Rex (musical)

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Rex is a musical by Richard Rodgers, Sheldon Harnick, and Sherman Yellen. It opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on April 25, 1976 and closed June 5, 1976, having had 14 performances in previews and 48 total performances. It is remembered for being a rare instance of a Richard Rodgers flop, and for being one of the early Broadway appearances of actress Glenn Close, her first in a musical. Rex is the only Richard Rodgers play since the 1940s not listed in the Rodgers and Hammerstein Theatre Library.

Andrew Lloyd Webber persuaded his ex-wife, Sarah Brightman to record the ballad "Away From You", the only song from the musical that has been separately released.

Years after the show closed, and after Rodgers's death, Sheldon Harnick and Sherman Yellen reworked the show, attempting to make its lead character more sympathetic, presenting it as part of the York Theatre's "Musicals In Mufti" series.

Cast

Nicol Williamson as Henry VIII, King of England
Tom Aldredge as Will Somers
Penny Fuller as Anne Boleyn and Princess Elizabeth
Barbara Andres as Queen Catherine of England
Glenn Close as Princess Mary
Martha Danielle as Queen Claude of France, Lady Margaret, and Queen Katherine Parr of England
Ed Evanko as Mark Smeaton
Merwin Goldsmith as Comus
William Griffis as Cardinal Wolsey
Michael John as Prince Edward
Craig Lucas - Ensemble
Valerie Mahaffey as Catherine Howard, Ensemble
Stephen D. Newman as Francis, King of France
Sparky Shapiro as Young Princess Elizabeth
April Shawhan as Lady Jane Seymour
Lillian Shelby as Nurse, Ensemble

Songs

Act 1

"No Song More Pleasing" - Henry VIII and Mark Smeaton
"The Field of Cloth of Gold" - Company
"Where Is My Son?" - Company
"Basse Dances" - Company
"The Chase" - Comus, Will Somers, Mark Smeaton and Gentlemen
"Away From You" - Henry VIII
"As Once I Loved You" - Queen Catherine
"Away From You" (reprise) - Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII
"Elizabeth" - Mark Smeaton, Lady Margaret and Lady in Waiting
"No Song More Pleasing" (reprise) - Lady Jane Seymour and Henry VIII
"So Much You Loved Me" - Anne Boleyn
"So Much You Loved Me" (reprise) - Anne Boleyn
"Te Deum" - Company

Act 2

"Christmas at Hampton Court" - Princess Elizabeth, Prince Edward and Princess Mary
"The Wee Golden Warrior" - Will Somers, Prince Edward, Princess Elizabeth, Ladies and Gentlemen
"The Masque" - Will Somers, Prince Edward, Princess Elizabeth, Princess Mary, Ladies and Gentlemen
"Sword Dance" - Sword Dancers
"From Afar" - Henry VIII
"In Time" - Princess Elizabeth and Will Somers
"In Time" (reprise) - Princess Elizabeth and Prince Edward
"Te Deum" (reprise) - Company

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Last updated on Friday March 07, 2008 at 16:36:16 PST (GMT -0800)
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