'''Applause''' is a
Tony Award-winning
musical with a book by
Betty Comden and
Adolph Green, lyrics by
Lee Adams, and music by
Charles Strouse.
Based on the
screenplay for the classic
Bette Davis film ''
All About Eve'' and the original story by Mary Orr upon which the movie was based, the plot retains the
Broadway theater background of the original but changes the characters to musical performers rather than dramatic actors. At its center is veteran actress Margo Channing, who innocently takes a fledgling actress under her wings, unaware that the ruthless Eve is plotting to steal her career and her man.
After four previews, the
Broadway production, directed and
choreographed by
Ron Field, opened on
March 30 1970 at the
Palace Theatre, where it ran for 896 performances. The original cast included
Lauren Bacall,
Len Cariou,
Penny Fuller,
Bonnie Franklin,
Lee Roy Reams,
Robert Mandan,
Brandon Maggart, and
Nicholas Dante.
Anne Baxter, who had portrayed Eve in the original film, replaced Bacall as Margo Channing when she departed the cast later in the run. Bacall won a
Tony Award for her turn.
The musical was later adapted for television, starring Bacall and
Larry Hagman replacing
Len Cariou in the role of Bill Sampson. It aired in the United States on
CBS on
March 19th,
1973. It has not been released commercially, but snippets of it have recently shown up on
YouTube.com.
Song list
;Act I
★ Backstage Babble
★ Think How It's Gonna Be
★ But Alive
★ The Best Night of My Life
★ Who's That Girl?
★ Applause
★ Hurry Back
★ Fasten Your Seat Belts
★ Welcome to the Theatre
|
;Act II
★ Inner Thoughts
★ Good Friends
★ The Best Night of My Life
★ She's No Longer a Gypsy
★ One of a Kind
★ One Hallowe'en
★ Something Greater
★ Finale
|
Awards and nominations
★ Tony Award for Best Musical ('winner')
★ Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical ('winner')
★ Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical ('winner')
★ Tony Award for Best Choreography ('winner')
★ Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical (Cariou, nominee)
★ Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Maggart, nominee)
★ Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Franklin and Fuller, nominees)
★ Tony Award for Best Scenic Design (nominee)
★ Tony Award for Best Costume Design (nominee)
★ Tony Award for Best Lighting Design (nominee)
★
Theatre World Award (Cariou and Franklin, 'winners')
★
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Performance (Bacall, 'winner')
★ Drama Desk Award Outstanding Director ('winner')
★ Drama Desk Award Outstanding Choreography ('winner')
External link
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