Happy Days (Musical)
Encyclopedia
Happy Days is a musical
with a book by Garry Marshall
and music and lyrics by Paul Williams
, based on the ABC
TV series of the same name
. Given the show's 1959 setting, it would have taken place around Season 4 of the TV show. The story concerns the kids' plans to save Arnold’s from demolition by hosting a dance contest and a wrestling match.
Happy Days was produced at the Goodspeed Opera House, East Haddam, Connecticut
, where the musical ran
from August 9, 2007 to September 2, 2007 at the Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Connecticut
. After being "expanded and refined" the musical then ran from April 11, 2008 to July 4, 2008 at the Goodspeed Opera House, directed by Gordon Greenberg
and choreographed by Michele Lynch. It also played at the Papermill Playhouse, Millburn, New Jersey
from September 26, 2007 to October 28, 2007, directed by Gordon Greenberg, and choreographed by Michele Lynch.
The musical skipped Broadway and went directly into a First National Tour, starring Joey Sorge (Saturday Night) as The Fonz, Felicia Finley as Pinky Tuscadero (The Wedding Singer), Steven Booth as Richie Cunningham, and Cynthia Ferrer as Marion Cunningham.
It is 1959 in , and Richie Cunningham, on the precipice of a new decade, is about to graduate high school and go off to college. His friends and family meet at Arnold's malt shop, and, together, bid the audience welcome (Welcome to Wisconsin) Arnold breaks the bad news that a construction company has plans to turn his eponymous restaurant into a parking lot and something called a "mall". Arthur Fonzerelli AKA "Fonzie" vows to save the day, and that it will be a "Snap" (Snap).
The next morning, Laurie Beth comes over to Richie's house and tells how all the other girls are getting engaged before going to college, and she wants to know why she isn't. Richie brushes it off as he has girl talk #213 with Fonzie. This is interrupted when Ralph, Potsie, and Chachi come over. Chachi then informs everyone about Pinky Tuscadero coming into town to host the dance contest proposed to save Arnold's. After Fonzie leaves, the boys start there "dial tones" rehearsal, but talk about how much they don't know about girls (The Thing About Girls) hut rehearse anyways (Romeo Midnight). Fonzie informs them that girls like "regular guys singing, not screaming like girls" (Ooh Bop)
Across town at the Leopard Lodge meeting (Leopards Are We), Howard suggests a wrestling match between the tough Malachi brothers, Fonzie's nemesis, and Fonzie. The Leopards promise Howard a plaque if he is able to talk Fonzie into the scheme, expecting it to bring a great deal of media coverage (The Plaque).
Back at Arnold's, the "dial tones" welcome Miss Tuscadero and she makes her grand entrance (The Pink is in Town). As Arnold takes Pinky and her Pinkettes into the kitchen to go over their schedule, the Malachi's make their entrance (Malachi's), only to Have their bike crashed into by Fonzie. Arnold closes up before the trouble ensues. At this moment, Fonzie and Pinky see each other for the first time in years, rekindling some old feelings. As Chachi and Fonzie talk about girls, we hear about Fonzie and Pinky's history, and Chachi asked Fonzie when to know when something is over and how to get to know a girl. Fonzie says "you've just gotta learn to listen with your heart" (heartbeat).
At the Cunningham home, Marion, after being rebuffed by Howard, ponders the plight of the 50s housewife, joined by Joanie who laments the curse of being a lovelorn 50s teen, for Joanie is in love with Chachi (What I Dreamed Last Night).
We then go back to Arnold's for the Dance contest. Fonzie enters and is greeted by Richie. Richie tries to talk Fonzie out of wrestling at the match, due to his "weak" knee, but he will have none of it, as he goes back in to Arnold's, where Pinky is giving Joanie boy advice and tells her that all she has to do to dance with Chachi is listen to the music (Message in the Music). Pinky then asks Fonzie to slow it down on the jukebox, when she asks him to compete in the wrestling match. Everyone rejoices when he says yes.
After Richie finds out that Fonzie promised Pinky he would wrestle anyways, he promises the Fonz that he would tell everyone about his weakness, and Fonzie laments about how he is torn whether he will be embarrassed, or risk serious injury (Maybe it's Time to Move On).
Act Two
A week later, Fonzie is still missing and everyone realizes how much he means to them. With Fonzie gone, there can be no media frenzy surrounding a nonexistent wrestling match, and Arnold's is doomed. Richie tells the gang that he will wrestle the Malachis in Fonzie's place, with Ralph in his corner. Ralph doesn't want to do it, but the guys insist they can't run, but must face the challenge and get the job done (Run).
