''On a Clear Day You Can See Forever'' is a musical with music by Burton Lane and a

book A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this physi ...

and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner based loosely on ''

Berkeley Square Berkeley Square is a garden square in the West End of London. It is one of the best known of the many squares in London, located in Mayfair in the City of Westminster. It was laid out in the mid 18th century by the architect William Ke ...

'', written in 1926 by John L. Balderston. It concerns a woman who has

ESP ESP most commonly refers to: * Extrasensory perception, a paranormal ability ESP may also refer to: Arts, entertainment Music * ESP Guitars, a manufacturer of electric guitars * E.S. Posthumus, an independent music group formed in 2000, ...

and has been reincarnated. The musical received three

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

nominations.

Productions

The

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

production opened at the

Mark Hellinger Theatre The Mark Hellinger Theatre (formerly the 51st Street Theatre and the Hollywood Theatre) is a church (building), church building at 237 West 51st Street (Manhattan), 51st Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, which forme ...

on October 17, 1965, and closed on June 11, 1966, after 280 performances and 3 previews. The production was directed by Robert Lewis, choreographed by

Herbert Ross Herbert David Ross (May 13, 1927 – October 9, 2001) was an American actor, choreographer, director and producer who worked predominantly in theater and film. He was nominated for two Academy Awards and a Tony Award. He is known for directing ...

, and starred Barbara Harris as Daisy Gamble/Melinda,

John Cullum John Cullum (born circa 1930) is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in many stage musicals and dramas, including '' Shenandoah'' (1975) and '' On the Twentieth Century'' (1978), winning the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Mu ...

as Dr. Mark Bruckner,

Clifford David Clifford David (June 30, 1928 – November 30, 2017) was an American actor, singer, and coach. His career began in the 1950s, with early live television appearances leading to roles in Broadway musicals. He also played character roles in tele ...

as Edward Moncrief,

Titos Vandis Titos Vandis ( el, Τίτος Βανδής; 7 November 1917 – 23 February 2003) was a Greek actor. Biography Vandis began his career on the Greek stage in the late 1930s. In 1962, he won the Best Actor award for the film ''Poliorkia'' at ...

as Themistocles Kriakos, and

William Daniels William David Daniels (born March 31, 1927) is an American actor, who is best known for his television roles, notably as Mark Craig in the drama series '' St. Elsewhere'', for which he won two Primetime Emmy Awards; the voice of KITT in the t ...

(Harris's co-star in '' A Thousand Clowns'') as Warren Smith.

Louis Jourdan Louis Jourdan (born Louis Robert Gendre; 19 June 1921 – 14 February 2015) was a French film and television actor. He was known for his suave roles in several Hollywood films, including Alfred Hitchcock's ''The Paradine Case'' (1947), '' Lett ...

was the original leading man when the show had its tryout at the Colonial Theatre in Boston but was replaced by Cullum before it reached Broadway. Scenic design was by Oliver Smith and

costume design Costume design is the creation of clothing for the overall appearance of a character or performer. Costume may refer to the style of dress particular to a nation, a class, or a period. In many cases, it may contribute to the fullness of the arti ...

was by

Freddy Wittop Freddy Wittop (July 26, 1911 – February 2, 2001) was a costume designer. He enjoyed secondary careers as a dancer and college professor. Born Frederick Wittop Koning in Bussum, Netherlands, Wittop emigrated with his family to Brussels, where h ...

. The show was not well received.

Ben Brantley Benjamin D. Brantley (born October 26, 1954) is an American theater critic, journalist, editor, publisher and writer. He served as the chief theater critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1996 to 2017, and as co-chief theater critic from 2017 to ...

of the ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' recalled: "Its book was strained and muddled, most critics agreed; its big production numbers were simply cumbersome. But it did have lushly melodic score...."Brantley, Ben
"Reincarnation With a Green Thumb"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', February 12, 2000 Tours followed, starring such diverse actress-singers as

Tammy Grimes Tammy Lee Grimes (January 30, 1934 – October 30, 2016) was an American film and stage actress. Grimes won two Tony Awards in her career, the first for originating the role of Molly Tobin in the musical '' The Unsinkable Molly Brown'' and the ...

