre-information age, when the spread of news and messages was slow and unreliable. Stage fright transcends generations, and so does the panic of an ASM when they cannot find an actor for their entrance. After sending the whole cast home, I cannot imagine the difficulty they must have had trying to gather them all back again, and without the aid of text or email at that. I never was an ASM, but many times I was sent to look for an actor that was about to go on that nobody had seen for an hour. I also feel the pain of a spectacle that never quite works right. In high school, we under lit an entire stage by putting light bulbs underneath the shipping pallets that made up the floor. We never got all of the 75+ lamps to all work at once.
I loved reading this article, mostly because I think it highlights just how timeless the art of theatre really is. This NY Times article seems to tell the story that happens during so many opening nights; one of nervous chaos that has been built up through a long rehearsal process and consistent hope for a good show. The part that struck me as the funniest was the section about the assistant stage manager, Jerry Adler, and his response to the lead actor storming off because he was worried that they would never actually get through the whole show. I love that this stereotype of diva-like actors has stayed true through the ages. And isn't this what theatre is about? Mildly controlled chaos that pays off in the end? After reading the whole story of the original "My Fair Lady"''s opening night, it seems like an oddly wonderful experience to be a part of, even though this retelling does highlight the horrors of it all. I think that working in a chaotic environment can be extremely challenging, but also the most rewarding, and this article tells readers just that!
It’s always fun to read about the craziness behind the scenes. I can’t imagine how stressed everyone must have been before the opening performance. Something the article notes that I thought was interesting is that the audience likes to see rehearsals and other aspects of the unfinished show. Though that may be true, I would be shocked if the audience wanted to see how chaotic this process was. Additionally, I loved how once the audience was in the theater and the show got rolling, both the cast and audience was able to get on board and enjoy the show. I also, as the article mentions, think it is important to remember that not every show runs smoothly and that it is okay when there are “mistakes” in the piece. Lastly, I think it's wonderful that this article embraces is chaotic opening rather than overing it over and pretending that it was all smooth.
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