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Barnum

 
Artist: H.B. Barnum
Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Pop Artists

Similar Artists:

David Axelrod, The O'Jays

Worked With:

David Van De Pitte, Paul Riser, James Jamerson, Brian Holland, James Gadson, Lamont Dozier, Paulinho Da Costa, Gary Coleman, Johnny Bristol, George Bohannon, Dennis Coffey, Smokey Robinson, Lou Rawls, Gladys Knight
  • Born: July 15, 1936, Houston, TX
  • Active: '50s, '60s, '70s
  • Genres: Rhythm & Blues
  • Instrument: Producer, Arranger, Piano
  • Representative Albums: "Big Hits from Detroit," "Everybody Loves H.B. -- Barnum, That Is"

Biography

Producer and arranger H.B. Barnum remains one of the unsung giants of popular music, collaborating with a who's who of acts spanning from Frank Sinatra to Puff Daddy. Born Hidle Brown Barnum in Houston on July 15, 1936, he won a nationwide amateur talent contest at the age of four, resulting in an appearance in the feature film Valley of the Sun Marches On. Within a year he was a regular on the children's television program Broom Stick Buckaroos as well as the radio smash Amos 'n Andy, additionally guest starring on The Jack Benny Show and CBS Playhouse.

In 1955 Barnum co-founded the short-lived doo wop group the Dootones at the behest of Dootone label owner Dootsie Williams, releasing a lone single, "Teller of Fortune." A year later, he replaced Bobby Nunn in the Penguins, eventually assuming production duties on records like 1958's "Quarter to Twelve" and "It's Never Too Late." As Pee Wee Barnum, he cut his debut single, "Blue Moon," for Imperial. Efforts for Mun Rab ("Don't-Cha Know") and Ultra Sonic ("Just Goofin'") followed, and in 1959 he also notched his first major hit as a producer, reaching the U.S. Top Five with Dodie Stevens' "Tan Shoes and Pink Shoelaces."

In 1960 Barnum scored a Top 40 pop hit of his own with the instrumental "Lost Love," signing to RCA later that year to release his debut LP, The Big Voice of Barnum -- H.B., That Is. Everybody Loves H.B. -- Barnum, That Is trailed in 1961, and while a handful of solo records followed, his performing career gradually took a backseat to his work as a studio arranger and producer. Upon joining Capitol Records in 1965 Barnum's reputation flourished. Often he worked in collaboration with producer and longtime friend David Axelrod, and together they forged an innovative orchestral jazz-funk sensibility much copied and sampled in the decades to come. Barnum's list of studio credits is remarkably long and distinguished, including sessions with Sinatra, Count Basie, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls, and the Supremes. By the mid-'70s Barnum shifted his focus from pop music to television, scoring countless series and specials in addition to composing myriad advertising jingles. He also founded and directed H.B. Barnum's Life Choir, serving as minister of music at St. Paul's Baptist Church of Los Angeles. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
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Wikipedia: Barnum (musical)
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Barnum
BarnumCD.jpg
Original Cast Recording
Music Cy Coleman
Lyrics Michael Stewart
Book Mark Bramble
Basis The life of P. T. Barnum
Productions 1980 Broadway
1981 West End
1984 Madrid

Barnum is a musical with a book by Mark Bramble, lyrics by Michael Stewart, and music by Cy Coleman. It is based on the life of showman P. T. Barnum, covering the period from 1835 through 1880 in America and major cities of the world where Barnum took his performing companies. The production combines elements of traditional musical theater with the spectacle of the circus. The characters include jugglers, trapeze artists and clowns, as well as such real-life personalities as Jenny Lind and General Tom Thumb.

The original Broadway production ran for 854 performances and was followed by a London production, among others.

Contents

Synopsis

In the middle of the 1800s, Phineas Taylor (PT) Barnum introduces his circus acts as he stands in front of a tent, proclaiming "There Is a Sucker Born Ev'ry Minute". He then introduces the oldest woman alive, Joice Heth ("Thank God I'm Old"). His wife Charity ("Chairy") urges him to get a job in a factory, but Barnum refuses ("The Colors of My Life"). He enlists clowns to help in building a museum to house his circus collection ("One Brick at a Time"). His star attraction, Tom Thumb, appears to advise that "Bigger Isn't Better". However, when the famous Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind is hired, Barnum becomes enamoured of her ("Love Makes Such Fools of Us All"). He accompanies Jenny on tour, leaving Charity behind, as a marching band greets them ("Come Follow the Band"). Barnum finally returns home to Charity, and promises to live in "Black and White." As he presents his circus acts around the world, Barnum resists joining with another circus owner, James Anthony Bailey. Finally, after his beloved wife Charity dies, he relents and joins Bailey, and they form the famous circus Barnum and Bailey.

