Flora the Red Menace is a musical with a book by David Thompson, music by John Kander, and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The musical starred Liza Minnelli in the title role in her Broadway debut, for which she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. This was the first collaboration between Kander and Ebb, who later wrote Broadway and Hollywood hits such as Cabaret and Chicago . Although not full of well-known or show-stopping numbers, the score does present a valuable insight into the later work of Kander and Ebb. Like Cabaret and Chicago , it features a headstrong heroine with passion and idealism, and has a strong dose of political content.

FLORA THE RED MENACE TICKETS Cirque du Soleil Tickets Wicked Tickets The Lion King Tickets The Outsiders Tickets Hamilton Tickets The Great Gatsby - Theatrical Production

Productions

Flora the Red Menace opened on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre on May 11, 1965 and closed on July 24, 1965, after 87 performances. Minnelli won the Tony Award, the youngest person to do so at age 19, until Frankie Michaels won in 1966 at age 11.

Flora was not written for Minnelli, as is sometimes said; Robert Russell was rumored to have written the show as a vehicle for Barbra Streisand. George Abbott became involved and thought it would be a vehicle for Eydie Gormé. Receiving promising out-of-town reviews in New Haven and Boston, the show was recorded two days before its Broadway opening. However, the New York critics were not enthusiastic, and when it closed it had lost almost all of its $400,000 investment. ^[1]

The New York Times reviewer wrote: "The voice [of Minnelli] is not yet distinctive... She is going to be a popular singer, all right. It [Flora the Red Menace] has the appearance of being pasted together with bits and pieces. A promising idea has not been enlivened by a creative spark." ^[2]

The show was revived in New York at the off-Broadway Vineyard Theatre in December 1987 with a new book by David Thompson. Directed by Scott Ellis with choreography by Susan Stroman, Flora was played by Veanne Cox with Peter Frechette as Harry. ^[3]

The most recent professional production in the UK was at Dundee Repertory Theatre, Scotland, autumn 2003. ^[4]

The Reprise! Broadway's Best production at the Freud Theatre (Los Angeles, California) ran from May 6, 2008 through May 18. The role of Flora was played by Eden Espinosa. ^[5]

Plot synopsis

Headstrong wannabe fashion designer Flora Mezaros (Liza Minnelli) is a member of an artists' co-operative of bohemian types - dancers, musicians, designers - struggling to find work during the Great Depression. Hoping to find a job which pays at least $15 a week, she is hired by the head of a large department store at $30.

She falls in love with Harry Toukarian (Bob Dishy), another struggling designer, who attempts to convert Flora to his Communist ideals. Even though it compromises her job in an organisation which does not recognise the new unions she seeks to hold down both job and relationship. Complicating matters is a predatory Communist matriarch, Comrade Charlotte, (Cathryn Damon) who wants Harry for herself, a secretary with designs on her boss, and Kenny and Maggie, a jazz dancing duo with their sights on greater things.

In the end, however, Flora finds herself torn between two vastly different ideals, and has to sacrifice one or the other for true happiness.

In the Vineyard Theatre revival, the story is told as though in a presentation by the Federal Theatre Project, part of the WPA established by President Roosevelt (voiced by Art Carney). A company of actors played all the roles, with obvious props and scenery, not trying to hide the 'amateur' look and feel of the show.

Songs

;Act I Prologue -- Ensemble Unafraid -- Flora, Students and Ensemble All I Need Is One Good Break -- Flora, Harry Toukarian and Artists Not Every Day of the Week -- Flora and Harry Toukarian All I Need Is One Good Break (Reprise) -- Flora, Elsa and The Lady Sign Here -- Harry Toukarian The Flame -- Comrade Ada, Harry Toukarian and Comrades Palomino Pal -- The Lady and Cowboy A Quiet Thing -- Flora Hello, Waves -- Harry Toukarian and Flora Dear Love -- Flora and Ensemble

;Act II Express Yourself -- Comrade Charlotte and Harry Toukarian Knock, Knock -- Comrade Ada and Cowboy Comrade Charlotte's Ballet (The Tree of Life) -- Comrade Charlotte, *Comrade Ada, Harry Toukarian and Ensemble Sing Happy -- Flora You Are You -- Mr. Weiss, Elsa, Flora, Mr. Stanley, Lulu, Katie and Joe Finale -- Entire Company

Recording

The Original Broadway cast recording was released by RCA Victor Broadway in May 1965; a CD was released March 10, 1992. ^[6]

References

1. ''Not Since Carrie: Forty Years of Broadway Musical Flops'', Ken Mandelbaum, p. 233, 1991, St. Martin's Press, ISBN 0312064284
2. ''New York Times'', Howard Taubman, May 12, 1965, p.41
3. ''New York Times'', Walter Goodman, December 7, 1987
4. Dundee Rep Theatre
5. Gans, Andrew. "Espinosa and Felciano to Star in Reprise! Flora, the Red Menace", playbill.com, February 27, 2008
6. Amazon.com: Flora The Red Menace: The Original Broadway Cast Recording (1965): Music: John Kander,Fred Ebb