Broadway previews began February 7, on the musical adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel "East of Eden" retitled "Here's Where I Belong." The opening date of Feb. 20 was postponed for rewrites, rescheduled, to open at the Billy Rose Theatre, March 3, 1968. The musical book adaptation based on the 1952 novel "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck, was by author Terrence McNally (b.1939). The music was by Robert Waldman (b.1936), the lyrics by Alfred Uhry (b.1936), the team would later write a far superior musical "The Robber Bridegroom," and Uhry would win acclaim for his Pulitzer Prize-winning play, "Driving Miss Daisy." Dance music was composed by Arnold Goland (b.1926). Michael Kahn (b.1939) made his Broadway debut as the musical's director. The most important roles were played by talented unknowns (Walter McGinn (at age 32, b.1936-d.1977, age 40) and Heather MacRae (at age 22, b.1946), who was Gordon MacRae's daughter (Gordon MacRae: b.1921-d.1986, 64), and the above-the-title "stars" were non-musical non-stars Paul Rogers (who sang pleasantly and spoke without a trace of his English accent) and Nancy Wickwire. Paul Rogers (at age 51, b.03.22.1917- d.10.06.2013, age 96) performed the role of the father Adam Trask. Nancy Wickwire (at age 43, b.11.20.1925 - d.07.10.1976, age 50, cancer) was a seasoned stage and television actress in the role of Kate. Mitch Miller, (at age 57, b.1911-d.2010, age 99) an influential Mercury and Columbia record producer who became hugely popular recording artist and an unlikely television star in the '60s leading a male choral group in familiar old songs and inviting people to sing along. The "Sing Along With Mitch" album series, which began in 1958, was an immense success, finding an eager audience among older listeners to rock 'n' roll. Mitch Miller departed Columbia records in 1965, had then connected with the musical's creative team acting as a developer-producer raising $500,000, in association with United Artists, producing the disastrous flop. The show opened out-of-town in Philadelphia at the Shubert Theater on January 15, 1968, for 20 performances, where a fire among the stage spotlights proved to be the only moment of excitement on opening preview night. After terrible Philadelphia drama-critical newspaper reviews, choreographer Hanya Holm, just about the only person involved in the show who had any experience with Broadway musicals, was replaced by a television choreographer Tony Mordente, as if Holm's work were the problem with the show. The scenery was designed by Ming Cho Lee, assisted by scenic designers John M. Braden, Don Jensen and Leigh Rand. Costumes were designed by Ruth Motley, with lighting by Jules Fisher (b.1937), musical direction by Theodore Saidenberg. Saidenberg had previously been with Mitch Miller on his TV series "Sing Along With Mitch." The Broadway bound musical, while eliminating major portions of Steinbeck's story, followed the novel and film's story of the Trask family in the Salinas Valley in the early 1900's, in particular brooding son Cal's rivalry with his father 's preferred son, Aron. As in the other versions, Cal finds out that his mother, whom he believed dead, runs a nearby cat-house, and Aron's girl Abra is ineluctably drawn to the "bad" brother. After initial terrible drama critical reviews during the Philadelphia engagement, Producer Mitch Miller brought in script-book-doctor - Gordon Cutler. When book changes went in that were not his own in Philadelphia, Terrence McNally asked to have his name removed from the show's credits. Miller claimed that McNally had not made the changes requested and refused to remove his name, stating that eighty-five percent of the book was still McNally's. Finally, Miller relented, and the Broadway Playbill listed a nom de plume for the novelist 'Alex Gordon,' as the author of the book. In spite of the rewrites, much of McNally's original work remained. Steinbeck, whose "Sweet Thursday" had not succeeded as "Pipe Dream," once again resisted musicalization. Much of the plot hinged on Aron's plans to ship frozen lettuce east and Cal's dabbling in bean futures, material unsuited to song and dance. The lettuce ballet musical material in the show about packing and shipping of lettuce was expectedly terrible, as were all the production numbers. As long as "Here's Where I Belong" concentrated on Cal, Aron, and Abra, motivation was better; a pretty ballad called "Waking Up Sun" and a nice duet for the brothers called "No Time." But the score did not help sufficiently, and Steinbeck's bleak, dullish story proved too dreary for a musical. Five songs were dropped during the Philadelphia engagement. "Here's Where I Belong" opened and closed on the same day - March 3rd, 1968, with only one performance, considered a smashing flop disaster. On opening (closing) night, nineteen members of an association known as the Oriental Actors of America picketed the theatre to protest the presence in the show of James Coco, a McNally favorite, absurdly cast as Lee, the Chinese houseboy who raised Adam Trask's sons, Aron and Cal. The show's Broadway critic's reviews were terrible.
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