The original production of The Lieutenant, directed by William Martin and choreographed by Dennis Dennehy opened on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre on March 9, 1975, and closed on March 16, 1975, after nine performances and seven previews.[1] The cast featured Eddie Mekka and was produced by Joseph S. Kutrzeba and Spofford J. Beadle.
The Lieutenant was originally produced by Queens Playhouse, (Flushing Meadows, New York) in 1974 by Joseph S. Kutrzeba, who started the Playhouse.[2][3]Alan Eichler was the press representative.[4]
Producer and Holocaust survivor Joseph Kutrzeba said of the reason he decided to produce The Lieutenant was "The show meant a lot to me on human values. I think the theme is one of cardinal importance to our times: The concept of obedience versus exercising one's own conscience." The Philadelphia Inquirer September 3, 1974 [5]
In 1994 an adaptation of The Lieutenant was performed under the title "...One of the Good Guys" by Israeli actor Meir Vardi and David Bolander at the Sanford Meisner Theatre in New York City.[6]
A 2018 revival of the show is in pre-production.[7][8]
The show poses the question: Where does the guilt lie for the My Lai massacre of civilians in 1968 Vietnam? Does it reside solely in the person of The Lieutenant, who gave the order to "waste them"? Or perhaps in the larger military itself, where wars are planned, body counts are calculated, and inconvenient casualties are sometimes scrubbed from the record? Or just maybe the seeds for deeds like My Lai are latent in the very fabric of the human race, and once in a while the perfect storm of events allows for something terrible like this to happen?
The use of music follows the approach of Brecht, whereby the songs comment on themes and issues of the play.
In August 2016, Miles Kreuger, president of The Institute for the American Musical in Los Angeles, California, accepted the script, score, libretto, reviews and playbill of The Lieutenant into their archives.
Tom Tofel – G.I., Second Reporter, Soldier in "C" Company
MusiciansEdit
Mark Cianfrani on Lead Guitar
John Angelori on Rhythm Guitar
Alan Bowin on Organ
Joe DiCarlo on Drums
James Marino on Bass Guitar
Chuck Strand on Piano.
RecordingEdit
The cast album was recorded in 1975 but never officially released.[10]
SongsEdit
The Indictment – Lieutenant and Judge
Join the Army – Lieutenant, Recruiting Sergeant and Recruits
Look for the Men With Potential – Generals
Kill – OCS Sergeant
I Don't Want to Go Over to Vietnam – Lieutenant and "C" Company
Eulogy – Chaplain
At 0700 Tomorrow – Captain and "C" Company
Massacre – Captain, Lieutenant, "C" Company and Vietnamese
Something's Gone Wrong – Captain and Lieutenant
Twenty-Eight – Generals, Captain and Lieutenant
Let's Believe in the Captain – Generals
Final Report – First General
I Will Make Things Happen – G.I.
He Wants to Put the Army in Jail – Senator, 1st & 2nd Congressmen and Clergyman
There's No Other Solution – Generals
I'm Going Home – Lieutenant and "C" Company
We've Chosen You, Lieutenant – Generals
The Star of This War – Reporters and Lieutenant
On Trial for My Life – Lieutenant
The Conscience of a Nation – Prosecutor
Damned No Matter How He Turned – Defense Attorney
On Trial for My Life (Reprise) – Lieutenant
The Verdict – Judge and Jurors
Finale – New Recruit, Recruiting Sergeant and Company
Critical responseEdit
The musical was described by Clive Barnes in his New York Times review as "extremely well staged" a "rock opera", and "it works very well indeed".[11]
He also mentioned in The Morning News that the Lieutenant is "attractive and supportive" and there is "never a dull moment" [12]
Ernest Leogrande of the New York News Service felt that "they have two of the essentials for any musical show: telling lyrics and strong melodies".[13]
The Long Island Press said "If you never see another show, you must see this one" [14]
Broadway Musicals, 1943-2004, John Stewart, McFarland, 2006, ISBN1476603294The Lieutenant
Show Music on Record, Jack Raymond Digital ID loc.natlib.smor.19750309
Central Opera Service Bulletin, Volume 22, Number 2, page 69
[Hischack, Thomas S. The LieutenantBroadway Plays and Musicals Descriptions and Essential Facts of more than 14,000 Shows Through 2007, Thomas S. McFarland, 2009, ISBN0786453095, p. 256]
