Mary Kim

Musical Theatre Dance Styles

Wilcoxon

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

42nd Street Writing Assignment

“42nd Street” is a classic musical that follows the timeless journey of the rise from

anonymity to stardom. When people think about “42nd Street”, they probably think of the

show’s iconic opening tap number, Jerry Orbach, or the huge coins and shiny costumes

that compliment the dancers. However, what they might not know is that the show and

history behind it has a much darker side than the glitz and glamour that was portrayed

onstage nightly at the Winter Garden Theatre.

“42nd Street” is a love letter to Broadway. It’s a show about the entertainment

industry, the struggle of actors, and the stroke of luck that can transform talented hopefuls

into stars. The show’s producer, David Merrick, took a huge gamble on the show. It was

the second ever movie-to-musical, perhaps more daring than being the first, because the

first, “Gigi”, flopped dramatically and led most producers away from the idea. That

wasn’t the only risky aspect of the show. The show had an unfortunate opening date that

preceded the normal theatre season, and had a budget that was exorbitant compared to the

other shows, where producers were scaling back costs. It wasn’t even as if David

Merrick was on a hot streak of genius. Merrick, who rose to prominence with shows like

“Gypsy”, “Oliver!”, and “Hello, Dolly!”, hadn’t had a hit in over ten years, but was

determined that his “song and dance extravaganza” would be a success. In order to

ensure that success, he hired Gower Champion as his director and choreographer.
 Gower Champion was a well known actor, director, and choreographer who was

loved and respected by the theatrical community. He had previously worked with

Merrick on “Hello, Dolly!”, “I Do, I Do!”, and “Mack and Mabel”, which were received

by audience with various degrees of success. Champion had an impressive body of work

outside of collaborations with Merrick, such as directing and choreographing “Bye Bye

Birdie” and “Carnival!” Champion knew how to weave in dancing and storytelling and

had a knack for big showstopping dance numbers, which made him perfect for the job at

hand. Maybe more importantly, Champion knew how to interact with Merrick, who was

known for his outbursts and public spats with other members of the theatrical community

or the press.

The process of building the show sounds like a movie or another musical in itself,

with the enormous risks that were taken and how well it paid off. Most shows were

cutting casts and production costs in order to save money, but Merrick and Champion

doubled their chorus size. Merrick eventually took full fiscal responsibility for the show,

investing $3 million into the piece. The drama of the risks is well rewarded, as we know

now, as “42nd Street” broke records, becoming the only American musical to play over

3,500 performances for the next 20 years. However, there was a much darker plot taking

place behind the scenes. Champion, throughout the entire process, was dealing with a

rare form of leukemia. Though he kept it from the entire cast and crew, Champion

included Merrick in on the secret once the show was moving to New York. Merrick kept

his secret, but ultimately used it as a cruel tool to help propel his show’s success.

David Merrick was known for being cantankerous and for slightly crooked

marketing schemes for his shows. To promote his show, “Subways Are For Sleeping”,
Merrick found random members of the public who happened to have the same names as

prominent critics in New York and paid them to say wonderful things about his show.

That way, the show had raving reviews from the names of those with power and sway

over audiences. Merrick continued this pattern with “42nd Street”, ultimately using

Gower Champion’s death as his ultimate marketing tool. Champion passed away due to

cancer on the day of the show’s opening. Merrick kept the Champion family from telling

anyone, didn’t tell any of the cast and crew, and proceeded with the day. The show itself

was a hit. The audience was enraptured and gave the show ten curtain calls. Merrick

walked onstage once the curtain was lifted for the eleventh time, but quieted the house

immediately by shouting the tragic news of Champion’s death. This was the first time

the world heard the news. The cast was receiving the information in front of a full house,

that their director and mentor had passed away. There is a picture that freezes this

moment in time, and you can see the expressions of shock and sorrow on the faces of

Jerry Orbach, Tammy Grimes, and Lee Roy Reams. It wasn’t until Orbach himself

called for the curtains to be closed that that the cast could grieve privately.

Merrick’s arguably inhumane publicity stunt paid off for him. Champion’s death,

the way it was announced, and therefore the show, was on the front page of every

newspaper the next day. Frank Rich, a writer for the New York Times, said “No one

cared about the review of the show anymore. It was front-page news all over the world…

and even people who didn’t know what “42nd Street” was, or who Gower Champion was,

or who David Merrick was, they all knew it now, and the show went on to run as long as

“Oklahoma!”” The show was catapulted into the spotlight and became the hit sensation
that we know it as today, but behind the glitz and glamour, there was a much darker path

that helped the show live on in all its glittery glory.

Sources

Kantor, Michael. BROADWAY: the American Musical. APPLAUSE THEATRE, 2014.

Hurwitz, Nathan. A History of the American Musical Theatre: No Business like It.

Routledge, 2014.

“David Merrick.” The Official Masterworks Broadway Site,

www.masterworksbroadway.com/artist/david-merrick/.