AMG Review of Jennie [Original Broadway Cast]

William Ruhlmann
All Music Guide

This is a 1993 CD reissue of a 1963 Broadway cast album of Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz's flop musical loosely based on the life of actress Laurette Taylor and starring Mary Martin. It's one of those cases of a lot of talent being wasted, starting with Martin, whose unforgettable voice is heard singing mostly forgettable material. The best song, "Before I Kiss The World Goodbye," was interpolated from another show, and, according to Martin's autobiography, doesn't really fit the story. Thankfully, that's not apparent on the cast album, which needs all the help it can get. In some ways, time has been unkind--you just can't sing a song called "Born Again" anymore and not have it be about religion--but there was never much here to begin with. For Mary Martin and Broadway fanatics only.