lieutenant, musical, lieutenant, rock, opera, with, book, music, lyrics, gene, curty, nitra, scharfman, chuck, strand, musical, concerns, court, martial, lieutenant, william, calley, during, vietnam, broadway, 1975, lieutenantmusicgene, curtynitra, scharfmanch. The Lieutenant is a rock opera with book music and lyrics by Gene Curty Nitra Scharfman and Chuck Strand The musical concerns the court martial of Lieutenant William Calley during the Vietnam War and ran on Broadway in 1975 The LieutenantMusicGene CurtyNitra ScharfmanChuck StrandLyricsGene CurtyNitra ScharfmanChuck StrandBookGene CurtyNitra ScharfmanChuck StrandProductions1975 Broadway Contents 1 Production 2 Overview 3 Original Broadway cast 4 Musicians 5 Recording 6 Songs 7 Critical response 8 Awards and nominations 8 1 Original Broadway production 9 References 10 External linksProduction EditThe original production of The Lieutenant directed by William Martin and choreographed by Dennis Dennehy opened on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre on March 9 1975 and closed on March 16 1975 after nine performances and seven previews 1 The cast featured Eddie Mekka and was produced by Joseph S Kutrzeba and Spofford J Beadle The Lieutenant was nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Musical Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical Tony Award for Best Original Score and Best Actor in a Musical The Lieutenant was originally produced by Queens Playhouse Flushing Meadows New York in 1974 by Joseph S Kutrzeba who started the Playhouse 2 3 Alan Eichler was the press representative 4 Producer and Holocaust survivor Joseph Kutrzeba said of the reason he decided to produce The Lieutenant was The show meant a lot to me on human values I think the theme is one of cardinal importance to our times The concept of obedience versus exercising one s own conscience The Philadelphia Inquirer September 3 1974 5 In 1994 an adaptation of The Lieutenant was performed under the title One of the Good Guys by Israeli actor Meir Vardi and David Bolander at the Sanford Meisner Theatre in New York City 6 A 2018 revival of the show is in pre production 7 8 Overview EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed September 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message This section is written like a personal reflection personal essay or argumentative essay that states a Wikipedia editor s personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic Please help improve it by rewriting it in an encyclopedic style July 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message The show poses the question Where does the guilt lie for the My Lai massacre of civilians in 1968 Vietnam Does it reside solely in the person of The Lieutenant who gave the order to waste them Or perhaps in the larger military itself where wars are planned body counts are calculated and inconvenient casualties are sometimes scrubbed from the record Or just maybe the seeds for deeds like My Lai are latent in the very fabric of the human race and once in a while the perfect storm of events allows for something terrible like this to happen The use of music follows the approach of Brecht whereby the songs comment on themes and issues of the play In August 2016 Miles Kreuger president of The Institute for the American Musical in Los Angeles California accepted the script score libretto reviews and playbill of The Lieutenant into their archives Original Broadway cast EditEddie Mekka starred as The Lieutenant 9 Steven Boockvor Soldier in C Company Gene Curty Judge OCS Sergeant Chet D Elia First General Gordon Grody Defense Attorney Walt Hunter Captain Clark James Soldier in C Company Dan Kruger Soldier in C Company James Jim Litten Sergeant Soldier C Company Clergyman and First Reporter Donald Rayson McGrath Chaplain and First Congressman Jim Patrick McMahon Soldier in C Company Eugene Moose Second General Joel Powers Recruiting Sergeant Senator Joseph Pugliese Soldier in C Company Burt Rodriguez Soldier in C Company Second Congressman Prosecutor Alan K Siegel New Recruit Jo Speros Sole female Third Reporter 9 Danny Taylor Third General Tom Tofel G I Second Reporter Soldier