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[0:00] Paul Lazarus: Hi, this is Paul Lazarus. In the 1980s, I produced and hosted a radio series called Anything Goes, a celebration of the American musical theater. Now the Broadway Podcast Network is bringing back these shows. This is the second of a three-part program paying tribute to acclaimed lyricist Howard Dietz. Dietz is best known for his collaborations with composer Arthur Schwartz on memorable songs like "Dancing in the Dark," "By Myself," and "That's Entertainment." This program originally aired in 1983 and was hosted by associate producer Jeff Lunden. The next show that Dietz and Schwartz collaborated on was The Bandwagon, and Dietz writes about it in his book. The success of Three's a Crowd inclined Max Gordon to try again with a review, but I did not easily persuade myself to go along.

Reviews are difficult to do. Each scene starts from scratch, and too much talent is required. The song score in a show with a plot has a thread to hold it together, and the plot itself provides cues of a sentimental or comic nature. The simple declarative love song can be reprised with telling effect, whereas in a review, a reprise is just a repetition. I decided that another review would be too much, but Max was persuasive. In a moment of weakness, I said I would write another review if George Kaufman would agree to collaborate on the sketches. He had written the best comic playlets. The Still Alarm, which appeared in the little show, was a classic. George agreed, and we began working. Though the work went well, and Max was fortified with Kaufman's presence as co-author and director, he was not yet confident of Schwartz's ability to deliver a complete score, and the show involved an investment of $160,000, a huge sum then.

But when Arthur played the melodies to "I Love Louisa," "New Sun in the Sky," and "Dancing in the Dark," a relaxed smile appeared on his face. It's a pleasure to go broke with you boys, he said. Now we're going to listen to a few songs from The Bandwagon. First, we'll hear Fred Astaire singing "Sweet Music" and "High and Low," followed by them performing "Hoops," and followed by Astaire singing "I Love Louisa."

[2:28] ♪ Musical number: "Sweet Music" — performed by Fred and Adele Astaire ♪

[5:10] ♪ Musical number: "Hoops" — performed by Fred and Adele Astaire ♪

[8:18] ♪ Musical number: "I Love Louisa" — performed by Fred Astaire ♪

[11:48] Paul Lazarus: Prior to that, we heard Fred and his sister Adele singing "Hoops," and before that, "Sweet Music" and "High and Low" performed by Fred and Adele Astaire. As the last selection from The Bandwagon that I'm going to play right now, this is Fred Astaire singing "New Sun in the Sky."

[12:39] ♪ Musical number: "New Sun in the Sky" — performed by Fred Astaire ♪

[13:43] ♪ Musical number: "New Sun in the Sky" — performed by Fred Astaire ♪

[15:12] Jeff Lunden: You're listening to a tribute to Howard Dietz. And reading from his autobiography about the next review which he wrote, Dietz said, "Running the risk of being styled repetitive, vulgar, unfunny, labored, and adequate, Arthur and I began work on our fifth review, Flying Colors, in 1931. When writing the script for a review, I tried to make it as complete as that of a play, with descriptions of all the dance routines and ballets. But when one has in the cast outstanding special performers, one must be prepared for the new thing that bobs up at rehearsal, the inspirational notion that comes from seeing talent at work. Yet it is dangerous to rely on anything but advanced preparation. I usually left the shows slightly long to allow for future cuts.

We would open in Boston or Philadelphia with about a half hour more show than we would have in New York. There is no way of being sure that a show will be a hit, a failure, artistic, or crude. Too many factors enter into it. The timing of things, the routining of them, the mechanics. Many a scene that was funny in print in rehearsal laid the well-known Broadway egg when dressed up and presented. Many a dance that was exciting when the girls did it in practice clothes lost something when the wide skirts were put on. Many a novelty becomes a cliché overnight. If the music is good, perhaps over-orchestration will cloud the melody, perhaps the lyrics will not be heard, perhaps they will be. The big effect that has to startle and amaze might not work right.

So often audiences are a failure. Many an audience has been so bad that it should have been panned by the reviewers. Before you get near rehearsal day, you have to hold regular auditions in some dusty dark theatre with a pilot light effect, listen to and observe hundreds of entertainers you couldn't possibly use, but who were sent over either by some friends or by that curious coterie and speckled band known as the agents. The singers all think it is ingenious to render one of your own songs, and they get the lyrics wrong. The tap dancers do Fred Astaire and Clifton Webb routines. Then there are the magicians with conversational patter and no lights, the novelty boys, and the knockabout comedians.

One day I was sitting with Helen Broderick at an audition watching a man whose act was to do a violent and comic prize fight with himself. He actually made his nose bleed. Incredulous, I asked if he made his nose bleed at every performance. Oh no, replied Helen, only at auditions."

[19:13] ♪ Musical number: "A Rainy Day" — performed by Clifton Webb with Leo Reisman and his orchestra ♪

[20:53] Jeff Lunden: Now back to a tribute to Howard Dietz, hosted by associate producer Jeff Lunden.

[21:23] ♪ Musical number: "Alone Together" — performed by Jean Sargent ♪

[22:43] Jeff Lunden: The next show that Howard Dietz worked on was called Revenge with Music. In a departure for both him and Schwartz, it was a book show and a none too successful book show at that. It was based on The Three-Cornered Hat, a Spanish story. And Dietz writes about it in his autobiography. He says, "I asked C.B. Cochran, the British theatrical producer, what he thought of Revenge with Music, which he just opened. He said, after a quiet reflection, it's dire." Now here's Libby Holman singing one of the songs from that show.

[23:36] ♪ Musical number: "You and the Night and the Music" — performed by Libby Holman ♪

[26:32] Jeff Lunden: You've been listening to part two of a three-part tribute to lyricist Howard Dietz, associate producer Jeff Lunden. Anything Goes Backstage with Broadway's Best is produced and hosted by Paul Lazarus. For more information, visit anythinggoespl.com. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to rate and follow us. Thanks for listening.