Sweet Charity
Encyclopedia
Sweet Charity is a musical with music by Cy Coleman
, lyrics by Dorothy Fields
and book by Neil Simon
. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse
starring his wife and muse Gwen Verdon
. It is based on Federico Fellini
's screenplay for Nights of Cabiria
. However, where Fellini's black-and-white Italian film concerns the romantic ups-and-downs of an ever-hopeful prostitute, in the musical the central character is a dancer-for-hire at a Times Square
dance hall
. The musical premiered on Broadway
in 1966, where it was nominated for 12 Tony Awards, and also ran in the West End
as well as having revivals and international productions.
The show was adapted for the screen in 1969 with Shirley MacLaine
as Charity and John McMartin
recreating his Broadway role. Bob Fosse
directed and choreographed this film.
at a dance hall
called the Fandango Ballroom in New York City
. With a shoulder bag and a heart tattooed on her left arm, Charity meets her boyfriend Charlie in Central Park
. While Charlie silently preens himself, Charity speaks the pick-up line
s she imagines him saying, and tells him how handsome he is ("You Should See Yourself"). Charlie then steals her handbag and pushes her into the lake (usually the orchestra pit
) before running off. Passers-by discuss the apparent drowning but do nothing, until a young Spaniard finally rescues her. In the Hostess Room of the Fandango Ballroom, Charity tries to convince both herself and the other skeptical taxi dancers that Charlie tried to save her. Nickie, a fellow dancer, tells Charity that her problem is "you run your heart like a hotel — you've always got people checking in and checking out". The manager, Herman, arrives to tell them it is time for work. The hostess dancers proposition the audience in the front room of the Fandango Ballroom ("Big Spender
"). Helene and Nickie try to comfort Charity about Charlie's absence ("Charity's Soliloquy").
On the street, after work, Charity gives to every beggar who approaches her until she realizes she has no money. Just then, film star Vittorio Vidal rushes out of the smart Pompeii Club, in pursuit of his beautiful mistress, Ursula. Ursula refuses to go back inside with Vittorio, who promptly takes the only-too-willing Charity instead. Inside the Pompeii Club, the dancers are dancing the latest craze, The Rich Man's Frug. To everyone's astonishment, the famous Vittorio Vidal is accompanied by the unknown Charity. She tries to steer him away from the subject of Ursula. Finally, he wants to dance. Not having eaten since breakfast, Charity faints. There is general agreement amongst the dancers that she needs to be "laid down". Vidal asks "where?", and Charity recovers enough to prompt Vidal with "your apartment!".
Lying down on Vittorio's bed, Charity claims she is no longer hungry. She admits she is a dance hall hostess, putting it down to "the fickle finger of fate" (a favorite expression of hers). Vittorio is struck by her humor and honesty. Starstruck, Charity asks for a signed photograph to prove to the girls she was really in his apartment. While Vittorio fetches props from his old movies for further evidence, Charity remarks on her good fortune ("If My Friends Could See Me Now"). Ursula arrives to apologize for her jealousy; Charity is swiftly bundled into a closet before Vittorio opens the door to Ursula. While Charity watches from the closet, Vidal and Ursula make love inside his four-poster bed. The following morning, Charity is escorted from the room by a mortified Vidal. In the Hostess Room, the girls are disappointed that Charity failed to get more out of Vittorio. Nickie announces she is not going to remain at this job for the rest of her life, prompting the girls to speculate on alternative careers ("There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This"), but Herman brings them back down to earth. Charity decides to seek some cultural enlightenment from the YMHA on 92nd Street, where she gets stuck in a broken elevator with shy tax accountant Oscar Lindquist. While trying to calm him down, Charity learns that he is not married. She declares, "Oh Oscar... You're gonna be all right." After helping Oscar overcome his claustrophobia
("I'm the Bravest Individual"), the pair are plunged into new panic when the lights stop working.
to the church, the faint cries of the next person to be stuck in the elevator are heard. The Rhythm of Life Church turns out to be a thin veneer on hippie
culture ("The Rhythm of Life"). A police raid breaks up the meeting. Traveling home on the subway, Oscar proposes another date and tries to guess Charity's job, deciding that she works in a bank. Charity lies, saying she works for First National City, Williamsburg
Branch. As they part, Oscar kisses her hand, and dubs her Sweet Charity ("Sweet Charity").
After two weeks, Oscar and Charity have continued dating, and she still has not confessed what she actually does for a living. At Coney Island
Amusement Park they become trapped again when the Parachute Jump
ride breaks. This time, Oscar is the calm one while Charity is scared — scared that she is starting to depend on him. Once again, Charity loses her nerve about telling him what her real job is. As the crowd look on, the couple kiss. On a slow night at the Fandango, Charity loses the opportunity to snare one of the few customers by a new co-worker, Rosie. Disgusted by the whole business, she quits. However, in Times Square
, she wonders what the alternative is ("Where Am I Going?"). Sending a telegram to Oscar, she asks to meet him at Barney's Chile Hacienda. She admits that she is a dance hall hostess; he admits he already knows, having followed her one night and watched her dancing. He says he does not care and wants to marry her. Relieved and elated, Charity leaves ("I'm A Brass Band") and packs a suitcase on which is printed 'Almost Married'.
