When I Thought about Mary Poppins about a month ago, I noted that the songwriters of the original film, Richard and Robert Sherman, had written the music for a show that starred the Andrews Sisters. When I saw the cast album for Over Here! in the bin at the library, I grabbed it immediately.
I was gleefully delighted to note that John Travolta, Marilu Henner, and Treat Williams were all in the cast of this show. Although they are ensemble players, the booklet with the CD reissue is sure to make use of photos of these three famous cast members, though.
I have actually seen a production of Over Here! as performed by the Kalamazoo Community Theater some time in the mid-1980s. I recall be rather charmed by the show when I saw it live, even without the Andrews Sisters in their roles, but the recording wore a little thin with me in listening to it now. The pastiche 40s numbers are fun at first, but then you want something else. In the live performance I remember a character singing the third verse of the American National Anthem (which is a plot point in the rather silly spy story of the show) and that moment being very well done, moving and a nice contrast to all the big-band stuff; well if that moment was in the Broadway original, it didn't make it onto the cast album.
Over Here!
Music and Lyrics by Richard and Robert Sherman
Book by Will Holt
Opened in 1974
Cast: Patty Andrews, Maxene Andrews, John Travolta, Treat Williams, Marily Henner,
Music and Lyrics by Richard and Robert Sherman
Book by Will Holt
Opened in 1974
Cast: Patty Andrews, Maxene Andrews, John Travolta, Treat Williams, Marily Henner,
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