Victor / Victoria opened on Broadway in 1995
Victor/Victoria, directed by Blake Edwards and starring his wife, Julie Andrews, began life as a film in 1982.
It’s the story of a struggling singer who has run out of money and forms an unlikely friendship with a recently fired gay nightclub performer. Together, they devise an elaborate act that propels them to the top of Parisian nightlife.
The cabaret world is introduced to Victor, a female impersonator who performs as Victoria. The twist is that the performer is actually a woman. The premise sparks a comedy of confusion as the characters embark on a journey that explores gender, identity and sexuality.
Victor/Victoria is based on a 1933 German film directed by Reinhold Schünzel. He made two versions of the film: one with a German cast and another in French featuring a different cast.
The story was adapted into English in 1935 as Just a Girl, while another German version was produced in the late 1950s.
Following the success of the 1982 film, Blake Edwards and Julie Andrews worked to adapt the story for the Broadway stage.
Andrews was the only cast member from the film to return. Co-star Robert Preston reportedly did not believe the production would succeed on Broadway.
The stage version incorporated songs written for the film by Henry Mancini and lyricist Leslie Bricusse. Additional music was composed by Frank Wildhorn, who joined the project following Mancini’s death before the show opened.
The production ran for 734 performances and 25 previews, closing on July 27, 1997.
Andrews famously declined her Tony Award nomination for the role, arguing that it was unfair that the rest of the cast and creative team had been overlooked.
“I have searched my conscience and my heart and find that I cannot accept this nomination.”
She added that she would “stand instead with the egregiously overlooked” members of the cast and crew.
The controversy generated a surge in ticket sales.
Liza Minnelli took over the lead role for four weeks while Andrews took a break, and Raquel Welch later replaced Andrews when she developed vocal problems.
Following surgery on her vocal cords, Andrews experienced permanent damage to her singing voice and later settled a lawsuit against her surgeons.
Victor/Victoria would be the last time audiences heard Julie Andrews sing live on stage.