After a farewell party at the Ballroom ("I Love to Cry at Weddings"), Charity and Oscar walk in the park, whereupon Oscar announces that he cannot go through with the wedding, saying he is unable to stop thinking about the "other men". Eventually, he pushes her into the lake and runs off. Emerging from the lake, Charity, speaking directly to the audience, asks "Did you ever have one of those days?". Realizing that unlike Charlie, Oscar has not stolen her bag, she shrugs and reprises her opening dance.
The stage blacks out onto three neon sign
s, reading "And so she lived … hopefully … ever after".
Act II
and starred Gwen Verdon
, John McMartin
, Helen Gallagher
, Thelma Oliver, James Luisi, Arnold Soboloff, and Sharon Ritchie. Scenic and Lighting Design were by Robert Randolph and Costume Design was by Irene Sharaff
. The production was nominated for 12 Tony Awards, winning for Fosse's choreography.
The musical opened in the West End
at the Prince of Wales Theatre
in October 1967, running for 476 performances. Juliet Prowse starred, and was succeeded by Gretchen Wyler
.
on 27 April 1986 and closed on 15 March 1987, running for 369 performances and 15 previews. Again directed and choreographed by Fosse, Debbie Allen
starred as Charity with Bebe Neuwirth
as Nickie and Michael Rupert
as Oscar. The production won four Tony Award
s including Best Revival of a Musical. When Allen left the show, another Fosse "disciple", Ann Reinking
took over as Charity.
presented an all-star fully staged one-night-only concert at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center. It starred Chita Rivera
, Bebe Neuwirth
, Donna McKechnie
, Debbie Allen
and in her last public stage appearance, Gwen Verdon, all in the shared role of Charity.
, choreographed by Stephen Mear
and starring Bonnie Langford
.
starred in another revival of the show, opening on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre
on May 4, 2005, after a troubled three-city preview tour. The show went into production beginning January 25, 2005 at the Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis. Audience-attended dress rehearsals/previews began February 8, with the Opening Night performance held the evening of February 17, 2005. The Minneapolis engagement closed on February 20. Applegate broke her foot in Chicago
, the second stop on the tour, and was replaced by her understudy, Charlotte d'Amboise
. Then, after the final leg of the tour in Boston
, the producers announced that the production would not be continuing to Broadway due to lack of interest. However, two days later, the Broadway engagement was on after Applegate convinced the producers to continue. A week into previews, Applegate rejoined the cast, which also included Denis O'Hare
and Ernie Sabella
. The show was nominated for three Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical for Applegate. Reportedly, pop icon Britney Spears
was asked to replace Applegate when her contract expired, but declined the offer. The musical ended its Broadway run on December 31, 2005, after 279 performances.
A national tour of the 2005 Broadway revival began in September 2006 and ended in August 2007. It starred Molly Ringwald
and later Paige Davis
as Charity.
on 21 November 2009 and closed on 7 March 2010. It starred Tamzin Outhwaite
as Charity. Outhwaite is reprising the title role in the West End transfer of the successful Chocolate Factory production of the show. Playing at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket the show opened officially on 4 May 2010 after previews began on 23 April. This production holds the distinction of being the first to have the same actor (Mark Umbers
) play all three of Charity's love interests: Charlie, Vittorio and Oscar. Similarly, Josefina Gabrielle
plays both Nickie and Ursula while Tiffany Graves plays Helene. The production closed at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on 6 November 2010 but will transfer to run until 8 January 2011.The 2011 Olivier Award nominations were announced on Monday 7 January 2011, and this production received three nominations: Best Revival of a Musical, Best Theatre Choreography for Stephen Mear
and Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for Josefina Gabrielle
.
in March and April 2011, however, it was later cancelled.
Eva Rydberg starred.
2006 Argentinian production
The production opened at the Teatro Lola Membrives in Buenos Aires
, directed by Larry Raven. Florencia Peña
starred. The cast includes Nicolás Scarpino; Diego Ramos, Griselda Siciliani
, Déborah Turza, Omar Lopardo, Andrea Surdo, Gustavo Monje, Pablo Sultani.
2006 Brazil production
Claudia Raia starred. The cast includes Marcelo Médici, Fernando Rocha
, Katia Barros, Renata Vilela, Ricca Barros, Renata Ricci, Fernando de Patau, Edson Montenegro, Carol Mariottini.
2008 Mexico production
The production opened at the Teatro 1 del Centro Cultural Telmex in Mexico City
, directed by Arthur Masella. Lolita Cortés starred. The cast includes Enrique Chi, Mauricio Martínez, María Filippini, Estibalitz Ruiz, Gerardo González
, Itatí Cantoral
.
s
1986 Tony Awards
1986 Drama Desk Awards
2005 Tony Awards
2005 Drama Desk Awards
2011 Olivier Awards
s of the show's score
available including:
Cy Coleman
Cy Coleman was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist.-Life and career:He was born Seymour Kaufman on June 14, 1929, in New York City to Eastern European Jewish parents, and was raised in the Bronx. His mother, Ida was an apartment landlady and his father was a brickmason...
, lyrics by Dorothy Fields
Dorothy Fields
Dorothy Fields was an American librettist and lyricist.She wrote over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films...
and book by Neil Simon
Neil Simon
Neil Simon is an American playwright and screenwriter. He has written numerous Broadway plays, including Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and The Odd Couple. He won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play Lost In Yonkers. He has written the screenplays for several of his plays that...
. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse
Bob Fosse
Robert Louis “Bob” Fosse was an American actor, dancer, musical theater choreographer, director, screenwriter, film editor and film director. He won an unprecedented eight Tony Awards for choreography, as well as one for direction...
starring his wife and muse Gwen Verdon
Gwen Verdon
Gwenyth Evelyn “Gwen” Verdon was an actress and dancer who won four Tony awards for her musical comedy performances. With flaming red hair and an endearing quaver in her voice, Verdon was a critically acclaimed dancer on Broadway in the 1950s and 1960s...
. It is based on Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI , was an Italian film director and scriptwriter. Known for a distinct style that blends fantasy and baroque images, he is considered one of the most influential and widely revered filmmakers of the 20th century...
's screenplay for Nights of Cabiria
Nights of Cabiria
Nights of Cabiria is a 1957 Italian film directed by Federico Fellini. Fellini's wife, Giulietta Masina, plays Cabiria Ceccarelli, a feisty but naive prostitute in Ostia, then a seedy section of Rome...
. However, where Fellini's black-and-white Italian film concerns the romantic ups-and-downs of an ever-hopeful prostitute, in the musical the central character is a dancer-for-hire at a 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...
dance hall
Dance hall
Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for dancing. From the earliest years of the twentieth century until the early 1960s, the dance hall was the popular forerunner of the discothèque or nightclub...
. 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 1966, where it was nominated for 12 Tony Awards, and also ran in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
as well as having revivals and international productions.
The show was adapted for the screen in 1969 with Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine is an American film and theater actress, singer, dancer, activist and author, well-known for her beliefs in new age spirituality and reincarnation. She has written a large number of autobiographical works, many dealing with her spiritual beliefs as well as her Hollywood career...
as Charity and John McMartin
John McMartin
John McMartin is an American actor of stage, film and television.-Early life and career:McMartin was born in Warsaw, Indiana and raised in Minnesota. He attended college in Illinois and New York. He made his off-Broadway debut in Little Mary Sunshine in 1959, playing opposite Eileen Brennan...
recreating his Broadway role. Bob Fosse
Bob Fosse
Robert Louis “Bob” Fosse was an American actor, dancer, musical theater choreographer, director, screenwriter, film editor and film director. He won an unprecedented eight Tony Awards for choreography, as well as one for direction...
directed and choreographed this film.
Act I
The young woman Charity Hope Valentine is a taxi dancerTaxi dancer
A taxi dancer, or taxi for short , is a paid dance partner in a partner dance. For official purposes in the US, their occupation was referred to as "dancer", when they worked in taxi-dance halls that had all the necessary business permits...
at a dance hall
Taxi dance hall
A taxi-dance hall is a type of dance hall where dancers called taxi dancers are paid to dance with patrons . The owners of a taxi-dance hall provide music and a dance floor for their patrons and taxi dancers...
called the Fandango Ballroom 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...
. With a shoulder bag and a heart tattooed on her left arm, Charity meets her boyfriend Charlie in Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
. While Charlie silently preens himself, Charity speaks the pick-up line
Pick-up line
A pick-up line is a conversation opener with the intent of engaging an unfamiliar person for romance, or dating. Overt and sometimes humorous displays of romantic interest, pick-up lines advertise the wit of their speakers to their target listeners....
s she imagines him saying, and tells him how handsome he is ("You Should See Yourself"). Charlie then steals her handbag and pushes her into the lake (usually the orchestra pit
Orchestra pit
An orchestra pit is the area in a theater in which musicians perform. Orchestral pits are utilized in forms of theatre that require music or in cases when incidental music is required...
) before running off. Passers-by discuss the apparent drowning but do nothing, until a young Spaniard finally rescues her. In the Hostess Room of the Fandango Ballroom, Charity tries to convince both herself and the other skeptical taxi dancers that Charlie tried to save her. Nickie, a fellow dancer, tells Charity that her problem is "you run your heart like a hotel — you've always got people checking in and checking out". The manager, Herman, arrives to tell them it is time for work. The hostess dancers proposition the audience in the front room of the Fandango Ballroom ("Big Spender
Big Spender
"Big Spender" is a song written by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields for the musical Sweet Charity, first performed in 1966. It is sung, in the musical, by the dance hostess "girls"; it was choreographed by Bob Fosse for the Broadway musical and the film...
"). Helene and Nickie try to comfort Charity about Charlie's absence ("Charity's Soliloquy").
On the street, after work, Charity gives to every beggar who approaches her until she realizes she has no money. Just then, film star Vittorio Vidal rushes out of the smart Pompeii Club, in pursuit of his beautiful mistress, Ursula. Ursula refuses to go back inside with Vittorio, who promptly takes the only-too-willing Charity instead. Inside the Pompeii Club, the dancers are dancing the latest craze, The Rich Man's Frug. To everyone's astonishment, the famous Vittorio Vidal is accompanied by the unknown Charity. She tries to steer him away from the subject of Ursula. Finally, he wants to dance. Not having eaten since breakfast, Charity faints. There is general agreement amongst the dancers that she needs to be "laid down". Vidal asks "where?", and Charity recovers enough to prompt Vidal with "your apartment!".
