''Here's Where I Belong'' is a

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...

with a book by Alex Gordon and Terrence McNally, lyrics by

Alfred Uhry Alfred Fox Uhry (born December 3, 1936) is an American playwright and screenwriter. He has received an Academy Award, two Tony Awards and the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for dramatic writing for ''Driving Miss Daisy''. He is a member of the Fellowship ...

, and music by

Robert Waldman Robert Waldman (born 1936) is an American composer, musical arranger, and orchestrator. Waldman has collaborated with Alfred Uhry twice, on ''Here's Where I Belong'', the disastrous 1968 adaptation of John Steinbeck's '' East of Eden'' that clos ...

. The musical closed after one performance on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

Background

Based on

John Steinbeck John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. (; February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American writer and the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature winner "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social ...

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itself ...

'' East of Eden'', the

allegorical As a literary device or artistic form, an allegory is a narrative or visual representation in which a character, place, or event can be interpreted to represent a hidden meaning with moral or political significance. Authors have used allegory t ...

tale centers on the Trasks and the Hamiltons, two families drawn to the rich farmlands of

Salinas, California Salinas (; Spanish for "Salt Marsh or Salt Flats") is a city in California and the county seat of Monterey County. With a population of 163,542 in the 2020 Census, Salinas is the most populous city in Monterey County. Salinas is an urban area l ...

, in the early 20th century. While Steinbeck traced the two clans through three generations, the musical limits the action to the period between 1915 and 1917 and focuses primarily on the

Cain Cain ''Káïn''; ar, قابيل/قايين, Qābīl/Qāyīn is a Biblical figure in the Book of Genesis within Abrahamic religions. He is the elder brother of Abel, and the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, the first couple within the Bible. He ...

and

Abel Abel ''Hábel''; ar, هابيل, Hābīl is a Biblical figure in the Book of Genesis within Abrahamic religions. He was the younger brother of Cain, and the younger son of Adam and Eve, the first couple in Biblical history. He was a shepherd ...

aspects of the work.

Production

McNally asked that his name be removed from the credits prior to opening night. The official opening on

was postponed from February 20, 1968, to March 2, 1968, to allow time for rewrites to the book. The musical premiered on Broadway at the Billy Rose Theatre on March 3, 1968, and closed after one performance and twenty previews. Directed by Michael Kahn and

choreographed Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...

Tony Mordente Tony Mordente (born December 3, 1935) is an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and television director. Career Born in New York City, Mordente attended the High School of Performing Arts and made his professional dance debut at the Jacob ...

, the cast included Paul Rogers as Adam Trask, Walter McGinn as Caleb Trask, Ken Kercheval as Aron Trask, James Coco as Lee,

Graciela Daniele Graciela Daniele (born December 8, 1939) is an Argentine-American dancer, choreographer, and theatre director. Biography Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina to Raúl Daniele and Rosa del Carmen Almoina. After her parents divorced, her mother got a job ...

as Faith, and Heather MacRae as Abra Bacon. The scenery was by

Ming Cho Lee Ming Cho Lee (; October 3, 1930 – October 23, 2020) was a Chinese-American theatrical set designer and professor at the Yale School of Drama. Personal life Lee was born on Oct. 3, 1930, in Shanghai, China to Lee Tsu Fa and Tang Ing. Lee, whose ...

, costumes by Ruth Morley, and lighting by

Jules Fisher Jules Fisher (born November 12, 1937) is an American lighting designer and producer. He is credited with lighting designs for more than 300 productions over the course of his 50-year career in Broadway and off-Broadway shows, as well extensive ...

. The play was picketed by the newly formed Oriental Actors of America, a group of Asian American stage actors, as a protest against the practice of casting white actors in

yellowface Portrayals of East Asians in American film and theatre has been a subject of controversy. These portrayals have frequently reflected an ethnocentric perception of East Asians rather than realistic and authentic depictions of East Asian cultures, ...

makeup to portray East Asian characters (usually Chinese or Japanese). The role of "Lee", the Trask family's Chinese cook, had been assigned to white actor (and future Academy Award nominee) James Coco. ''Variety'' would mention the picketing in its review of the failed musical and note, "On the basis of the show, they had a point." In his ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' review,

Clive Barnes Clive Alexander Barnes (13 May 1927 – 19 November 2008) was an English writer and critic. From 1965 to 1977, he was the dance and theater critic for ''The New York Times'', and, from 1978 until his death, '' The New York Post.'' Barnes had sig ...

questioned whether the book (''East of Eden'') could be a viable musical as it was "too serious", but praised the sets by Ming Cho Lee and wrote that Paul Rogers had a "strong singing voice" and was dignified. The play was profiled in the

William Goldman William Goldman (August 12, 1931 – November 16, 2018) was an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. He first came to prominence in the 1950s as a novelist before turning to screenwriting. He won Academy Awards for his screenplays '' ...

book '' The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway''.

Song list

;Act I * We Are What We Are * Cal Gets By * Raising Cain * Soft Is the Sparrow * Where Have I Been * No Time * Progress * Good Boy * Ballet * Act Like a Lady * The Send-Off * Top of the Train * Waking Up Sun ;Act II * Pulverize the Kaiser * Where Have I Been (Reprise) * Good Boy (Reprise) * You're Momma's * Here's Where I Belong * We're a Home

Recordings

*"We're A Home" was recorded by

The Ray Conniff Singers Joseph Raymond Conniff (November 6, 1916 – October 12, 2002) was an American bandleader and arranger best known for his Ray Conniff Singers during the 1960s. Biography Conniff was born November 6, 1916 in Attleboro, Massachusetts, United St ...

in 1967 and released as a single (

Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region i ...

4-44422). The recording was reissued in stereo on a Ray Conniff compilation CD "The Singles Collection, Vol. 1" ( Collectables 7697) in 2005. *"Here is Where I Belong" was recorded by

Al Caiola Alexander Emil Caiola (September 7, 1920 – November 9, 2016) was an American guitarist, composer and arranger, who spanned a variety of music genres including jazz, country, rock, and pop. He recorded over fifty albums and worked with some of ...

and released as a single in 1968 (

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stu ...

50252). It was also recorded by

Ferrante & Teicher Ferrante & Teicher were a duo of American pianists, known for their light arrangements of familiar classical pieces, movie soundtracks, and show tunes as well as their signature style of florid, intricate, and fast-paced piano playing performances ...

and released as a single in 1968 (

50259). Both were instrumental versions.

Notes

References

External links

Internet Broadway Database
{{Cain and Abel, state=collapsed 1968 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals by Terrence McNally Works by Alfred Uhry