View source for No Strings

{{Short description|Musical drama by Samuel A. Taylor and Richard Rodgers}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Infobox Musical
|name= No Strings
|subtitle=
|image= NoStrings.jpg
|caption= Original London Cast Recording
|music= [[Richard Rodgers]]
|lyrics= Richard Rodgers
|book= [[Samuel A. Taylor]]
|basis= 
|productions= 1962 [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] <br> 1963 [[West End theatre|West End]] <br> 2003 [[Encores!|Concert Production]]
<!-- Please do not include production-specific (acting, directing, etc.) awards -->
|awards= [[Tony Award for Best Original Score|Tony Award for Best Composer]]
}}
'''''No Strings''''' is a [[musical theatre|musical]] drama with book by [[Samuel A. Taylor]] and words and music by [[Richard Rodgers]]. ''No Strings'' is the only [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] score for which Rodgers wrote both lyrics and music, and the first musical he composed after the death of his long-time collaborator, [[Oscar Hammerstein II]]. The musical opened on Broadway in 1962 and ran for 580 performances.  It received six [[Tony Award]] nominations, winning three, for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, Best Original Score and Best Choreography.

==Productions==
The world premiere of ''No Strings'' was at the O'Keefe Centre (now [[Sony Centre for the Performing Arts|Meridian Hall]]) in Toronto. The U.S. premiere was at the [[Fisher Theater]] in Detroit, where the show ran from January 15 to February 3, 1962.

The musical opened on March 15, 1962, at the [[Adelphi Theatre (New York)|54th Street Theatre]] in New York. It ran for slightly more than six months before transferring to the [[Broadhurst Theatre]], where it continued until August of the following year, for a total of 580 performances and one preview. [[Joe Layton]] was both director and choreographer, with [[Diahann Carroll]] and [[Richard Kiley]] starring. Carroll won a [[Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical]], a first for an African-American. [[Barbara McNair]] and [[Howard Keel]] replaced them later in the run.  
 
In December 1963, an equally successful production in London, starring [[Art Lund]] and [[Beverly Todd]], opened at [[Her Majesty's Theatre]].

In 2003, a staged concert production was held at [[New York City Center]] as a part of its [[Encores!]] series. This production starred [[James Naughton]] and [[Maya Days]] and was directed and choreographed by [[Ann Reinking]].<ref>Brantley, Ben. [https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/10/theater/theater-review-oh-life-was-sweet-and-paris-a-bonbon.html "Oh, Life Was Sweet And Paris a Bonbon"], (Theater Review.) ''[[The New York Times]]''. May 10, 2003. ''(Retrieved 2020-11-01.)''</ref>

==Background==
The [[civil rights movement]] — voter registration for Black people, integration, and fairness and equality in the workplace — was starting to gain momentum in the United States in the early 1960s, but it was a topic largely absent on Broadway. Neither the book nor score make specific mention of race, nor does it impact upon any decisions made by the couple, but Rodgers has addressed the issue.<ref name="block">Block, Geoffrey Holden. ‘’Richard Rodgers’’, (2003), Yale University Press, {{ISBN|0-300-09747-6}}</ref> Other than the model’s reference to growing up north of [[Central Park]] (seemingly an allusion to [[Harlem]]), there is nothing in the script to suggest she is African-American. It was only in the casting of Carroll and Richard Kiley as the star-crossed lovers that the subject of interracial romance surfaced. Any production of the show easily could be cast with two leads of the same race without changing the content in any significant way.{{original research inline|date=October 2020}} Nevertheless, the casting was socially progressive at the time.<ref>[http://www.diahann-carroll.info/stage/strings2.html No Strings] diahann-carroll.info, accessed July 23, 2009</ref>

Rodgers got the idea for casting a Black actress in the star role after viewing Diahann Carroll on ''[[The Tonight Show]]''.
<blockquote>
He felt that the casting spoke for itself and any specific references to race in the play were unnecessary. Rodgers said: "Rather than shrinking from the issue of  race, such an approach would demonstrate our respect for the audience's ability to accept our theme free from rhetoric or sermons."<ref name="block"/>
</blockquote>
However, the characters' reluctance to discuss race was controversial.<ref name="block"/>