Lying down on Vittorio's bed, Charity claims she is no longer hungry. She admits she is a dance hall hostess, putting it down to "the fickle finger of fate" (a favorite expression of hers). Vittorio is struck by her humor and honesty. Starstruck, Charity asks for a signed photograph to prove to the girls she was really in his apartment. While Vittorio fetches props from his old movies for further evidence, Charity remarks on her good fortune ("If My Friends Could See Me Now"). Ursula arrives to apologize for her jealousy; Charity is swiftly bundled into a closet before Vittorio opens the door to Ursula. While Charity watches from the closet, Vidal and Ursula make love inside his four-poster bed. The following morning, Charity is escorted from the room by a mortified Vidal. In the Hostess Room, the girls are disappointed that Charity failed to get more out of Vittorio. Nickie announces she is not going to remain at this job for the rest of her life, prompting the girls to speculate on alternative careers ("There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This"), but Herman brings them back down to earth. Charity decides to seek some cultural enlightenment from the YMHA on 92nd Street, where she gets stuck in a broken elevator with shy tax accountant Oscar Lindquist. While trying to calm him down, Charity learns that he is not married. She declares, "Oh Oscar... You're gonna be all right." After helping Oscar overcome his claustrophobia
Claustrophobia
Claustrophobia is the fear of having no escape and being closed in small spaces or rooms...
("I'm the Bravest Individual"), the pair are plunged into new panic when the lights stop working.
Act II
After being trapped in a broken elevator, Oscar and Charity are finally rescued when it starts working again. Oscar invites Charity to go to church with him, to which she hesitantly agrees. As they walk under the Manhattan BridgeManhattan Bridge
The Manhattan Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the East River in New York City, connecting Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn . It was the last of the three suspension bridges built across the lower East River, following the Brooklyn and the Williamsburg bridges...
to the church, the faint cries of the next person to be stuck in the elevator are heard. The Rhythm of Life Church turns out to be a thin veneer on hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
culture ("The Rhythm of Life"). A police raid breaks up the meeting. Traveling home on the subway, Oscar proposes another date and tries to guess Charity's job, deciding that she works in a bank. Charity lies, saying she works for First National City, Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bordering Greenpoint to the north, Bedford-Stuyvesant to the south, Bushwick to the east and the East River to the west. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 1. The neighborhood is served by the NYPD's 90th ...
Branch. As they part, Oscar kisses her hand, and dubs her Sweet Charity ("Sweet Charity").
After two weeks, Oscar and Charity have continued dating, and she still has not confessed what she actually does for a living. At Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
Amusement Park they become trapped again when the Parachute Jump
Parachute Jump
The Parachute Jump is a defunct amusement ride in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York, whose iconic open-frame steel structure remains a Brooklyn landmark. tall and weighing 170 tons , it has been called the "Eiffel Tower of Brooklyn"...
ride breaks. This time, Oscar is the calm one while Charity is scared — scared that she is starting to depend on him. Once again, Charity loses her nerve about telling him what her real job is. As the crowd look on, the couple kiss. On a slow night at the Fandango, Charity loses the opportunity to snare one of the few customers by a new co-worker, Rosie. Disgusted by the whole business, she quits. However, in 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...
, she wonders what the alternative is ("Where Am I Going?"). Sending a telegram to Oscar, she asks to meet him at Barney's Chile Hacienda. She admits that she is a dance hall hostess; he admits he already knows, having followed her one night and watched her dancing. He says he does not care and wants to marry her. Relieved and elated, Charity leaves ("I'm A Brass Band") and packs a suitcase on which is printed 'Almost Married'.
After a farewell party at the Ballroom ("I Love to Cry at Weddings"), Charity and Oscar walk in the park, whereupon Oscar announces that he cannot go through with the wedding, saying he is unable to stop thinking about the "other men". Eventually, he pushes her into the lake and runs off. Emerging from the lake, Charity, speaking directly to the audience, asks "Did you ever have one of those days?". Realizing that unlike Charlie, Oscar has not stolen her bag, she shrugs and reprises her opening dance.
The stage blacks out onto three neon sign
Neon sign
Neon signs are made using electrified, luminous tube lights that contain rarefied neon or other gases. They are the most common use for neon lighting, which was first demonstrated in a modern form in December, 1910 by Georges Claude at the Paris Motor Show. While they are used worldwide, neon signs...
s, reading "And so she lived … hopefully … ever after".
Musical numbers
Act I- "Charity's Theme"
- "You Should See Yourself" - Charity
- "Big SpenderBig Spender"Big Spender" is a song written by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields for the musical Sweet Charity, first performed in 1966. It is sung, in the musical, by the dance hostess "girls"; it was choreographed by Bob Fosse for the Broadway musical and the film...
" - Nickie, Helene and The Company - "Charity's Soliloquy" - Charity
- "Rich Man's Frug" - The Company
- "If My Friends Could See Me NowIf My Friends Could See Me Now"If My Friends Could See Me Now", with music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields, is a number from the 1966 Broadway musical Sweet Charity. In the musical, the character of Charity, played in original New York cast by Gwen Verdon, reflects on her charmed life as she spends time with...
