''Soon'' is a

rock opera A rock opera is a collection of rock music songs with lyrics that relate to a common story. Rock operas are typically released as concept albums and are not scripted for acting, which distinguishes them from operas, although several have been ad ...

with music by Joseph M. Kookoolis and Scott Fagan, lyrics by Fagan, and a book by

Martin Duberman Martin Bauml Duberman (born August 6, 1930) is an American historian, biographer, playwright, and gay rights activist. Duberman is Professor of History Emeritus at Herbert Lehman College in the Bronx, New York City. Early life Duberman was born ...

and

Robert Greenwald Robert Greenwald (born August 28, 1945) is an American filmmaker, and the founder of Brave New Films, a nonprofit film and advocacy organization whose work is distributed for free in concert with nonprofit partners and movements in order to educ ...

. It is based on a story by Fagan and Kookoolis. The story is about a group of young musicians who achieve success in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

, but pay the price. It was an attack on the record industry, which apparently caused Fagan and Kookoolis to be blacklisted.

Productions

The 1971 Broadway show opened on January 12 after 21 previews at the Ritz Theatre, and closed after three performances on January 13. The show was musically directed by Louis St. Louis, set design Kert F. Lundell, costume design David Chapman, lighting design

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, audio design Jack Shearing, vocal arrangements by Louis and Jacqueline Penn, orchestrations by

Howard Wyeth Howard Pyle Wyeth (April 22, 1944 – March 27, 1996), also known as Howie Wyeth, was an American drummer and pianist. Wyeth is remembered for work with the saxophonist James Moody, the rockabilly singer Robert Gordon, the electric guitarist L ...

and Jon Huston, additional staging by

Gerald Freedman Gerald Alan Freedman (June 25, 1927 – March 17, 2020) was an American theatre director, librettist, and lyricist, and a college dean. Life and career Freedman was born in Lorain, Ohio, the son of Fannie (Sepenswol), a history teacher, and Barn ...

, and choreography by Fred Benjamin. The band included Louis on piano, Richard Apuzzo on guitar and electric guitar, Adam Ippolito on organ and tuba, John Trivers fender bass and guitar, and Tim Case on drums. The original cast featured Peter Allen (Henry), Dennis Belline (Wilson Wilson),

Barry Bostwick Barry Knapp Bostwick (born February 24, 1945) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Brad Majors in the musical comedy horror film ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' (1975) and Mayor Randall Winston in the sitcom ''Spin City'' (199 ...

(Kelly), Pendleton Brown (Psychedelic Necktie), Angus Cairns (Record Company Executive), Joseph Campbell Butler (Neil),

Nell Carter Nell Carter (born Nell Ruth Hardy; September 13, 1948 – January 23, 2003) was an American singer and actress. Carter began her career in 1970, singing in the theater, and later crossed over to television. She was best known for her role as Ne ...

(Sharon), Paul Eichel (Record Company Executive), Leata Galloway (Faith),

Richard Gere Richard Tiffany Gere ( ; born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. He began in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in '' Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977) and a starring role in ''Days of Heaven'' (1978). He came to prominence with ...

(Michael), Marta Heflin (Annie), Del Hinkley (Record Company Executive), Michael Jason (Henry's Friend), Tony Middleton (Songwriter), John C. Nelson (Henry's Friend), Pamela Pentony (Rita),

Marion Ramsey Marion Ramsey (May 10, 1947 – January 7, 2021) was an American actress and singer. She was a regular on the series ''Cos'' but is best known for her role as the soft-spoken Officer Laverne Hooks in the '' Police Academy'' films. Later she app ...

(Hope),

Vicki Sue Robinson Vicki Sue Robinson (May 31, 1954 – April 27, 2000) was an American theatre and film actress, and singer, closely associated with the disco era of late 1970s pop music; she is most famous for her 1976 hit, " Turn the Beat Around". Early life Bo ...

(Charity), Larry Spinelli (Record Company Executive), and Singer Williams (Henry's Friend).

Reception

Martin Brookspan said "The tide of Rock musicals reaches its high water mark in ''Soon''… an inventive, imaginative, brilliantly realized creation." Emory Lewis said "''Soon'' is a hallelujah blessing, glorious music easily the best score of the season… I loved every rocking minute." John Schubeck said "Staggering shots of meaning. Dynamite in so many ways." In The New Yorker, Brendan Gill called the show “a disaster.”

Songs

Act I

*Let the World Begin Again *In Your Hands *I See the Light/ Gentle Sighs *Roll Out the Morning *Everybody's Running *Henry Is Where It's At *Music, Music *Glad to Know Ya *Rita Cheeta *Henry's Dream Theme *To Touch the Sky *Everybody's Running (Reprise) *Marketing, Marketing *Sweet Henry Loves You *One More Time *Straight *Wait

Act II

*Faces, Names and Places *Annie's Thing *Doing the High *Soon *Country Store Living *What's Gonna Happen to Me *On the Charts *Molecules *So Much That I Know *Child of Sympathy *Frustration *Doing the High (Reprise) *It Won't Be Long

References

External links

*
Original Broadway poster
{{Peter Allen 1971 musicals Broadway musicals Rock musicals Rock operas Sung-through musicals