One & One (musical comedy)
Encyclopedia
One & One is a 1970s award-winning original off-Broadway
musical comedy by Dianne Adams (music and lyrics), Fred Bennett (book), and Richard O'Donnell (book, music and lyrics).
Produced by the Broadway-times Theatre Co., and directed by Jim Payne, One & One opened November 15, 1978 at The Carter Theatre, 250 West 43rd Street in the heart of Times Square
.
to the rise of the big Hollywood musicals, One & One is an homage to American entertainment with “...as good a score as any on Broadway today.”
, Burlesque
, and the great MGM musicals. Two years later their musical comedy One & One was produced off-Broadway
by the Broadway-times Theatre Co., and went on to receive two ASCAP Special Awards in 1978 and one in 1979, all under the category of musical theater.
One & One previewed in New York City
at the Carter Theatre (formally the Bert Wheeler Theatre), off the lobby of the Carter Hotel, 250 West 43rd Street for over six months, before officially opening November 15, 1978. On opening night Dianne Adams was 19, Richard O’Donnell was 22, and Fred Bennett was 24 years old. After a brief but successful run, the show was slated for Broadway
, produced by Duff Boardman & Associates, Theatre Now, general managers; and budgeted at one million dollars. For the Broadway backers audition then unknown actor Nathan Lane
recorded the role of Jeff O’Riely. Tap legend Miriam Nelson was signed to direct and choreograph. Due to costs, the show never hit the Great White Way.
Act II
Replacements:
Understudies:
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
musical comedy by Dianne Adams (music and lyrics), Fred Bennett (book), and Richard O'Donnell (book, music and lyrics).
Produced by the Broadway-times Theatre Co., and directed by Jim Payne, One & One opened November 15, 1978 at The Carter Theatre, 250 West 43rd Street in the heart of Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
.
Synopsis
One & One tells the story of a fading song and dance team Majeski & O’Reily that are forced to take on a woman partner to boost their notoriety. An old childhood friend, Julie Allyn, has blossomed into a talented beauty; they both fall in love with her with disastrous results. Through the decline of VaudevilleVaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
to the rise of the big Hollywood musicals, One & One is an homage to American entertainment with “...as good a score as any on Broadway today.”
History
In 1976, while attending Mansfield University, Dianne Adams (music and lyrics), Fred Bennett (book), and Richard O’Donnell (book, music, and lyrics) met, all sharing their adoration for the bygone years of VaudevilleVaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
, Burlesque
Burlesque
Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...
, and the great MGM musicals. Two years later their musical comedy One & One was produced off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
by the Broadway-times Theatre Co., and went on to receive two ASCAP Special Awards in 1978 and one in 1979, all under the category of musical theater.
One & One previewed in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
at the Carter Theatre (formally the Bert Wheeler Theatre), off the lobby of the Carter Hotel, 250 West 43rd Street for over six months, before officially opening November 15, 1978. On opening night Dianne Adams was 19, Richard O’Donnell was 22, and Fred Bennett was 24 years old. After a brief but successful run, the show was slated for 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...
, produced by Duff Boardman & Associates, Theatre Now, general managers; and budgeted at one million dollars. For the Broadway backers audition then unknown actor Nathan Lane
Nathan Lane
Nathan Lane is an American actor of stage and screen. He is best known for his roles as Mendy in The Lisbon Traviata, Albert in The Birdcage, Max Bialystock in the musical The Producers, Ernie Smuntz in MouseHunt, Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to...
recorded the role of Jeff O’Riely. Tap legend Miriam Nelson was signed to direct and choreograph. Due to costs, the show never hit the Great White Way.
Musical numbers
Act I- "Let Us Take You Back" - Full company
- "Honky Tonk Lady" - Mutt & Jeff
- "One & One" - Mutt & Jeff
- "Don't Let It Get You Down" - Zimon, Mutt & Jeff
- "If You Can Prove I'm In Love" - Julie
- "On The Road Again" - Julie, Mutt & Jeff
- "Opening Night" - Julie, Mutt & Jeff
- "Dancer" - Jeff & Julie
- "If You Can Prove I'm In Love (reprise)" - Julie
Act II
- "One & One (reprise)" - Mutt & Jeff
- "Here's To Hollywood" - Peter & Company
- "Female!" - Julie, Mutt & Jeff
- "Julie (I Love You)" - Peter, Mutt & Jeff
- "Don't Let It Get You Down (reprise)" - Zimon & Julie
- "Lonely Song & Dance Man" - Jeff
- "Military Man" - Sarge & Company
- "Honky Tonk Lady (reprise)" - Mutt
- "Looking To The Sky" - Mutt
- "Lonely Song & Dance Man (reprise)" - Mutt
- "One & One" - Mutt & Jeff, Full Company
Roles and cast information
Original off-Broadway cast:- Mutt Majeski - Peter Boynton
- Jeff O’Reily - Alan Nicholson
- Julie Allyn - Karen Kruger
- Oscar - Norman Goldenberg
- Sarge - Sharon Ann Murray
- Emmy (Mavis) - Marisa Post
- Peter (MC, Soldier) - David Bell
- Belmont (Sailor) - David Morton
- Toni (USO girl) - Anny Degange
- Bill (Hawkins, Soldier) - Robert Putnam
- Mike (Chuck) - David StrassmanDavid StrassmanDavid Strassman, is an American ventriloquist who is best known for his ventriloquism act with the characters Ted E. Bare and Chuck Wood. He began performing magic at the age of twelve after a visit to the Magic Castle in Hollywood.-Biography:David Strassman is the second of four children. His...
Replacements:
- Mutt Majeski - Scott Bodie
- Julie Allyn - Carole-Ann Scott
Understudies:
- Mutt Majeski - David Morton, Scott Bodie
- Jeff O’Reily - Robert Putnam
- Julie Allyn - Marisa Post, Carole-Ann Scott
- Sarge - Jane Ann Ford