I first saw "BELLS ARE RINGING" when it was first done back in 1956. I was 13 years old, an incurable theatre geek, and loved anything to do with the Broadway musical and I have very fond memories of sitting in Broadway's Shubert Theatre and having the time of my life, so I was looking forward to the concert version that the excellent organization called Encores was offering up this weekend.
"BELLS ARE RINGING" was written for the late great Judy Holliday by her friends Betty Comden and Adolph Green and had a wonderfully sassy and melodic score by Julie Styne. It was a resounding hit running 924 performances and was made into a popular movie with Ms. Holliday repeating her role as a telephone operator who gets involved with her customers and tries to solve their problems, and it is the Styne, Comden and Green score that make this concert version worth doing because the book [which many critics found dated in 1956] is close to being almost laughably old hat.
It has been given a lively production by director/choreographer Kathleen Marshall and Robert Russell Bennett's original orchestrations make Styne's lively score sound as fresh as ever.
It's not important that Kelli O'Hara can't even begin to erase my memories of Judy Holliday or the rest of the cast is no better than routine at best. What matters most is that the score is first rate and it is superbly conducted by Rob Berman,and it is for this reason that "BELLS ARE RINGING" is still worth doing and for the most part, I had a good time.
At THE N.Y. CITY CENTER 131 WEST 55th STREET N.Y.C. THRU NOV. 21st.
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I know it's difficult to not think of Judy Holliday when watching Bells Are Ringing. I know her from the movie and she was marvelous. Also, as you say, her friends tailor made the show to her. I have very fond memories of her and Susanswerphone. I wonder if (and how) your review would've been different had you only seen this version. Still, I can see Jeff that your review stressed fairmindedness.
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