Customer Reviews

Maggie Flynn (1968 Original Broadway Cast)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Maggie Flynn" was an old fashioned musical starring Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy which failed because it unfortunately opened at the time of the dawning of Aquarius. "Hair" had opened on Broadway a few months prior and excited audiences for a new direction for shows and old fashioned musicals like "Maggie Flynn" were more or less pushed aside. Jones and Cassidy were married at the time and the marraige was in trouble and they sometimes missed performances but there must have been some strain so it's understandable.

That's what makes it more of a shame because "Maggie Flynn" had better than average music and an unusually strong and provocative book. The story takes place in NYC during the Civil War and the climax features the draft riots of 1863 because poor Irish immigrants were drafted to fight while the wealthy could pay a fee and "dodge the draft".

The songs were very tuneful and entertaining and although there were no hits, songs like "Nice Cold Mornin'" "The Thank You Song" "Learn How To Laugh" "Mr Clown" and both the ballad version and the Irish Jig version of "Maggie Flynn" are pleasing to the ears and Mr Cassidy also scores on "Why Can't I walk Away" and Miss Jones has a couple of solid solos on "I Won't Let it Happen Again" and "Pitter Patter".

There is also a protest song called "Never Gonna Make Me Fight" which fits into the story even if it's a bit obvious-----but the only mis-step the show makes is "The Game of War". One of the sub-plots involves a pair of confederate spies who rent the basement of the orphanage Maggie runs and the spies have stockpiled a cache of weapons. Late in the second act the orphans find the weapons and sing "The Game of War" about the horror and futility of war-this scene was supposed to manipulate the audiences to tears but didn't.

So if you enjoy musicals and light but perky music and want to hear the glorious vocals of Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy-Then you should give "Maggie Flynn" a try. Trust me, you will enjoy.

When I was a 13 year old boy, I had already been a "show tune queen" for a few years. Since my parents never gave me an allowance, most of my record shopping was done at the "cut out" bins because there you could buy a recording for as little as one dollar. And it was in one such bin that I found "Maggie Flynn" and fell in love with its glorious score.

I treasured that record for many years, but as my collection grew larger, I lost track of this overlooked musical.

In the 80s, after I finally put aside my dreams of a performance career, I became involved in the development of a musical theater program for The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. I was reintroduced to "Maggie Flynn" while teaching in that program when I gained a copy of the infamous list of "Music Theater Audition Songs" that included many of Maggie's songs. The list was purported to be the best songs to sing at an audition (in place of "I Cain't Say No," "The Impossible Dream," and other overused material that directors were tired of hearing). It was a pleasant surprise, especially when I was able to get the songs from the show in a successful eBay bid.

Now, it seems that I've come full circle with the release of "Maggie Flynn" on CD. I can't wait to hear it again! I recently purchased the script to the show in an NYC drama shop. Reading the script has made me understand the failure of the show. Although "Maggie Flynn" had a fascinating plot, its execution rendered it as melodramatic and predictable as any classic "pot boiler" or "penny dreadful." The idea of presenting a musical around the little recalled 1863 New York City draft riots was unique. But you were unfortunately hit over the head by its constant allusions to the then-current war in Vietnam.

But that's all beside the point because what we have here is the great score and performances of the original cast. If you don't know this show and you love a tuneful, old fashioned musical, grab this one up before it disappears again.

I loved the original LP and this CD just proves again what a beautiful, melodic and often stirring score this is! In a season that included, Hair, Dear World, Zorba, 1776 and Promises Promises I guess this just got lost in the shuffle.

Hardcore show music collectors have a long list of titles they'd desperately love to see reissued on CD. We've been very lucky in the last few years (Decca Broadway has nicely furnished us with the likes of "Fade Out-Fade In", "I Had a Ball" and "Baker Street"; Sony Masterworks re-released their long-dormant Lincoln Center revivals of "South Pacific" and "The King and I"); but one particular album has been flagged for many, many years as possibly the Number One unreleased recording on every collector's list...MAGGIE FLYNN. It starred Shirley Jones, making her return to Broadway after an absense of twelve years, along with her husband Jack Cassidy, a Tony Award-winner for "She Loves Me" and a long-time matinee idol favourite.

The show--which notched up only 82 performances on Broadway--was crafted by well-known music producers (and sometime songwriters) Hugo Perretti and Luigi Creatore; and directed by Morton Da Costa, who had previously guided Shirley Jones through one of her all-time best musical performances in the film version of "The Music Man". The musical was dismissed by most critics, and audiences followed suit. With such a pedigree, how on earth could it have possibly flopped...?

The main reason why MAGGIE FLYNN failed was timing. Broadway was heading in a completely new direction in 1968. Yes, this was the year of "Hair", "Oh, Calcutta!" was on the horizon, and Sondheim's "Company" would blaze onto the stage in 1970. The story of feisty Irish immigrants and their experiences during the era of the New York draft riots was decidedly creaky by comparison. I think that Ms Jones would have been better-served doing a limited run revival of "The King and I".

To be fair, the score suits the respective voices of Jones and Cassidy extremely well. Ms Jones is a vivacious, exciting presence on disc; Cassidy--thankfully keeping his pesky "wobble" at bay for the most part--is at his best with the big number "Why Can't I Walk Away?". Sound quality is deep and crisp, as you would expect from an RCA cast album from this period.

For all it's problems, the score as a whole is a delight. Thankyou DRG for finally bringing it back into the catalogue.

