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''Flora the Red Menace'' is a musical with a book by George Abbott and Robert Russell, music by John Kander, and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The original 1965 production starred Liza Minnelli in the title role in her Broadway debut, for which she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. This was the first collaboration between Kander and Ebb, who later wrote Broadway and Hollywood hits such as ''Cabaret'' and ''Chicago''. Although not full of well-known or show-stopping numbers, the score does present a valuable insight into the later work of Kander and Ebb. Like ''Cabaret'' and ''Chicago'', it features a headstrong heroine and has a strong dose of political content. ==Productions== ''Flora the Red Menace'' opened on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre on May 11, 1965 and closed on July 24, 1965, after 87 performances. The cast featured Liza Minnelli as Flora, Bob Dishy as Harry Toukarian and Cathryn Damon as Comrade Charlotte. Direction was by George Abbott, choreography by Lee Theodore, with scenic design by William and Jean Eckart, costume design by Donald Brooks and lighting design by Tharon Musser. Minnelli won the Tony Award, the youngest person to have done so at age 19, until Frankie Michaels won in 1966 at age 11. ''Flora'' was not written for Minnelli, as is sometimes said; Robert Russell was rumored to have written the show as a vehicle for Barbra Streisand. George Abbott became involved and thought it would be a vehicle for Eydie Gormé. Receiving promising out-of-town reviews in New Haven and Boston, the show was recorded two days before its Broadway opening. However, the New York critics were not enthusiastic, and when it closed it had lost almost all of its $400,000 investment.〔Mandelbaum, Ken. ''Not Since Carrie: Forty Years of Broadway Musical Flops'' (1991), St. Martin's Press, ISBN 0-312-06428-4, p. 233〕 ''The New York Times'' reviewer wrote: "The voice (Minnelli ) is not yet distinctive... She is going to be a popular singer, all right. It (the Red Menace ) has the appearance of being pasted together with bits and pieces. A promising idea has not been enlivened by a creative spark."〔Taubman, Howard.(The Theater: 'Flora, the Red Menace'; Spoof of Communists in U.S. Begins Run" ) ''The New York Times'' (abstract), May 12, 1965, p.41〕 The musical was revived at the Off-Broadway Vineyard Theatre in December 1987 with a new book by David Thompson. Directed by Scott Ellis with choreography by Susan Stroman, Flora was played by Veanne Cox with Peter Frechette as Harry.〔Goodman, Walter. ("The Stage: 'Flora, the Red Menace'" ) ''The New York Times'', December 7, 1987〕 Other notable productions include: Brighton Little Theatre, UK, 1998, directed by Simon Cross and musically directed by Gary Nock. Dundee Repertory Theatre, Scotland, autumn 2003.〔(Dundee Rep Theatre ) dundeereptheatre.co.uk〕 42nd Street Moon (San Francisco, California) presented the musical in concert in November – December 2006.〔Connema, Richard.("An Outstanding Ensemble Performs 'Flora, the Red Menace'" ) Talkin Broadway, November 26, 2006〕 "Reprise! Broadway's Best" production, Freud Theatre (Los Angeles, California) – May 6 through May 18, 2008, with Eden Espinosa as Flora.〔Gans, Andrew. ("Espinosa and Felciano to Star in Reprise! Flora, the Red Menace" ), playbill.com, February 27, 2008〕 Oberlin College, 2011, notable for John Kander returning to his alma mater to consult on the production. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Flora the Red Menace」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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