Hallelujah, Baby!
Encyclopedia
Hallelujah, Baby! is a musical with music by Jule Styne
, lyrics by Adolph Green
and Betty Comden
, and a book by Arthur Laurents
. The show is "a musical chronicle of the African American
struggle for equality during the [first half of the] 20th century."
The musical premiered on Broadway
in 1967 and made a young Leslie Uggams
a star. It won the Tony Award for Best Musical
.
woman, determined to have a career as a singer. Overcoming many obstacles, she rises to stardom. She makes her way through the Great Depression
, World War II
, and the beginning of the civil rights
movement. Her mother advises her to "keep her place" as a maid on a South Carolina
estate, but Georgina negotiates the blocks to stardom from her negative and opportunistic mother. She encounters the racism that pervades society and show business.
Two men vie for Georgina's attention. Harvey, who is white, is able to provide opportunities for her. Her fiancee Clem, who is a black train porter
, cannot help her on her journey. By the 1950s, she is a successful singer in an expensive night club. However, Clem has become an Army captain and then a civil rights activist
and challenges Georgina's life goals.
Act 2
at the Martin Beck Theatre on April 26, 1967 and closed on January 13, 1968 after 293 performances and 22 previews. It was directed by Burt Shevelove
, choreographed by Kevin Carlisle, with scenic design by William and Jean Eckart
, costumes by Irene Sharaff
and lighting by Tharon Musser
. The cast featured Allen Case as Harvey, Robert Hooks
as Clem, Leslie Uggams
as Georgina, and Marilyn Cooper
as Mrs. Charles, Mistress, Ethel, Dorothy. The production won five Tony Awards (out of nine nominations), including Best Musical
, and Uggams won the Tony for Best Actress for her performance.
The George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey
presented the musical in October - November 2004. Additional lyrics were written by Amanda Green
. The cast featured Suzzanne Douglas as Georgina and Ann Duquesnay
as Momma.
The Arena Stage
, Washington, DC production ran in January and February 2005.
in mind. When the steely Horne opted out of the project, it was rewritten to suit the more youthful and bubbly Leslie Uggams." In the 2004 production, Laurents attempted "to add levels of darker intensity.... However, the music and lyrics are in the infectiously bright and bubbly style of musical comedy, and his efforts in this area reduce the charm and good spirits of the show without adding much of significance in the way of depth or insight." According to Laurents, after Lena Horne declined to do the show, "What we should have done is abandon the show.... Instead it was rewriten for a woman who is one of the nicest women I have ever met in the theatre, Leslie Uggams,--and, God knows, she has a beautiful voice ... she was good, but it wasn't that original show. The show lost its edge, and I must say I lost interest in it."
1967 Theatre World Award
, Leslie Uggams [winner]
Jule Styne
Jule Styne was a British-born American songwriter especially famous for a series of Broadway musicals, which included several very well known and frequently revived shows.-Early life:...
, lyrics by Adolph Green
Adolph Green
Adolph Green was an American lyricist and playwright who, with long-time collaborator Betty Comden, penned the screenplays and songs for some of the most beloved movie musicals, particularly as part of Arthur Freed's production unit at MGM, during the genre's heyday...
and Betty Comden
Betty Comden
Betty Comden was one-half of the musical-comedy duo Comden and Green, who provided lyrics, libretti, and screenplays to some of the most beloved and successful Hollywood musicals and Broadway shows of the mid-20th century...
, and a book by Arthur Laurents
Arthur Laurents
Arthur Laurents was an American playwright, stage director and screenwriter.After writing scripts for radio shows after college and then training films for the U.S...
. The show is "a musical chronicle of the African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
struggle for equality during the [first half of the] 20th century."
The musical premiered on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in 1967 and made a young Leslie Uggams
Leslie Uggams
Leslie Uggams is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for her work in Hallelujah, Baby! She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.-Singing:...
a star. It won the Tony Award for Best Musical
Tony Award for Best Musical
This is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Musical, first awarded in 1949. This award is presented to the producers of the musical.-1940s:* 1949: Kiss Me, Kate – Music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Samuel and Bella Spewack...
.
