Perhaps you are thinking about Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical Carousel? It’s a powerful story about love, loss and redemption. Carousel isn’t just about the sparkle of a merry-go-round. It delves into complex themes like domestic violence.
The Houston Grand Opera and the Lyric Opera of Chicago co-produced Carousel. Their production chronicles Julie Jordan’s pursuit of happiness. Julie is a young mill girl. She falls in love with Billy Bigelow. He is a carousel barker.
Their marriage quickly reveals warning signs. Billy threatens Julie. Her friend Carrie expresses concern. Julie rationalizes Billy’s behavior. She says he “ain’t willingly or meaningfully bad.”
Soon Julie is pregnant. Billy experiences a new commitment to fatherhood. He makes a tragic choice to provide for his family. This leaves Julie a single mother. Near the end Julie explains a heartbreaking idea to her daughter. She says that in memory hits become kisses.
Time magazine named Carousel the best musical of the 20th century. This was because of its affecting storytelling. It reached the HGO stage for the first time in 25 years.
The musical features classics. These include “If I Loved You”, “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone”. The play Liliom is the basis for Carousel. The setting moved from Budapest to the Maine coastline. Billy Bigelow’s romance with Julie Jordan costs them their jobs. He participates in a robbery for Julie and their unborn child. After the robbery goes wrong he gets a chance to make things right.
Richard Rodgers later said that Carousel was his favorite musical. The team knew any new work would be compared to Oklahoma. They made the ending of Carousel more hopeful.
Carousel premiered on Broadway on April 19 1945. It was an immediate hit with critics and audiences. It initially ran for 890 performances. In 1950 it duplicated its success in the West End.
The audience in Budapest was puzzled by Liliom. It only lasted for thirty performances. Liliom was a tremendous hit when it reappeared.
The plots of Liliom and Carousel are similar. Liliom falls in love with Julie Zeller. They both lose their jobs. Liliom learns she is pregnant. He conspires to commit a robbery. Liliom stabs himself. His spirit is taken to heaven’s police court. He is told he can go back to Earth for one day. He must redeem the wrongs he has done.
On Earth Liliom meets his daughter Louise. He tries to give her a star he stole from heaven. When Louise refuses he strikes her. Julie finds herself unable to be angry with him. Louise asks her mother if it is possible to feel a hard slap as if it was a kiss. Julie says that it is possible.
Rodgers and Hammerstein created many Broadway hits. Rodgers’ work with Hart broke new ground. Hammerstein wrote the words for hits like Show Boat. By the early 1940s Hart had sunk into alcoholism. Rodgers approached Hammerstein to work with him. Their first collaboration was Oklahoma. Oklahoma became the model for Broadway shows.
Carousel began a 17-city U.S. tour on Jan. 30 in Houston. Sarah Uriarte played Julie Jordan. Patrick Wilson played Billy Bigelow. The musical is about a carnival barker. From beyond the grave he tries to help his troubled daughter.