How Carousel's "Bench Scene" revolutionized musical theatre

[@Arkelk2010]

I hate to disagree with experts, but I do not view Billy's singing if I loved you as a reprise. I view it as the second part of a duet. Two people coming to the same emotions sequentially.

[@zacharymendenhall]

I mean functionally it’s a reprise of the material but yes, it works less like a formal reprise where the material is restated later in the show and is more like the second ‘verse’ or reuse of the material in the same duet.

[@Arkelk2010]

@@zacharymendenhall But there is the formal reprise nearly at the end of the show when Billy sings to Julie. (When it's not if he loved her, but how he loved her.)

[@patmanchester8045]

I find all the modern Rodgers and Hammerstein each deal with a major social issue. Oklahoma, sexual assault, Carousel, domestic abuse, South Pacific interracial love, and adultery that is Ok with every one) They are not just pretty songs and dances...they are about something. that is why they stand up to time...well, the music as well.

[@msumague]

They don’t make musicals like these anymore!! 😢. Many of the ones out today are not as well thought out, ones that are simply cover songs strung together. I love R&H Musicals so much!!❤

[@fe-li]

Nathan Gunn, such a beautiful baritone voice! And his wife in real life is named Julie Jordan ❤😊

[@henriettawolf833]

I always loved Carousel, but never experienced this 'Bench Scene' the way I am now. It makes me cry. Outstanding in every way!

[@33uptempo]

What an incredibly immense privilege to inhabit the same planet as these great composers with such a great legacy from such a great musical period of American music.

[@iwasglad122]

The final three bars of the entire sequence are the greatest three bars ever written by Richard Rodgers. First bar: straight Db chords from Brass and Woodwind with strong Db pedal in the lower strings with the violins beginning a rising Db scale. Second bar: same rhythm and pedal note of Db, but above, the chords are of D major with the vlns rising further up, this time in D major. Third bar and climax of sequence: Everything resolves back in Db major on a tutti chord that can take the theatre roof off!!! I conducted a production many years ago and this was the best part of the show for me! I had minimal forces in the pit, but by God, we made up for it! I would hold that final chord until the brass and wind were blue in the face and sparks were flying off the bows of the strings! IMHO, Rodgers' greatest and certainly most romantic and operatic score.

[@AllenJones-w3p]

Kelli O'Hara and Nathan Gunn are terrific! They deliver passionate, full-throated performances of one of the greatest love duets in the history of musical theatre.

[@howardmarren3199]

This is magnificent scene. I do agree with a poster below who said Billy's "If I Loved You" is not a reprise. It isn't. It's part of the fabric of the scene.

[@davidcattin7006]

OK, sittin' here crying. I don't think I understood the song til just now. These two are stunning vocalists!

[@Nacho-Mamma]

Nathan Gunn was the best Billy Bigelow I've ever seen. And, I've seen & performed in several different productions.

[@tlw1950]

My favorite Billy. And he’s sexy as hell!

[@margueriterezoagli240]

I would recommend watching the video of John Raitt and Jan Clayton, who originated the roles of Billy and Julie. There is an introduction by Mary Martin. Jan Clayton is amazing.

[@Makeji]

That video has become my go to favorite. Their rendition is quite the best I have ever seen. Jan Clayton WAS Julie - her love for Billy there in her eyes. She's hypnotic. Kelli has a lovely voice, but she plays Julie a little too sure of herself - too modern, if you will JMO. Also, find his voice a little heavy, but that's subjective. Gordon MacRae is the best vocall - again JMO. In any event, this rendition doesn't pull me in the same way as the Raitt/Clayton one does. Just an aside, regarding MacRae - we were so blessed Frank Sinatra pulled out of the film.

[@terieber]

I use this song when I teach Intro to Theatre, when we're talking about musicals. It's the perfect story song.

[@operaben]

Who put this water on my face? Oh wait. It was Rodgers & Hammerstein. And Nathan and Kelli helped...

[@shellster]

Okay, I'm sold. There is so much there I never saw before! Wow!

[@davidreidenberg9941]

This of course is not the first time Hammerstein used this convention. “Make Believe “ from Show Boat and “People Will Say We’re in Love” from Oklahoma. He clearly was a shy flaming romantic at heart.

[@operaguy1]

Sondheim's (acknowledged) debt to Oscar Hammerstein is highly evident in this scene.

[@lazmush3846]

I want to see some analyses about Sondheim's Passion. I make a wish about you doing it…

[@allenjones3130]

Who played Julie and Billy in this performance?

[@Makeji]

This version pales in comparison to the original - at least the 1954 version with Jan Clayton and John Raitt. Not thrilled with the interpretations of these actors. The film is better, but cuts out most of Julie's chatter.

[@SapphireSkiesYT]

Beautifully done! What a great video :)

[@RaulAPinto]

I dare to say that I see some resemblances with the "Barcelona" number in Company. A couple getting to know each other in a sort-of-awkward conversation. Anybody agree?