==Synopsis==
Fashion model Barbara Woodruff, living in [[Paris]], meets and falls in love with [[expatriate]] American, David Jordan, a [[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning novelist who has suffered from an intense case of [[writer's block]] since his arrival in France. She attempts to restore his confidence in his creativity, but the easy life he's enjoying, flitting about [[Monte Carlo]], [[Honfleur]], [[Deauville]], and [[St. Tropez]], is too much of a distraction. Concluding that he can work only if he returns home to [[Maine]], he invites her to go with him; but, realizing they have no future together, they part with "no strings" attached.<ref> {{cite web|url=https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/65863/no-strings|title=No Strings|website=[[Concord Theatricals]]|access-date=3 October 2021}}</ref>

==Song list==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Act I===
*"[[The Sweetest Sounds (song)|The Sweetest Sounds]]"
*"How Sad"
*"Loads of Love"
*"The Man Who Has Everything"
*"Be My Host"
*"La La La"
*"You Don't Tell Me"
*"Love Makes the World Go"
*"Nobody Told Me"
{{col-break}}

===Act II===
*"Look No Further"
*"Maine"
*"An Orthodox Fool"
*"Eager Beaver"
*"No Strings"
*"Maine (Reprise)"
*"The Sweetest Sounds"
{{col-end}}

The score was arranged and orchestrated without string instruments to underscore the show's title.<ref>{{cite web |title=No Strings (With Strings) / Ralph Burns & His Orchestra |url=http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=95709 |website=ArkivMusic |access-date=3 October 2018}}</ref>

==Recorded versions==
The success of the Broadway production led to three album versions released in 1962. In a year when musical theater recordings proved to be commercially unsuccessful, ''No Strings'' recordings were among the few that did well.<ref name="bb19620602">{{Cite magazine |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=1962-06-02 |page=4 |department=''Billboard'' Music Week |title=Theater Music Year a Rough One; Only Three Smash Albums Emerge |issn=0006-2510}}</ref>

===Original Broadway cast recording===
The Broadway cast recording was released in March by [[Capitol Records]] and reached fifth place on the charts during its year-long run and won the [[Best Original Cast Show Album]] [[Grammy Award]].<ref name="amgcast">{{Cite web |url=https://allmusic.com/album/mw0000617590 |title=Original Broadway Cast&nbsp;– No Strings |language=en-US |website=[[AllMusic]] |publisher=[[RhythmOne]] |accessdate=2023-08-12 |first=William |last=Ruhlmann |date=n.d.}}</ref> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' recommended the album to work to retailers as a "delightful score" that deserved "equal acclaim" to the stage production<ref name="bb19620331">{{Cite magazine |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=1962-03-31 |page=26 |department=Album Reviews |title=Pop |issn=0006-2510}}</ref> and Editors at [[AllMusic]] rated this album 3.5 out of 5 stars, with critic William Ruhlmann writing that this is a "strong cast".<ref name="amgcast" />

All songs written by Richard Rodgers.
#"The Sweetest Sounds" by Diahann Carroll and Richard Kiley&nbsp;– 5:02
#"How Sad" by Richard Kiley&nbsp;– 2:35
#"Loads of Love" by Diahann Carroll&nbsp;– 3:20
#"The Man Who Has Everything" by Mitchell Gregg&nbsp;– 4:14
#"Be My Host" by Don Chastain, Al Epstein, Ann Hodges, and Richard Kiley&nbsp;– 2:41
#"La-La-La" by Noelle Adam and Al Epstein&nbsp;– 2:34
#"You Don't Tell Me" by Diahann Carroll&nbsp;– 1:54
#"Love Makes the World Go"&nbsp;– 2:40
#"Nobody Told Me" by Diahann Carroll and Richard Kiley&nbsp;– 4:02
#"Look No Further" by Diahann Carroll and Richard Kiley&nbsp;– 3:18
#"Maine" by Diahann Carroll and Richard Kiley&nbsp;– 3:02
#"An Orthodox Fool" by Diahann Carroll&nbsp;– 3:09
#"Eager Beaver" by Don Chastain&nbsp;– 4:27
#"No Strings" by Diahann Carroll and Richard Kiley&nbsp;– 4:27
#"Finale: The Sweetest Sounds (Reprise)" by Diahann Carroll and Richard Kiley&nbsp;– 1:29

