COMING UP PTC tackles R&H classic ‘Carousel’

When Penobscot Theatre Company presents an outdoor concert version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “Carousel” 6:30 p.m. Aug. 3- 5, in Bangor’s Pickering Square, Frank Sinatra will not play Billy Bigelow. Again. He was supposed to be the star power for the 1955 film. But his shine didn’t last long on the coastal set. “We rehearsed for weeks,” said co-star Shirley Jones in a 1996 Associated Press story. “We did costumes and pre-recordings. He showed up … saw two cameras and got back in the car and left.”

Back then, scenes were shot two times, once for the big screen and once in Cinemascope. Sinatra was a one-shot kinda guy. As it turned out, only one camera was used in the end, but Sinatra was long gone. Gordon MacRae, who earlier played opposite Jones in “Oklahoma!” on Broadway, stepped in. By that time, cameramen had a far bigger problem: trying to keep the camera off sightseers onshore and boaters in the harbor hoping to catch a glimpse of the stars.

Among the many hit musical movies, “Carousel” was a box office flop for 20th Century Fox. What would have happened had the scrawny Sinatra played the beefy carnival barker? Musical theater buffs will never know. Perhaps it’s the undercurrent of domestic violence or that the lead male is killed or the surreal spirituality of Billy negotiating a heavenly deal to return from the dead. Sounds like prime-time TV. But mostly it sounds like classic R&H: “If I Loved You,” “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone” are among the tuneful highlights.

PTC musical director Andrew McCormick, who is 25, wasn’t born when the musical debuted or when the film came out or even when the 1965 New York City revival proved to be the best version yet. (Like the original Broadway show, it featured legendary John Raitt – Bonnie’s father – reprising the role of Billy.) “It wasn’t one of my favorites when I heard it,” said McCormick, a Lincoln native who graduated last year with a music performance degree from the University of Maine. “But I’m enjoying it so far. Any time you do something with a local flavor, it makes it more personal.”

R&H may seem conventional by today’s standards. But they created the conventions. The drama of this quirky love-lost story was nothing short of revolutionary for its time. Without “Carousel,” there’d be no “Sweeney Todd” or “The Light in the Piazza.” That’s why first timers should give “Carousel” a whirl. Reserved seats cost $10. Bring your own chair for free. For info, call 942-3333.