The original Broadway production of West Side Story premiered on 26 September 1957 at the Wintergarden Theatre and became a big hit. The production would run for almost two years (732 performances), then went on tour for nearly a year before returning to Broadway in 1960 for another 253 shows. In 1961, West Side Story was adapted for the big screen, receiving high praise and 10 Academy Awards to boot (no movie musical has ever won more).
On 26 September 1957, after West Side Story had opened so successfully, Lauren Bacall sent a telegram to the show's composer Leonard Bernstein. The Bogarts were close friends of the Bernsteins, and with the telegram Lauren Bacall (using her real name "Betty") wanted to congratulate Bernstein on the success of the show.
Transcript:
LOS ANGELES CALIF 1957 SEP 26 PM 4 33
LEONARD BERNSTEIN
=WINTERGARDEN THEATRE=
IT WAS WORTH ALL THE DEXAMYL ITS A SMASH YOUR A SMASH AND IM THRILLED FOR YOU BLESSINGS AND LOVE=
BETTY (added in pen) Bogart
Oh, lord, what a massive crush I had on this man - and so did Bacall. Sexy + Genius = what more can a gal ask for?
ReplyDelete