Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
by Claire J Rottenberg
Like "Singin' in the Rain," "Seven Brides for Seven
Brothers" was a 1950s film success. Released in 1954,
the film starred Howard Keel and Jane Powell, with a
supporting cast of dancers and gymnasts, including a
young Russ Tamblyn. "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers"
was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture
in 1954. In 2004, it was selected for preservation in
the US National Film Registry.
The stage version of "Seven Brides for Seven
Brothers" opened on Broadway in 1982 and it was a
huge flop, running for only 5 performances after 15
previews. It had a successful road tour in the United
States prior to its opening on Broadway and it was
more successful three years later in London's West
End.
The book of the play was written by Lawrence Kasha
and David Landay. Only 4 songs from the film were
kept in the Broadway version and 9 new songs were
written by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn. Although the
play ended almost as soon as it began, it did receive
a Tony nomination for Best Original Score.
It's not surprising to me that "Seven Brides for
Seven Brothers" failed on Broadway. The film has a
weak storyline with an average score, but spectacular
dance numbers that worked very well in the
Cinemascope film version.