Tenderloin (musical)

Tenderloin (musical)

Tenderloin is a musical with a book by George Abbott and Jerome Weidman, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock, their follow-up to the highly successful Pulitzer Prize-winning Fiorello! a year earlier. The musical is based on a 1959 novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams. Set in the Tenderloin, a red-light district in 1890s Manhattan, the show's story focuses on Reverend Brock, a character loosely based on American clergyman and social reformer Charles Henry Parkhurst.

After six previews, the Broadway production, directed by Abbott and choreographed by Joe Layton, opened on October 17, 1960 at the 46th Street Theatre, where it ran for 216 performances. The cast included Maurice Evans (better known as a Shakespearean actor than a musical performer) as Reverend Brock and Ron Husmann as Tommy.

Tony Award nominations went to Evans for Best Actor in a Musical, Husmann for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, and Cecil Beaton for his costume design, and Husmann won the Theatre World Award for his performance.

An original cast recording was released by Angel Records, and Bobby Darin's recording of "Artificial Flowers" reached #20 on the Billboard charts .

In March 2000, the show was directed by Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Rob Ashford as part of New York City Center's Encores! series . The cast included David Ogden Stiers (Brock), Debbie Gravitte (Nita), Tom Alan Robbins (Joe), Patrick Wilson (Tommy), Sarah Uriarte Berry (Laura), Kevin Conway (Lt. Schmidt), and Jessica Stone (Margie). A concert cast recording was released by DRG Records.