Bob Fitch on why Mack & Mabel didn't work

[@xak999]

It sure worked when done in concert by the All Roads Theatre Co. staged Feb 16-18, 2024 at the El Portal in Los Angeles. My good God, what a spectacular production they were able to provide. Cast of 40, orchestra with 18 pieces, original orchestrarions and tons of scenery and choreography. Directed by Scott Thompson. Top tier.

[@andrewtarekrussell]

This is fascinating. I remember once giving Bob a recording of a London concert of Mack & Mabel which brought him to tears. But I never heard the whole story about the show from him...what I would give to have seen that production!

[@richardwoods9917]

All those Tony nominations, Preston and Peters, the beautiful score..... legendary. I'm grateful that they recorded the sound track.

[@richardmayora1289]

The score wasn't nominated as a real dig to Herman. People hated that Look What Happened to Mabel number because he was copying himself. There was too much of an age difference. But the songs are great.

[@stephaniekeyes2928]

Ridiculous- a great song!!!

[@scswp6945]

@@richardmayora1289 Interesting to read that. I can see that the song ‘Mame’ is a copy of ‘Hello Dolly’ - the former being a very obvious (almost unashamed) imitation of the latter. What is ‘Look What Happened to Mabel’ a ‘copy’ of?

[@michaelgarland1416]

More volume please.

[@sweeney60]

@DRG82100 my high school did it my freshman year. But we used the revised script from the london cast, in that version, mabel and mack reconcile and finally agree to make a movie shes wanted to make for a long time. In real life, that film was her last hit before her life went to peices. I like ending it there instead. This musical will always be my favorite.

[@lvazzana]

Is a recording of Mack and Mabel w Preston and Peters out there somewhere?

[@mmbr01rrf]

Sara Vazzana OMG yes, available on CD. Completely awesome !

[@michaelgarland1416]

My settings are fine, thank you. The track is very poor.

[@MrCrowebobby]

Hey, Don, don't know whether you'll happen across this at some point, but we started out in Stanley's classes together in 1953. I stopped backstage to see you when you were in "A Chorus Line," but only realized after I left that you had no idea who I was. (I'd become very handsome in my years in Paris.) Don't know if the name will ring a bell either. It's Bob Crowe; I became one of the assistant teachers. We really did take a lot of classes together and knew each other very well within the class setting. Hope everything is still going great for you. Not stalking, just remembering.

[@lpfawn]

if i could take just one of jerry hermans original cast cds to a desert island then it would easily be mack and mabel with robert preston and bernadette peters there is not one dud number in the whole score !

[@showtunestarpower]

Yeah. I was wondering if Robert Preston was the actor who would not leave center stage. I sure don't think he was the reason the show did not work. I saw it. I think the problem is that the story is destined to be sad and the songs and staging concept was joyful and inventive. The story was fighting with the production. I saw the original production and I DID feel it was a love story - just the wrong kind for this kind of musical. But what a score!

[@roberthanlen6036]

So right. I was cast in this show a million years ago and at the end of the first reading the director said to us, "There! Isn't it a wonderful script?!". I was too young at the time to contradict him but I thought, "No. The story is messy, clunky and simply doesn't work." Jerry Herman's best score but, oi! that script!

[@frankiebowie6174]

It’s not that complicated. Can you imagine anyone going to see Dolly or Mame 20 times (people did) if either one of them dies at the end?

[@old.not.too.grumpy.]

I saw the original show in it first British production in Nottingham, which I think is where Trovill and Dean saw it and used the overture to win gold in the world championship. The show had great music but was so difficult to follow and the ending was too unreal. The main problem was the song I promise you a happy ended

[@lucyfoster4082]

I am glad that Torvill and Dean made a happy ending of I Won’t Send Roses.

[@hanschristianbrando5588]

The greatest production and best songs in the world (which in this case are catchy but don't tell us very much; we don't need five songs about Mack only wants to make funny movies) won't help a musical if the story is unengaging if not downright unpleasant. It's also easy to see Robert Preston and Bernadette Peters coming across like grandfather and granddaughter, which may have made audiences uncomfortable.

[@retrothingz]

Can't hear a word any of them are saying.....

[@bigred8432]

You might need to look at your settings. It’s Crystal clear to me

[@stephaniekeyes2928]

😔😔😔😔😔