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| Barbara Brownell, Betty Buckley, John Bennett Perry. |
"In Lieu of Reviews"
For background on how this previously
unpublished series—introducing all mainstream New York shows between 1970 and
1975—came to be and its relationship to my three The Encyclopedia of the New York Stage volumes (covering every New
York play, musical, revue, and revival between 1920 and 1950), please check the
prefaces to any of the earlier entries beginning with the letter “A.” See the
list at the end of the current entry.
THE BALLAD OF JOHNNY
POT [Musical/Drugs/Youth] B/LY: Carolyn Richter; M: Clinton Ballard; D: Joshua
Shelley; CH: Hal Norman; S/L:
Lloyd Burlingame; C: Alvin Colt; P: Wyler Productions and Bob McDevitt; T:
Theatre Four (OB); 4/16/71-5/9/71 (16)
David Carradine was set to star in this doomed piece about a
Johnny Appleseed character whose life’s mission is to go around planting marijuana
seeds wherever he roams. Carradine was fired two days before the opening but he
was no better off than the dreary show, which was knocked by Mel Gussow for its
trite lyrics, derivative music, ugly set, and lackluster direction.
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| John Bennett Perry. |
The plot line follows do-gooder John Pot (John Bennett Perry) as
he roams about the country on his mission of making people happy with his gift
of free pot seeds. After being jailed by the evil forces of the law he is freed
by hippie friends and a sexy lady (Barbara Brownell). Also introduced are a
sleazy journalist (Jim Weston) and Johnny’s wife (Betty Buckley), whom he
married after getting her pregnant. As a crooked sheriff (Ben Bryant) and his
men pursue him, Johnny heads for Canada but eventually changes his mind and
decides to remain true to his mission in the U.S.A.
What Gussow labeled a “muddled and melodramatic” tale was
bolstered by some 20 folk rock and pop numbers (in what Martin Gottfried called
“a bewildering variety of styles”) but these did not save the show from being “very
burdensome and confusing,” according to Richard Watts.
The only one of the players in this otherwise lost cause who went on to theatrical glory was Betty Buckley, seen in the above photo.
The only one of the players in this otherwise lost cause who went on to theatrical glory was Betty Buckley, seen in the above photo.
Previous entries:
Abelard and
Heloise
Absurd Person
Singular
AC/DC
“Acrobats”
and “Line”
The Advertisement/
All My Sons
All Over
All Over Town
All the Girls Came
Out to Play
Alpha Beta
L’Amante Anglais
Ambassador
American Gothics
Amphitryon
And Miss Reardon
Drinks a Little
And They Put
Handcuffs on the Flowers
And Whose Little
Boy Are You?
Anna K.
Anne of Green
Gables
Antigone
Antiques
Any Resemblance to Persons Living or Dead
Applause
Ari
As You Like It
Augusta
The
Au Pair Man.
Baba Goya [Nourish the Beast]
