As part of the continuing celebration of
its 50th anniversary, Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts
opens its "Broadway Series" on Sunday, Jan. 30, with
"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers."
"Seven Brides," which was first a 1954 MGM movie musical,
has been called a magical blend of the right story, a great score
and astonishing choreography (by Michael Kidd). It starred Jane
Powell, Howard Keel, Jeff Richards and Russ Tamblyn (whose dancing
was further acclaimed when he played Riff in Leonard Bernstein
and Jerome Robbins’ "West Side Story"). The musical
received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best
Screenplay, and won for Best Score.
In 1982, Al Kasha and David Landay adapted the musical for stage
and added several new songs by Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn ("Glad
That You Were Born," "Bless Your Beautiful Hide,"
"Goin’ Courting" and "Wonderful, Wonderful Day")
to the original score by Gene dePaul and Johnny Mercer. Perhaps
due in some part to the great renown of the movie, the Broadway
show was not very successful. It closed just three days later.
"It’s a very famous movie. It’s a lot to live up to,"
Paula Sloan, who directs and choreographs the musical for the
Windwood Theatricals production company, told GO Brooklyn. She
believes the musical’s show-stopping dances and comic twists
make it entertaining both on screen and on stage. And, of course,
the plot is very appealing.
"It’s a very charming story," said Sloan. "It
has a simple plot: The oldest brother of seven goes out to find
a wife [Milly], brings her back and doesn’t tell her about the
others. In the end, she teaches them manners and they all end
up finding girls."
As in "The Sobbin’ Women," the Stephen Vincent Benet
story upon which the movie was based, the brothers find their
women by kidnapping some ladies from a neighboring town. As it
turns out, the ladies are stranded at the ranch when an avalanche
prevents the townspeople from rescuing them.
Filled with fun and romance, "Seven Brides" is set
in Oregon during the 1850s and Sloan says her company will present
it in full period costumes with a portable set consisting mainly
of the brothers’ ranch but also the barn and the "big open
space." The cast includes more than two-dozen performers.
Sloan says audiences should be prepared for some mighty fine
dancing, particularly in her favorite numbers, "Goin’ Courting"
and the "Barn Dance," which she says has "a lot
of acrobatics, jumps and flying."
And she predicts a good time will be had by all.
"[Seven Brides for Seven Brothers] is fun to put up,"
she said. "Everyone enjoys doing it. It’s fun to watch.
It’s one of those shows you can see over and over again."
Windwood Theatricals’ production of
"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" will be presented
on Jan. 30, at 2 pm, at the Walt Whitman Theatre on the Brooklyn
College campus (one block from the junction of Flatbush and Nostrand
avenues). Tickets are $40. For more information, call (718) 951-4500.