Linda Lavin Linda Lavin (born October 15, 1937) is an American actress and singer. She is known for playing the title character in the sitcom ''Alice'' and for her stage performances, both on and off-Broadway. After acting as a child, Lavin joined the C ...

, and

Nancy Dussault Nancy Dussault (born June 30, 1936) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for playing Muriel Rush in the sitcom ''Too Close for Comfort'' (1980–1987). In a career spanning over half a century, Dussault received two Tony Award n ...

as Daisy/Melinda. A 1970 film adaptation directed by

Vincente Minnelli Vincente Minnelli (born Lester Anthony Minnelli; February 28, 1903 – July 25, 1986) was an American stage director and film director. He directed the classic movie musicals '' Meet Me in St. Louis'' (1944), '' An American in Paris'' (1951), ' ...

starred

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

Yves Montand Ivo Livi (), better known as Yves Montand (; 13 October 1921 – 9 November 1991), was an Italian-French actor and singer. Early life Montand was born Ivo Livi in Monsummano Terme, Italy, to Giovanni Livi, a broom manufacturer, Ivo held stron ...

Bob Newhart George Robert Newhart (born September 5, 1929) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan and slightly stammering delivery style. Newhart came to prominence in 1960 when his album of comedic monologues, ''The Button-Down Mi ...

and

Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. In many of his films, he played rebels against the social structure. He received numerous ...

. In February 2000, the

New York City Center New York City Center (previously known as the Mecca Temple, City Center of Music and Drama,. The name "City Center for Music and Drama Inc." is the organizational parent of the New York City Ballet and, until 2011, the New York City Opera. and t ...

Encores! series presented a staged concert starring

Kristin Chenoweth Kristin Dawn Chenoweth (; born Kristi Dawn Chenoweth; July 24, 1968)Kristin Cheno ...

as Daisy/Melinda and Peter Friedman as Dr. Bruckner. The show premiered in London in 2000 at the Bridewell Theatre. A revised Broadway production began previews on November 12, 2011, at the St. James Theatre and opened on December 11, 2011, directed by Michael Mayer and with a new book by

Peter Parnell Peter Parnell (; born 1953) is an American Broadway and Off-Broadway playwright, television writer, and children's book author. Parnell is also Vice-President of the Dramatists Guild of America, the professional association of playwrights, compo ...

. Harry Connick Jr. starred as Dr. Mark Bruckner.Jones, Kenneth
"A New Life! Harry Connick, Jr. Will Star in Broadway's ''On a Clear Day'', as Reconceived by Michael Mayer"
Playbill, March 1, 2011, accessed December 3, 2016Jones, Kenneth
"''On a Clear Day'', Nov. 12, You Can See Harry Connick Jr., Beginning Broadway Run"
playbill.com, November 12, 2011 The cast included

Jessie Mueller Jessica Ruth Mueller (born February 20, 1983) is an American actress and singer. She started her acting career in Chicago and won two Joseph Jefferson Awards in 2008 and 2011 for her roles as Carrie Pipperidge in ''Carousel'' and Amalia Balash in ...

as Melinda and David Turner as David Gamble. The revised version, which had a developmental workshop at The

Vineyard Theatre The Vineyard Theatre is an Off-Broadway non-profit theatre company, located at 108 East 15th Street in Manhattan, New York City, near Union Square. Its first production was in 1981. It is best known for its productions of the Tony award-winning ...

in the fall of 2009 and had readings in August 2010 at the Powerhouse Theater at

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely follo ...