Song list

Act I
  • "Overture Chase"
  • "There Is a Sucker Born Ev'ry Minute"--Barnum
  • "Humble Beginnings Chase"
  • "Thank God I'm Old"--Joice Heth and Tambourine Players
  • "The Colors of My Life Part I"--Barnum and Charity
  • "The Colors of My Life Part II"
  • "One Brick at a Time"--Charity, Barnum, and Bricklayers
  • "Museum Song"--Barnum
  • "Female of the Species Chase"
  • "I Like Your Style"--Barnum and Charity
  • "Bigger Isn't Better"--Tom Thumb
  • "Love Makes Such Fools of Us All"--Jenny Lind
  • "Midway Chase"
  • "Out There"--Barnum
Act II
  • "Come Follow the Band"--Potomac Marching Band and Washingtonians
  • "Black and White"--Charity, Choir, Blues Singer, Barnum and Citizens of Bridgeport
  • "The Colors of My Life (Reprise)"--Barnum and Charity
  • "The Prince of Humbug"--Barnum
  • "Join the Circus"--Bailey, Circus Performers and Barnum
  • "Finale Chase"
  • "The Final Event: There Is A Sucker Born Ev'ry Minute (Reprise)"

Productions

Barnum opened on Broadway at the St. James Theatre on April 30, 1980 and closed on May 16, 1982 after 854 performances and 26 previews. It was directed and choreographed by Joe Layton, with scenic design by David Mitchell, costume design by Theoni V. Aldredge, and lighting design by Craig Miller. The musical starred Jim Dale as P. T. Barnum, Glenn Close (Charity Barnum), Marianne Tatum (Jenny Lind), Terri White (Joice Heth), and Terrence Mann (Chester Lyman).

The West End production opened on June 11, 1981 at the London Palladium, where it ran for 655 performances. Michael Crawford and Deborah Grant headed the cast. A new production opened in Manchester in 1984 at the Manchester Opera House and ended its tour at the Victoria Palace in the West End, in 1986. The cast was headed again by Michael Crawford and a new leading lady, Eileen Battye as Charity Barnum. This production was recorded for television and broadcast by the BBC in 1986.[1]

Reg Livermore starred in the Australian production in 1982, it opened at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne.

The Madrid production opened on September 28, 1984 at the Teatro Monumental, directed by Jaime Azpilicueta and starred by Emilio Aragón as Phineas Taylor Barnum, Clara Morales, María Fleta, Michelle McCain, Deborah Carter, Iñaqui Guevara, Marta Valverde and Toni Carrasco.

A production ran at The Asolo Repertory Theatre Sarasota, Florida, from November 12, 2008 through December 20 with Brad Oscar as Barnum, and at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre in Jupiter, Florida, in January 2009.[2]

Recording

The Original Broadway Cast recording was released in 1980 and reissued on October 25, 1990 by Sony. The London cast album "Michael Crawford in Barnum" was released on January 1, 1994 by Musicrama, Inc. The original Madrid cast album (starring Emilio Aragón) was released in 1984 by BAT Discos S.A. Now a collector's item, this Spanish language recording has never been released on CD.

An Australian cast recording was released starring Reg Livermore by RCA Victor.

Response

According to Don Wilmeth, Barnum "was blessed with a brilliant production by director-choreographer Joe Layton, who turned the theatre into a circus, and a memorable performance by Jim Dale."[3]

Thomas Hischak wrote: "Joe Layton directed and choreographed with inventive and colorful theatrics, and [Jim] Dale endeared himself to audiences by singing, dancing, walking a tightrope, clowning, and riding a unicycle, most of which had nothing to do with anything. Critics carped but playgoers knew a fun show when they saw one so the show ran for 854 performances."[4]

Awards and nominations

Tony Award
  • Best Musical (nominee)
  • Best Book of a Musical (nominee)
  • Best Original Score (nominee)
  • Best Actor in a Musical (Dale, winner)
  • Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Close, nominee)
  • Best Scenic Design (winner)
  • Best Costume Design (winner)
  • Best Lighting Design (nominee)
  • Best Choreography (nominee)
  • Best Direction of a Musical (nominee)
Theatre World Award (Tatum, winner)
Drama Desk Award
  • Outstanding Musical (nominee)
  • Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Dale, winner)
  • Outstanding Choreography (nominee)
  • Outstanding Director of a Musical (nominee)
  • Outstanding Music (nominee)
  • Outstanding Set Design (nominee)
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical (Crawford, winner)

References

  1. ^ 'Barnum' listing imdb.com, accessed September 1, 2009
  2. ^ Jones, Kenneth.Braga, Kraft, Cotton, Walton, Brna and More Will Join Brad Oscar in Asolo's Barnum" playbill.com, October 29, 2008
  3. ^ Wilmeth, Don B. (2000, Volume 3). The Cambridge History of American Theatre. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521669596, p. 455
  4. ^ Hischak, Thomas S. (2008). The Oxford Companion to the American Musical. Oxford University Press US. ISBN 0195335333, p. 51

External links


v • d • e
Cy Coleman musicals
v • d • e
P. T. Barnum
Acts and exhibits
Associated articles

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

 

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