Overview
History

Wonderful Town was written by Leonard Bernstein (music), Betty Comden and Adolph Green (lyrics), and Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov (book). It was originally directed by George Abbott, choreographed by Donald Saddler and produced by Robert Fryer. It debuted in Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre on February 25, 1953 and ran for 559 performances, closing around July Three, 1954. It was broadcast survive as a televisiinside favorite on CBS in 1958, starring Rosalind Russell and revived on Broadway in 2003 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, starring Donna Murphy, and late Brooke Shields.

A story occurs as reworking of the play My Sister Eileen, following a story of 2 sisters from either Ohio who move to New York City in search of love & fortune. A independent characters come Ruth & Eileen Sherwood, deuce sisters from either Columbus, Ohio trying to make their way in the large city. the play is according to a collection of short stories by Ruth McKenney, besides entitled My Sister Eileen, in which Ruth recounts memories of growing higher using her sister. A collection was published as an orangish hardbound book within 1938; three years when a cases depicted in the musical comedy. Lone a final ii stories in a book develop anything to wash by using the plot of Wonderful Town, and it is heavy modified for the musical theater. In a original story, the sister's landlord is known as Mr. Spitzer, spell his title is Mr. Appopolous in the musical version.

Within 1953, the original production was nominated for sise Tony Awards and won in all 6 categories (Right Musical, Rosalind Russell for Right Actress, Right Scenic Project, Best Choreographer, Best Conductor & Musical Director, & a Theatre Globe Award). A 2003 revival was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning one for Right Choreography (Kathleen Marshall). Despite a critical plaudits it has received, Wonderful Town remains comparatively obscure altogether however a virtually all knowledgable musical theatre circles. It has gained a few popularity from either a recent revival, however given its' hard musical score & extremely sophisticated script, these are single ever attempted per virtually all capable community theater groups, good deal less the highschool.

The good deal lightly piece than Leonard Bernstein's later works, West Side Story and Candide, Betty Comden and Adolph Green's lyrics are paired by having Bernstein's music to make a select few of the virtually all popular songs of the 1950s.

Recordings

Though there develop been lone 2 major Broadway productions of Wonderful Town, several recordings of a music own been manufactured on top the years.

1953: The Original Broadway Cast using Rosalind Russell as Ruth. 1958: The CBS TV Picture show Cast by using Rosalind Russell as Ruth. 1986: The Original London Cast by having Maureen Lipman as Ruth. 1998: A Studio Ensemble using Karen Mason as Ruth. A 1st complete recording of the score. 1999: A Studio Ensemble sustaining Kim Criswell as Ruth. 2003: The Future Broadway Cast using Donna Murphy and Jennifer Westfeldt as Ruth and Eileen, severally. 2004: A rerelease of The Up to date Broadway Cast using Brooke Shields and Jennifer Hope Wills as Ruth and Eileen, severally. For this recording, a original orchestral tracks from either a Just released Broadway recording were utilized, & simply Ruth & Eileen's songs were rerecorded.