" - Charity - "Too Many Tomorrows" - Vittorio Vidal
- "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" - Charity, Nickie and Helene
- "I'm The Bravest Individual" - Charity and Oscar
Act II
- "The Rhythm Of Life" - Charity, Oscar, Daddy Johann Sebastian Brubeck, Daddy's All-Girl Rhythm Choir and The Company
- "Good Impression" - Oscar
- "Baby, Dream Your Dream" - Nickie and Helene
- "Sweet Charity" - Oscar and The Company
- "Where Am I Going?" - Charity
- "I'm A Brass Band" - Charity and The Company
- "I Love To Cry At Weddings" - Herman and The Company
- "I'm The Bravest Individual" (Reprise) - Charity
Characters
- Charity Hope Valentine, the girl who wanted to be loved
- Charlie, Charity's boyfriend in the opening of the show, and the name on her tattoo
- Nickie and Helene, Charity's closest friends at the Fandango Ballroom
- Herman, the authoritarian owner of the Fandango Ballroom; Charity's boss
- Vittorio Vidal, a famous Italian movie star
- Ursula March, Vittorio's girlfriend
- Daddy Brubeck, the enigmatic leader of the Rhythm of Life Church
- Oscar Lindquist, a nervous man whom Charity befriends in a stalled elevator
Original productions
The musical premiered on Broadway at the Palace Theatre on 29 January 1966 and closed on 15 July1967 after 608 performances and 10 previews. It was conceived, directed and choreographed by Bob FosseBob Fosse
Robert Louis “Bob” Fosse was an American actor, dancer, musical theater choreographer, director, screenwriter, film editor and film director. He won an unprecedented eight Tony Awards for choreography, as well as one for direction...
and starred Gwen Verdon
Gwen Verdon
Gwenyth Evelyn “Gwen” Verdon was an actress and dancer who won four Tony awards for her musical comedy performances. With flaming red hair and an endearing quaver in her voice, Verdon was a critically acclaimed dancer on Broadway in the 1950s and 1960s...
, John McMartin
John McMartin
John McMartin is an American actor of stage, film and television.-Early life and career:McMartin was born in Warsaw, Indiana and raised in Minnesota. He attended college in Illinois and New York. He made his off-Broadway debut in Little Mary Sunshine in 1959, playing opposite Eileen Brennan...
, Helen Gallagher
Helen Gallagher
Helen Gallagher is an American actress, dancer, singer and makeup artist.-Early years:Born in Brooklyn, she was raised in Scarsdale, New York for several years until the Wall Street crash which heralded the Great Depression, and her family moved to the Bronx. Her parents separated and she was...
, Thelma Oliver, James Luisi, Arnold Soboloff, and Sharon Ritchie. Scenic and Lighting Design were by Robert Randolph and Costume Design was 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 :...
. The production was nominated for 12 Tony Awards, winning for Fosse's choreography.
The musical opened in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
at the Prince of Wales Theatre
Prince of Wales Theatre
The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre on Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in the City of Westminster. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner...
in October 1967, running for 476 performances. Juliet Prowse starred, and was succeeded by Gretchen Wyler
Gretchen Wyler
Gretchen Wyler was an American actress and founder of the Genesis Awards for animal protection.-Early life:...
.
1986 Broadway revival
A revival opened on Broadway at the Minskoff TheatreMinskoff Theatre
The Minskoff Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre, located at 1515 Broadway in midtown-Manhattan. It is now showing the musical The Lion King, based on the Disney animated film of the same name....
on 27 April 1986 and closed on 15 March 1987, running for 369 performances and 15 previews. Again directed and choreographed by Fosse, Debbie Allen
Debbie Allen
Deborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities...
starred as Charity with Bebe Neuwirth
Bebe Neuwirth
Beatrice "Bebe" Neuwirth is an American actress, singer and dancer. She has worked in television and is known for her portrayal of Dr. Lilith Sternin, Dr. Frasier Crane's wife , on both the TV sitcom Cheers , and its spin-off Frasier...
as Nickie and Michael Rupert
Michael Rupert
Michael John Rupert is an American actor, singer, director and composer.Rupert made his Broadway debut in 1968 in Kander and Ebb's The Happy Time where he received his first Tony nomination...
as Oscar. The production won four Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
s including Best Revival of a Musical. When Allen left the show, another Fosse "disciple", Ann Reinking
Ann Reinking
Ann Reinking is an American actress, dancer, and choreographer. She has worked extensively in musical theatre, both as a dancer and choreographer, as well as appearing in film.-Biography:...
took over as Charity.
1998 Benefit concert
On 15 June 1998, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDSBroadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the theatre community’s response to the AIDS crisis. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the theatre community, on Broadway, Off-Broadway and across the country, BC/EFA raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the United States...
presented an all-star fully staged one-night-only concert at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center. It starred Chita Rivera
Chita Rivera
Chita Rivera is an American actress, dancer, and singer best known for her roles in musical theater. She is the first Hispanic woman to receive a Kennedy Center Honors award...
, Bebe Neuwirth
Bebe Neuwirth
Beatrice "Bebe" Neuwirth is an American actress, singer and dancer. She has worked in television and is known for her portrayal of Dr. Lilith Sternin, Dr. Frasier Crane's wife , on both the TV sitcom Cheers , and its spin-off Frasier...
, Donna McKechnie
Donna McKechnie
Donna McKechnie is an American musical theater dancer, singer, actress, and choreographer. She is known for her professional and personal relationship with choreographer Michael Bennett, with whom she collaborated on her most noted role, "Cassie" from the musical A Chorus Line, for which she...
