Volume 13 , Issue 34

Finians Rainbow (1947 Broadway Original)

Do you believe in Leprechauns and finding "pots of gold?" My other half found a bunch of old vinyl records at various weekend garage sales around southwest Colorado area. One of those collections is record booklet of 6 old 78rpms of a Columbia records set M-MM-686 for the Original recording of the1947 Broadway Musical of Finian's Rainbow.

Finian's Rainbow was produced by Lee Sabinson and William R. Katzell with the cast of Ella Logan, Donald Richards, David Wayne and three Lyn Murray Singers. I hooked my Stanton T90 turntable up to my laptop to rip one of the Finian's Rainbow tunes, How Are Things In Glocca Morral, from the vinyl record. Finian's Rainbow - How Are Things In Glocca Morral

Finian's Rainbow was adapted from the book by E. Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy. The lyrics by E. Y. Harburg and the music by Burton Lane. Vocal arrangements by Lyn Murray with orchestra under the direction of Ray Charles and Musical arrangements by Robert Russell Bennett and Don Walker. It was recorded under the direction of Mitchell Ayres, directed by Bretaigne Windust and choreography by Michael Kidd with settings by Jo Mielziner and costumes by Eleanor Goldsmith.

Finian's Rainbow was original 1947 Broadway production that ran for 725 performances. There were several adaptions such as the 1968 film version. There was also a Broadway revival that ran from October 8, 2009 until January 17, 2010.

Finain's Rainbow is a combination of whimsy, romance and political satire. The plot revolves around Finian McLonegan, who has emigrated from Ireland to the town of Rainbow Valley in the mythical state of Missitucky with his daughter Sharon, intent on burying a stolen pot of gold in the shadows of Fort Knox, in the belief it would grow and multiply.

Finian's daughter was followed by a leprechaun, played by David Wayne, who is intent on recovering his treasure, before the loss of it turns him permanently human. And as always, complicating matters there is a corrupt senator who makes no effort to conceal his racial bigotry and the wishes made by those unknowingly in the vicinity of the hidden crock, including Sharon, who gives the senator a taste of his own hateful medicine by accidentally turning him black (temporarily).

The original Broadway production opened on January 10, 1947 at the 64th Street Theatre, running for 725 performances with cast: Ella Logan as Sharon, Donald Richards as Woody, Albert Sharpe as Finian, the Lyn Murray Singers and David Wayne as the leprechaun.

David Wayne won both the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a musical (1st ever given) and the Theatre World Award for his performance as Og. The show received Tonys for Best Conductor and Musical Director (Milton Rosenstock) and Best Choreography. A London production opened at the Place Theatre on October 21, 1947, running for only 55 performances.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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