Synopsis
Georgina is a talented, beautiful and ambitious African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
woman, determined to have a career as a singer. Overcoming many obstacles, she rises to stardom. She makes her way through the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and the beginning of the civil rights
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
movement. Her mother advises her to "keep her place" as a maid on a South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
estate, but Georgina negotiates the blocks to stardom from her negative and opportunistic mother. She encounters the racism that pervades society and show business.
Two men vie for Georgina's attention. Harvey, who is white, is able to provide opportunities for her. Her fiancee Clem, who is a black train porter
Porter (railroad)
A porter is a railway employee assigned to assist passengers aboard a passenger train or to handle their baggage; it may be used particularly to refer to employees assigned to assisting passengers in the sleeping cars....
, cannot help her on her journey. By the 1950s, she is a successful singer in an expensive night club. However, Clem has become an Army captain and then a civil rights activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
and challenges Georgina's life goals.
Musical numbers
Act 1- Prologue - Georgina
- Back in the Kitchen - Momma
- My Own Morning - Georgina
- The Slice - Clem and Provers
- Farewell, Farewell - Calhoun, Betty Loo, Captain Yankee, Georgina and Harvey
- Feet Do Yo' Stuff - Georgina, Chorines, Tip and Tap
- Watch My Dust - Clem
- Smile, Smile - Clem, Georgina and Momma
- Witches' Brew - Georgina, Mary, Ethel and Company
- Breadline Dance - Bums
- Another Day - Harvey, Clem, Mary and Georgina
- I Wanted to Change Him - Georgina
- Being Good Isn't Good Enough - Georgina
Act 2
- Dance Drill - Tip, Tap and G.I.'s
- Talking to Yourself - Georgina, Clem and Harvey
- Limbo Dance - Night Club Patrons
- Hallelujah Baby! - Georgina, Tip and Tap
- Not Mine - Harvey
- I Don't Know Where She Got It - Momma, Clem and Harvey
- Now's the Time - Georgina
- Now's the Time (Reprise) - Company
Productions
The musical opened on BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
at the Martin Beck Theatre on April 26, 1967 and closed on January 13, 1968 after 293 performances and 22 previews. It was directed by Burt Shevelove
Burt Shevelove
Burt Shevelove was an American musical theater playwright, lyricist, librettist, and director. Born in Newark, New Jersey, he graduated from Brown University and Yale . At Brown in 1935, he acted in the first ever Brownbrokers musical titled Something Bruin...
, choreographed by Kevin Carlisle, with scenic design by William and Jean Eckart
William and Jean Eckart
William and Jean Eckart were a husband-and-wife team of theatre designers in the 1950s and '60s. They designed sets, costumes, and lighting for many productions, including Mame, Here's Love, Damn Yankees, Once Upon a Mattress, The Fig Leaves Are Falling, and The Golden Apple.William Eckart was born...
, costumes by Irene Sharaff
Irene Sharaff
Irene Sharaff was an American costume designer for stage and screen. Her work earned her five Academy Awards and a Tony Award.- Background :...
and lighting by Tharon Musser
Tharon Musser
Tharon Musser was an American lighting designer who worked on more than 150 Broadway productions. She was termed the "Dean of American Lighting Designers" and is considered one of the pioneers in her field....
. The cast featured Allen Case as Harvey, Robert Hooks
Robert Hooks
Robert Hooks is an American actor of films, television and stage. With a career as a producer and political activist to his credit, he is most recognizable to the public for his over 100 roles in films and television, as well as his political and civil rights activities...
as Clem, Leslie Uggams
Leslie Uggams
Leslie Uggams is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for her work in Hallelujah, Baby! She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.-Singing:...
as Georgina, and Marilyn Cooper
Marilyn Cooper
Marilyn Cooper was an American actress, known primarily for her work on the Broadway stage.-Biography:Born in New York City, Cooper made her Broadway debut in 1956 in the chorus of Mr. Wonderful...
as Mrs. Charles, Mistress, Ethel, Dorothy. The production won five Tony Awards (out of nine nominations), including Best Musical
Tony Award for Best Musical
This is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Musical, first awarded in 1949. This award is presented to the producers of the musical.-1940s:* 1949: Kiss Me, Kate – Music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Samuel and Bella Spewack...
