Frank Merriwell

Redwine, Frank, and Skip Fletcher’s whimsical 1971 Broadway musical comedy 'Frank Merriwell' opened at the Longacre Theatre. Conceived as an affectionate pastiche parody of early 20th-century dime-store pulp novels and collegiate sports melodramas, the lighthearted plot centers on Frank Merriwell, an immaculate, multi-sport star athlete at turn-of-the-century Yale University who fights a frantic web of farcical deceptions, corrupt rivals, and eccentric professors to win the big game and protect his pristine moral compass. Directed by Neal Kenyon, the high-energy production featured an elite ensemble cast including Larry Blyden, recording a rare golden-era musical curiosity.