Based on John Steinbeck's novelEast of Eden, the allegorical tale centers on the Trasks and the Hamiltons, two families drawn to the rich farmlands of Salinas, California, in the early 20th century. While Steinbeck traced the two clans through three generations, the musical limits the action to the period between 1915 and 1917 and focuses primarily on the Cain and Abel aspects of the work.
Productionedit
McNally asked that his name be removed from the credits prior to opening night.[1] The official opening on Broadway was postponed from February 20, 1968, to March 2, 1968, to allow time for rewrites to the book.[2]
The play was picketed by the newly formed Oriental Actors of America, a group of Asian American stage actors, as a protest against the practice of casting white actors in yellowface makeup to portray East Asian characters (usually Chinese or Japanese). The role of "Lee", the Trask family's Chinese cook, had been assigned to white actor (and future Academy Award nominee) James Coco. Variety would mention the picketing in its review of the failed musical and note, "On the basis of the show, they had a point."[4]
In his The New York Times review, Clive Barnes questioned whether the book (East of Eden) could be a viable musical as it was "too serious", but praised the sets by Ming Cho Lee and wrote that Paul Rogers had a "strong singing voice" and was dignified.[3]
The circumstances of play's production were covered in the William Goldman book The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway.[5] Goldman wrote the musical "needed the notices. They didn't get them. Some of the pans were cruel. I don't know why. The show wanted to move you, it never insulted, and it had several musical moments — "Good Boy," "Waking Up the Sun" — that were as fine as anything heard on Broadway all season."[6] The production only lasted one night and lost $604,000 which Goldman called "the most expensive one night stand in Broadway history."[7]
Song listedit
Act I
We Are What We Are
Cal Gets By
Raising Cain
Soft Is the Sparrow
Where Have I Been
No Time
Progress
Good Boy
Ballet
Act Like a Lady
The Send-Off
Top of the Train
Waking Up Sun
Act II
Pulverize the Kaiser
Where Have I Been (Reprise)
Good Boy (Reprise)
You're Momma's
Here's Where I Belong
We're a Home
Recordingsedit
"We're A Home" was recorded by The Ray Conniff Singers in 1967 and released as a single (Columbia 4-44422). The recording was reissued in stereo on a Ray Conniff compilation CD "The Singles Collection, Vol. 1" (Collectables 7697) in 2005.
"Here is Where I Belong" was recorded by Al Caiola and released as a single in 1968 (United Artists 50252). It was also recorded by Ferrante & Teicher and released as a single in 1968 (United Artists 50259). Both were instrumental versions.[8]
Notesedit
^Alex Gordon was a nom de plume of the novelist Gordon Cotler.[1]
^"45 Discography for United Artists Records 50000 series". Global Dog Productions. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
External linksedit
Internet Broadway Database
October 29, 2023
here, where, belong, musical, with, book, alex, gordon, terrence, mcnally, lyrics, alfred, uhry, music, robert, waldman, musical, closed, after, performance, broadway, musicrobert, waldmanlyricsalfred, uhrybookalex, gordon, terrence, mcnallybasisjohn, steinbec. Here s Where I Belong is a musical with a book by Alex Gordon a and Terrence McNally lyrics by Alfred Uhry and music by Robert Waldman The musical closed after one performance on Broadway Here s Where I BelongMusicRobert WaldmanLyricsAlfred UhryBookAlex Gordon Terrence McNallyBasisJohn Steinbeck s novelEast of EdenProductions1968 Broadway Contents 1 Background 2 Production 3 Song list 4 Recordings 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksBackground editBased on John Steinbeck s novel East of Eden the allegorical tale centers on the Trasks and the Hamiltons two families drawn to the rich farmlands of Salinas California in the early 20th century While Steinbeck traced the two clans through three generations the musical limits the action to the period between 1915 and 1917 and focuses primarily on the Cain and Abel aspects of the work Production editMcNally asked that his name be removed from the credits prior to opening night 1 The official opening on Broadway was postponed from February 20 1968 to March 2 1968 to allow time for rewrites to the book 2 The musical premiered on Broadway at the Billy Rose Theatre on March 3 1968 and closed after one performance and twenty previews 1 Directed by Michael Kahn and choreographed by Tony Mordente the cast included Paul Rogers as Adam Trask Walter McGinn as Caleb Trask Ken Kercheval as Aron Trask James Coco as Lee Graciela Daniele as Faith and Heather MacRae as Abra Bacon The scenery was by Ming Cho Lee costumes by Ruth Morley and lighting by Jules Fisher 3 The play was picketed by the newly formed Oriental Actors of America a group of Asian American stage actors as a protest against the practice of casting white actors in yellowface makeup to portray East Asian characters usually Chinese or Japanese The role of Lee the Trask family s Chinese cook had been assigned to white actor and future Academy Award nominee James Coco Variety would mention the picketing in its review of the failed musical and note On the basis of the show they had a point 4 In his The New York Times review Clive Barnes questioned whether the book East of Eden could be a viable musical as it was too serious but praised the sets by Ming Cho Lee and wrote that Paul Rogers had a strong singing voice and was dignified 3 The circumstances of play s production were covered in the William Goldman book The Season A Candid Look at Broadway 5 Goldman wrote the musical needed the notices They didn t get them Some of the pans were cruel I don t know why The show wanted to move you it never insulted and it had several musical moments Good Boy Waking Up the Sun that were as fine as anything heard on Broadway all season 6 The production only lasted one night and lost 604 000 which Goldman called the most expensive one night stand in Broadway history 7 Song list editAct IWe Are What We Are Cal Gets By Raising Cain Soft Is the Sparrow Where Have I Been No Time Progress Good Boy Ballet Act Like a Lady The Send Off Top of the Train Waking Up Sun Act IIPulverize the Kaiser Where Have I Been Reprise Good Boy Reprise You re Momma s Here s Where I Belong We re a HomeRecordings edit We re A Home was recorded by The Ray Conniff Singers in 1967 and released as a single Columbia 4 44422 The recording was reissued in stereo on a Ray Conniff compilation CD The Singles Collection Vol 1 Collectables 7697 in 2005 Here is Where I Belong was recorded by Al Caiola and released as a single in 1968 United Artists 50252 It was also recorded by Ferrante amp Teicher and released as a single in 1968 United Artists 50259 Both were instrumental versions 8 Notes edit Alex Gordon was a nom de plume of the novelist Gordon Cotler 1 References edit a b c Mandelbaum Ken August 15 1992 Here s Where I Belong pp 160 161 ISBN 978 1 4668 4327 1 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help Librettist Disowns Work on Musical The New York Times February 9 1968 p 52 a b Barnes Clive March 4 1968 The Theater Here s Where I Belong The New York Times p 32 Lee Esther Kim October 12 2006 A History of Asian American Theatre Cambridge University Press p 29 ISBN 978 0 5218 5051 3 Goldman William 1984 The Season A Candid Look at Broadway Hal Leonard ISBN 978 0 8791 0023 0 Goldman p 332 Goldman p 333 45 Discography for United Artists Records 50000 series Global Dog Productions Retrieved 13 November 2018 External links editInternet Broadway Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Here 27s Where I Belong amp oldid 1179931352, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