Personnel include:
*Noelle Adam&nbsp;– vocals
*Ronnie Bedford&nbsp;– drums
*Ralph Burns&nbsp;– orchestration
*Diahann Carroll&nbsp;– vocals
*Terri Castillo Chapin&nbsp;– liner notes
*Don Chastain&nbsp;– vocals
*Jim Dahl&nbsp;– trombone
*Al Epstein&nbsp;– vocals
*David Foil&nbsp;– liner notes
*Friedman-Abeles&nbsp;– production photography
*Mitchell Gregg&nbsp;– vocals
*Ann Hodges&nbsp;– vocals
*Richard Jones&nbsp;– [[Record producer|production]]
*Walter Kane&nbsp;– bassoon
*Richard Kiley&nbsp;– vocals
*Joe Layton&nbsp;– direction
*Peter Matz&nbsp;– musical direction
*Bob Norberg&nbsp;– [[Audio mastering|remastering]] (CD re-release)
*Dan O'Leary&nbsp;– reissue production (CD re-release)
*Aaron Sachs&nbsp;– clarinet
*James Sedlar&nbsp;– trumpet
*Alan Silverman&nbsp;– mastering
*Andy Wiswell&nbsp;– production

===''Richard Rodgers’ No Strings. An After‐Theatre Version''===
''Richard Rodgers’ No Strings. An After‐Theatre Version'' is a jazz album with tracks by [[LaVern Baker]], [[Chris Connor]], [[Herbie Mann]], and [[Bobby Short]] released in April<ref name="bb19620428">{{Cite magazine |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=1962-04-28 |page=30 |department=Album Reviews |title=Strong Sales Potential |issn=0006-2510}}</ref> and promoted it with several singles.<ref name="bb19620421">{{Cite magazine |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=1962-04-21 |page=10 |department=''Billboard'' Music Week |title=Jazz Singles Out of 'No Strings' LP |issn=0006-2510}}</ref> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' reviewed this album as a "strong sales potential" release with "interesting versions" of the songs that they recommend for younger record buyers.<ref name="bb19620428" /> Editors at [[AllMusic]] rated this album 3.5 out of 5 stars, with critic William Ruhlmann writing it was appropriate for [[Atlantic Records]] to adapt the [[big band]] sound to that of several jazz performers at a night club.<ref name="amgafter">{{Cite web |url=https://allmusic.com/album/mw0000709557 |title=Various Artists&nbsp;– No Strings: An After-Theatre Version |language=en-US |website=[[AllMusic]] |publisher=[[RhythmOne]] |accessdate=2023-08-12 |first=William |last=Ruhlmann |date=n.d.}}</ref>

All songs written by Richard Rodgers.
#"The Sweetest Sounds" by Chris Connor&nbsp;– 2:34	
#"Be My Host" by Bobby Short&nbsp;– 2:26	
#"You Don't Tell Me" by LaVern Baker&nbsp;– 2:56	
#"The Man Who Has Everything" by Bobby Short&nbsp;– 2:21	
#"Look No Further" by Chris Connor&nbsp;– 3:42	
#"Eager Beaver" by LaVern Baker&nbsp;– 2:10	
#"Loads of Love" by LaVern Baker&nbsp;– 2:25	
#"La La La" by Herbie Mann&nbsp;– 2:36	
#"An Orthodox Fool" by Bobby Short&nbsp;– 2:36	
#"Nobody Told Me" by Chris Connor&nbsp;– 3:19	
#"Love Makes the World Go" by Bobby Short&nbsp;– 2:31	
#"No Strings" by Chris Connor&nbsp;– 2:37

Personnel include:
*[[LaVern Baker]]&nbsp;– vocals
*[[Al Cohn]]&nbsp;– [[musical arrangement|arrangement]]
*[[Chris Connor]]&nbsp;– vocals
*[[Tom Dowd]]&nbsp;– [[Audio engineering|engineering]]
*[[Nesuhi Ertegun]]&nbsp;– supervision of analog tape transfers
*[[Loring Eutemey]]&nbsp;– artwork
*[[Stanley Green (historian)|Stanley Green]]&nbsp;– [[liner notes]]
*Phil Iehle&nbsp;– engineering
*[[Herbie Mann]]&nbsp;– flute
*[[Bobby Short]]&nbsp;– piano, vocals