At Arnold's, Pinky tells everyone of Fonzie's nomadic nature and that he may never return, which makes Joanie wonder if Chachi could do the same. Pinky, missing her guy advises Joanie to remain strong (Legend in Leather).
Fonzie is on the outskirts of town, his efforts to leave unsuccessful. Joined by some car hop girls, Fonzie admits that his reign of cool could be over and that he is feeling lost(Aaay'mless).
Back at Arnold's the Malachi brothers discover that they won't be wrestling Fonzie so they humiliate Richie and Ralph by giving them huge wedgies just in time for pictures for the local paper.
In the Cunningham kitchen, Marion and Joanie are preparing for the picnic when Pinky stops in to give Marion a shotglass from Cincinatti. Pinky is in awe of the domestic lifestyle of Marion, while Marion is envious of the adventurous lifestyle of Pinky, while Joanie sits at home wondering how Chachi is going to feel at prom(What I Dreamed Last Night reprise).
Later, Marion finds Fonzie hiding under the stairs. She reminds him that true cool, like James Dean
and Elvis Presley
means not caring what others think. She leaves him in thought, and, miraculously, Fonzie's two heroes appear, convincing Fonzie that guys like them change direction for a worthy cause and the higher road is the only road (Guys Like Us).
At Phister Park, the wrestling match is getting underway. Everyone gets in the ring, and Ralph runs away, yet again, when suddenly, Fonzie rolls in on his motorcycle. He offers to fight for Arnold's if the brothers promise not to touch his bad knee. The Malachis cheat, of course, but with Richie's help, the good guys prevail.
Everyone celebrates while Fonzie and Pinky resolve to forget old issues and go Dancing (Dancing on the Moon). The Leopards present their plaque to Fonzie, but he focuses everyone's attention to the truly cool businessman, Howard Cunningham (Ordinary Hero), when everyone goes into a true Plunger Dance, where they all dance with their plungers they are buying from the hardware store, decorated with bright colors and fantastic designs, all thanks to Marion and a few jars of Mayonaise and food coloring. Fonzie announces to a joyous crowd that enough money has been raised to save Arnold's.
The Class of 1959 Graduation Dance begins. Ralph is accompanied by two of the pinkettes and Potsie by his mother, Joanie and Chachi sneak in together, Marion and Howard are called in as chaperones, and Pinky and Fonzie come together. Everyone celebrates the happy days they've spent together as an iconic decade draws to a close and the gang gets ready for the 60s (Finale)
Act 2
According to the show's official site, the "NY Daily News" wrote: "If you like GREASE you will LOVE Happy Days" – A powerhouse rock and roll trip down memory lane". However, TheatreMania.com panned the musical in 2007, calling it bland.
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with a book by Garry Marshall
Garry Marshall
Garry Kent Marshall is an American actor, director, writer and producer. His notable credits include creating Happy Days and The Odd Couple and directing Nothing In Common, Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride, Valentine's Day, and The Princess Diaries.-Early life:Marshall was born in the New York City...
and music and lyrics by Paul Williams
Paul Williams (songwriter)
Paul Hamilton Williams, Jr. is an Academy Award-winning American composer, musician, songwriter, and actor. He is perhaps best known for popular songs performed by a number of acts in the 1970s including Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song", Helen Reddy's "You and Me Against the World",...
, based on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
TV series of the same name
Happy Days
Happy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
. Given the show's 1959 setting, it would have taken place around Season 4 of the TV show. The story concerns the kids' plans to save Arnold’s from demolition by hosting a dance contest and a wrestling match.
Productions
The musical debuted at the Falcon Theatre in , directed by Marshall, and was produced by Marshall, his sister Ronny Hallin, and his daughter, Kathleen Marshall.Happy Days was produced at the Goodspeed Opera House, East Haddam, Connecticut
East Haddam, Connecticut
East Haddam is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,333 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, where the musical ran
from August 9, 2007 to September 2, 2007 at the Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Connecticut
Chester, Connecticut
Chester is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,743 at the 2000 census. The town center is also defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place .-Geography:...