, and Uggams won the Tony for Best Actress for her performance.
The George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
presented the musical in October - November 2004. Additional lyrics were written by Amanda Green
Amanda Green
-Career:Born in New York City, Green was raised on the Upper West Side with brother Adam by parents Phyllis Newman and Adolph Green. From an early age she was exposed to major talents of Broadway musical theatre, including Leonard Bernstein, Jule Styne, and Cy Coleman, all of whom were regular...
. The cast featured Suzzanne Douglas as Georgina and Ann Duquesnay
Ann Duquesnay
Ann Duquesnay is an American musical theatre actress, composer and lyricist best known for Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk, which earned her a Tony Award.-Biography:...
as Momma.
The Arena Stage
Arena Stage
Arena Stage is a not-for-profit regional theater based in Southwest Washington, D.C. Its declared mission"is to produce huge plays of all that is passionate, exuberant, profound, deep and dangerous in the American spirit. Arena has broad shoulders and a capacity to produce anything from vast epics...
, Washington, DC production ran in January and February 2005.
Laurents' recollections
Arthur Laurents felt that "the original production was too soft in its take on black social progress during the first six decades or so of the twentieth century. It was originally written with Lena HorneLena Horne
Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was an American singer, actress, civil rights activist and dancer.Horne joined the chorus of the Cotton Club at the age of sixteen and became a nightclub performer before moving to Hollywood, where she had small parts in numerous movies, and more substantial parts in the...
in mind. When the steely Horne opted out of the project, it was rewritten to suit the more youthful and bubbly Leslie Uggams." In the 2004 production, Laurents attempted "to add levels of darker intensity.... However, the music and lyrics are in the infectiously bright and bubbly style of musical comedy, and his efforts in this area reduce the charm and good spirits of the show without adding much of significance in the way of depth or insight." According to Laurents, after Lena Horne declined to do the show, "What we should have done is abandon the show.... Instead it was rewriten for a woman who is one of the nicest women I have ever met in the theatre, Leslie Uggams,--and, God knows, she has a beautiful voice ... she was good, but it wasn't that original show. The show lost its edge, and I must say I lost interest in it."
Awards and nominations
1968 Tony Awards:- Best Musical [winner]
- Best Composer and Lyricist [winner]
- Best Actor in a Musical, Robert HooksRobert HooksRobert Hooks is an American actor of films, television and stage. With a career as a producer and political activist to his credit, he is most recognizable to the public for his over 100 roles in films and television, as well as his political and civil rights activities...
[nominee] - Best Actress in a Musical, Leslie UggamsLeslie UggamsLeslie Uggams is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for her work in Hallelujah, Baby! She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.-Singing:...
[winner] - Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Lillian HaymanLillian HaymanLillian Irene Hayman was a Tony Award-winning African American actress and singer.-Career:Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Hayman graduated from Wilberforce University with a BA before she began her career in the Broadway theatre...
[winner] - Best Costume Design, Irene SharaffIrene SharaffIrene Sharaff was an American costume designer for stage and screen. Her work earned her five Academy Awards and a Tony Award.- Background :...
[nominee] - Best Choreography, Kevin Carlisle [nominee]
- Best Direction of a Musical, Burt SheveloveBurt SheveloveBurt Shevelove was an American musical theater playwright, lyricist, librettist, and director. Born in Newark, New Jersey, he graduated from Brown University and Yale . At Brown in 1935, he acted in the first ever Brownbrokers musical titled Something Bruin...
[nominee] - Best Producer of a Musical, Albert W. Selden, Hal James, Jane C. Nussbaum, Harry RigbyHarry RigbyHarry Rigby was a Tony Award-winning American theatre producer and writer.Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Rigby joined forces with Jule Styne and Alexander H. Cohen to produce the short-lived 1951 Hugh Martin musical Make a Wish as his first Broadway outing...
[winner]
1967 Theatre World Award
Theatre World Award
The Theatre World Award, first awarded for the 1945-46 season, is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or off-Broadway.-History:...
, Leslie Uggams [winner]
External links
- Hallelujah, Baby! at the IBDB database
- Synopsis, song list and production at guidetomusicaltheatre.com
- Hallelujah, Baby! at Stageagent.com