, Debbie Allen
Debbie Allen
Deborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities...
and in her last public stage appearance, Gwen Verdon, all in the shared role of Charity.
1998 London revival
A West End revival opened on 19 May 1998 and closed on 15 August 1998 at the Victoria Palace TheatreVictoria Palace Theatre
Victoria Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, opposite Victoria Station.-Origins:The theatre began life as a small concert room above the stables of the Royal Standard Hotel, a small hotel and tavern built in 1832 at what was then 522 Stockbridge...
, choreographed by Stephen Mear
Stephen Mear
Stephen Mear is an English dancer and choreographer best known for his award-winning work in musical theatre. In 2005, Mear and co-choreographer Matthew Bourne won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Choreography, for their work on the new West End musical Mary Poppins...
and starring Bonnie Langford
Bonnie Langford
Bonita Melody Lysette "Bonnie" Langford is an English actress, dancer and entertainer. She came to prominence as a child star in the early 1970s then she subsequently became a companion of Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy's Doctor Who and has appeared on stage in various musicals such as Peter Pan:...
.
2005 Broadway revival
Christina ApplegateChristina Applegate
Christina Applegate is an American actress. She is best known for playing Kelly Bundy on the Fox sitcom Married... with Children. Since then, she has established a film and television career, winning a Primetime Emmy and earning Tony and Golden Globe nominations...
starred in another revival of the show, opening on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre
Al Hirschfeld Theatre
The Al Hirschfeld Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 302 West 45th Street in midtown-Manhattan.Designed by architect G. Albert Lansburgh for vaudeville promoter Martin Beck, the theatre opened as the Martin Beck Theatre with a production of Madame Pompadour on November 11, 1924. It...
on May 4, 2005, after a troubled three-city preview tour. The show went into production beginning January 25, 2005 at the Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis. Audience-attended dress rehearsals/previews began February 8, with the Opening Night performance held the evening of February 17, 2005. The Minneapolis engagement closed on February 20. Applegate broke her foot in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, the second stop on the tour, and was replaced by her understudy, Charlotte d'Amboise
Charlotte d'Amboise
Charlotte d'Amboise is an American actress and dancer. She has played starring roles in musical theatre, and has been nominated for two Tony Awards and won the Los Angeles Ovation Awards for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for Chicago...
. Then, after the final leg of the tour in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, the producers announced that the production would not be continuing to Broadway due to lack of interest. However, two days later, the Broadway engagement was on after Applegate convinced the producers to continue. A week into previews, Applegate rejoined the cast, which also included Denis O'Hare
Denis O'Hare
Denis O'Hare is an American actor noted for his award winning performances in Take Me Out and Sweet Charity as well as the HBO television show True Blood. He is also known for his supporting roles in the films Charlie Wilson's War and Milk...
and Ernie Sabella
Ernie Sabella
Ernest "Ernie" Sabella is an American actor, who is best known for his role as the official voice of Pumbaa from the The Lion King.-Life and career:...
. The show was nominated for three Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical for Applegate. Reportedly, pop icon Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
was asked to replace Applegate when her contract expired, but declined the offer. The musical ended its Broadway run on December 31, 2005, after 279 performances.
A national tour of the 2005 Broadway revival began in September 2006 and ended in August 2007. It starred Molly Ringwald
Molly Ringwald
Molly Kathleen Ringwald is an American actress, singer and dancer. Having appeared in the John Hughes movies Sixteen Candles , The Breakfast Club , and Pretty in Pink , Ringwald has been frequently named the greatest teen star of all time...
and later Paige Davis
Paige Davis
Mindy Paige Davis , billed as Paige Davis, is an American actress best known as a host of the reality television series Trading Spaces.-Early life and career:...
as Charity.
2009 London revival
A revival of the show opened for a limited engagement at London's Menier Chocolate FactoryMenier Chocolate Factory
The Menier Chocolate Factory is an award-winning 180 seat fringe studio theatre, restaurant and gallery. It is located in a former 1870s Menier Chocolate Company factory in Southwark Street, a major street in the London Borough of Southwark, central south London, England. The theatre stages plays...
on 21 November 2009 and closed on 7 March 2010. It starred Tamzin Outhwaite
Tamzin Outhwaite
Tamzin Maria Outhwaite is an award-winning English actress. She became known for her role as Melanie Owen in the British soap opera EastEnders, whom she portrayed from 1998 until 2002.-Early career:...
as Charity. Outhwaite is reprising the title role in the West End transfer of the successful Chocolate Factory production of the show. Playing at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket the show opened officially on 4 May 2010 after previews began on 23 April. This production holds the distinction of being the first to have the same actor (Mark Umbers
Mark Umbers
Mark Umbers is an English actor known for his work in theatre, films, and television.Born in Harrogate, Yorkshire, Umbers was brought up in Wetherby. In 1991 he enrolled at Oxford University to study Latin and Greek Literature and Philosophy...
