Musicals Blog

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.