Carnival is a musical, originally produced by David Merrick on Broadway in 1961, with the book by Michael Stewart and music and lyrics by Bob Merrill. The musical is based on the 1953 film Lili, which again was based on the short story and treatment titled "The Seven Souls of Clement O'Reilly" by Paul Gallico. The show's title originally used an exclamation point (as Carnival!); it was eventually dropped during the show's run, as director Gower Champion felt it gave the wrong impression, saying, "It's not a blockbuster. It's a gentle show."Gilvey, John Anthony. Before the Parade Passes By: Gower Champion and the Glorious American Musical. New York: St. Martin's Press (2005), pp. 92-93.
Background In December 1958 producer David Merrick announced his intent to produce a stage musical based on the 1953 film Lili, a concept suggested to Merrick by that film's screenwriter Helen Deutsch. Originally Deutsch was to write the musical's book while the score was assigned to Gérard Calvi, a French composer—Lili was set in France—who authored the revue La Plume de Ma Tante which Merrick produced on Broadway. Calvi's lack of expertise with English lyrics would result in his dropping out of the Lili musical; on Deutsch's recommendation Merrick hired Bob Merrill to write the score.Kissel, Howard. David Merrick: The Abominable Showman, Applause Books NYC (1993), , p. 208
After seeing the musical Bye Bye Birdie which opened on Broadway in April 1960, Merrick recruited the production's stage director/choreographer Gower Champion to act in those capacities for the Lili musical. Helen Deutsch would soon be dropped from Merrick's project, as Merrick was finding the drafts she was submitting unworkable for the stage. Feeling he could get the desired result more expediently working with a writer with stage musical experience, Merrick recruited Bye Bye Birdie writer Michael Stewart in September 1960, the invitation being made through Gower Champion. (In its final form Carnival would credit its book to "Michael Stewart based on material by Helen Deutsch".) A month after Stewart submitted his first draft for Carnival!—as the Lili musical project was entitled by November 1960—the writer was fired by Merrick; however he was rehired thirty-six hours later.Payne-Carter, David. Gower Champion: Dance and American Musical Theatre Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut (1999), pp. 73-74 Magician Roy Benson was the magical adviser teaching Marco the magic used in the show.
Synopsis
Act 1
A lone figure, Jacquot, is playing "Love Makes the World Go 'Round" on a concertina as the carnival is being set up ("Opening"). Gradually, the other carnival members arrive and parade their colorful banners and bright costumes ("Direct From Vienna"). Lili, an optimistic orphan, enters the carnival, in hopes of a job ("A Very Nice Man"). But instead, Grobert, the souvenir salesman, tries to sexually assault her. Marco the Magnificent, a handsome magician, enters as Lili escapes from Grobert, and performs a magic trick, which enchants Lili so much that she falls in love with him.
In another part of the carnival Paul Berthalet, a lonely and bitter puppeteer who has become crippled because of his war wounds, is preparing his new act, which is lifeless and uninteresting. The carnival manager B. F. Schlegel, fires him. Jacquot, who is his assistant puppeteer, tells Paul he can smooth things over; but Paul, unhappy with his new life as a cripple, declares his need to find a meaning for his life ("I've Got to Find a Reason"). Lili happens by at that moment, and Paul dismisses her. Lili tells Paul and a charmed Jacquot that she cannot leave because she has come from a long way from "Mira" and longs to live a grand life. At that moment, Marco returns from the parade and a jealous Paul tells him to leave her alone because "she's not like the others." Marco invites her to his trailer and charms her ("A Sword and a Rose and a Cape"). His longtime mistress and aging assistant Rosalie learns that Marco has a female friend over and worries that Marco is trying to have an affair behind her back ("Humming").
Marco offers Lili a job in his magic show and an excited Lili takes the role ("Yes, My Heart"). Meanwhile, Jacquot convinces Paul to stay with the carnival because no matter where he goes, he will never again be the famous dancer that he once was. Paul ponders on how miserable he has been since becoming crippled, comparing himself to the smiling puppets ("Everyone Likes You"). At the magic show, unable to keep her enthusiasm under control, Lili ruins one of Marco's magic tricks during his show and gets herself fired ("Magic, Magic"). Despite the mishap, the rest of the carnival goes on without a hitch ("Tanz Mit Mir"/"Carnival Ballet").
Humiliated, she starts to attempt a suicidal jump from the acrobat's ladder, but is stopped by a small redheaded puppet named Carrot Top. Lili meets the three other puppets: Horrible Henry, Marguerite, and Reynardo the Fox. After singing a song to comfort Horrible Henry ("Love Makes the World Go 'Round"), Lili is invited to join the puppet act. When she leaves with Jacquot to find a place to stay in the carnival, Marco taunts Paul through Carrot Top, "Poor old Carrot Top...she loves ME!"