) play all three of Charity's love interests: Charlie, Vittorio and Oscar. Similarly, Josefina Gabrielle
Josefina Gabrielle
Josefina Gabrielle is an Olivier Award-nominated stage and screen actress, best known for her performances in hit West End musicals and plays.-Theatrical career:Josefina Gabrielle began her professional career dancing with the National Ballet of Portugal...
plays both Nickie and Ursula while Tiffany Graves plays Helene. The production closed at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on 6 November 2010 but will transfer to run until 8 January 2011.The 2011 Olivier Award nominations were announced on Monday 7 January 2011, and this production received three nominations: Best Revival of a Musical, Best Theatre Choreography for Stephen Mear
Stephen Mear
Stephen Mear is an English dancer and choreographer best known for his award-winning work in musical theatre. In 2005, Mear and co-choreographer Matthew Bourne won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Choreography, for their work on the new West End musical Mary Poppins...
and Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for Josefina Gabrielle
Josefina Gabrielle
Josefina Gabrielle is an Olivier Award-nominated stage and screen actress, best known for her performances in hit West End musicals and plays.-Theatrical career:Josefina Gabrielle began her professional career dancing with the National Ballet of Portugal...
.
2011 Toronto production
The 2010 West End revival was to be played in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in March and April 2011, however, it was later cancelled.
Other Productions
1989 Sweden productionEva Rydberg starred.
2006 Argentinian production
The production opened at the Teatro Lola Membrives in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, directed by Larry Raven. Florencia Peña
Florencia Peña
María Florencia Peña, is an Argentine actress, comedian and TV news presenter. She started in show business when she was four years old with the television program Festilindo...
starred. The cast includes Nicolás Scarpino; Diego Ramos, Griselda Siciliani
Griselda Siciliani
-Biography:Griselda Siciliani began her career in musical comedy, and took part in the theater play "Revista Nacional". She met the actor and producer Adrián Suar, who took her to play a secretary in Sin Código, a satirical police sitcom where Suar was the main actor. Her character was named...
, Déborah Turza, Omar Lopardo, Andrea Surdo, Gustavo Monje, Pablo Sultani.
2006 Brazil production
Claudia Raia starred. The cast includes Marcelo Médici, Fernando Rocha
Fernando Rocha
Fernando Rocha is a Portuguese comedian, actor, and TV presenter, whose career as a professional performer began in 2000. He has performed in Portugal, and internationally, including Angola, which has a majority Portuguese speaking population....
, Katia Barros, Renata Vilela, Ricca Barros, Renata Ricci, Fernando de Patau, Edson Montenegro, Carol Mariottini.
2008 Mexico production
The production opened at the Teatro 1 del Centro Cultural Telmex in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, directed by Arthur Masella. Lolita Cortés starred. The cast includes Enrique Chi, Mauricio Martínez, María Filippini, Estibalitz Ruiz, Gerardo González
Gerardo Gonzalez
Gerardo Gonzalez was a farmer that owned large lands in the southwest region of Puerto Rico, close to where today is the town of Hormigueros. He is considered to have been the one who founded the town of Hormigueros. Who became part of Puerto Rico's history because of the following story.One day,...
, Itatí Cantoral
Itatí Cantoral
Itatí Cantoral, is a Mexican actress.-Early life and education:Cantoral is the daughter of Mexican composer and songwriter, Roberto Cantoral, and Argentine actress of Italian descent, Itatí Zucchi.A child actress, at 13, Cantoral was accepted into the Televisa actors' academy, Centro de Educación...
.
Awards and nominations
1966 Tony AwardTony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
s
- Best Musical (Nomination)
- Best Leading Actress in a Musical — Gwen VerdonGwen VerdonGwenyth Evelyn “Gwen” Verdon was an actress and dancer who won four Tony awards for her musical comedy performances. With flaming red hair and an endearing quaver in her voice, Verdon was a critically acclaimed dancer on Broadway in the 1950s and 1960s...
(Nomination) - Best Featured Actor in a Musical — John McMartinJohn McMartinJohn McMartin is an American actor of stage, film and television.-Early life and career:McMartin was born in Warsaw, Indiana and raised in Minnesota. He attended college in Illinois and New York. He made his off-Broadway debut in Little Mary Sunshine in 1959, playing opposite Eileen Brennan...
(Nomination) - Best Featured Actress in a Musical — Helen GallagherHelen GallagherHelen Gallagher is an American actress, dancer, singer and makeup artist.-Early years:Born in Brooklyn, she was raised in Scarsdale, New York for several years until the Wall Street crash which heralded the Great Depression, and her family moved to the Bronx. Her parents separated and she was...
(Nomination) - Best Direction of a Musical — Bob FosseBob FosseRobert Louis “Bob” Fosse was an American actor, dancer, musical theater choreographer, director, screenwriter, film editor and film director. He won an unprecedented eight Tony Awards for choreography, as well as one for direction...
(Nomination) - Best Choreography — Bob Fosse (WINNER)
- Best Composer/Lyricist — Cy ColemanCy ColemanCy Coleman was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist.-Life and career:He was born Seymour Kaufman on June 14, 1929, in New York City to Eastern European Jewish parents, and was raised in the Bronx. His mother, Ida was an apartment landlady and his father was a brickmason...
and Dorothy FieldsDorothy FieldsDorothy Fields was an American librettist and lyricist.She wrote over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films...
(Nomination) - Best Scenic Design — Robert Randolph (Nomination)
- 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 :...
(Nomination)
1986 Tony Awards
- Best Revival of a Musical (WINNER)
- Best Actress — Debbie AllenDebbie AllenDeborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities...