, departed from the plot of the original. The patient is now a gay florist David (Turner) who was a female jazz singer Melinda (Mueller) in a former life, and who falls in love with his psychiatrist, widower Dr. Mark Bruckner (Connick). The Vassar concert mixed "material from the stage and film versions and eliminates overstuffed 1960s-style production numbers." This production closed on January 29, 2012, after 29 previews and 57 performances. ''On A Clear Day You Can See Forever'' was revived at the Union Theatre in London starring Vicki Lee Taylor as Daisy Gamble and Nadeem Crowe as Dr. Mark Bruckner. The production was directed by Kirk Jameson and opened to rave reviews with the run ending on 28 September 2013. The 2011 revised Broadway version was revived at The New Conservatory Theater Center in San Francisco, California starring Chris Morell as David Gamble, Melissa O'Keefe as Melinda Wells, and popular local actor William Giammona as Dr. Mark Bruckner. The production was directed by Artistic Director and Founder, Ed Decker, with music direction by Matthew Lee Cannon, choreography by Jayne Zaban and featuring new instrumental arrangements by Ben Prince. It opened May 21, 2016. Porchlight Music Theatre presented this show as a part of their "Porchlight Revisits" season where they stage three forgotten musicals per year. It was in Chicago, Illinois in May 2017. It was directed by Lili-Anne Brown.

Synopsis

;Act I Quirky Daisy Gamble sees herself as an unremarkable person and has low self-esteem, even though she can (1) make plants grow remarkably, (2) predict when a telephone will ring or someone will drop in, and (3) tell where to find an object that someone else is looking for. Her current problem, though, is her nasty smoking habit, which will interfere with the chances of her fiancé, Warren, for a job with great benefits. She seeks help from a psychiatrist, Dr. Mark Bruckner, to stop smoking. When he hypnotizes her, she describes living a previous life in late 18th century England as "Melinda Wells", who died in her late twenties from circumstances beyond her control. Free spirited Melinda was in love with portrait painter Edward Moncrief. Mark keeps to himself what Daisy has revealed to him, and he tells her that she should not be ashamed of her ESP. At their next session, Daisy, under hypnosis, relates scenes from the salacious London Hellrakers' Club where Melinda met Edward. Melinda and Edward eventually marry, but the painter is unfaithful to her, making love to his subjects. Mark finds himself falling for "Melinda" and becomes convinced that Daisy is really the reincarnation of Melinda. Melinda finally leaves Edward and sets sail for America, but the ship never reaches Boston. Before Mark can save Melinda from shipwreck, Daisy wakes up. ;Act II Mark reports on the case to his fellow psychiatrists, who ridicule his findings. Greek shipping magnate Themistocles Kriakos learns of Mark's belief in reincarnation and offers to finance a study of the events of Melinda's life in exchange for Mark's help in discovering who he will be in his next life, which will allow him to leave his fortune to his future self. Daisy accidentally discovers that she is the "Melinda" at the center of the growing controversy and that Mark prefers Melinda to herself. In her angry confrontation with the psychiatrist about the matter, she tells him that she is "through being a go-between for you and your dream girl. You're not going to go on using my head for a motel." Daisy goes to the airport, ready to return home. Her ESP powers warn her that the plane on which she plans to travel will crash. She realizes at last how special she really is. She leaves her starchy fiancé and she and Mark unite to explore their extraordinary future.

Versions

The musical is available in at least two noticeably different published versions (aside from the film version), although the basic plot-line remains the same. The first version was published in 1966. The musical numbers recorded in the original

cast album of 1965 correspond to this version. A second version is evident in the piano-vocal score published in 1967. Here several vocal

numbers A number is a mathematical object used to count, measure, and label. The original examples are the natural numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and so forth. Numbers can be represented in language with number words. More universally, individual numbers can ...

from the above version are missing ("Ring Out the Bells," "Tosy and Cosh", "Don't Tamper with my Sister"), as is the introduction to the song "Hurry, It's Lovely Up Here," which is recorded on the cast album. Also, the Greek millionaire's solo, "When I'm Being Born Again" is given completely different lyrics ("When I Come Around Again") and sung instead by Daisy's friends. The

overture Overture (from French ''ouverture'', "opening") in music was originally the instrumental introduction to a ballet, opera, or oratorio in the 17th century. During the early Romantic era, composers such as Beethoven and Mendelssohn composed overt ...

recorded on the cast album combines the "overture" and "

entr'acte (or ', ;Since 1932–35 the French Academy recommends this spelling, with no apostrophe, so historical, ceremonial and traditional uses (such as the 1924 René Clair film title) are still spelled ''Entr'acte''. German: ' and ', Italian: ''inte ...

