Responding both to your post directly above and to your post below.
Do you remember where you read about Prince advising Champion to cut the number? I don't think I've ever read that. I think I've only read Prince talking to Merrick about it when he turned it down. As I wrote earlier (and as you repeat below), Prince was asked to direct the show, and he turned it down, partly because of the title number. One thing I didn't mention above is that he felt strongly about this because he had directed a production of The Matchmaker, which was one of the reasons Merrick asked him to direct Hello, Dolly!
In his memoir, Prince said another reason why he turned it down was because he was convinced Merrick only wanted to hire him so that he could later fire him.
Btw, Merrick first asked Champion to direct it. Champion turned it down, and then Merrick spoke to other possible directors. According to the Gilvey bio of Champion, Merrick asked Robbins, Logan and Layton before he asked Prince. And then Champion changed his mind. |