[@davidpelletier6915]

She’s no Shirley Jones. Watched that movie last night for at least the 10th time. Johnny Carson had her on to do a 3 song medley had his whole audience & Johnny in tears. Can’t find it on KZbin for some reason. America needs this now!😎

[@ManuProduktions]

Greatly written scene and music! I have to get into the whole musical.

[@odilejones9129]

Can you please do the twin soliquies from South Pacific or how/why Dites Moi is effective in being opening and closing number?

[@erpollock]

I consider Carousel the deepest and most meaningful of the R&H musicals, and I know them all since childhood with the exception of a few flops. I even wish I could hear the music of Me & Juliet and the other failure. Allegro didn't take off, but it was misstructured, with the second act too long. But many individual songs that stand on their own. Like So Far and One Foot, Other Foot, and many more.

[@oliverbrownlow5615]

Even the least successful Rodgers & Hammerstein shows *(Allegro, Me & Juliet,* and *Pipe Dream)* were preserved on Original Broadway Cast Recordings, which are still obtainable today. All are worth a listen.

[@mttaylor129]

I think this is the best rendition of this scene.

[@gailwilliams2678]

I wish the 1954 performance by Jan Clayton and John Raitt was included here. They were the originals, and Clayton is incredibly expressive. Thanks for giving us this look at the gifts of R & H.

[@Makeji]

I just discovered that video a few weeks ago and it really is superior to this one. Jan Clayton is simply perfect.

[@amaice]

bouta watch carousel then

[@dianaaljadeff2983]

Listen who should have played Marion Paroo in the The Music Man revival Kelli O Hara

[@margueriterezoagli240]

Se was in the revival with Eric McCormack a few years ago on Broadway.

[@tlw1950]

That Foster woman was dreadful. But so was the woke “updating”.

[@Susan-pq5rx]

Rodgers and Hammerstein = Genius

[@wyheadintx]

Terrific performances! I saw Nathan Gunn as Sweeney Todd with Houston Grand Opera. Also saw HGO’s West Side Story. It’s a revelation to hear opera singers do musical theater: wonderful! (HGO’s Carousel had Met Opera’s star mezzo Stephanie Blythe singing You’ll Never Walk Alone.)

[@larasemerad2605]

My mom loves this movie-her top favorite. we have the movie.

[@DavidArmstrongAtBroadwayNation]

Thanks for attributing the clips from Broadway Nation so prominently!

[@kpire6066]

Thanks for this. I was following the quote from Sondheim and wanted to see what he meant. Nice job. ❤

[@sharonpeterson896]

My favorite musical. Just watched it again last week.

[@mac231208]

"Infamous?" Really? Do you know the meaning of the word?

[@alohatraveler]

Absolutely el guapo. It's means more than famous

[@Mike-dk7wj]

@@alohatraveler of course it doesn't. Look it up in the dictionary.

[@franklesser5655]

Nathan Gunn's wife is actually named Julie Jordan!

[@owenduncan4574]

Thank you.

[@dianaaljadeff2983]

Marveleus vidro and explanation of this great and unique scene

[@PeterRead-jl9po]

The 'Bench Scene:...... never was there better than Clayton and Raitt, they made it real, and Billy should never sit on the bench and she should never leave it.

[@jmichigan3282]

Why infamous?

[@derickyyy]

Love the video!

[@margaretlynch1494]

Yes!

[@malp1]

Sorry, but "infamous" is certainly not the word you want to use in describing the bench scene from CAROUSEL. You might want to look it up.

[@oliverbrownlow5615]

I wondered at that word choice, too. Surely the bench scene is famous, not infamous.

[@rosemaryalmy1334]

Who is playing Billy in this scene? Looks familiar but I can't remember his name.

[@tysonperna8844]

Nathan Gunn

[@rosemaryalmy1334]

@@tysonperna8844 Thanks!

[@tlw1950]

I love the film but they cut too much out of it.

[@mauricioduron3193]

True enough. Still, rather necessary for the screen rendition.

[@alexkije]

Pretty good. But I dislike the lisping wuss narration.

[@into_the_hoods]

Thanks, yeah let me just go ahead and get rid of that lisp of mine. *Zap*, all done.

[@allenjones3130]

Kelli O'Hara delivers a fine vocal and dramatic performance as Julie in this video.

[@nstix2009xitsn]

The couple from 2:45 have spectacular voices, and they’re physically attractive, yet I still prefer Jan Clayton and John Raitt from the original production, due to the emotional intensity of their acting.

[@Makeji]

Agree.

[@nstix2009xitsn]

“How Carousel's ‘Bench Scene’ revolutionized musical theatre” It didn’t revolutionize anything. It set a new standard for excellence, to be sure, but one that no one but Rodgers & Hammerstein could meet. Similarly, Riskin, Sherwood, and Hecht set a new standard for screenwriting, but they didn’t “revolutionize” the field. Rather, they left it for the inferior spirits to come.