Elaine Stritch SAIL AWAY Jean Fenn Noel Coward BOSTON Souvenir Program (D9 01)

Description

Elaine Stritch "SAIL AWAY" Jean Fenn  Noel Coward 1961 BOSTON Souvenir Program (D9 01)
This musical in Boston starred ELAINE STRITCH and JEAN FENN (whose role was eliminated shortly after) and featured JAMES HURST, MARGALO GILLMORE, ALICE PEARCE, PATRICIA HARTY, GROVER DALE, CHARLES BRASWELL, WILLIAM HUTT (whose role would be eliminated in Philadelphia), EVELYN RUSSELL, BETTY JANE WATSON and PAULA BAUERSMITH.  Book, Music, Lyrics and Direction by NOEL COWARD; Production designed by OLIVER SMITH; Costumes designed by HELENE PONS and OLIVER SMITH; Program front and back Cover drawings by NOEL COWARD; Musical numbers and Dances staged by JOE LAYTON;  Produced by BONARD PRODUCTIONS in association with CHARLES RUSSELL.
This large 20 page program (including the covers) measures approx. 9 3/4" X 12 1/2" inches - includes photos and bios of each of the leading actors and members of the creative team,  artwork by NOEL COWARD on the front and back covers and several pages of black and white rehearsal photos.  The booklet was edited by Nelson Lansdale and published by Dunetz and Lovett NY. "Sail Away had out-of-town tryouts for three weeks each in Boston (Colonial Theatre) and Philadelphia. This program is believed to be from the performance in Boston.   Elaine Stritch started in the show in a "relatively minor role and was only promoted over the title and given virtually all the best songs when it was reckoned that the leading lady...although excellent, was rather too operatic for a musical comedy." During out-of-town tryouts in Boston, Coward was "unsure about the dramatic talents" of one of the leads, opera singer Jean Fenn. "They were, after all, engaged for their voices and...it is madness to expect two singers to play subtle 'Noel Coward' love scenes with the right values and sing at the same time." Joe Layton suggested "What would happen if ... we just eliminated Fenn's role and gave everything to Stritch? ... The show was very old-fashioned, and the thing that was working was Elaine Stritch ... every time she went on stage [she] was a sensation. The reconstructed 'Sail Away' ..  opened in New York on 3 October at the Broadhurst Theatre." - Wikipedia.  Nice rare musical comedy program for the collector in very good condition.
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