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  Evening Primrose  
 

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Teleplay by James Goldman
Based on the short story by John Collier [see Notes]

1966 Television Production

Broadcast November 16, 1966 on ABC Stage 67
Produced by Willard Levitas
Executive Producer: John Houseman for Gramercy Productions, Inc.
Directed by Paul Bogart
Music Arranged and Conducted by Norman Paris
Assistant Conductor: David Shire
Scenic Designer: John Ward
Costumes Designer: William McHone
Lighting: Walter Urban
Make-Up: Inez Lopardo
Sound: Art Shine
Film Editor: John Wells

Cast

Charles Snell - Anthony Perkins
Ella Harkins - Charmian Carr
Mrs. Monday - Dorothy Stickney
Roscoe Potts - Larry Gates
Store People - Margaret Bannerman, Margaret Barker, Leonard Elliott,
Mike Meola, Dorothy Sands, and Margaretta Warwick

Musical Numbers

  • "(If You Can Find Me) I'm Here" - Charles
  • Charles Meets Mrs. Monday (instrumental)
  • Charles And Ella (instrumental)
  • Check List (instrumental)
  • The Basement (instrumental)
  • "I Remember" - Ella
  • I Remember (underscore)
  • "When" - Charles and Ella
  • Sums /"When" (reprise) - Ella / Charles
  • "Take Me to the World" - Ella and Charles
  • The Ball (instrumental)
  • Roscoe And The Guard (instrumental)
  • The Ball (Part 2) (instrumental)
  • Escape (instrumental)
  • "Take Me to the World" (reprise) - Charles and Ella
  • Final Credits (instrumental reprise of "Take Me to the World")

Recording

Never released on record or home video. Available for viewing at the Museum of Television and Radio, 25 W. 52nd St, New York City.

1990 Studio Recording

Mandy Patinkin - Dress Casual
Produced by Steve Epstein
Conductor and Musical Director: Paul Gemignani
Musical arrangements by William Brohn, Bill Byers, Michael Starobin, and Don Byron
Musical Consultant: Paul Ford
Digitally recorded at RCA/BMG Studio A, NYC

  • Compact Disc, 1990 [Columbia FMK 45998]
  • Cassette, 1990 [Columbia FMT 45998]

Performers: Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters

Selections:
If You Can Find Me, I'm Here - Mandy Patinkin, I Remember - Bernadette Peters, When - Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters, Take Me to the World - Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin

Mandy Patinkin: Dress Casual

1997 Studio Recording

Sondheim at the Movies
Produced by Bruce Kimmel
Musical Direction by Tom Fay
Orchestrations by Larry Moore

  • Compact Disc, 1997 [Varèse Sarabande VSD-5805]
  • Cassette, 1997 [Varèse Sarabande VSC-5805]

Performers: Liz Callaway and Gary Beach

Selections:
If You Can Find Me, I'm Here - Gary Beach, I Remember - Liz Callaway, When - Gary Beach and Liz Callaway, Take Me to the World - Liz Callaway and Gary Beach

Sondheim at the Movies

2001 Studio Recording

The Frogs / Evening Primrose
Produced by Tommy Krasker
Recorded June 12, 2000 at The Hit Factory, NYC
Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick
Conducted by Paul Gemignani

  • Compact Disc, 2001 [Nonesuch 79638] (46:41 mins.)

Performers: Neil Patrick Harris and Theresa McCarthy

Selections:
(If You Can Find Me) I'm Here - Neil Patrick Harris, I Remember
- Theresa McCarthy, When - Neil Paatrick Harris and Theresa McCarthy,
Take Me to the World - Theresa McCarthy and Neil Patrick Harris

Also includes songs from The Frogs

The Frogs / Evening Primrose

2005 Lost Musicals Production

Opened July 3, 2005 at the Lilian Baylis Theatre. London
Closed July 24, 2005 after a limited run of 4 performances
Directed by Ian Marshall Fisher
Musical direction by Mark Warman

Cast

Charles Snell - Michael Matus
Ella Harkins - Jennifer Higham
Mrs. Monday - Betsy Blair
Roscoe Potts - Gary Raymond
Store People - Sylvia Seymour, Andrew Beavis, Martin Gaisford,
Maggie McCourt, Anthony Wolfe, James Vaughan, David O'Brien,
Myra Sands, Thirl Drew, Bettina Horsfall, Sara Parr-Byrne

Musical Numbers

  • "(If You Can Find Me) I'm Here" - Charles
  • "I Remember" - Ella
  • "When" - Charles and Ella
  • "Take Me to the World" - Ella and Charles

Recordings of Songs

Notes
The original source story for Evening Primrose was first published in 1940.  It can be found in the John Collier collection Fancies and Goodnights [Doubleday & Co., 1951].

A radio version of the story (adapted by John Dunkel and starring Elliott Lewis) was broadcast on the CBS program Escape on November 5, 1947. In 1975, a recording of the radio show was released by the American Forces Radio and Television Service on an LP entitled Mystery Theater #223.

There is also a reading by Vincent Price on "Fancies and Goodnights", released in 1980 on LP by Caedmon (catalog number TC 1652).


Top of Evening Primrose

Last modified on Thursday, June 8, 2006
Compiled by Michael H. Hutchins