| Over Here! | |
|---|---|
 Playbill for the Broadway production | |
| Music | Richard M. Sherman Robert B. Sherman |
| Lyrics | Robert B. Sherman Richard M. Sherman |
| Book | Will Holt |
| Productions | 1974Broadway |
Over Here! is amusical with a score byRichard M. Sherman andRobert B. Sherman and book byWill Holt. The originalBroadway production was directed byTom Moore and choreographed byPatricia Birch, with scenic design by Douglas W. Schmidt and costumes by Carrie F. Robbins.
Over Here! was a follow-up to the Sherman brothers'World War II musicalVictory Canteen, anoff-Broadway production that featured 1940s iconPatty Andrews. The setting is a cross-country train trip in theUnited States during World War II (hence the name of the play, in contrast to the popular patriotic war anthem entitledOver There). The show begins as a nostalgic look at 1940s America (where fashion, music, big bands and swing dance dominates) but, quickly evolves into a social commentary about the fear of dying in battle, prejudice, and discrimination.
After thirteen previews, the show opened on March 6, 1974, at theShubert Theatre, where it ran for 341 performances and became the top-grossing production of the 1974 Broadway season. It is largely credited as the Broadway musical which launched many careers.[1] The opening night cast included Patty and Maxene Andrews (of theAndrews Sisters) and newcomersJohn Travolta,Treat Williams,Marilu Henner,Samuel E. Wright, andAnn Reinking, all of whom went on to achieve successful careers. Despite still playing to capacity audiences, the show closed on January 4, 1975, under controversial conditions. "The producers blamed Patty and Maxine, claiming they wanted more money and made unreasonable demands, and cancelled the national tour. The Andrews sisters blamed the producers, claiming they had mismanaged the show from the beginning and were now using them as scapegoats."[2] According to an article inThe New York Times, the tour was cancelled due to a "salary dispute" between the Andrews sisters and the producers.[3]
Radar online and the official site reported thatCody Linley would be starring in an all-new production ofOver Here! set to launch early in 2010 at theSaban Theatre,Beverly Hills and an official website showed open auditions. In an interview, Linley confirmed that he would play the role of Bill.[4] The production has been postponed indefinitely.
The postponed 2010 production was an "all-new" production with a modified book by original playwright Will Holt, choreographed by Tony Stevens, designed by Royal Court designer Mark Walters with associate designer Christopher Hone and Costume Designer David Toser, featuring Music Supervision by David Barber.Dick Van Dyke had agreed to head an all-star cast; however, he was forced to withdraw days before the start date when his partner Michelle's illness became terminal. Unable to find an immediate replacement for Van Dyke at such short notice, the producers rescheduled the production to premiere in California in 2016, following which a US tour was planned. Neither came to fruition.
There was a 2019 Off-Broadway revival at theTriad Theatre in New York City starringDebbie Gravitte, Haley Swindal as Pauline, Jessica Hendy as Paulette,Nikka Graff Lanzarone as Mitzi, Mark William, Dani Apple, and Kristina Nicole Miller. The production was adapted into a 85-minute one act by director Will Nunziata, music directorBlake Allen, and choreographer Andrew Black.[5] The revival featured all the music from the original Broadway production, albeit in a different order, except for "Don't Shoo the Hooey to Me, Louie". The third verse of"Star-Spangled Banner" was sung by Miller where in the original production, the anthem was spoken.
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| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Tony Award | Best Musical | Nominated | |
| Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical | Janie Sell | Won | ||
| Best Direction of a Musical | Tom Moore | Nominated | ||
| Best Choreography | Patricia Birch | Nominated | ||
| Best Costume Design | Carrie F. Robbins | Nominated | ||
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Set Design | Douglas W. Schmidt | Won | |
| Outstanding Costume Design | Carrie F. Robbins | Won | ||
| Theatre World Award | John Driver | Won | ||
| Ann Reinking | Won | |||
| Janie Sell | Won | |||
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | BroadwayWorld Award | Best Special Event | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Will Nunziata | Nominated | ||
| Best Musical Director | Blake Allen | Nominated | ||
| Best Vocalist | Jessica Hendy | Nominated | ||