(Nomination) - Best Featured Actor in a Musical — Michael RupertMichael RupertMichael John Rupert is an American actor, singer, director and composer.Rupert made his Broadway debut in 1968 in Kander and Ebb's The Happy Time where he received his first Tony nomination...
(WINNER) - Best Featured Actress in a Musical — Bebe NeuwirthBebe NeuwirthBeatrice "Bebe" Neuwirth is an American actress, singer and dancer. She has worked in television and is known for her portrayal of Dr. Lilith Sternin, Dr. Frasier Crane's wife , on both the TV sitcom Cheers , and its spin-off Frasier...
(WINNER) - Best Costume Design — Patricia ZipprodtPatricia ZipprodtPatricia Zipprodt was an American costume designer. She was known for her technique of painting fabrics and thoroughly researching a project's subject matter, especially when it was a period piece...
(WINNER)
1986 Drama Desk Awards
- Outstanding Actress in a Musical — Debbie Allen (Nomination)
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical — Michael Rupert (WINNER)
- Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical — Bebe Neuwirth (Nomination)
- Outstanding Director of a Musical — Bob Fosse (Nomination)
- Outstanding Orchestrations — Ralph BurnsRalph BurnsRalph Burns was an American songwriter, bandleader, composer, conductor, arranger and bebop pianist.-Early life:...
(Nomination)
2005 Tony Awards
- Best Revival of a Musical (Nomination)
- Best Leading Actress in a Musical — Christina ApplegateChristina ApplegateChristina Applegate is an American actress. She is best known for playing Kelly Bundy on the Fox sitcom Married... with Children. Since then, she has established a film and television career, winning a Primetime Emmy and earning Tony and Golden Globe nominations...
(Nomination) - Best Choreography — Wayne CilentoWayne CilentoWayne Louis Cilento is an American dancer and choreographer. He is best known for originating the role of "Mike" in the Broadway show A Chorus Line, and later becoming one of Broadway's most prolific choreographers.-Early life:...
(Nomination)
2005 Drama Desk Awards
- Outstanding Revival of a Musical (Nomination)
- Outstanding Actress in a Musical — Christina Applegate (Nomination)
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical — Denis O'HareDenis O'HareDenis O'Hare is an American actor noted for his award winning performances in Take Me Out and Sweet Charity as well as the HBO television show True Blood. He is also known for his supporting roles in the films Charlie Wilson's War and Milk...
(WINNER) - Outstanding Set Design of a Musical — Scott PaskScott PaskScott Pask is an American scenic designer. He has worked primarily on stage productions in the United States, on Broadway and Off-Broadway, and in regional theatre, as well as in the United Kingdom...
(Nomination)
2011 Olivier Awards
- Best Revival of a Musical (Nomination)
- Best Supporting Actress in a Musical - Josefina GabrielleJosefina GabrielleJosefina Gabrielle is an Olivier Award-nominated stage and screen actress, best known for her performances in hit West End musicals and plays.-Theatrical career:Josefina Gabrielle began her professional career dancing with the National Ballet of Portugal...
(Nomination) - Best Theatre Choreography - Stephen MearStephen MearStephen Mear is an English dancer and choreographer best known for his award-winning work in musical theatre. In 2005, Mear and co-choreographer Matthew Bourne won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Choreography, for their work on the new West End musical Mary Poppins...
(Nomination)
Recordings
There are numerous recordingRecording
Recording is the process of capturing data or translating information to a recording format stored on some storage medium, which is often referred to as a record or, if an auditory medium, a recording....
s of the show's score
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
available including:
- 1966 Original BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway 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...
cast recordingCast recordingA cast recording is a recording of a musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording, as the name implies, features the voices of the show's original cast... - Film soundtrackSoundtrackA soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
recording - 1986 BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway 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...
cast recordingCast recordingA cast recording is a recording of a musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording, as the name implies, features the voices of the show's original cast...
with Debbie AllenDebbie AllenDeborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities...
and Bebe NeuwirthBebe NeuwirthBeatrice "Bebe" Neuwirth is an American actress, singer and dancer. She has worked in television and is known for her portrayal of Dr. Lilith Sternin, Dr. Frasier Crane's wife , on both the TV sitcom Cheers , and its spin-off Frasier... - First Complete Recording of the show conducted by Martin YatesMartin YatesMartin Yates is a British conductor.Studied at the Royal College of Music and Trinity College of Music, London where his teachers included Bernard Keeffe , Richard Arnell , Ian Lake, Jakob Kaletsky & Alan Rowlands and Douglas Moore & John Burden .Conducting debut 1983 with Israel National Opera...
. This version includes the complete score with bonus tracks from the film's score - 2005 BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway 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...
cast recordingCast recordingA cast recording is a recording of a musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording, as the name implies, features the voices of the show's original cast...
starring Christina ApplegateChristina ApplegateChristina Applegate is an American actress. She is best known for playing Kelly Bundy on the Fox sitcom Married... with Children. Since then, she has established a film and television career, winning a Primetime Emmy and earning Tony and Golden Globe nominations...
and Denis O'Hare
External links
- Official Site official site while at Theatre Royal Haymarket
- Sweet Charity Internet Broadway Database
- Sweet Charity Synopsis and Character Descriptions Stage Agent
- Sweet Charity The Broadway Musical Home - musical information
- Sweet Charity Educational Study Guide Theatre Under the Stars