" printed in the vocal score. The 1970 film version departed from the musical significantly, adding a character for

(an ex-stepbrother named "Tad"), and changing details of other characters, moving the period of Melinda's life ahead by a decade or two (into the early 19th century), removing several songs, changing lyrics and adding two new songs.

Songs

1965 Broadway version

;Act I *"Overture" *"Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here!" — Daisy Gamble *"Ring Out the Bells" — Samuel Welles, Mrs. Welles, Sir Hubert Insdale and Servants *"Tosy and Cosh" — Daisy *"

On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever) "On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)" is a song written by Burton Lane (music) and Alan Jay Lerner (lyrics) for the 1965 musical ''On a Clear Day You Can See Forever''. It was subsequently performed by American actress and vocalist Barbra Stre ...

" — Dr. Mark Bruckner *"On the S.S. Bernard Cohn" — Daisy, Muriel Bunson, James Preston and Millard Cross *"At the Hellrakers" (Ballet) *"Don't Tamper with My Sister" — Edward Moncrief, Sir Hubert and Ensemble *"She Wasn't You" — Edward *"Melinda" — Dr. Bruckner ;Act II *"When I'm Being Born Again" — Themistocles Kriakos *"What Did I Have That I Don't Have?" — Daisy *"Wait Till We're Sixty-Five" — Warren Smith and Daisy *"Come Back to Me" — Dr. Bruckner *"Come Back to Me (reprise)" — Dr. Bruckner *"On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever) (Reprise)" - Ensemble

1967 Revised version

;Act I *"Overture" *"Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here!" — Daisy Gamble *"First Regression: She Wasn't You *"Solicitor's Song" — Samuel Welles, Mrs. Welles, Sir Hubert Insdale and Servants *"He Wasn't You" — Daisy *"

" — Dr. Mark Bruckner *"The Gout" *"On the S.S. Bernard Cohn" — Daisy, Muriel Bunson, James Preston and Millard Cross *"She Wasn't You" — Edward *"Melinda" — Dr. Bruckner ;Act II *"Entre´acte" *"When I'm Being Born Again" — Muriel, Preston and Students *"What Did I Have That I Don't Have?" — Daisy *"Wait Till We're Sixty-Five" — Warren Smith and Daisy *"Come Back to Me" — Dr. Bruckner *"Come Back to Me (reprise)" — Dr. Bruckner *"On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever) (Reprise)" - Ensemble

2011 Broadway revival version

;Act I *"Overture" *"Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here!" *"She Isn't You" *"Open Your Eyes" † *"Wait 'til We're 65" *"You're All the World to Me" † *"Who Is There Among Us Who Knows" *"On the S.S. Bernard Cohn" *"Love with All the Trimmings" *"Melinda" ;Act II *"Entr' Acte" *"Go to Sleep" - Added during previews, not credited in the Playbill *"Ev'ry Night at Seven" † *"Too Late Now" † *"When I'm Being Born Again" *"He Wasn't You" *"What Did I Have That I Don't Have" *"Come Back to Me" *"On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)" † Songs taken from the musical film ''

Royal Wedding ''Royal Wedding'' is a 1951 American musical comedy film directed by Stanley Donen, and starring Fred Astaire and Jane Powell, with music by Burton Lane and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. Set in 1947 London at the time of the wedding of Princess ...

''. Note: In the piano-vocal score, a song appears that was not included in the original Broadway production: "The Solicitor's Song", during Daisy's first regression-scene. There was also a ballet in the first act of the original production, entitled "At the Hellrakers" and the song "Ring Out the Bells" that are not found on the original Broadway recording.

Recordings

The

title song A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...

, first introduced by

in the 1965 musical, has been recorded by a number of artists, including Robert Goulet,

Johnny Mathis John Royce Mathis (born September 30, 1935) is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standard music, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum s ...

