Jennie (musical)
Productions
Productions
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Out\-of\-town tryouts
*Jennie* was plagued with problems from the start. In [Boston](/wiki/Boston "Boston"), the major character of Jennie's second husband (J. Hartley Manners, who was to be played by Robin Bailey) was eliminated, and [Carol Haney](/wiki/Carol_Haney "Carol Haney") replaced [Matt Mattox](/wiki/Matt_Mattox "Matt Mattox") as choreographer. Schwartz sued *[The Boston Globe](/wiki/The_Boston_Globe "The Boston Globe")* and its critic Kevin Kelly, on the basis that his review implied the composer had "stolen or plagiarized" from other composers.["Song Writer Suing Boston Stage Critic"](https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0B10FE3A59137B93C6A81783D85F478685F9) *The New York Times*, August 14, 1963, p. 29 (archive abstract accessed August 10, 2016\) In summarizing the Boston reviews, *The New York Times* noted that while the critics unanimously praised Martin, they were "disappointed" in the show. It was "too long, too cultured, and sometimes even too solemn for its own good", according to Elliot Norton of *The Record American*.["2 New Musicals Assayed on Road"](https://www.nytimes.com/1963/07/31/archives/2-new-musicals-assayed-on-road-jennie-tries-out-in-boston-heres.html) *The New York Times*, July 31, 1963, p. 19 (archive abstract accessed August 10, 2016\)
In [Detroit](/wiki/Detroit "Detroit"), the leading man was replaced (George Wallace replaced Dennis O'Keefe),Wilson, John S. "The Life of 'Jennie' ", *The New York Times*, October 13, 1963, p. 119 and animosity developed between Schwartz and Dietz and the Hallidays, who decided not to bring the show to [New York City](/wiki/New_York_City "New York City"). When the composers threatened to sue the couple for the $1\.35 million advance sale, they agreed to open as scheduled.

Broadway
The musical opened on [Broadway](/wiki/Broadway_theatre "Broadway theatre") at the [Majestic Theatre](/wiki/Majestic_Theatre_%28Broadway%29 "Majestic Theatre (Broadway)") on October 17, 1963 and closed on December 28, 1963, after 82 performances and four previews. Directed by [Vincent J. Donehue](/wiki/Vincent_J._Donehue "Vincent J. Donehue"), choreographed by Matt Mattox (official IBDB credits) and with costumes by [Irene Sharaff](/wiki/Irene_Sharaff "Irene Sharaff"), the cast included [George D. Wallace](/wiki/George_D._Wallace "George D. Wallace") as O'Connor, [Robin Bailey](/wiki/Robin_Bailey "Robin Bailey") as Cromwell, Jack De Lon as Abe O'Shaughnessy, [Jeremiah Morris](/wiki/Jeremiah_Morris "Jeremiah Morris") as The Bear, Sydney Harris, and Indian Fakir, and [Ethel Shutta](/wiki/Ethel_Shutta "Ethel Shutta") as Nellie Malone.
The critics were delighted by the score and Martin's [slapstick](/wiki/Slapstick "Slapstick") antics but found little else to praise. Howard Taubman, in *The New York Times* wrote: "Not that Miss Martin has lost her luster...she continues to be a game and resourceful trouper, willing to do an impossible backbend while being carried aloft and game enough to let herself be whirled head over heels on a torture rack and come up smiling and belting out a top note."Taubman, Howard. ["Theater: Mary Martin Stars in 'Jennie' "](https://www.nytimes.com/1963/10/18/archives/theater-mary-martin-stars-in-jennie-musical-based-on-life-of.html) *The New York Times*, October 13, 1963, p. 28 (archive abstract accessed August 10, 2016\) [Walter Kerr](/wiki/Walter_Kerr "Walter Kerr") reviewing in the *Herald Tribune* wrote: "a woeful tale of some woeful people told in a woeful way."Davis, p. 231 This was Martin's first Broadway flop. (She had starred in *Nice Goin* and *Dancing in the Streets* which closed out\-of\-town. *Dancing* was written by [Vernon Duke](/wiki/Vernon_Duke "Vernon Duke") and Howard Dietz, and closed in Boston in 1943\.)["Mary Martin"](https://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/stars/martin_m.html)  pbs.org, accessed August 5, 2009
["Mary Martin Biography"](http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mary-martin-mn0000040695/biography) allmusic.com, accessed August 10, 2016

The [New York Times](/wiki/New_York_Times "New York Times") reported the show’s losses as $450,000\.Calta, Louis. “10 Hits Help Broadway Rebound from Losses of 1962\-63 Season.” New York Times, 29 June 1964, 1\.


Who directed Jennie's Broadway production?