Vincent B. Davis (center) and the cast of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella. ©Carol Rosegg
© CAROL ROSEGG
One of the most illustrative tales of
Long’s creative design genius came
from the set of Th e Producers, where
he had created meticulously detailed
pearl leotards for the chorus of Pearl
Babes. During their number, they
sit on a piano, and, as it turned out,
sitting on pearls on a piano is terribly
uncomfortable. Can you fi x this? they
asked Long.
Long thought about it, and he turned
that diffi culty over in his mind. He did
not want to sacrifi ce his precious pearls
shimmying in the back, and he didn’t
want any other eff ect. So, he gathered
up the costumes and took them home
for a few days. Th en he returned,
handed each actor her costume and
said the problem is solved.
Th e Pearl Babes put on their costumes
and sat down, and, certainly, the pearls
gave way beneath them. Long had
replaced the hard plastic pearls with
fake grapes, the kind found in most
Grannys’ bowls of fake plastic fruit,
and painted them an opalescent white.
Problem solved.
And the audience never knew the
diff erence.
Tatyana Lubov and Louis Griffi n (center) and the cast of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella. ©Carol Rosegg
Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella plays Morsani Hall • JUL 5-8
Chicago plays Morsani Hall • SEP 18-23
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