On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
OPENING: October 17, 1965
CLOSING: June 11, 1966
Seen: March 1966
LOCATION: Mark Hellinger
As I have mentioned previously, the tail end of the 1960’s were not a great time for musicals. There were, however, some diamonds in the dust. Shows such as Funny Girl and Hello, Dolly! ruled the box office. But after Fiddler on the Roof exploded onto the scene, established composers severely struggled to create content that was financially viable.
This is an era I like to think of as a transition period. By 1965 Hammerstein, both Gershwins, and Hart had passed on to the great stage in the sky; Berlin, Lerner, and Bernstein were all nearing the end of their careers; and up and coming composers Sondheim, Lloyd Webber, and Schwartz were all either early career or fighting for a place at the table. It’s very similar to what’s been happening over the past decade with the rise of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Pasak and Paul.
By the mid-sixties, shows that were expected to do well disappointed, while dark horses that no one expected to get past the regional level shocked audiences with their explosive quests to Broadway (If you think I’m being vague – that’s intentional. There will be an entry in the new year discussing the best of example of this). Baker Street fell into this first category, as did our next show, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever.
The hype mostly stemmed from the writing team. After the death of Hammerstein and the (temporary) retirement of Lowe, it seemed only natural that Lerner and Rodgers would team up. However, after a few months of working together, it became abundantly clear that the partnership was just not working out. Lerner bought Rodgers out of the project and teamed up with Burton Lane instead.
On A Clear Day was both a pet project and a valiant attempt for Lerner to progress with the changing industry around him. Having developed an interest in ESP at an early age and even having studied it at Harvard (Esterow, 1966), Lerner was itching to write a musical about it. But the book was sloppy and it did not tie it’s multiple plotlines together until near the end of the show.
The story introduces us to Doctor Marc Chabot, a doctor who specializes in hypnotism. One day during a lecture, Daisy Gamble wanders into his classroom and accidentally is hypnotized. Astounded by what has just happened to her, she seeks out Marc to help her quit smoking and during a session Marc learns a few things about her:
- She has a touch of ESP
- She is able to remember pieces of a past life
- She can talk to plants to make them grow.
In normal English, this means that she can remember the past, tell the future, and make things grow. The critics called this a stretch; as a writer, if someone brought this up as a potential plotline, it would immediately hit the cylindrical filing system. Or maybe even the porcelain one. Audiences and critics agreed with me on this one.
As far as the actual viewing of the production, my Dad, as to be expected, remembers nothing. However, perhaps there is some truth to Howard Taubman’s assessment that “the only good parts of the show were the score and Barbara Harris”, because ever since On A Clear Day entered my radar as a kid, all I have ever had to do is mention it and my will burst out his rendition of the title number and be spot on with the lyrics. A new development to this as my family watches the film while I write this: My aunt is now joining in and harmonizing. She saw it with my dad back in the day. Before we popped in the DVD (Because none of the major streaming services carry this one), she remembered the bit about the plants.
Special attention must be given to the standby for Marc in the original production. He a young man by the name of Hal Linden. He had been a Broadway understudy since 1958 but would not remain that way forever. He would go on to have a long career in stage and screen, most notably as Barney Miller. As of writing this entry, he was most recently seen Off-Broadway in Two Jews, Talking this past summer.
On A Clear Day lasted on Broadway eight months. The 1970 movie with Barbra Streisand is true to the play and it is entertaining, if a bit strange. So…was On A Clear Day a wasted ticket? I don’t think so. Almost 60 years later, it has brought us together as a family for a night. And that’s why we see musicals – they don’t have to be perfect, they just have to inspire us in some way. My dad even just said that a great musical is the one where you leave the theater singing, that which the movie inspired in him as well.. So was On A Clear Day worth it?
Yes. 100% yes.
CAST: REPLACEMENT
DR MARK BRUCKNER: John Cullum
MRS. HATCH: Evelyn Page
STUDENT: Gerald M. Teijelo, Jr.
DAISY GAMBLE: Barbara Harris
MURIEL BUNSON: Barbara Monte
JAMES PRESTON: William Reilly
SAMUEL WELLES: Gordon Dilworth
MRS. WELLES: Blanche Collins
SIR HUBERT INSDALE: Byron Webster
DOLLY WAINWHISTLE: Hanne Marie Reiner
BLACKAMOOR: Bernard Johnson
MILLARD CROSS: Gerald M. Teijelo, Jr.
WARREN SMITH: William Daniels
PRUDENCE CUMMING: Barbara Remington
EDWARD MONCRIEF: Clifford David
FLORA: Carol Flemming
DR CONRAD BRUCKNER: Michael Lewis
EVANS BOLAGARD: Dan Resin
THEMISTOCLES KRIKOS: Titos Vandis
T.A.A. OFFICIAL: Howard Kahl
MELINDA: Barbara Harris
SINGING ENSEMBLE: Paul Eichel, Herb Surface, Stokley Gray, Howard Kahl, Dan Resin, Ken Richards, Joy Holly, Pat Lysinger, Caroline Parks, Nancy Reeves, Jeannette Seibert, Dixie Stewart.
DANCING ENSEMBLE: Basil Thompson, Luigi Gasparinetti, Bernard Johnson, Louis Kosman, Kazimir Kokich, Marco Pocacar, Ronald B. Stratton, Gerald M. Teijelo Jr, William Reilly, Rita Agnese, Carol Flemming, Marion, John Nola, Alan Peterson, Alan E. Weeks
UNDERSTUDIES: Pat Lysinger (Daisy, Mrs. Hatch); Dan Resin, Themistocles Kriakos, Gordon Dilworth (Mark Bruckner and Warren Smith); Howard Kahl (Conrad); William Reilly, Sir Hubert Insdale, Samuel Welles, Michael Lewis (Edward); Ken Richards (T.A.A Official); Paul Eichel (Evans Bologard); and Jeanette Sibert (Mrs. Welles).
Bordman, Gerald. “American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle.” New York: Oxford University Press, Inc., 1978.
Esperow, Milton. “ESP Mail Floods ‘Clear Day’; Lerner Says Show on Psychic Theme Gets Odd Letters” New York Times, January 27, 1966. https://www.nytimes.com/1966/01/27/archives/esp-mail-floods-clear-day-lerner-says-show-on-psychic-theme-gets.html?searchResultPosition=1
Internet Broadway Database. “On A Clear Day You Can See Forever”. www.ibdb.com. Accessed October 2022.
Internet Broadway Database. “Hal Linden”. www.ibdb.com. Accessed October 2022.
Gordon, David. “Interview: Four Jews in a Room Kibbitzing about Two Jew, Talking”. TheaterMania, August 24, 2022. https://www.theatermania.com/off-broadway/news/hal-linden-bernie-kopell-ed-weinberger-interview_94207.html
Taubman, Harold. “The Theater: ‘On A Clear Day’ Opens; Miss Harris and Songs Are Admirable Assets” New York Times, October 18, 1965. https://www.nytimes.com/1965/10/18/archives/the-theater-on-a-clear-day-opens-miss-harris-and-songs-are.html?searchResultPosition=1
Tony Awards. www.tonyawards.com. Accessed October 2022.
