No Strings

No Strings is a

Productions

The world premiere of No Strings was at the O'Keefe Centre (now

The musical opened on March 15, 1962, at the

The civil rights movement — voter registration for blacks, integration, and fairness and equality in the workplace — was starting to gain momentum in the United States in the early 1960s, but it was a topic largely absent on Broadway. Neither the book nor score make specific mention of race, nor does it impact upon any decisions made by the couple, but Rodgers has addressed the issue.^[2] Other than the model's reference to growing up north of Central Park (seemingly an allusion to Harlem), there is nothing in the script to suggest she's African-American. It was only in the casting of Carroll and Richard Kiley as the star-crossed lovers that the subject of interracial romance surfaced. Any production of the show easily could be cast with two leads of the same race without changing the content in any significant way.^{[original research?]} Nevertheless, the casting was socially progressive at the time.^[3]

Rodgers got the idea for casting a black actress in the star role after viewing Diahann Carroll on The Tonight Show.

He felt that the casting spoke for itself and any specific references to race in the play were unnecessary. Rodgers said: "Rather than shrinking from the issue of race, such an approach would demonstrate our respect for the audience's ability to accept our theme free from rhetoric or sermons."^[2]

However, the characters' reluctance to discuss race was controversial.^[2]

Synopsis

Fashion model Barbara Woodruff, living in

The score was arranged and orchestrated without string instruments to underscore the show's title.[5]

Recorded versions

The success of the Broadway production lead to three album versions released in 1962. In a year when musical theater recordings proved to be commercially unsuccessful, No Strings recordings were one of the few that did well.^[6]

Original Broadway cast recording

The Broadway cast recording was released in March by

• Noelle Adam – vocals
• Ronnie Bedford – drums
• Ralph Burns – orchestration
• Diahann Carroll – vocals
• Terri Castillo Chapin – liner notes
• Don Chastain – vocals
• Jim Dahl – trombone
• Al Epstein – vocals
• David Foil – liner notes
• Friedman-Abeles – production photography
• Mitchell Gregg – vocals
• Ann Hodges – vocals
• Richard Jones – production
• Walter Kane – bassoon
• Richard Kiley – vocals
• Joe Layton – direction
• Peter Matz – musical direction
• Bob Norberg –
  remastering
  (CD re-release)
• Dan O'Leary – reissue production (CD re-release)
• Aaron Sachs – clarinet
• James Sedlar – trumpet
• Alan Silverman – mastering
• Andy Wiswell – production

Richard Rodgers’ No Strings. An After‐Theatre Version

Richard Rodgers’ No Strings. An After‐Theatre Version is a jazz album with tracks by LaVern Baker, Chris Connor, Herbie Mann, and Bobby Short released in April^[9] and promoted it with several singles.^[10] Billboard reviewed this album as a "strong sales potential" release with "interesting versions" of the songs that they recommend for younger record buyers.^[9] Editors at AllMusic rated this album 3.5 out of 5 stars, with critic William Ruhlmann writing it was appropriate for Atlantic Records to adapt the big band sound to that of several jazz performers at a night club.^[11]

All songs written by Richard Rodgers.

1. "The Sweetest Sounds" by Chris Connor – 2:34
2. "Be My Host" by Bobby Short – 2:26
3. "You Don't Tell Me" by LaVern Baker – 2:56
4. "The Man Who Has Everything" by Bobby Short – 2:21
5. "Look No Further" by Chris Connor – 3:42
6. "Eager Beaver" by LaVern Baker – 2:10
7. "Loads of Love" by LaVern Baker – 2:25
8. "La La La" by Herbie Mann – 2:36
9. "An Orthodox Fool" by Bobby Short – 2:36
10. "Nobody Told Me" by Chris Connor – 3:19
11. "Love Makes the World Go" by Bobby Short – 2:31
12. "No Strings" by Chris Connor – 2:37

Personnel include:

• LaVern Baker – vocals
• arrangement
• Chris Connor – vocals
• engineering
• Nesuhi Ertegun – supervision of analog tape transfers
• Loring Eutemey – artwork
• Stanley Green – liner notes
• Phil Iehle – engineering
• Herbie Mann – flute
• Bobby Short – piano, vocals

Sweetest Swingin' Sounds of 'No Strings'

A third album was released in May by Capitol, recorded by big band trumpeter Billy May.^[12][13] Billboard speculated that it would be a "potent seller" that was "full of the wit and beat" that characterized May's work^[12] and the album was re-released on CD in 1999 in a package with the album The Girls and Boys on Broadway; editors at AllMusic scored this compilation 4 out of 5 stars.^[14]

All songs written by Richard Rodgers.

1. "No Strings" – 1:59
2. "The Sweetest Sounds" – 1:47
3. "Love Makes the World Go" – 1:45
4. "Nobody Told Me" – 2:05
5. "Loads of Love" – 2:15
6. "Maine" – 2:13
7. "Eager Beaver" – 2:20
8. "Look No Further" – 2:02
9. "An Orthodox Fool" – 1:30
10. "La La La" – 2:23
11. "The Man Who Has Everything" – 2:15
12. "Be My Host" – 2:09

Awards and nominations

References