[The Duchess of Mint]

Dear Musicals.Net Posters,

I recently learned that the original Broadway version of TSOM featured children who were all blondes. This means that there was already one difference between the stage Liesl and the movie Liesl.

I'm curious to know if there were any other major differences between the Broadway Liesl and the movie Liesl. I know already that Liesl may have had some different lines on Broadway, but I'm curious to know if she was portrayed much differently than she was portrayed in the movie, or if she looked much, much different than she did on the big screen.

If you were in a stage production of TSOM, how did your production's Liesl compare to, and contrast with, both the original Broadway Liesl and the movie Liesl.

I'm also curious to know if anyone's Liesl had trouble with the "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" gazebo scene.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[Bombafanatic]

I can't really remember what the production I saw was like. It was a regional, and the girl playing Liesl was fabulous. She portrayed a slightly shyer, more naif Liesl than Charmian. Still, she looked a lot like the video.

As for the gazebo scene, I think it was actually performed on a single bench. If there had been a gazebo, it would be a little hard for the audience to see because of the theatre's setup. Also, there was a song that wasn't in the video, sung by Max. I'm glad I saw it, it was very good.

[Kitness]

(oooh almost-dead-topic revival. Bad me)

Laurie Peters was the original Broadway Liesl and she was brunette. So that's actually the same. But that's neither here nor there.

When I played Liesl I played her as sweet, innocent but not as naive as she seems (certainly I did 16 going on 17 as though I was just pretending to be naive to humour Rolf. There were definate shades of Charmian Carr). I also interpreted her as sweet, nurturing, very protective of her siblings (which I was in real life. Protective of my stage-siblings I mean), and was more mature in her scene without Rolf (when she's not being a smitten teenager). Also, I'm a red-head (auburn. But let's not split hairs. Heh)

Also, point of interest, Broadway Rolf lets the family go at the end, as opposed to Movie Rolf who does not.

[MademoiselleMusicals]

I saw an amateur production ages ago - but my friend who played Liesl, was blonde.