In 1985, a significantly rewritten version, with additional songs, a more cohesive storyline, and better defined characters (with Marvin's wife christened Trina), opened on March 26 at the Off-Broadway Promenade Theatre, where it ran for 16 performances. Directed by Matt Casella, it starred Tony Cummings, Catherine Cox, Sherry Hursey, and Kathy Garrick. (Cummings was replaced by Stephen Bogardus shortly after the show opened.) In an author's note (dated April 1986) to this version, Finn wrote: "...a lot of the material was about my learning to write the kind of show songs I want to write. So the show is about Marvin's education, and mine." In his review of this production, Frank Rich wrote: "As lovingly orchestrated by Mr. Finn's long-time collaborator Michael Starobin, the melodies linger well after the final curtain; so do running lyrical conceits built around phrases like "breaking down" and "giddy seizures." Isn't it typical of this luckless season that the musical with the best score would be more enjoyably heard on a cast album than seen on stage?"