ZOOM season 4 (1974-1975) cast: song and dance numbers

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(above) ZOOM season 4 (1974-1975) cast, left to right – Norman Christian, Carmen Hernandez, Andrae Neilsan, Tracey Dunlap, Tommy Schultz, Harvey Reed, Tishy Flaherty, Cate Wadsworth, David “Red” O’Brien, David Sales

Three of the songs featured in the following ZOOM season 4 production numbers are well-known pop songs published during the period 1966-1971, and another is a 1927 standard. I believe the rest have music by Newton Wayland, musical director and composer for the original series, 1971-1978. While I’ve struggled to find songwriter credits for some of the original songs included in the page, it’s likely that Wayland at least composed the music for each of those for which I haven’t identified the songwriter(s). However, some of the originals performed in the series were co-written by him and another songwriter, so I’m going to omit songwriter credits for songs where I’m uncertain for now.

Musical direction and arrangement of all numbers is by Newton Wayland. Musical staging is by Billy Wilson. See the Billy Wilson tribute article by The AIDS Memorial (@Facebook), published August 14, 2018, and the Obituary by Jennifer Dunning, published in the New York Times, August 16, 1994.

Recordings of some of the songs featured in this page are also found on the 1977 album ZOOM Tunes, Rounder Records ‎8005. Despite it’s 1977 release (1978, according to some sites) the “ZOOMers” listed on the back of the album are primarily cast members from season 4 (1974-75). The album also includes at least a couple of songs that were used in production numbers in season 5 (1976).

included in the page:

Come On and ZOOM (Newton Wayland)
I Dig Rock and Roll Music (Paul Stookey, James Mason, and Dave Dixon)
Friends (Buzzy Linhart, Mark “Moogy” Klingman)
Little Red Riding Hood
The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) (Paul Simon)
Send it to Zoom #3 – at least partly written by Newton Wayland; actual title unknown
SASE song (season 4) – at least partly written by Newton Wayland; actual title unknown
City Child (Newton Wayland*)
- City Child #2** (link only), from the album ZOOM Tunes
- ZOOM TV series episode version
Blue Balloon (Newton Wayland*)
Side by Side (Harry M. Woods)
Zoomba – actual title unknown
Closing: Friends / Come On and Zoom (abbreviated versions)

Lyrics for “Come on and Zoom,” “Send it to Zoom #3,” “SASE song (season 4),” “Blue Balloon,” and “Zoomba,” all transcribed by doc (me), are included in the page ZOOM lyrics.

The quality of some of the videos is rather low. I’ll replace them with better copies when available.

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Come On and Zoom (Newton Wayland) — performed by the ZOOM season 4 (1974-1975) cast: Harvey Reed, Tishy Flaherty, David “Red” O’Brien, Cate Wadsworth, Norman Christian, Tracey Dunlap, Tommy Schultz, Carmen Hernandez, David Sales, and Andrae Neilsan

(incomplete)

I Dig Rock and Roll Music (Paul Stookey, James Mason, and Dave Dixon) — performed by ZOOM season 4 cast members: David Sales, Tishy Flaherty, Carmen Hernandez, Cate Wadsworth, Andrae Neilsan, Harvey Reed, Tracey Dunlap, and Tommy Schultz (absent: Norman Christian and Red O’Brien)

Some words have been added as back vocals to this version that aren’t present in the Peter, Paul & Mary version, and the words of some lines are slightly changed. For example, one modified section goes

Ayy, I dig The Mamas & The Papas in The Trip, Sunset Strip in L.A.
(California)
They got a good thing goin’ when the words don’t get in the way
(And bore ya)

Friends (Buzzy Linhart, Mark “Moogy” Klingman) – performed by the full cast, appearing in this order: Cate Wadsworth, Andrae Neilsan, Tommy Schultz, David Sales, Tracey Dunlap, Tishy Flaherty, Carmen Hernandez, Norman Christian, David “Red” O’Brien, Harvey Reed

Little Red Riding Hood — performed by the entire cast, featuring Andrae Neilsan as Little Red Riding Hood and Tommy Schultz as The Wolf

The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) (Paul Simon) — performed by Harvey Reed, Cate Wadsworth, David Sales, Tracey Dunlap, Carmen Hernandez, Tishy Flaherty, Norman Christian

Send it to ZOOM #3 – at least partly written by Newton Wayland; performed by the full cast — I don’t know the actual title of this song, but it’s not on the ZOOM Tunes album, nor on the 1974 album Come On and ZOOM. I’ve titled it “Send it to ZOOM #3” because there are two earlier ZOOM songs for which I’ve adopted the titles “Send it to ZOOM” and “Send it to ZOOM #2.”

lyric: ZOOM lyrics

SASE song (season 4) – at least partly written by Newton Wayland; performed by the full cast

lyric: ZOOM lyrics

City Child (Newton Wayland*)

City Child #2 (link only), from the album ZOOM Tunes
ZOOM TV series episode version (below)

In the episode the recorded song plays as a soundtrack for a music video, which features mostly exterior scenes. I don’t know if every cast member’s voice is heard on the recording, but all except Andrae appear in the video, which is introduced from a studio setting by Carmen Hernandez and David Sales.

Blue Balloon (Newton Wayland*) — performed by Tommy Schultz, Cate Wadsworth, Tishy Flaherty, David Sales, Tracey Dunlap, and David “Red” O’Brien

lyric: ZOOM lyrics

Side by Side (Harry M. Woods) – This 1927 is song performed by seven of the cast of ten, and (excepting the backstage shot of a group of them at the beginning) they appear in this order: Andrae Neilsan, Tracey Dunlap, Norman Christian, David Sales, Tommy Schultz, Carmen Hernandez, and David “Red” O’Brien. Absent are Harvey Reed, Tishy Flaherty, and Cate Wadsworth.

Zoomba (author(s) and actual title unknown) — performed by the full cast, who appear in the following order: Carmen Hernandez, David Sales, Cate Wadsworth, Tracey Dunlap, David “Red” O’Brien, Andrae Neilsan, Norman Christian, Tishy Flaherty, and Harvey Reed

lyric: ZOOM lyrics

closing: Friends / Come On and Zoom (abbreviated versions)

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* The back of the 1977 ZOOM Tunes album indicates that “[a]ll original tunes and arrangements” are by Newton Wayland, Musical Director of ZOOM. However, some of the original songs are based on poems sent to ZOOM by various children. The words to “Blue Balloon” are based on a poem by Christine Stark, age 10, of Middle Village, NY. The “City Child” lyric is based on poems by three different children, ages 8-10.

In the introduction to “City Child,” as it appears in an episode of the show (see video above), cast member David Sales identifies the contributing children as Valerie Lacy of Chicago, Illinois; Patricia Kaline of Manchester, New Hampshire; and Tammy Fishnick of Berlin, Illinois.

** On the ZOOM Tunes album, there are two versions of “City Child,” titled “City Child #1” and “City Child #2.”