. After being "expanded and refined" the musical then ran from April 11, 2008 to July 4, 2008 at the Goodspeed Opera House, directed by Gordon Greenberg
Gordon Greenberg
-Education:Greenberg attended Stanford University and NYU Film School Tisch School of the Arts, as well as The Lincoln Center Directors Lab, The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and Stagedoor Manor.-Career:...
and choreographed by Michele Lynch. It also played at the Papermill Playhouse, Millburn, New Jersey
Millburn, New Jersey
Millburn is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 20,149.Millburn Township was created as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 20, 1857, from portions of Springfield Township.Millburn also...
from September 26, 2007 to October 28, 2007, directed by Gordon Greenberg, and choreographed by Michele Lynch.
The musical skipped Broadway and went directly into a First National Tour, starring Joey Sorge (Saturday Night) as The Fonz, Felicia Finley as Pinky Tuscadero (The Wedding Singer), Steven Booth as Richie Cunningham, and Cynthia Ferrer as Marion Cunningham.
Synopsis
Act OneIt is 1959 in , and Richie Cunningham, on the precipice of a new decade, is about to graduate high school and go off to college. His friends and family meet at Arnold's malt shop, and, together, bid the audience welcome (Welcome to Wisconsin) Arnold breaks the bad news that a construction company has plans to turn his eponymous restaurant into a parking lot and something called a "mall". Arthur Fonzerelli AKA "Fonzie" vows to save the day, and that it will be a "Snap" (Snap).
The next morning, Laurie Beth comes over to Richie's house and tells how all the other girls are getting engaged before going to college, and she wants to know why she isn't. Richie brushes it off as he has girl talk #213 with Fonzie. This is interrupted when Ralph, Potsie, and Chachi come over. Chachi then informs everyone about Pinky Tuscadero coming into town to host the dance contest proposed to save Arnold's. After Fonzie leaves, the boys start there "dial tones" rehearsal, but talk about how much they don't know about girls (The Thing About Girls) hut rehearse anyways (Romeo Midnight). Fonzie informs them that girls like "regular guys singing, not screaming like girls" (Ooh Bop)
Across town at the Leopard Lodge meeting (Leopards Are We), Howard suggests a wrestling match between the tough Malachi brothers, Fonzie's nemesis, and Fonzie. The Leopards promise Howard a plaque if he is able to talk Fonzie into the scheme, expecting it to bring a great deal of media coverage (The Plaque).
Back at Arnold's, the "dial tones" welcome Miss Tuscadero and she makes her grand entrance (The Pink is in Town). As Arnold takes Pinky and her Pinkettes into the kitchen to go over their schedule, the Malachi's make their entrance (Malachi's), only to Have their bike crashed into by Fonzie. Arnold closes up before the trouble ensues. At this moment, Fonzie and Pinky see each other for the first time in years, rekindling some old feelings. As Chachi and Fonzie talk about girls, we hear about Fonzie and Pinky's history, and Chachi asked Fonzie when to know when something is over and how to get to know a girl. Fonzie says "you've just gotta learn to listen with your heart" (heartbeat).
At the Cunningham home, Marion, after being rebuffed by Howard, ponders the plight of the 50s housewife, joined by Joanie who laments the curse of being a lovelorn 50s teen, for Joanie is in love with Chachi (What I Dreamed Last Night).
We then go back to Arnold's for the Dance contest. Fonzie enters and is greeted by Richie. Richie tries to talk Fonzie out of wrestling at the match, due to his "weak" knee, but he will have none of it, as he goes back in to Arnold's, where Pinky is giving Joanie boy advice and tells her that all she has to do to dance with Chachi is listen to the music (Message in the Music). Pinky then asks Fonzie to slow it down on the jukebox, when she asks him to compete in the wrestling match. Everyone rejoices when he says yes.
After Richie finds out that Fonzie promised Pinky he would wrestle anyways, he promises the Fonz that he would tell everyone about his weakness, and Fonzie laments about how he is torn whether he will be embarrassed, or risk serious injury (Maybe it's Time to Move On).
Act Two
A week later, Fonzie is still missing and everyone realizes how much he means to them. With Fonzie gone, there can be no media frenzy surrounding a nonexistent wrestling match, and Arnold's is doomed. Richie tells the gang that he will wrestle the Malachis in Fonzie's place, with Ralph in his corner. Ralph doesn't want to do it, but the guys insist they can't run, but must face the challenge and get the job done (Run).
At Arnold's, Pinky tells everyone of Fonzie's nomadic nature and that he may never return, which makes Joanie wonder if Chachi could do the same. Pinky, missing her guy advises Joanie to remain strong (Legend in Leather).
