Forgotten Musical? - Finian's Rainbow (1968) Discussion

[–] viennagirl 20 years ago

I´ve seen the movie when I was about 11 or 12 and loved it. I haven´t seen it ever since. It was nice to watch the trailer.

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[–] whiffinpoets 20 years ago

Hi all:

I am the director for Finian's Rainbow here in Sooke, BC which is a very vibrant acting community.

We decided to put this show on despite the racial overtones, BUT would like some information:
Did you change anything in the show?
How did you change the Senator from white to black and back again? What process did you use? I am very interested to know how they did it in the original show on Broadway or any subsequent shows.

Please help...

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[–] leojbramble 20 years ago

I don't recall that we changed anything. Unfortunately, nor do I recall how the Senator's transformation was staged -- this was a high school production 20+ years ago, and I know we didn't have proficiency with the kind of rapid-fire costuming/makeup changes that you see on Broadway these days, so I can only imagine that the script was written in such a way to allow sufficient time to do the transformation? And we just used run-or-the-mill stage makeup/foundation for dark-skinned people. Have fun!

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[–] Loren-3 20 years ago

Greets!

We did Finian's Rainbow ... WAY back in 1968 in high school! Was a sharecropper myself, and here's how we did the routine with changing Senator Rawkins black:

Sharon says, "I wish to god you were black...!" Thunderclap, lights dim and ALL the sharecroppers crowd around the Senator. Senator has on his person a tube of blackface which he puts on VERY fast (MUCH rehearsal for this!) and when the crowd parts.... you have one very freaked out Missitucky Senator!

Hope this helps!

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[–] joanbrazas 20 years ago

I saw a stage production about 3-5 years ago at the Theatre at the Center in Munster, IN. I wouldn't think people would be afraid of the racial themes. It's hard to know why some musicals continue to be done over and over and over again while others fade into obscurity. Personally, I think "West Side Story" is much more dated than "Finian's Rainbow" but those songs are hard to beat. I LOVE this play and movie. I saw the movie when I was about 10 and, as a child of liberal parents, embraced the story wholeheartedly. And Yip Harburg's lyrics are absolutely wonderful!

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[–] shadykitty 19 years ago

I played Sharon in a highschool production of FR back in 1998 and it was one of the most fun productions in which I've ever participated. Great songs, absurd plot, and it can have some biting racial commentary when played right.

For the Senator's transformation scene, we used a painted stand-in. Basically, the "wish" was made, the stage went black for about 5 seconds (thunder effects were used during the blackout to cover any shuffling sounds), and this allowed the actor playing the senator to run offstage as his temporary stand-in took his place. Post-blackout the stand-in yelped, and ran offstage partially shileiding his face. During subsequent scenes, there was plenty of time for backstage making-up of the actor playing the Senator.

Hope that helps!

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[–] jbraptor 19 years ago

I directed a high school production in 1980. I had exactly the right young actor for Sen. Rawkins. His name was Harold and he was (and probably still is) black. We made him up white for the first half, and wiped off his facial makeup behind a crowd beneath thunder and lightning at the appointed time. The kids and the audience knew the joke all along because they knew Harold, and loved the sfx. But he and the production were hugely popular in a school that was naturally integrated by its neighborhood. We still hold the attendance record for shows at that school.

I moved some of Sharon's music to Finian, much as in the movie, to give him more to do. I also had a girl to play Og, and singing jocks as the Gospeleers. I was very lucky to have so many great kids that time.

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[–] 19 years ago

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[–] Raiyn 19 years ago

I wish it was more popular. I have loved this musical since high school. We put it on in my freshman year in 1999. I played a sharecropper/choir member. However, I lived in a very small, conservative town. They didn't want to touch the race issue so instead of black and white, it was made rich and poor. We kept everything pretty much the same in the story, except it was "I wish to God you were poor," and the small cast gathered 'round while she (our sheriff had to be a girl due to lack of male involvment) quickly changed into tattered old clothes. I thought it went over well. I don't think that it is dated. I wonder any other high schools are doing it today.

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[–] ijonesiii 18 years ago

Fresh out of college many years ago, I appeared in a dinner theater production of FINIAN'S RAINBOW for twelve weeks. I was a chorus member and I was one of the three Passion Pilgrim Gospeleers for "The Begat." Enjoyed doing the show immensely and it renewed my interest in this film.

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[–] evenstar11790 18 years ago

My community theater did this show early this year. I had the opportunity to play Sharon and had a blast!!! This is such a lovely show that deserves never to be forgotten!

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] ijonesiii 18 years ago

I appeared in a dinner theater production of the show back in the 1980's. I played a sharecropper and a Gospeleer, one of the trio who performs "The Begat." I think the racial themes of the show might be slightly dated, but this show is so much fun and has one of the greatest scores in musical theater: "Look to the Rainbow", "How are things in Glocca Morra?", "Old Devil Moon", If This Isn't Love", "That Great Come and Get it Day", "When I'm not Near the Girl I Love" and "The Begat" just to name a few. I absolutely love the music in this musical.

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[–] mista005 18 years ago

Wow! All you lucky people who have actually had an opportunity to be in this fantastic show! Here in Cincinnati, every time I mention the possibility of doing this show, the people in charge who think they know theater say "Oh we can't do THAT show. It's racist." AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!! Idiots!!! Had they ever read or seen the show, they would realize that it's anything BUT racist. But noooo, they've heard that fallacy somewhere and it stuck like an urban legend. I hate being stuck in such a provincial community when I want to do theater. Guess we'll just do the damn SOUND OF MUSIC a million more times. Or MUSIC MAN. Or ANNIE. YUCK!

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[–] ijonesiii 18 years ago

Don't give up on doing the show...have the people who call this show racist actually seen it? As someone who has done the show, all I know is anybody who thinks the show is racist hasn't seen it...if anything, the show is about racial tolerance.

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[–] missdusk 18 years ago

I loved the movie and unfortunately the reason why we couldn't do the play here is more due to the fact that we don't have enough people do it properly. For those that are lucky enough to get to perform this musical you all are very lucky and I wish I could have seen it.

I personally think that this has some of the best music (I love Irish music and Irish accents). "How Are Things In Glocca Morra?" is so catchy and who doesn't love, "Old Devil Moon" and "When I'm Not Near The Girl I Love"? They are just a few of the great gems in this musical. I think that this musical should have a huge comeback, like Phantom of the Opera.

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[–] Isaac5855 18 years ago

I totally agree that this musical has one of the best scores ever...the music in this show is fabulous.

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[–] mtmv 18 years ago

If you like the score try getting a copy of the Broadway original cast album from 1948 - it's available on CD. The great Ella Logan played Sharon and her voice and accent are perfect.

Here's a bit of trivia - President Kennedy was famous for loving the musical Camelot. But prior to that his favorite was Finian's Rainbow. Apparently he bought multiple copies of the cast album and would carry one with him when he went to dinner parties or just visiting. He drove his friends nuts because he always wanted to hear this music. He kept leaving them at friends' houses or in cabs, hence the need for more than one. Acording to Senator George Smathers, who was with him at the time, Kennedy was listening to this album when he received the call that his sister Kathleen had been killed in a plane crash. And after Jackie died, when Caroline and John went through the warehouses of their parents' possessions in preparation for the auction, one of the records they found was Finian's Rainbow.

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