The Point!
Encyclopedia
Musical play
In 1975, Esquire Jauchem, Artistic Director of the Boston Repertory Theater, approached Harry Nilsson about creating a stage musical of "The Point!" Although Nilsson said he had been asked many times and had always turned down the request, this time he granted his permission. Esquire Jauchem adapted and directed the production which starred 18-year-old David MorseDavid Morse (actor)
David Bowditch Morse is an American stage, television, and film actor. He first came to national attention as Dr. Jack Morrison in the medical drama St. Elsewhere from 1982 to 1988...
(who went on to star in St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
and many other roles) as Oblio.
The production was extremely successful with the press and the Boston audience. Harry Nilsson, along with his wife Una, attended the opening and wore a sign to the party following the performance which read "I loved it!". The show also received positive reviews from critics:
"Extraordinarily attractive...joyous and imaginative songs" – Eliot Norton, Boston Herald-American
"Fantasy comes to life ....and it's a very different production, using techniques and devices you don't see on stage every day – Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
The same production later toured to the Trinity Square Repertory Company in Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
where it was again extremely well received by audiences and the critics.
In 1977, a stage adaptation of The Point! was presented at the Mermaid Theatre in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Featured in the cast were Davy Jones
Davy Jones (actor)
David Thomas "Davy" Jones is an English rock singer-songwriter and actor best known as a member of the Monkees.-Early life:...
and Micky Dolenz
Micky Dolenz
George Michael "Micky" Dolenz, Jr. is an American actor, musician, television director, radio personality and theater director, best known as a member of the 1960s made-for-television band The Monkees.-Biography:...
, both former members of the band The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
and long-time friends of Nilsson. In order to accommodate the expansion of The Point! to a full-length musical, other Nilsson songs from various points in his career were incorporated. An original cast album was released in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
by MCA
Music Corporation of America
MCA, Inc. was an American talent agency. Initially starting in the music business, they would next become a dominant force in the film business, and later expanded into the television business...
.
In 1991, Nilsson gave Esquire Jauchem permission to present his adaptation of The Point! in a Hollywood workshop. It was nominated as musical of the year and once again it received very good reviews:
"Imaginatively adapted...blends broad acting, balloon characters, Bunraku
Bunraku
, also known as Ningyō jōruri , is a form of traditional Japanese puppet theater, founded in Osaka in 1684.Three kinds of performers take part in a bunraku performance:* Ningyōtsukai or Ningyōzukai—puppeteers* Tayū—the chanters* Shamisen players...
style puppetry, fog effects, strobe lighting and choreography by former Martha Graham troupe member Janet Eilber" – Time
"A well rounded POINT....the multilayered odyssey, with its jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
riffs and dreamy musical segues, satiric references to censorship, lawyers and politics, succeeds as an allegory....Nilsson's fabulous, quirkly songs" – L.A. Times
London credits
Cast- Davy JonesDavy Jones (actor)David Thomas "Davy" Jones is an English rock singer-songwriter and actor best known as a member of the Monkees.-Early life:...
as Oblio - Micky DolenzMicky DolenzGeorge Michael "Micky" Dolenz, Jr. is an American actor, musician, television director, radio personality and theater director, best known as a member of the 1960s made-for-television band The Monkees.-Biography:...
as Count's Kid and The Leafman - Colin BennettColin Bennett (UK TV)Colin Bennett is a RADA trained actor, perhaps most famous for his role as Mr Bennett, the accident prone caretaker and straightman for Tony Hart in the BBC children's programmes Take Hart and Hartbeat...
as The Count - David Claridge as Arrow
- Veronica Clifford as Oblio's Mum, Balloon Lady
- Noel HowlettNoel HowlettNoel Howlett was an English actor, principally remembered as the incompetent headmaster, Morris Cromwell, in the ITV 1970s cult television programme Please Sir!...
as The King - Julia Lewis as Oblio's Girlfriend
- Clovissa Newcombe as Count's Lady, The Pointed Man
- Mark Penfold as The Pointed Man
- Felix Rice as The Rockman
- Chrissy Roberts as Balloon Lady
- Denny Ryder as The Pointed Man
- Roy Sampson as Oblio's Dad
- Gary Taylor as Balloon Man, New Bird
Backing vocals were provided by Anna Macleod, Richard Barnes, and Jean Gilbert.
Crew
- Directed by Colin BennettColin Bennett (UK TV)Colin Bennett is a RADA trained actor, perhaps most famous for his role as Mr Bennett, the accident prone caretaker and straightman for Tony Hart in the BBC children's programmes Take Hart and Hartbeat...
- Original adaptation by Ron PemberRon PemberRon Pember is a British actor, best known for his role as Alain Muny in the 1970s BBC drama series Secret Army.Pember played the part of the psychopathic taxman in the Red Dwarf episode "Better Than Life"...
and Bernard MilesBernard MilesBernard James Miles, Baron Miles, CBE was an English character actor, writer and director. He opened the Mermaid Theatre in London in 1959, the first new theatre opened in the City of London since the 17th century.... - Designed by Peter Whiteman
- Lighting by Peter SuttonPeter SuttonPeter Sutton FASSA is an Australian social anthropologist and linguist who has, over a period of almost 40 years , significantly contributed to: recording Australian Aboriginal languages; promoting Australian Aboriginal art; mapping Australian Aboriginal cultural landscapes; and increasing...
- Choreography by Gillian GregoryGillian GregoryGillian Gregory is an English dancer and choreographer for stage and film.Gregory is a patron of the theatre charity The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America.-External links:...
- Musical director Mike McNaught
Track listing, original cast recording
All titles were written by Harry Nilsson, except "Thursday" (Nilsson, Danny KortchmarDanny Kortchmar
Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar is a guitarist, session musician, and songwriter. Kortchmar's work with singer-songwriters such as David Crosby, Carole King, Graham Nash, Carly Simon and James Taylor helped define the signature sound of the singer-songwriter era of the 1970s...
).
- Overture – Orchestra
- "Everything's Got 'Em" – Company
- "Me and My Arrow" – Davy Jones
- "Poli High" – Company
- "Remember" – Veronica Clifford
- "To Be a King" – Noel Howlett and Company
- "He's Leaving Here This Morning (Bath)" – Micky Dolenz, Colin Bennett, Clovissa Newcombe
- "Think About Your Troubles" – Davy Jones and Company
- "Blanket For a Sail" – Davy Jones
- "Life Line" – Davy Jones'
- "Thursday (Here's Why I Did Not Go to Work Today)" – Felix Rice
- "It's a Jungle Out There" – Micky Dolenz
- "P.O.V. Waltz" – Davy Jones and Company
- "Are You Sleeping? (Song Title)" – Davy Jones and Company
- "Gotta Get Up" – Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz
- Reprise Overture – Orchestra