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''Li'l Abner'' is a musical with a book by Norman Panama and Melvin Frank, music by Gene De Paul, and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Based on the comic strip ''Li'l Abner'' by Al Capp, the show is, on the surface, a broad spoof of hillbillies, but it is also a pointed satire on other topics, ranging from American politics and incompetence in the United States federal government to propriety and gender roles. After several other writers and composers considered musicalizing the comic strip, Al Capp finally made a deal in 1955 with the eventual creators for a musical to be financed by Paramount Pictures, which wanted to follow the stage version with a film musical. The Broadway production opened on November 15, 1956 and ran for a moderately successful 693 performances. The score and Michael Kidd's choreography received critical praise, but some critics felt that the book's adaptation lost the spirit of the comic strip. Kidd and Edie Adams, as Daisy Mae, won Tony Awards, while newcomer Peter Palmer, in the title role, won a Theatre World Award. Paramount released a film version with the same title in 1959, with most of the Broadway cast reprising their roles. ==History== A musical version of the popular comic strip ''Li'l Abner'' was first planned in 1946, with the book to be written by the comic strip's author, Al Capp.〔Calta, Louis. "Luckenbach Joins Producing Ranks", ''The New York Times'', November 14, 1946, p. 51〕 Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were named as potential producers, though reports did not state whether they intended to write the score.〔 However, this version never materialized, and over the next several years, various authors and composers sought to musicalize ''Li'l Abner'', including writers Arnold Horwitt and Josh Logan.〔Funke, Lewis. "News and Gossip Gathered on the Rialto", ''The New York Times'', February 13, 1949, p. X1〕〔Calta, Louis. "'Li'l Abner' Bagged by Two Showmen", ''The New York Times'', March 17, 1953, p. 26〕 In 1953, Arthur Schwartz and Alan Jay Lerner obtained the rights to the show from Al Capp; the three were to co-produce the show, with Schwartz writing the music and Lerner writing the book and lyrics〔 for an opening during the 1954–55 season.〔Calta, Louis. "Van Johnson Eyes 'Li'l Abner' Role", ''The New York Times'', September 26, 1953, p. 14〕 The familiar comic strip characters were to be retained but Li'l Abner and his longtime sweetheart Daisy Mae would not yet be married in the musical.〔 Hollywood star Van Johnson expressed interest in the title role, saying he would dye his hair black to match the comic strip character; he had not appeared on Broadway since the 1940 production of ''Pal Joey''.〔 The Schwartz–Lerner version also fell through, but by the next year Lerner and composer Burton Lane planned to write the musical. Herman Levin would serve as producer, and rehearsals were scheduled to begin in November 1954.〔Zolotow, Sam. "Lewis Wondering About 3 New Musicals", ''The New York Times'', June 21, 1954, p. 20〕 However, later that year, Levin announced a musical version of George Bernard Shaw's ''Pygmalion'', by Lerner and Loewe.〔Zolotow, Sam. "Bow Tonight Set For 'On Your Toes'", ''The New York Times'', October 11, 1954, p. 31〕 Although work was supposed to continue on the Lane–Lerner ''Li'l Abner'', this version never appeared, and ''My Fair Lady'', Lerner and Loewe's adaptation of ''Pygmalion'', opened in 1956, becoming the hit musical of the decade.〔〔Hischak, pp. 516–17〕 In 1955, Norman Panama and Melvin Frank announced a ''Li'l Abner'' musical to open on Broadway in 1956, followed by a film of the musical.〔Zolotow, Sam. "Musical Based on 'Li'l Abner'", ''The New York Times'', May 17, 1955, p. 32〕 The music was to be written by Gene de Paul with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. De Paul and Mercer had previously written the score for the popular movie musical, ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers''. Michael Kidd, who had choreographed ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'', was to direct and choreograph ''Li'l Abner''.〔 Al Capp approved the production and was to receive a share of any profits.〔〔Weiler, A. H. "By Way of Report", ''The New York Times'', October 2, 1955, p. X7〕 Paramount Pictures was the sole backer of the musical and also paid $300,000 for its film rights, with Panama and Frank slated to adapt, direct, and produce the film version.〔〔Pryor, Thomas M. "Paramount Backs Musical Onstage", ''The New York Times'', December 19, 1955, p. 32〕 The producers conducted a long search for the actor to play the title role: over 400 actors auditioned for the part, and at one time, Dick Shawn was reported to be their preferred choice.〔Gelb, Arthur. "New Play Slated by Bloomgarden", ''The New York Times'', July 19, 1956, p. 31〕〔Calta, Louis. "Laughton Slated to Act and Direct", ''The New York Times'', June 28, 1956, p. 32〕 However, the producers eventually chose unknown singer Peter Palmer, who had been serving in an army entertainment unit; Panama and Frank saw him perform on a segment of ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' featuring talented American soldiers.〔Hischak, p. 437〕〔Zolotow, Sam. "Bert Lahr Signed for 'Grand Hotel'", ''The New York Times'', August 10, 1956, p. 10〕 Palmer was a trained singer with a music degree from the University of Illinois, where he had also played football; at 6'4" and 228 pounds, Palmer had the right "look" to play the Li'l Abner.〔〔 The leading female role, Daisy Mae, was relatively easier to cast. The producers knew that they wanted soprano Edie Adams, who had given a star-making performance as Eileen in the 1953 musical ''Wonderful Town''.〔Zolotow, Sam. "'Major Barbara'" Lines Up Cast", ''The New York Times'', July 6, 1956, p. 17〕〔Bloom and Vlastnik, p. 133〕 Adams, however, had also been offered the lead role in the original production of ''Candide''. Adams asked director George Abbott, who had directed her in ''Wonderful Town'', which show she should choose, and he advised her to take Daisy Mae, which she subsequently did.〔Bloom and Vlastnik, p.323〕 Coincidentally, Al Capp had been one of the three judges for the "Miss U.S. Television" contest broadcast on the DuMont Television Network in 1950 that first brought Adams national attention.〔"Miss U.S. Television of 1950: Edythe Adams," Broadcasting-Telecasting, 5 February 1951, 66-67.〕 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「Li'l Abner (musical)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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