Going Backstage, Then Getting Nostalgic

Abstract

As the 1960s end and the 1970s begin, Betty Comden and Adolph Green worked on two new shows. The first was Applause, which though set in then-present-day New York was something of a backward glance. It was a musical version of the classic Bette Davis film All About Eve. The show, which had a score by composer Charles Strouse and lyricist Lee Adams, was a hit for the writers and its star, film luminary Lauren Bacall, who was making her debut in a musical. They followed with another nostalgic piece of writing, Lorelei, a revision of the musical Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, penned specifically for its original star, Carol Channing. Comden and Green were only to provide lyrics for a handful of new songs, but when the production was foundering on the road they stepped in as its directors, working on it for over a year.