, baseball pitcher

Denny McLain Dennis Dale McLain (born March 29, 1944) is an American former professional baseball player. He played for ten seasons in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher, most prominently as a member of the Detroit Tigers. In 1968, McLain beca ...

, and

Sergio Franchi Sergio Franchi (born Sergio Franci Galli; April 6, 1926 – May 1, 1990) was an Italian-American tenor and actor who enjoyed success in the United States and internationally after gaining notice in Britain in the early 1960s. In 1962, RCA Vict ...

on his 1976 DynaHouse and TeleHouse albums;

, star of the 1970 film version, recorded the title song on the film's soundtrack and has frequently included it in her concerts.

Sammy Davis Jr. Samuel George Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American singer, dancer, actor, comedian, film producer and television director. At age three, Davis began his career in vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr. and the ...

has also performed the title song live in concert, and

Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...

released a version in 1967 on his album ''Our Leader!'' ( Dot DLP 3801 and DLP 25801). In 2012,

The Peddlers The Peddlers were a British jazz/soul trio of the 1960s and 1970s. Led by organist Roy Phillips, they had hits with "Birth" and " Girlie". They were very popular in New Zealand during the 1970s. History The Peddlers formed in Manchester in ...

' 1968 jazz cover was used in season 5 episode 3 ("Hazard Pay") of AMC-TV's ''

Breaking Bad ''Breaking Bad'' is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series follows Walter White (Bryan Cranston), an underpaid, overqualified, and dispirited hig ...

'' over a montage of Walt and Jesse's meth manufacturing. "What Did I Have That I Don't Have" was covered with some success by

Eydie Gorme Eydie may refer to: * Eydie Gormé (1928–2013), American singer. * Steve and Eydie, an American pop vocal duet, * Eydie Whittington, a Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. * The World Of Steve & Eydie, a 1972 album released by Steve Law ...

and was also sung by Streisand on the soundtrack of the film version. "Come Back to Me" was recorded by swing revival band the

Cherry Poppin' Daddies The Cherry Poppin' Daddies are an American swing and ska band established in Eugene, Oregon, in 1989. Formed by singer-songwriter Steve Perry and bassist Dan Schmid, the band has experienced numerous personnel changes over the course of its 30 ...

in 1994, which later appeared on their multi-platinum 1997 compilation '' Zoot Suit Riot'' and was re-recorded for their 2014

Rat Pack The Rat Pack was an informal group of entertainers, the second iteration of which ultimately made films and appeared together in Las Vegas casino venues. They originated in the late 1940s and early 1950s as a group of A-list show business frie ...

tribute ''

Please Return the Evening ''Please Return the Evening — the Cherry Poppin' Daddies Salute the Music of the Rat Pack'' is a tribute album and seventh studio (ninth overall) album by American ska-swing band the Cherry Poppin' Daddies, released on July 29, 2014 by Space Age ...

''. The title song is reminiscent of

Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In ...

's "Dawn" movement from his ballet ''

Daphnis et Chloé ''Daphnis et Chloé'' is a 1912 ''symphonie chorégraphique'', or choreographic symphony, for orchestra and wordless chorus by Maurice Ravel. It is in three main sections, or ''parties'', and a dozen scenes, most of them dances, and lasts just u ...

''.Lin, Andrew.
"Violins and Valentines"
''

The Harvard Independent ''The Harvard Independent'' is a weekly newspaper produced by undergraduate students at Harvard University. It is one of the leading hard-news media outlets on the Harvard undergraduate campus. It is the oldest weekly newspaper in Cambridge, Massa ...

'' (February 2016).

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

2011 Broadway revival

References

External links

Internet Broadway DatabasePiano Solo "On a Clear Day" played by Roger Williams, from the Pianocorder Contemporary Artists Series, (7 ft Grand Piano)
{{DEFAULTSORT:On A Clear Day You Can See Forever 1965 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals by Alan Jay Lerner Cultural depictions of George IV Musicals based on plays Plays set in New York City Fiction about reincarnation