Synopsis

Work We begins around a period of the summertime of 1935 in Greenwich Village, New York. The tour choice leads the class actiin of rubberneck on the tour of Christopher Street. There, i personally meet its colorful citizens. While a holidaymaker keep close at hand departed, a witty Ruth Sherwood arrives by having her jolly immature sister Eileen. Them use upright arrived from either Ohio determined to forge a life in the large city as a writer (Ruth) & an actress (Eileen). Before long it is sleep in the basement flat, recently vacated by the local prostitute Violet, and loaned per "loveable" landlord, Mr. Appopolous. A sisters come shortly stricken sustaining homesickness for Ohio. A next morning, Ruth & eileen placed bent on try their hand at Conquering Future York, lone to call for kill & humiliation. Eileen, at least, has met Frank Lippencott, the local Walgreen's manager world health organizatiin has developed the crush on her. Ruth, nonetheless, is left to question at her sister's charismatic appeal & her have unique romanticistic abilities, when she lists 1 Hundred Convenient Ways to lose the human. Yet, Ruth talks her way into the agents of a short story magazine, in which she meets Bob Baker, & editor, & his helper. A men short tell her What A Waste it was to came to New York. Undaunted, Ruth leaves triad stories by having Bob in the hope that he might review the two. Meanwhile, Eileen has been eating tons of her tiffin (loose, naturally), at Walgreen's, & finds herself The Little Bit Around Love by having Frank. A upstair neighbors, Wreck, an out-of-year football player, and his survive-around lover, Helen, ask a girls to hide Wreck when Helen's mother Mrs. Virginia wade is inside town. Eileen successfully agrees to stow him in their flat. Wreck describes his lucky history as a student at Trenton Tech, who had by in his ability to Pass A Football. Eileen has invited Frank Lippencott, Bob Baker, & the slimy newspaper scribe, Chick Clark, assibilate for potluck supper. Unaware of every more's feelings, two girls locate themselves attracted to Bob. Presently wholly 5 of a two come seated within a cramped flat trying to fill the awkward silence, in Conversation Piece. Ruth & Bob quarrel above a quality of her stories, & he eventually tells her slay. He before long regrets it, & sings of his inability to call for The Quiet Girl to love. Anxious to become alone using Eileen, Chick Clark creates the phony assignment for Ruth. He sends her dispatch to the Brooklyn Navy Yard to interview the class action of Brazilian sailors. She quickly understands that their resole interest is to see a Conga. join the conga line. Ruth diarrhea into Bob & gives him a piece of her mind, when Eileen is hauled off to jailhouse for inducing the riot. Work Deuce begins in the local jailhouse, in which Eileen finds herself surrounded by Officer Lonigan & his brigade of doting Irish police officers. Given her title, it is convinced that she is Irish, & it serenade her with '''''Our Darlin' Eileen. Ruth comes to ascertain her that she might bail her retired when soon when she collects the money from either her newly job as a promoter for the Village Vortex, a local nightspot. At a club, Ruth "digs the rhythm" of Swing'''''. debut as a singer. Eileen before long learns that Bob Baker has quit his job following of the disagreement by having his boss just about Ruth's story on the Brazilian sailors. Eileen is thrilled that Bob quit his job & assures him that '''''It's Love. A mood at a Vortex turns jazzy by using a Ballet At A Village Vortex. Eileen finds herself sustaining a outbreak of stage fright & she convinces Ruth to join her in stage to sing the Wrong Note Rag'''''. A Vortex is alive using singing & dancing, & Bob decides it's a hone moment to let Ruth understand how else he feels. A curtain closes when Eileen & a guests at a club sing '''''It's Love''''' inside celebration of Ruth & Bob's newfound tenderness.

Musical Numbers

Overture Christopher Street Ohio Conquering Up to date York Of these Hundred Convenient Ways What A Waste A bit Bit within Love Pass a Football Conversation Piece The Quietly Girl Conga ''The Darlin' Eileen Swing Ohio (Reprise) ''It's Love Ballet at a Village Vortex Incorrectly Note Rag It's Love (Reprise)

Original Broadway Cast

A original Broadway production of Wonderful Town opened February 25, 1953 at the Winter Garden Theatre.

Opening Nighttime Cast: Rosalind Russell as Ruth Sherwood Edith Adams as Eileen Sherwood George Gaynes as Robert (Bob) Baker Jordan Bentley as Wreck Cris Alexander as Frank Lippencott Dort Clark as Chick Clark' Henry Lascoe as Appopolous Ted Beniades as Speedy Valenti Michele Burke as Helen Warren Galjour as the Tour Guide Dody Goodman as Violet Walter Kelvin as Officer Lonigan

New Broadway Cast

A Up to date Broadway production of Wonderful Town opened November 23, 2003 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.

Donna Murphy as Ruth Sherwood Jennifer Westfeldt as Eileen Sherwood Gregg Edelman as Robert (Bob) Baker Raymond Jaramillo McLeod as Wreck Peter Benson as Frank Lippencott Michael McGrath as Chick Clark David Margulies as Appopolous Stanley Wayne Mathis as Speedy Valenti Nancy Anderson as Helen Ken Barnett as the Tour Guide Linda Mugleston as Violet Timothy Shew 'as Officer Lonigan''

Trivia

In a handwritten score rented out by Tams-Whitmark for amateur productions, "Christopher Street" is referred to as "New Opening," & "Conversation Piece" is known as "Nice People." In a libretto book for Ruth rented out by Tams-Whitmark for amateur productions, there is a complete set of replacement lyrics for "Conga," using to additional recent history. In a 2003 Broadway production, Gregg Edelman, who played Bob Baker, transposed his solo "A Quiet Girl" higher the minor third to better accommodate his range. "Christopher Street" has Seventeen key changes.