Fonzie is on the outskirts of town, his efforts to leave unsuccessful. Joined by some car hop girls, Fonzie admits that his reign of cool could be over and that he is feeling lost(Aaay'mless).
Back at Arnold's the Malachi brothers discover that they won't be wrestling Fonzie so they humiliate Richie and Ralph by giving them huge wedgies just in time for pictures for the local paper.
In the Cunningham kitchen, Marion and Joanie are preparing for the picnic when Pinky stops in to give Marion a shotglass from Cincinatti. Pinky is in awe of the domestic lifestyle of Marion, while Marion is envious of the adventurous lifestyle of Pinky, while Joanie sits at home wondering how Chachi is going to feel at prom(What I Dreamed Last Night reprise).
Later, Marion finds Fonzie hiding under the stairs. She reminds him that true cool, like James Dean
James Dean
James Byron Dean was an American film actor. He is a cultural icon, best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause , in which he starred as troubled Los Angeles teenager Jim Stark...
and Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
means not caring what others think. She leaves him in thought, and, miraculously, Fonzie's two heroes appear, convincing Fonzie that guys like them change direction for a worthy cause and the higher road is the only road (Guys Like Us).
At Phister Park, the wrestling match is getting underway. Everyone gets in the ring, and Ralph runs away, yet again, when suddenly, Fonzie rolls in on his motorcycle. He offers to fight for Arnold's if the brothers promise not to touch his bad knee. The Malachis cheat, of course, but with Richie's help, the good guys prevail.
Everyone celebrates while Fonzie and Pinky resolve to forget old issues and go Dancing (Dancing on the Moon). The Leopards present their plaque to Fonzie, but he focuses everyone's attention to the truly cool businessman, Howard Cunningham (Ordinary Hero), when everyone goes into a true Plunger Dance, where they all dance with their plungers they are buying from the hardware store, decorated with bright colors and fantastic designs, all thanks to Marion and a few jars of Mayonaise and food coloring. Fonzie announces to a joyous crowd that enough money has been raised to save Arnold's.
The Class of 1959 Graduation Dance begins. Ralph is accompanied by two of the pinkettes and Potsie by his mother, Joanie and Chachi sneak in together, Marion and Howard are called in as chaperones, and Pinky and Fonzie come together. Everyone celebrates the happy days they've spent together as an iconic decade draws to a close and the gang gets ready for the 60s (Finale)
Musical numbers
Act 1- Welcome to Wisconsin - Company
- Snap - Fonzie and Car Hops
- The Thing About Girls - Richie, Ralph, Potsie, and Chachi
- Romeo Midnight - The Dial Tones
- Ooooooh Bop - Fonzie and The Dial Tones
- Leopards Are We - The Leopards
- The Plaque - The Leopards
- The Pink's in Town - Pinky and The Pinkettes
- Malachis - The Malachi Brothers
- Heartbeat - Fonzie, Chachi, and Calender Girls
- The Plaque Reprise - Howard
- What I Dreamed Last Night - Marion and Joanie
- Message in the Music - Pinky Company
- Maybe It's Time to Move On - Fonzie, Dial-Tones, and Company
Act 2
- Run - Ralph, Richie, Potsie, and Chachi
- Legend in Leather - Pinky and Pinkettes
- Aaay'mless - Fonzie, Car Hops
- Malachis (Reprise) - The Malachi Brothers
- What I Dreamed Last Night (Reprise) - Pinky, Marion, and Joanie
- Guys Like Us - Fonzie, Elvis, James Dean, and guys
- Hot Love - The Dial-Tones
- Dancing on the Moon - Fonzie & Pinky
- Ordinary Hero - Company
- Finale - Company
Reception
The New York Times reviewer wrote of the Goodspeed Opera production of 2008: "If you’re going to make a stage musical out of a television show, 'Happy Days' is not a bad choice. All that cheerful white-bread 1950s innocence. All those instant audience associations with beloved characters and the actors who played them. The show won’t ever win a Pulitzer Prize (or the musical-comedy equivalent), but the Goodspeed Opera House’s bouncy new production delivers a pleasant if not transporting evening, and – most important – the Fonz (Joey Sorge) is cool" and "Michele Lynch's choreography is one of the show's real assets".According to the show's official site, the "NY Daily News" wrote: "If you like GREASE you will LOVE Happy Days" – A powerhouse rock and roll trip down memory lane". However, TheatreMania.com panned the musical in 2007, calling it bland.