Fanny (musical)

{{Infobox musical |name= Fanny |subtitle= |image= Fanny musical cover art.jpg |caption= Original cast recording |music= [[Harold Rome]] |lyrics= Harold Rome |book= [[S. N. Behrman]]<br>[[Joshua Logan]] |basis= ''[[Marius (play)|Marius]]'', ''[[Fanny (play)|Fanny]]'', and ''César'' by [[Marcel Pagnol]] |productions= 1954 [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]<br>1956 [[West End theatre|West End]]  |awards= }} '''''Fanny''''' is a [[musical theatre|musical]] with a book by [[S. N. Behrman]] and [[Joshua Logan]] and music and lyrics by [[Harold Rome]]. A tale of love, secrets, and passion set in and around the old French port of [[Marseille]], it is based on [[Marcel Pagnol]]'s trilogy of works titled ''[[Marius (play)|Marius]]'' (1929), ''[[Fanny (play)|Fanny]]'' (1931), and ''[[César (film)|César]]'' (1936).

The musical premiered on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] in 1954 and ran for 888 performances, and later was staged in the [[West End theatre|West End]].

==Plot== Fanny is a young woman whose childhood love, Marius, leaves her to go to sea as a sailor for five years. His father Cesar, a tavern owner, disowns him. After his departure, Fanny discovers she is [[pregnant]]. Under pressure from her mother, she marries Panisse, a wealthy older widower, whose delight at having an heir prompts him to keep the newborn boy's [[illegitimacy]] a secret. Marius returns on his son Cesario's first birthday to claim both him and Fanny, but he is turned away by Cesar, who is Panisse's best friend. As the years pass Cesario, now 13, longs to go to sea like his father, and runs away to join him. This is too much for the now ill and aged Panisse. Marius brings Cesario back to fulfill Panisse's dying wish for Marius and Fanny to be together.

The role of Acolyte was originated by then-child actor [[Gary Wright]] who went on to become a successful musician and is best known for his highly popular 1976 hit single "[[Dream Weaver]]". While still in the show, Wright replaced Lloyd Reese in the role of Cesario.

==Productions== {{multiple image  | align = right | direction = vertical | width = 180  | image1 = Florence Henderson William Tabbert Fanny.jpg | alt1 = | caption1 = [[Florence Henderson]] and [[William Tabbert]] in the original Broadway production of ''Fanny''  | image2 =Ezio Pinza Walter Slezak Fanny 1955.jpg | alt2 = | caption2 = [[Ezio Pinza]] and [[Walter Slezak]] in the original Broadway production of ''Fanny'' }} The [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] production opened at the [[Majestic Theatre (Broadway)|Majestic Theatre]] on November 4, 1954, transferred to the [[Belasco Theatre (Broadway)|Belasco Theatre]] on December 4, 1956 and closed on December 16, 1956 after a total run of 888 performances. Directed by Logan and choreographed by [[Helen Tamiris]], the original cast included [[Florence Henderson]] as Fanny, [[Ezio Pinza]] as Cesar, [[William Tabbert]] as Marius, and [[Walter Slezak]] as Panisse. Scenic and lighting design were by [[Jo Mielziner]]. Slezak won the [[Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical]].

The [[West End theatre|West End]] production opened at the [[Theatre Royal, Drury Lane|Drury Lane Theatre]] in 1956. The cast included [[Robert Morley]], Kevin Scott, [[Ian Wallace (singer)|Ian Wallace]] and [[Janet Pavek]]. <ref>[[Stanley Green (historian)|Green, Stanley]]. ''Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre'' (1980), Da Capo Press, {{ISBN|0-306-80113-2}}, p. 118</ref> The 1956 London production is one of the earliest filmed stage performances for the then-new ITV network of the UK; and was broadcast as promotion for the live production.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5123538/?ref_=nm_flmg_c_10_msc&fbclid=IwAR0ah4qbgAEO6twP8Y_esO6P2Yn6ZnSqE1PjiRb6UNdUHUO-6A97XAG8cYk | title=Fanny | website=[[IMDb]] }}</ref>

The [[Goodspeed Opera House]] in [[East Haddam, Connecticut]] produced the musical in 1986 with [[Chester Ludgin]] as Cesar, [[David Hurst]] as Panisse, and Karen Culliver as Fanny.<ref>Gussow, Mel.[https://www.nytimes.com/1986/07/23/theater/theatre-fanny-at-the-goodspeed.html "Theatre:'Fanny' At The Goodspeed"]''The New York Times'', July 23, 1986</ref>