Act 2 The puppet act becomes a hit as Lili becomes close with the puppets, not realizing what they really are ("Yum Ticky"/"The Rich"/"Love Makes the World Go 'Round" [Reprise]/"Beautiful Candy"). Paul notices that he pays a lot of attention to Lili and curses his obsession with "Her Face", only to realize the emotion he is feeling is love. All the same, he treats her with increasing cruelty, but increasing care through his four alter egos. Jacquot sees that the carnival is gaining popularity and predicts that the carnival will soon be "The Grand Imperial Cirque De Paris." In the morning, Paul watches Marco and Lili almost kiss and stops them. Jealous, Paul is verbally abusive to her while practicing with Lili, correcting her every move and executes a dance step miserably, causing him to fall. He causes Lili to have a breakdown and he kisses her. Lili, shocked, angry and confused about his feelings, decides to leave the carnival as Paul mourns that she will never know his true feelings. Lili still has not put together that the puppets she loves so much and who are nice to her, are in fact the hated Paul ("I Hate Him"/"Her Face" Reprise).
The next day, the circus travels to a new town ("The Grand Imperial Cirque De Paris"/"Direct from Vienna" Reprises). Behind the scenes, Marco practices a magic trick with Rosalie, who has threatened to leave him for a doctor. They pledge their love to each other, deciding to run away together to start their own show ("Always, Always You"). But, Marco tells Lili that he is leaving the carnival and secretly invites her. Even though she has learned of his womanizing ways from Rosalie, a frantic Lili accepts. Paul objects to this and Marco taunts him, ending with Paul attacking him. Upon seeing this, Lili screams her hatred and Paul strikes her. As Paul realizes "She's My Love", an angry Jacquot tells him that he made Lili grow up, teaching her the world is full of cruelty and not of love.
As Lili is leaving, she says goodbye to Marco, telling him that she was living a little girl's dream and she must move forward with her life. Marco tries to take her back, but he is impressed with her newfound maturity and lets her go. Carrot Top and Horrible Henry appear to Lili, telling her to take them with her. She sees the puppets are trembling, and lifts the puppets off to discover that the puppets have been Paul all along. (In some revised versions, Lili reveals that she always knew that the puppets were Paul.) As Paul angrily confesses his love for her, she begins to understand the kindness in him and together, they follow the carnival.
Other characters B.F. Schlegel: The grumpy ringmaster of "Cirque de Paris" Grobert: The sleazy souvenir peddler Princess Olga: A seductive snake-charming mistress Gladys Zuwicki: Gloria's sassy, loud-mouth partner in the Siamese twin act Gloria Zuwicki: Gladys' soft-spoken partner in the Siamese twin act Dr. Glass: Rosalie's wealthy veterinarian boyfriend Greta Schlegel: B.F. Schlegel's spoiled, pampered daughter
Songs
Act I "Direct from Vienna" – The Incomparable Rosalie, Greta Schlegel and Carnival People "A Very Nice Man" – Lili "Fairyland" – Puppets "I've Got to Find a Reason" – Paul Berthalet "Mira" – Lili "Sword, Rose and Cape" – Marco the Magnificent and Roustabouts "Humming" – The Incomparable Rosalie and Mr. Schlegel "Yes, My Heart" – Lili and Roustabouts "Everybody Likes You" – Paul Berthalet "Magic, Magic" – Marco the Magnificent, The Incomparable Rosalie and Lili "Tanz Mit Mir" – The Bluebird Girls "Carnival Ballet" – Lili, Carnival People and Townspeople "Mira" (Reprise) – Lili "Love Makes the World Go 'Round" – Lili and Puppets
Act II "Yum Ticky" – Lili and Puppets "The Rich" – Lili and Puppets "Love Makes the World Go 'Round" (Reprise) – Lili and Puppets "Beautiful Candy" – Lili, Puppets and Vendors "Her Face" – Paul Berthalet "Grand Imperial Cirque de Paris" – Jacquot and Carnival People "I Hate Him"/"Her Face" (Reprise) – Lili and Paul "Grand Imperial Cirque de Paris"/"Direct from Vienna" (Reprises) – Carnival People "Always Always You" – Marco the Magnificent and The Incomparable Rosalie "She's My Love" – Paul Berthalet
Productions
Broadway
Carnival premiered at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. where it ran March 9–25, 1961,"National Theatre Timeline, see 1961" NationalTheatre.org, accessed August 23, 2011 with the production next opening in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 27, 1961. The Broadway premiere of Carnival was on April 12, 1961, at the Imperial Theatre. The original cast starred Anna Maria Alberghetti as Lili, James Mitchell as Marco, Kaye Ballard as Rosalie, Pierre Olaf as Jacquot, Henry Lascoe and Jerry Orbach making his Broadway debut as Paul Berthalet. Gower Champion both directed and choreographed with orchestrations by Philip J. Lang. The puppets were designed and created by Tom Tichenor. Carnival was notable for its innovative staging: there was no overture, and before the play commenced the curtain was already raised to put on view a field with a few trees; at the play's beginning actors hauled in wagons and raised a tent as if they were setting up a traveling fair at a new site. Throughout the play actors entered and exited the stage via the aisles of the theater, where occasional bits of the action were played.Bordman, Gerald and Norton, Richard. American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle Oxford University Press (2010), p.684 Carnival was an instant hit with critics and audiences: John Chapman of the Daily News declared the play "enchantment from the moment the houselights go down" while in the Mirror Robert Coleman reported how the premiere's audience "blistered their palms in affectionate welcome to the town's new song and dance triumph."Miletich, Leo. N. Broadway's Prize-Winning Musicals. Haworth Park Press (1993), p.98 Carnival ran on Broadway for 719 performances, moving from the Imperial to the Winter Garden Theatre on December 20, 1962, where it ran until January 5, 1963.