Description :

Winter Garden Playbill – Follies (1971 Broadway Original)

This rare and authentic Playbill from the Winter Garden Theatre’s original 1971 Broadway production of Follies—a visionary musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman—is a richly layered artifact of theatrical brilliance and emotional resonance. The show opened on April 4, 1971, and ran for 522 performances, capturing the haunting glamour and psychological depth of a reunion among aging showgirls and their younger selves. The principal cast featured Dorothy Collins as Sally Durant Plummer, Alexis Smith as Phyllis Rogers Stone, Gene Nelson as Buddy Plummer, and John McMartin as Benjamin Stone. Supporting stars included Yvonne De Carlo as Carlotta Campion, Ethel Shutta as Hattie Walker, Fifi D'Orsay as Solange La Fitte, Mary McCarty as Stella Deems, Justine Johnston as Heidi Schiller, and David Sabin as Roscoe. Younger counterparts were portrayed by Marti Rolph (Young Sally), Kurt Peterson (Young Ben), Virginia Sandifur (Young Phyllis), and Harvey Evans (Young Buddy), with featured ensemble performances by Michael Misita, Graciela Daniele, Victor Griffin, and Jayne Turner in the “Bolero d’Amour” sequence.

The production was co-directed by Harold Prince and Michael Bennett, with Bennett also serving as choreographer and Bob Avian as associate choreographer. The score and lyrics were composed by Stephen Sondheim, with the book by James Goldman. Musical direction was led by Paul Gemignani, orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, vocal arrangements by Sondheim, and dance arrangements by Ted Royal. Scenic design was by Boris Aronson, costume design by Florence Klotz, lighting by Tharon Musser, and wigs by Bob Kelly. The show was produced by Harold Prince and Ruth Mitchell, with stage management by Arthur Siccardi and press representation by Solters & Sabinson. The cover artwork, a surreal and evocative black-and-white illustration, was designed by David Edward Byrd, capturing the show’s dreamlike and nostalgic tone.

This Playbill, printed in monochrome ink and bound in classic saddle-stitch format, is not a reproduction but a genuine production-issued piece from the original run—ideal for collectors of Broadway ephemera, Sondheim devotees, and historians of American musical theatre. Minor edge wear and age spotting are present, consistent with its vintage provenance.

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