Carnival in Flanders (musical)
Encyclopedia
Carnival in Flanders is a 1953 musical
with a book by Preston Sturges
, lyrics
by Johnny Burke
, and music by Jimmy Van Heusen.
Based on the 1934 French
comedy film
La Kermesse Héroïque
, it is set in 1616 in the small Flemish
village of Flackenburg, where a Spanish
duke
and his entourage descend upon the community. The mayor
plays dead, hoping that his ruse will force the visitors to depart, but the duke sets his sights on the man's "widow" and begins to woo her.
Harold Arlen
was approached to write the score, but the task ultimately fell to Van Heusen and Burke. Bing Crosby
was providing much of the financing for the production and had great faith in the songwriting team, who had written several of his hits, despite the fact that their previous theatrical collaboration, Nellie Bly (1946), had been a critical and commercial flop. George Oppenheimer, one of the book's original co-writers, withdrew from the project during pre-Broadway
tryouts in Philadelphia
, and Dorothy Fields
joined her brother Herbert
to help with rewrites. Eventually all their work was discarded by Sturges, who replaced Bretaigne Windust
as director and completely reworked the book before the show reached California
for a series of stagings by light opera companies prior to the New York City
opening. Choreographer
Jack Cole
was replaced by Helen Tamiris
, and several cast changes were made before the troubled production finally limped to Broadway.
Carnival in Flanders opened on September 8, 1953 at the New Century Theatre
, where it ran for only six performances. The cast included John Raitt
, Dolores Gray, and Roy Roberts
. Critics were enchanted by Oliver Smith
's sets and Lucinda Ballard
's costumes, inspired by Brueghel
paintings, and Gray's lively performance, but universally panned every other aspect of the production. If remembered at all, it is primarily as the source of the Van Heusen-Burke standard "Here's That Rainy Day
."
Dolores Gray won the Tony Award
for "Best Actress in a Musical". It remains the shortest-lived Tony-honored performance ever.
Act II
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with a book by Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges , originally Edmund Preston Biden, was a celebrated playwright, screenwriter and film director born in Chicago, Illinois...
, lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
by Johnny Burke
Johnny Burke (lyricist)
Johnny Burke was a lyricist, widely regarded as one of the finest writers of popular songs in America between the 1920s and 1950s.-Biography:...
, and music by Jimmy Van Heusen.
Based on the 1934 French
Cinema of France
The Cinema of France comprises the art of film and creative movies made within the nation of France or by French filmmakers abroad.France is the birthplace of cinema and was responsible for many of its early significant contributions. Several important cinematic movements, including the Nouvelle...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
La Kermesse Héroïque
Carnival in Flanders (film)
Carnival in Flanders is a 1935 French historical romantic comedy film directed by Jacques Feyder. Its original French title is La Kermesse héroïque and it is widely known under that name...
, it is set in 1616 in the small Flemish
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
village of Flackenburg, where a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
and his entourage descend upon the community. The mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
plays dead, hoping that his ruse will force the visitors to depart, but the duke sets his sights on the man's "widow" and begins to woo her.
Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
was approached to write the score, but the task ultimately fell to Van Heusen and Burke. Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
was providing much of the financing for the production and had great faith in the songwriting team, who had written several of his hits, despite the fact that their previous theatrical collaboration, Nellie Bly (1946), had been a critical and commercial flop. George Oppenheimer, one of the book's original co-writers, withdrew from the project during pre-Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
tryouts in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, and Dorothy Fields
Dorothy Fields
Dorothy Fields was an American librettist and lyricist.She wrote over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films...
joined her brother Herbert
Herbert Fields
Herbert Fields was an American librettist and screenwriter.Born in New York City, Fields began his career as an actor, then graduated to choreography and stage direction before turning to writing. From 1925 until his death, he contributed to the libretti of many Broadway musicals...
to help with rewrites. Eventually all their work was discarded by Sturges, who replaced Bretaigne Windust
Bretaigne Windust
Bretaigne Windust was a French-born theatre, film, and television director.-Early life:He was born Ernest Bretaigne Windust in Paris, France, the son of English violin virtuoso Ernest Joseph Windust and singer Elizabeth Amory Day from New York City...
as director and completely reworked the book before the show reached California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
for a series of stagings by light opera companies prior to the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
opening. Choreographer
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
Jack Cole
Jack Cole (choreographer)
Jack Cole was an American dancer, choreographer, and theatre director known as the father of theatrical jazz dance.-Early life:...
was replaced by Helen Tamiris
Helen Tamiris
Helen Tamiris was an American choreographer, modern dancer, and teacher.-Biography:A founder of American Modern Dance, Tamiris originally trained in free movement at the Henry Street Settlement. She danced with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet and the Bracale Opera Company before studying briefly...
, and several cast changes were made before the troubled production finally limped to Broadway.
Carnival in Flanders opened on September 8, 1953 at the New Century Theatre
New Century Theatre
The New Century Theatre was a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 932 Seventh Avenue at West 58th Street in midtown Manhattan.The house, which seated 1700, was designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp for the Shuberts, who originally named it Jolson's 59th Street Theatre after Al Jolson, who...
, where it ran for only six performances. The cast included John Raitt
John Raitt
John Emmett Raitt was an American actor and singer best known for his performances in musical theater.-Early years:...
, Dolores Gray, and Roy Roberts
Roy Roberts
Roy Roberts was an American character actor. Over his more than 40-year career, he appeared in more than nine hundred productions on stage and screen.-Biography:...
. Critics were enchanted by Oliver Smith
Oliver Smith (designer)
Oliver Smith was an American scenic designer.Born in Waupun, Wisconsin, Smith attended Penn State, after which he moved to New York City and began to form friendships that blossomed into working relationships with such talents as Leonard Bernstein, Jerome Robbins, Carson McCullers, and Agnes de...
's sets and Lucinda Ballard
Lucinda Ballard
Lucinda Ballard was an American costume designer who worked primarily in Broadway theatre.Born Lucinda Davis Goldsborough in New Orleans, Louisiana, Ballard studied at the Art Students League in New York City. Her first professional credits was as the scenic and costume designer for a 1937...
's costumes, inspired by Brueghel
Brueghel
Brueghel or Bruegel was the name of several Dutch/Flemish painters from the same family line:* Pieter Bruegel the Elder — The most famous member of the family and the only one to sign his paintings as 'Bruegel' without the H....
paintings, and Gray's lively performance, but universally panned every other aspect of the production. If remembered at all, it is primarily as the source of the Van Heusen-Burke standard "Here's That Rainy Day
Here's That Rainy Day
"Here's That Rainy Day" is a popular song with music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke, published in 1953. It was introduced by Dolores Gray in the Broadway musical Carnival in Flanders...
."
Dolores Gray won the Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for "Best Actress in a Musical". It remains the shortest-lived Tony-honored performance ever.
Song list
Act I- Ring the Bell
- The Very Necessary You
- It's a Fine Old Institution
- I'm One of Your Admirers
- The Plundering of the Town
- The Stronger Sex
- The Sudden Thrill
- It's an Old Spanish Custom
- A Seventeen Gun Salute
Act II
- You're Dead!
- Here's That Rainy DayHere's That Rainy Day"Here's That Rainy Day" is a popular song with music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke, published in 1953. It was introduced by Dolores Gray in the Broadway musical Carnival in Flanders...
- Take the Word of a Gentleman
- A Moment of Your Love
- How Far Can a Lady Go?