In August 1986, the delightful British musical Me and My Girl made its grand entrance at the Marquis Theatre, starring the talented Robert Lindsay. A fusion of Pygmalion and Cinderella, the show revolves around Bill Snibson, a carefree Cockney man who unexpectedly discovers he is an Earl and must abandon his Lambeth girlfriend, Sally Smith, to claim his title and estate. Mark Robinson, a renowned theater historian, raves about the production, declaring it to be a source of pure joy, captivating audiences and critics alike.
However, behind the scenes, the Marquis Theatre faced significant challenges that affected the run of the musical. The original plans for the theater did not align with city regulations, leading to constant revisions during construction, which resulted in sewage, plumbing, and heating issues onstage and backstage. In this episode you'll learn about the history and tremendous success of Me and My Girl both in London and New York, and you'll find out why the theater owners, eyeing an even more profitable replacement, decided to end the run of this award-winning show prematurely.
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Closing Night is a production of WINMI Media with Patrick Oliver Jones as host and executive producer. Dan Delgado is the editor and co-producer, not only for this podcast but also for his own movie podcast called The Industry. Blake Stadnik composed the theme music, and Maria Clara Ribeiro is co-producer. Much appreciation goes Mark Robinson for his insights as well as the voice talents of George Livings, Gabrielle Ruiz, and our very own Dan Delgado.
Click here for a transcript and full list of resources used in this episode (and there were a lot of them, believe me).
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