MAGGIE FLYNN came into my life as an LP, a gift my grandmother had received at a charity luncheon and passed on to me. I played it obsessively but knew, as the CD revolution changed the music industry, that I'd better hold onto the record, as it would never be transferred to CD. A flop show no one had ever heard of? No chance.

When I found the CD by accident on Amazon, I was thrilled, and ordered it at once. The result is the very same show I loved in the late '60's (probably pressed from the same original recording)-- wonderful, old-fashioned Broadway songs sung by full-bodied voices. While I have always found Shirley Jones deficient as an actress, her talents as a singer are beyond question, and showcased beautifully here. Jack Cassidy has long been a favorite of mine, and his humor and passion are all here, along with his outstanding vocal gifts.

My favorites on the album, still (after all these years!) are: "Why Can't I Walk Away?", "Nice Cold Mornin'", and "How About a Ball?" -- but virtually every song, including those sung by the children, is wonderful. A terrific score of a long-forgotten show -- this CD will be part of my collection forever, as the record was before it.

Thank you, DRG!!!

A truly fine score with terrific performances. A must for anyone who enjoys the less successful Broadway musicals. A really fun listen. Some of the excitement of the show could
not be captured on a recording, but this is one of those lost treasures which should get many replays if the score is new to you. Jones and Cassidy are in great form and there are many songs which could go into Audition Books. "Why Can't I Walk Away?" was once very popular with Baritones and is not overdone these days. You can also hear a very young Stephanie Mills (THE WIZ) along with Irene Cara (FAME) and Giancarlo Esposito (SEESAW) who are sadly uncredited among the Orphans.

I have been waiting a long time for this treasure to be on CD. While it is more appreciated in the show, the recording is entertaining to listen to. Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy are always great to hear. There are some good numbers on this recording. If you are a fan of show music you should enjoy this CD even if you did not see the show.

I used to own the LP record for Maggie Flynn , of course it sounds nothing like a CD would so when I saw DRG was releasing this, I was very excited. The album contains some great old-fashioned Broadway music, one I remember most is Nice Cold Mornin', and there are many songs that are memorable here. Thank God for companies like DRG who is remastering titles like Take Me Along and Wildcat, and of course, Maggie Flynn. This is a definite must-have for any Broadway collector or anyone who likes the good old-fashioned Broadway music which sadly nearly died in the late 60's to the early 70's. Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy do a terrific job, as did the RCA engineers, who made this one great sounding Broadway Cast recording. Highly recommend.

I was quite surprised at this musical. I had no expectations at all, but I had fun with the anecdote and loved some songs. It's not LES MISERABLES, but quite cute and enjoyable. The songs are very appealing and melodic. The story is interesting since it has a historical background (the Civil War). It reminded me of ANNIE and OLIVER!somehow, because it also deals with kids in a sort of orphanage. A warm, romantic subplot adds to the feel-good intention of the whole production. Technically flawless, it is ideal for a cold, rainy day at home.

I really wanted to like MAGGIE FLYNN. Truly, I did. But there's not much to like about it, beginning with its lackluster overture. Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy must have known they were headlining a disaster, for they don't sound as though they're having a very good time singing trite lyrics set to derivative melodies. The problem, obviously, is Hugo & Luigi. Best known as record producers, Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore were behind several successful albums by Perry Como, Elvis Presley, and Sam Cooke - to name a few - and hit singles like "I Will Follow Him" by Little Peggy March and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by the Tokens. Along with George David Weiss, they wrote the Presley hit "Can't Help Falling in Love." During the early 60s, the team created The Cascading Voices of the Hugo and Luigi. Regarding their album "Let's Fall in Love," Jason Ankeny wrote in his All Music Guide review: "The signature sound of RCA production gurus Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore is best likened to fondue--rich, creamy and irrefutably cheesy."

Well, if the composer of the classic pop hits "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?" and "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake" (Bob Merrill) could write successful Broadway musicals, why shouldn't Hugo & Luigi have a go at it? Right? But when all the ballads and "big moments" for the principals sound like "Can't Help Falling in Love" warmed over, except orchestrated by Philip J. Lang . . . Oh, I'll admit my feet got to tappin' a couple of times during some of the marches and pseudo-Irish jigs, but one is nearly indistinguishable from another. Most Broadway flops have at least one redeeming number ("Hey, Look Me Over" from WILDCAT" or "She Touched Me" from DRAT! THE CAT!, for example ), but not so with MAGGIE.

Then there's the book. In the notes from the original souvenir book (reprinted by DRG) Luigi takes most of the credit, although he admits producer Morton Da Costa gave him a hand now and then. Set during the American Civil War but written in 1968 at the height of the Vietnam anti-war movement, is the show a political statement or a romantic drama? Is it even a drama? Everyone is so damned perky (even the children as they sing "The Game of War") one would be inclined to think there's any drama at all. The song "They're Never Gonna Make Me Fight" is no "hell no, I won't go," but it hints at what might have been: "Will you miss me when I'm drafted in the army, When I'm fighting Johnny Reb for Old Black Joe?" . .. . "It's the blacks they're asking you to fight for. But do they go? No! They stay here and take our jobs. Is that what you want?"

I really wanted to like MAGGIE FLYNN. Truly, I did. I even listened to it twice, but both times I grew impatient for it to end. Pity. Listen to Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy's studio recording of BRIGADOON instead. Far better score, and Jones and Cassidy are in much better voice - and you get a terrific performance by Susan Johnson as a bonus.