The [[Paper Mill Playhouse]] in Milburn, New Jersey produced ''Fanny'' in 1990. Directed by Robert Johanson, the cast featured [[George S. Irving]] as Panisse, [[José Ferrer]] as Cesar, and Teri Bibb as Fanny.<ref>Holden, Stephen.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFD6173AF930A25757C0A966958260 "Review/Theater;50's 'Fanny' Is Revived With All Due Sentiment"],''The New York Times'', April 13, 1990</ref>

42nd Street Moon[http://www.42ndstmoon.org] in San Francisco, California presented a concert version of "Fanny" in September 1997, as the fourth show in its Lost Musical Series 1997 "Composer-Lyricist Festival," celebrating five great Broadway composers who also wrote their own lyrics. The cast featured Caroline Altman as Fanny, Kelly Houston as Cesar, Pierce Peter Brandt as Marius, [[Darren Criss]] as Fanny's son (in his first professional acting role), Cesario and Lucinda Hitchcock-Cone as Honorine, Fanny's mother.

The LOST MUSICALS™ project presented ''Fanny'' at the Victoria and Albert's Theatre Museum in 1990 with Jonathan Adams and James Corden and in the Lilian Baylis Theatre, [[Sadler's Wells]], London in 2005.<ref>Koenig, Rhoda.[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/phantoms-of-the-musical-485234.html "Phantoms of the musical"],''The Independent'' (London), 1 March 2005</ref>

[[Encores!]] presented a staged concert at [[New York City Center|City Center]] from February 4, 2010 to February 7. The director was Mark Bruni, choreography by [[Lorin Latarro]], with a cast that featured Elena Shaddow (Fanny), [[Fred Applegate (actor)|Fred Applegate]] (Panisse), [[George Hearn]] (Cesar), David Patrick Kelly (The Admiral), [[Priscilla Lopez]] (Honorine), [[Michael McCormick (actor)|Michael McCormick]] (Escartifique), [[James Snyder (actor)|James Snyder]] (Marius) and Ted Sutherland (Cesario).<ref>Gans, Andrew.[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/135891-Shaddow-Hearn-Reed-Applegate-Cast-in-Encores-Fanny "Shaddow, Hearn, Reed, Applegate Cast in Encores! Fanny"] playbill.com, January 12, 2010</ref> The production received mixed reviews.<ref>Fick, David.[http://musicalcyberspace.wordpress.com/2010/02/06/reviews-for-fanny-at-encores/ "Reviews for FANNY at Encores!"] Musical Cyberspace, February 6, 2010</ref>

==Musical numbers== The musical numbers from the 1954 Pre-Broadway production are as follows: {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} ; Act I * "Restless Heart" – Marius **"Duet" - Marius and Fanny * "Welcome Home" – Cesar * "Why Be Afraid to Dance?" – Fanny and Ensemble * "Octopus Song" – The Admiral * "Never Too Late for Love" – Panisse and Ensemble * "Cold Cream Jar Song" – Panisse * "I Like You" – Marius and Cesar * "Shika" – Arab Dancing Girl, Rug Seller and Ensemble * "I Have to Tell You" – Fanny * "Fanny" – Marius **"Duet" - Marius and Fanny * "Montage" - Cesar and Ensemble **"Fanny" **"Restless Heart" **"I Like You" * "Oysters, Cockles and Mussels" – Ensemble * "Panisse and Son" – Panisse **"Act One Finale" - Ensemble {{col-2}} ; Act II * "Birthday Song" – Fanny, Honorine and Ensemble * "To My Wife" – Panisse * "Welcome Home" (Reprise) – Marius * "The Thought of You" – Marius * "Love is a Very Light Thing" – Cesar * "Other Hands, Other Hearts" – Fanny and Marius * "Montage" - Ensemble * "Be Kind to Your Parents" – Fanny and Cesario * "Divertissement" **"Slave Dance" - Nejla Ates and Ensemble **"Rope Dance" - Dean Crane, Nejla Ates and Ensemble * "Restless Heart (Reprise)" - Ensemble **Finale - Ensemble {{col-end}}

The musical numbers from the 1954 Broadway production are as follows:

