DAMES AT SEA | I’M A FAN

Dames At Sea began its journey as a TV event spectacular on the Bell Sys- McKechnie, Karen Morrow, and Mary sketch, a parody of the old movie mu- tem Family Theatre on NBC. Airing on Louise Wilson. The music was by Le- sicals of the 1930s, you know, where November 15, 1971 the cast featured Roy Holmes, a man primarily known the hot-off-the-bus Midwest chorus girl Ann-Margret, Ann Miller, Anne Meara, as an arranger/conductor on many arrives in New York, gets in a show and Harvey Evans, Fred Gwynne, and Dick 1950s and 1960s LPs. The lyrics were becomes a Broadway star. The music Shawn. They also added a full chorus by the brilliant Carolyn Leigh (Wildcat, was by Jim Wise, and lyrics and script of dancers doing full production num- Little Me, “Witchcraft”). The writer was were by George Haimsohn and Robin bers, thereby turning the TV version Bob Ellison, the choreographer was Miller. It was expanded and in 1966 into the type of thing the show was Bob Herget, and the director was Clark Dames At Sea or Golddiggers Afloat spoofing. The TV version was produced Jones. No one seems to remember had its first production Off-Off Broad- by Joseph Cates and Martin Charnin, much about it and it certainly was not a way at the Caffe Cino, a small coffee directed by Walter Miller and Charnin, huge ratings hit, but the songs are fun, house with a small performance space. and choreographed by Alan Johnson. especially Ms. Leigh’s lyrics, which are, When the original actress playing in- Elliot Lawrence handled the musical as always, smart and funny and clever. génue Ruby, the choreographer, Don direction and bigger arrangements. The LeRoy Holmes’ tunes are quite catchy. Price, recommended newcomer Ber- one-hour special didn’t break any view- nadette Peters for the role. The show ing records and TV critic Rick Du Brow While no actual TV soundtrack was played 148 performances. opined, “A disastrously heavy-handed released, there was a demo record- adaptation of the stage musical.” ing of all the songs, sung by a chorus, Two years later, the show, now ex- with Ms. Leigh providing some vocals. panded and with title shortened to just Heavy-handed or not, the cast deliv- There can’t really be enough Carolyn Dames At Sea, reopened, this time ers delightful and fun performances. Leigh in the world, so it’s nice to have Off-Broadway at the Bouwerie on De- Ann-Margret is bubbly, Harvey Evans this curio. cember 20, 1968 and was so success- is charming, Ann Miller taps those feet ful that just a few months later it moved like nobody’s business, and Fred Gwyn- — Bruce Kimmel to the larger Theatre de Lys, playing a ne and Dick Shawn are clearly having a total of 575 performances. Audiences grand old time. The bigger band sounds and critics fell in love with Bernadette great and as these TV versions of mu- Peters and loved the little pastiche of sicals go, especially those cut down to a show. Clive Barnes said, “The star one hour, it’s fun. Most interestingly, this is, I suppose, Bernadette Peters as very same year saw the release of Mike the wholly sweetly small-town chorine Nichols’ film, Carnal Knowledge, featur- who taps her way from the bus station ing a brilliant performance by Ann-Mar- to stardom in 24 hours.” Walter Kerr in gret, one she received an Oscar nom- the New York Times said, “You’ll find the ination for. show cheerful and ingratiating… Ber- nadette Peters is a real find… She is This is the first CD release of the TV extremely funny, and endearing on top soundtrack, issued only heretofore as of that.” When Peters left, subsequent a promotional LP in mono. We had a Rubys were Loni Ackerman, Bonnie mono tape of it, which is what was used Franklin, Janie Sell, and Barbara Shar- for his CD. ma. The show had many productions thereafter and Ms. Peters returned to A year later, another TV musical spec- her role a couple of times at various tacular aired on CBS. I’m A Fan was a theaters. frothy look at sports and sports fans that starred Dick Van Dyke, Carol In 1971, a television adaptation was Channing, Rod Barry, MacIntyre Dixon, done of the show, becoming an all-star Lu Leonard, Brandon Maggart, Donna