Wonderful Town
Encyclopedia
Wonderful Town is a musical
with a book written by Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov
, lyrics by Betty Comden
and Adolph Green
and music by Leonard Bernstein
. It is based on Fields and Chodorov's 1940 play My Sister Eileen
, which is itself based on the collection of short stories by Ruth McKenney
of the same name.
Premiering on Broadway
in 1953, Wonderful Town won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and spawned a 1986 West End
production and 2003 Broadway revival. A lighter piece than Bernstein's later works, West Side Story and Candide, Comden and Green's lyrics are paired with Bernstein's music to produce some of the most popular songs of the 1950s.
The musical follows the story of sisters Ruth and Eileen Sherwood, who travel to New York City
from Columbus
, Ohio
in search of love and fortune. My Sister Eileen, the collection of short stories on which the play and musical are based, recounts Ruth's memories of growing up with her sister. The collection was published as a hardcover book in 1938, three years after the events depicted in the musical. Only the final two stories in the book have anything to do with the plot of Wonderful Town, and they are heavily modified for the musical. The stories also served as the basis of two films and a television series
.
at the Winter Garden Theatre
on February 25, 1953 and ran for 559 performances, closing on July 3, 1954 and starred Rosalind Russell
and Edie Adams
. It was directed by George Abbott
, choreographed by Donald Saddler
and produced by Robert Fryer.
The show was broadcast live as a television special on CBS in 1958, starring Russell.
A production opened in the West End
at the Queen's Theatre
in August 1986 and closed in March 1987, after playing at the Watford Palace, with Maureen Lipman
(Ruth) and Emily Morgan (Eileen).
The City Center Encores!
staged concert was presented in May 2000, starring Donna Murphy
and Laura Benanti
and directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall
. It received "some of the best reviews the in-concert series has seen in some time, with particular praise being doled out for star Donna Murphy." A revival opened on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre
on November 23, 2003 and closed on January 30, 2005, after 497 performances. With direction and choreography by Kathleen Marshall
, it starred Donna Murphy, and later Brooke Shields
.
A non-Equity national tour was mounted by Music Theatre Associates in 2006 and 2007, starring Deborah Lynn as Ruth and Allison Berry as Eileen.
The Canadian premiere opened May 25, 2008 at the Shaw Festival
in Niagara On The Lake, Ontario.
During the summer of 1935 in Greenwich Village
, New York
, a tour guide leads a group of sightseers on a tour of "Christopher Street" and its colorful and interesting citizens.
When the tourists have departed, the witty Ruth Sherwood arrives in Greenwich Village with her beautiful younger sister, Eileen. The two have just arrived from Columbus, determined to forge a life in the big city as a writer (Ruth) and an actress (Eileen). Soon they are living in a basement apartment
, recently vacated by Violet, loaned by the "loveable" landlord, Mr. Appopolous. Their apartment building is shaken frequently by dynamite from the construction of a subway underneath them as well as Violet's returning customers. The sisters are soon stricken with homesickness for "Ohio
".
The next morning, Ruth and Eileen set out to try their hand at "Conquering New York", only to find defeat and humiliation. Eileen, at least, has gotten food from a food samples man, as well as Mr. Valenti, but has also met Frank Lippencott, a local Walgreens manager who has developed a crush on her. Ruth, however, is left to wonder at her sister's magnetic appeal and her own unique romantic abilities; a talent for repelling men so successful that she could write a book entitled "One Hundred Easy Ways to Lose a Man".
Eventually, Ruth talks her way into the offices of a short story magazine, where she meets Bob Baker. Bob likes Ruth, but advises her that she has little chance of success, and tells her flat out "What A Waste" of money and time it was to come to New York
, because he along with many others have done the same thing. Undaunted, Ruth leaves three stories with Bob in the hope that he will read them.
Meanwhile, Eileen has been eating all of her lunches free at Walgreens, and finds herself "A Little Bit In Love" with Frank, and invites him over to dinner so Ruth can have free lunches when she goes to Walgreens too. Bob arrives at the apartment, looking for Ruth, and Eileen invites him over for dinner as well. The phone rings, and it is Chick Clark, a newspaper editor, whom Eileen met in an elevator, wanting to see Eileen.
The upstairs neighbors, Wreck, an out-of-season American football
player, and his live-in lover, Helen, ask the girls to hide Wreck while Helen's mother, Mrs. Ella Wade is in town, because Mrs. Wade does not yet know about Wreck. Eileen happily agrees to stow him in their apartment, much to Ruth's hesitation. Wreck describes his lucky history as a student at Trenton Tech, who got by very well only because of his ability to "Pass The Football".
Eileen has invited Frank Lippencott, Bob Baker, and Chick Clark, a slimy newspaper scribe whom she has met with the object of furthering Ruth's career, over for potluck
supper. Unaware of each other's feelings, both girls find themselves attracted to Bob. Soon, all five of them are seated around the cramped apartment trying to fill the awkward silence in "Conversation Piece". Meanwhile, Helen deals with her overbearing and exaggerated mother.