in C CompanyMusicians EditMark Cianfrani on Lead Guitar John Angelori on Rhythm Guitar Alan Bowin on Organ Joe DiCarlo on Drums James Marino on Bass Guitar Chuck Strand on Piano Recording EditThe cast album was recorded in 1975 but never officially released 10 Songs EditThe Indictment Lieutenant and Judge Join the Army Lieutenant Recruiting Sergeant and Recruits Look for the Men With Potential Generals Kill OCS Sergeant I Don t Want to Go Over to Vietnam Lieutenant and C Company Eulogy Chaplain At 0700 Tomorrow Captain and C Company Massacre Captain Lieutenant C Company and Vietnamese Something s Gone Wrong Captain and Lieutenant Twenty Eight Generals Captain and Lieutenant Let s Believe in the Captain Generals Final Report First General I Will Make Things Happen G I He Wants to Put the Army in Jail Senator 1st amp 2nd Congressmen and Clergyman There s No Other Solution Generals I m Going Home Lieutenant and C Company We ve Chosen You Lieutenant Generals The Star of This War Reporters and Lieutenant On Trial for My Life Lieutenant The Conscience of a Nation Prosecutor Damned No Matter How He Turned Defense Attorney On Trial for My Life Reprise Lieutenant The Verdict Judge and Jurors Finale New Recruit Recruiting Sergeant and CompanyCritical response EditThe musical was described by Clive Barnes in his New York Times review as extremely well staged a rock opera and it works very well indeed 11 He also mentioned in The Morning News that the Lieutenant is attractive and supportive and there is never a dull moment 12 Ernest Leogrande of the New York News Service felt that they have two of the essentials for any musical show telling lyrics and strong melodies 13 The Long Island Press said If you never see another show you must see this one 14 Awards and nominations EditOriginal Broadway production Edit Year Award Category Nominee Result1975 Tony Award Best Musical NominatedBest Book of a Musical Gene Curty Nitra Scharfman and Chuck Strand NominatedBest Original Score NominatedBest Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Eddie Mekka NominatedDrama Desk Award Outstanding Musical NominatedOutstanding Music and Lyrics Gene Curty Nitra Scharfman and Chuck Strand NominatedOutstanding Actor in a Musical Eddie Mekka NominatedOutstanding Director of a Musical William Martin NominatedOutstanding Choreography Dennis Dennehy NominatedReferences Edit The Lieutenant Broadway Playbill vault accessed September 29 2016 Tony Award Nominee From Queens The New York Times April 6 1975 Obituary Joseph S Kutrzeba legacy com from New York Times February 3 2013 accessed September 30 2016 The Lieutenant ibdb com 3 Sep 1974 Page 22 The Philadelphia Inquirer at Newspapers com 1974 09 03 Retrieved 2022 06 05 Off Off Broadway Listing New York Magazine January 3 1994 p 80 The Lieutenant TheNewLieutenant com retrieved February 9 2017 Tustin woman aims to revive Vietnam War era Broadway musical in honor of her late dad the lead guitarist OC Register June 14 2017 a b Dietz Dan 2015 09 03 The Complete Book of 1970s Broadway Musicals Rowman amp Littlefield ISBN 9781442251663 Cast Recording castalbums org Barnes Clive Lieutenant Musical With Something Worth Singing The New York Times March 10 1975 The Morning News Wilmington Delaware Tuesday March 11 1975 Page 2 Philadelphia Inquirer September 3 1974 page 22 Barnard Bulletin March 3 1975External links EditInternet Broadway Database Mental Floss Musicals Featuring US Military Musicals 101 com New York Magazine March 10 1975 Listing Broadway Musicals 1943 2004 John Stewart McFarland 2006 ISBN 1476603294The Lieutenant Show Music on Record Jack Raymond Digital ID loc natlib smor 19750309 Central Opera Service Bulletin Volume 22 Number 2 page 69 Hischack Thomas S The Lieutenant Broadway Plays and Musicals Descriptions and Essential Facts of more than 14 000 Shows Through 2007 Thomas S McFarland 2009 ISBN 0786453095 p 256 https www newspapers com image 38333151 29th Annual Tony Awards 1975 https www youtube com watch v WkrcCpJZxng Library of Congress https www loc gov item smor 19750309 Shirley I Jest by Cindy Williams page 98 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Lieutenant musical amp oldid 1153446043, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