{{col-begin}} {{col-2}} ; Act I * "Octopus Song" – The Admiral * "Restless Heart" – Marius and Male Ensemble * "Never Too Late for Love" – Panisse and Ensemble * "Cold Cream Jar Song" – Panisse * "Does He Know?" - Fanny and Marius * "Why Be Afraid to Dance?" – Cesar, Marius, Fanny and Ensemble **Danced by Cesar, Marius, Fanny and Ensemble * "Never Too Late for Love" (Reprise) – Cesar, Panisse and Honorine * "Shika, Shika" – Arab Dancing Girl, Rug Seller and Ensemble * "Welcome Home" – Cesar * "I Like You" – Marius and Cesar * "I Have to Tell You" – Fanny * "Fanny" – Marius * "The Sailing" – Fanny, Marius, Cesar and Ensemble * "Oysters, Cockles and Mussels" – Ensemble * "Panisse and Son" – Panisse * "Wedding Dance" – Danced by Charles Blackwell and Ensemble * "Act One Finale" - Ensemble {{col-2}} ; Act II * "Birthday Song" – Fanny, Honorine and Ensemble * "To My Wife" – Panisse * "The Thought of You" – Marius and Fanny * "Love is a Very Light Thing" – Cesar * "Other Hands, Other Hearts" – Fanny, Cesar and Marius * "Fanny" (Reprise) – Fanny, Cesar and Marius * "Montage" - Ensemble * "Be Kind to Your Parents" – Fanny and Cesario * "Cesario's Party (Cirque Francais)" **Acrobats - Charles Blackwell, Michael de Marco, Ray Dorian, Bill Pope, Toni Wheelis **Pony and Trainer - Wally Strauss, Steve Wiland **Trained Seals - Dran and Tani Seitz **Living Statues - Betty Carr, Ronal Cecill, Norma Doggett, Michael Scrittorale, Ellen Matthews, Dolores Smith **Clowns - Herb Banke, Mike Mason, Henry Michel, Jack Washburn **Finale - Aerialist, Dean Crane and Ensemble * "Welcome Home" (Reprise) – Cesar and Panisse {{col-end}}

The original Broadway cast album was released on compact disc by RCA Victor (9026-68074-2).<ref>Harris, Kenn.[http://www.musicalheaven.com/Detailed/156.html "Review: Fanny: A New Musical (1954 Original Broadway Cast)"], musicalheaven.com</ref> It includes some of the last recordings by former Metropolitan Opera basso [[Ezio Pinza]].

==Critical reception== [[Brooks Atkinson]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' called the story "genuine and rueful," the music "melodic," and the casting "engaging," resulting "in a thoroughly absorbing theatre experience."<ref>Atkinson, Brooks. "The Theatre:'Fanny' Has Debut at Majestic", ''The New York Times'', November 5, 1954, p. 16</ref>

==Film adaptation== Joshua Logan directed a 1961 [[Fanny (1961 film)|dramatic film adaptation]] based on both Pagnol's original plays and the book he and S. N. Behrman had written for the stage musical. Although the songs were eliminated, Harold Rome's music was heard in the [[soundtrack]] [[Incidental music#Underscore|underscore]]. The film starred [[Leslie Caron]], [[Maurice Chevalier]], [[Charles Boyer]], and [[Horst Buchholz]].

== See also ==

* [[Illegitimacy in fiction#Musicals|Illegitimacy in fiction]] * [[Nejla Ateş]] and [[Mohammed El-Bakkar]], belly dancer and [[oud]] musician appearing in the original Broadway production

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{ibdb title|id=2475|title=Fanny}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080516155113/http://en.marcel-pagnol.com/ Marcel Pagnol official website] * [http://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/shows_f/fanny.htm guidetomusicaltheatre listing] *[http://www.playbill.com/features/article/120247-THE_DVD_SHELF_Joshua_Logan's_Fanny_Granada's_Brideshead_Chekhov_Blues_in_the_Night DVD Shelf, Playbill, Aug. 11, 2008]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fanny}} [[Category:1954 musicals]] [[Category:Broadway musicals]] [[Category:Musicals based on plays]] [[Category:Musicals based on films]] [[Category:Tony Award–winning musicals]] [[Category:Musicals set in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur]] [[Category:Works based on Marius (play)]] [[Category:Works based on Fanny (play)]]