Ruth and Bob talk over the quality of her stories, and he advises her to write about what she knows rather than flights of fancy. Both say several wrong things, and he finally tells her off. He soon regrets it as Ruth rushes inside in tears, and Bob is left to sing of his inability to find "A Quiet Girl" to love.
While all this is happening, anxious to be alone with Eileen, Chick Clark creates a bogus assignment for Ruth. He sends her off to the Brooklyn Navy Yard
to interview a group of Brazil
ian navy cadets. She quickly realizes that their sole interest is to learn and dance the "Conga
". The sailors follow Ruth home, where the girls soon find themselves in chaotic confusion, as all the citizens of Christopher Street join the conga line in a finale. Ruth runs into Bob and gives him a piece of her mind, while Eileen is hauled off to jail for causing the riot.
Act II
In the local jail Eileen finds herself practically running the place, with Officer Lonigan and his brigade of doting Irish
police officers at her beck and call. Given her name, they are convinced that she is Irish, and they serenade
her with "My Darlin' Eileen", and are not the least discouraged and continue to sing when she says she is, in fact, not Irish. Ruth comes to assure her that she will bail her out as soon as she collects the money from her new job as a promoter for the Village Vortex, a local nightclub. At the club, Ruth "digs the rhythm" of "Swing
". Meanwhile, Wreck is awkwardly masquerading as a wealthy art collector to meet Helen's mother's approval, and Chick is frantically calling Eileen, trying to make things right.
Thanks to Bob, Eileen is soon released from jail, and the sisters learn that Appopolous has been so scandalized by a missing picture that he painted (that was actually stolen and sold for $2 by Helen and Wreck for Wreck to stay at the Y) and Eileen's arrest, that he has threatened to evict them. Eileen discovers that Ruth is also attracted to Bob Baker, and the two of them wish, for a moment, that they had never left home, reprising "Ohio". Eileen is then confronted by the rhythmical Speedy Valenti, owner of the Village Vortex (the night club), who gives her her New York
debut as a singer because her fame has reached the front page of the news. Appopolous immediately changes his tune now that one of his tenants has a paying job, and extends their lease.
Eileen soon learns that Bob Baker has quit his job as a result of a disagreement with his boss about Ruth's story on the Brazilian sailors. Eileen is thrilled that Bob quit his job and assures the unbelieving Bob that "It's Love" that he feels for Ruth. Bob, faced with the facts, hesitantly realizes the truth: it is love.
The mood at the Vortex turns jazzy with the "Ballet At The Village Vortex". Eileen finds herself with a case of stage fright and she convinces Ruth to join her on stage to sing the "Wrong Note Rag". Chick arrives to make amends and presents Ruth with a press pass
: his boss has read her story about the Brazilian sailors and loved it, and given Ruth a job to take on the following Monday. The Vortex is alive with singing and dancing, and Bob decides it's the perfect moment to let Ruth know how he feels. The curtain closes as Eileen and the guests at the club sing "It's Love" along with everyone in a finale in celebration of Ruth and Bob's new found affection.
Act II
Revival Broadway Cast (2003)
1st National Touring Cast (2006)
2003 Broadway revival
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 written by Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov
Jerome Chodorov
Jerome Chodorov was an American playwright and librettist.-Biography:He was born in New York City, and entered journalism in the 1930s. He is best known for his 1940 play My Sister Eileen, its 1942 screen adaptation, and the musical Wonderful Town, which based on his play. Joseph A. Fields was...
, lyrics by 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 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 music by Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
. It is based on Fields and Chodorov's 1940 play My Sister Eileen
My Sister Eileen
My Sister Eileen originated as a series of short stories by Ruth McKenney that eventually evolved into a book, a play, a musical, a radio play , two films, and a CBS television series in the 1960-1961 season....
, which is itself based on the collection of short stories by Ruth McKenney
Ruth McKenney
Ruth McKenney was an American author and journalist, best remembered for My Sister Eileen, a memoir of her experiences growing up in Ohio and moving to Greenwich Village with her sister Eileen McKenney. This was later adapted as the musical Wonderful Town by Leonard Bernstein.-Early life:McKenney...
of the same name.
Premiering 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 1953, Wonderful Town won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and spawned a 1986 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...
production and 2003 Broadway revival. A lighter piece than Bernstein's later works, West Side Story and Candide, Comden and Green's lyrics are paired with Bernstein's music to produce some of the most popular songs of the 1950s.
The musical follows the story of sisters Ruth and Eileen Sherwood, who travel to 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...
from Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in search of love and fortune. My Sister Eileen, the collection of short stories on which the play and musical are based, recounts Ruth's memories of growing up with her sister. The collection was published as a hardcover book in 1938, three years after the events depicted in the musical. Only the final two stories in the book have anything to do with the plot of Wonderful Town, and they are heavily modified for the musical. The stories also served as the basis of two films and a television series
My Sister Eileen
My Sister Eileen originated as a series of short stories by Ruth McKenney that eventually evolved into a book, a play, a musical, a radio play , two films, and a CBS television series in the 1960-1961 season....
.
