Baker Street (musical)
| Baker Street | |
|---|---|
| A Musical Adventure of Sherlock Holmes | |
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle | |
| Productions | 1965 Broadway |
Baker Street is a 1965
Background
Loosely based on the 1891 Sherlock Holmes story "A Scandal in Bohemia" by Arthur Conan Doyle with elements of "The Final Problem" and "The Empty House" as well, it is set in and around London in 1897, the year in which England celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria (an event marked by an elaborate royal procession depicted by Bil Baird's marionettes). The musical veers from Conan Doyle's work in that Irene Adler becomes an associate of Holmes rather than his opponent, thus allowing an element of romance between the two.[2]
Because of problems the show went through during out of town tryouts, Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock, the successful composing team of Fiddler on the Roof were brought in to contribute additional songs including "Cold Clear World" and "I Shall Miss You." They also wrote "I'm In London Again" which was the first number for Irene Adler, but after opening night, this number (which can be heard on the cast album) was dropped and replaced by another Bock-Harnick composition, "Buffalo Belle" which had Irene Adler performing an elaborate Wild West number. Stereo Review Magazine's review described the score as being "Warmed-over Gilbert & Sullivan with a gelid sauce of Lerner & Loewe."
Original cast and characters
| Character | Broadway (1965)[3] |
|---|---|
| Sherlock Holmes | Fritz Weaver |
| Irene Adler | Inga Swenson |
| Professor Moriarty | Martin Gabel |
| Dr. Watson | Peter Sallis |
| Inspector Gregson | Patrick Horgan |
| Wiggins | Teddy Green |
| Mrs. Hudson | Paddi Edwards |
| Baxter | Martin Wolfson |
| Inspector Lestrade | Daniel Keyes |
| Daisy | Virginia Vestoff |
| Murillo | Jay Norman |
Musical numbers
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|
Richard Burton recorded "A Married Man" as a single in 1965.[4]
Productions
The musical opened on
Producer Alexander H. Cohen felt the show was such an event that he announced, prior to the opening, men would not be admitted unless they were clad in jackets and ties, and women would be allowed in only if they wore dresses. This policy quickly changed once the mixed reviews were in.[6]
Awards and nominations
Original Broadway production
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Tony Award
|
Best Author | Jerome Coopersmith | Nominated |
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
|
Inga Swenson | Nominated | ||
| Best Scenic Design | Oliver Smith | Won[9] | ||
| Best Costume Design | Motley | Nominated |
References
- ISBN 0-06-015620-1.
- ISBN 978-0-8021-2789-1.
- ^ Playbill 1965 Bio Cast List accessed 07/09/2023
- ISBN 9780300180107.
- ^ "Baker Street". Tams-Witmark Music Library. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
- ^ a b c Skethway, Nathan (February 19, 2019). "Look Back at Baker Street on Broadway". Playbill. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-8021-2789-1.
- ^ "Baker Street". Playbill. Archived from the original on October 4, 2017. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ^ "Baker Street: The First Sherlockian Musical". Baker Street Babes. May 10, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
External links
- Baker Street at the Internet Broadway Database
- Tams-Witmark listing for production and licensing information
- Ballroom costume sketch by Motley Theatre Design Group -- Motley Collection of Theatre & Costume Design
- A Musical Stroll Down Baker Street - episode of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere featuring an interview with Fritz Weaver