===''Sweetest Swingin' Sounds of 'No Strings'''===
A third album was released in May by Capitol, recorded by big band trumpeter [[Billy May]].<ref name="bb19620526">{{Cite magazine |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=1962-05-26 |page=22 |department=Album Reviews |title=Pop |issn=0006-2510}}</ref><ref name="amg">{{Cite web |url=https://allmusic.com/album/mw0001237630 |title=Billy May&nbsp;– Sweetest Swingin' Sounds of 'No Strings' |language=en-US |website=[[AllMusic]] |publisher=[[RhythmOne]] |accessdate=2023-08-12 |date=n.d.}}</ref> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' speculated that it would be a "potent seller" that was "full of the wit and beat" that characterized May's work<ref name="bb19620526" /> and the album was re-released on CD in 1999 in a package with the album ''The Girls and Boys on Broadway''; editors at [[AllMusic]] scored this compilation 4 out of 5 stars.<ref name="amgtwofer">{{Cite web |url=https://allmusic.com/album/mw0000601347 |title=Billy May&nbsp;– The Girls and Boys on Broadway/The Sweetest Swingin' Sounds of 'No Strings' |language=en-US |website=[[AllMusic]] |publisher=[[RhythmOne]] |accessdate=2023-08-12 |date=n.d.}}</ref> 

All songs written by Richard Rodgers.
#"No Strings"&nbsp;– 1:59
#"The Sweetest Sounds"&nbsp;– 1:47
#"Love Makes the World Go"&nbsp;– 1:45
#"Nobody Told Me"&nbsp;– 2:05
#"Loads of Love"&nbsp;– 2:15
#"Maine"&nbsp;– 2:13
#"Eager Beaver"&nbsp;– 2:20
#"Look No Further"&nbsp;– 2:02
#"An Orthodox Fool"&nbsp;– 1:30
#"La La La"&nbsp;– 2:23
#"The Man Who Has Everything"&nbsp;– 2:15
#"Be My Host"&nbsp;– 2:09

==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable"
|+Accolades for the original Broadway production of ''No Strings''
|-
!scope="col" | Year
!scope="col" | Award
!scope="col"| Category
! scope="col"| Nominee
! scope="col"| Result
|-
| rowspan="9" align="center"| 1962
| rowspan="9"| [[Tony Award]]
|scope="row" colspan="2"| [[Tony Award for Best Musical|Best Musical]]
| {{nom}}
|-
|scope="row"| [[Tony Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]]
| [[Richard Rodgers]]
| {{won}}
|-
|scope="row"| [[Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical|Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical]]
| [[Richard Kiley]]
| {{nom}}
|-
|scope="row"| [[Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical|Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical]]
| [[Diahann Carroll]]
| {{won}}
|-
|scope="row"| [[Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical|Best Direction of a Musical]]
| rowspan="2"| [[Joe Layton]]
| {{nom}}
|-
|scope="row"| [[Tony Award for Best Choreography|Best Choreography]]
| {{won}}
|-
|scope="row"| [[Tony Award for Best Conductor and Musical Director|Best Conductor and Musical Director]]
| [[Peter Matz]]
| {{nom}}
|-
|scope="row"| [[Tony Award for Best Scenic Design|Best Scenic Design]]
| David Hays
| {{nom}}
|-
|scope="row"| [[Tony Award for Best Costume Design|Best Costume Design]]
| Donald Brooks
| {{nom}}
|-
| align="center"| 1963
| [[Grammy Award]]
|scope="row" | [[Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album|Best Original Cast Show Album]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=&field_nominee_work_value=&year=All&genre=19|title=Past Winners Search|date=30 April 2017|publisher=Grammy.Com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.awardsandshows.com/features/grammy-awards-1963-215.html|title=Grammy Awards 1963|publisher=Awards & Shows|access-date=2015-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161207105152/http://www.awardsandshows.com/features/grammy-awards-1963-215.html|archive-date=2016-12-07|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| Richard Rodgers
| {{won}}
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{ibdb show|6583}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041019230202/http://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/hello/civil.html ''Broadway: The American Musical'']
*[http://www.rnh.com/show/77/No-Strings RNH Theatricals site for ''No Strings'']
*[https://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/shows_n/no_strings.htm ''No Strings'' plot, history, song list at guidetomusicaltheatre.com]

{{TonyAward MusicalScore 1947-1975}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album}}
{{LaVern Baker}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1962 musicals]]
[[Category:Broadway musicals]]
[[Category:Original musicals]]
[[Category:Compositions by Richard Rodgers]]
[[Category:Musicals set in Paris]]
[[Category:Tony Award–winning musicals]]