Production history
Wonderful Town debuted 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 Winter Garden Theatre
Winter Garden Theatre
The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 1634 Broadway in midtown Manhattan.-History:The structure was built by William Kissam Vanderbilt in 1896 to be the American Horse Exchange....
on February 25, 1953 and ran for 559 performances, closing on July 3, 1954 and starred Rosalind Russell
Rosalind Russell
Rosalind Russell was an American actress of stage and screen, perhaps best known for her role as a fast-talking newspaper reporter in the Howard Hawks screwball comedy His Girl Friday, as well as the role of Mame Dennis in the film Auntie Mame...
and Edie Adams
Edie Adams
Edie Adams was an American singer, Broadway, television and film actress and comedienne. Adams, a Tony Award winner, "both embodied and winked at the stereotypes of fetching chanteuse and sexpot blonde." She was well-known for her impersonations of female stars on stage and television, most...
. It was directed by George Abbott
George Abbott
George Francis Abbott was an American theater producer and director, playwright, screenwriter, and film director and producer whose career spanned more than nine decades.-Early years:...
, choreographed by Donald Saddler
Donald Saddler
Donald Saddler is an American choreographer, dancer, and theatre director.-Biography:Born in Van Nuys, California, Saddler studied dance at an early age to regain his strength after a bout of scarlet fever...
and produced by Robert Fryer.
The show was broadcast live as a television special on CBS in 1958, starring Russell.
A production 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 Queen's Theatre
Queen's Theatre
The Queen's Theatre is a West End theatre located in Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster. It opened on 8 October 1907 as a twin to the neighbouring Gielgud Theatre which opened ten months earlier. Both theatres were designed by W.G.R...
in August 1986 and closed in March 1987, after playing at the Watford Palace, with Maureen Lipman
Maureen Lipman
Maureen Diane Lipman CBE is a British film, theatre and television actress, columnist and comedienne.-Early life:Lipman was born in Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, the daughter of Maurice Julius Lipman and Zelma Pearlman. Her father was a tailor; he used to have a shop between the...
(Ruth) and Emily Morgan (Eileen).
The City Center Encores!
Encores!
Encores! Great American Musicals in Concert is a program that has been presented by New York City Center since 1994. Encores! is dedicated to performing the full score of musicals that rarely are heard in New York City...
staged concert was presented in May 2000, starring Donna Murphy
Donna Murphy
Donna Murphy is an American stage, film, television actress and singer.Murphy has won two Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical for her roles in Passion as Fosca and in The King and I as Anna Leonowens...
and Laura Benanti
Laura Benanti
Laura Benanti is an American actress of television, film and Broadway theatre noted for her award winning performance as Louise in the 2008 production of Gypsy.-Early years:...
and directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall
Kathleen Marshall
Kathleen Marshall is an American choreographer, director, and creative consultant.-Life and career:Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Marshall graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School and Smith College. She worked in the Pittsburgh theatre scene when she was younger, performing with such...
. It received "some of the best reviews the in-concert series has seen in some time, with particular praise being doled out for star Donna Murphy." A revival opened 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 November 23, 2003 and closed on January 30, 2005, after 497 performances. With direction and choreography by Kathleen Marshall
Kathleen Marshall
Kathleen Marshall is an American choreographer, director, and creative consultant.-Life and career:Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Marshall graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School and Smith College. She worked in the Pittsburgh theatre scene when she was younger, performing with such...
, it starred Donna Murphy, and later Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields
Brooke Christa Shields is an American actress and model. Some of her better-known movies include Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon, as well as TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, That '70s Show and Lipstick Jungle....
.
A non-Equity national tour was mounted by Music Theatre Associates in 2006 and 2007, starring Deborah Lynn as Ruth and Allison Berry as Eileen.
The Canadian premiere opened May 25, 2008 at the Shaw Festival
Shaw Festival
The Shaw Festival is a major Canadian theatre festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, the second largest repertory theatre company in North America...
in Niagara On The Lake, Ontario.
Synopsis
Act IDuring the summer of 1935 in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, a tour guide leads a group of sightseers on a tour of "Christopher Street" and its colorful and interesting citizens.
When the tourists have departed, the witty Ruth Sherwood arrives in Greenwich Village with her beautiful younger sister, Eileen. The two have just arrived from Columbus, determined to forge a life in the big city as a writer (Ruth) and an actress (Eileen). Soon they are living in a basement apartment
Basement apartment
A basement apartment is an apartment located below street level, underneath another structure—usually an apartment building, but possibly a house or a business. Rent in basement apartments is usually much lower than it is in above-ground units, due to a number of deficiencies common to basement...
, recently vacated by Violet, loaned by the "loveable" landlord, Mr. Appopolous. Their apartment building is shaken frequently by dynamite from the construction of a subway underneath them as well as Violet's returning customers. The sisters are soon stricken with homesickness for "Ohio
Ohio (1953 song)
"Ohio" is a song from the 1953 Broadway musical Wonderful Town, sung by the protagonists, bemoaning the fact that they had left Ohio for New York.It was written by Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green....
".
The next morning, Ruth and Eileen set out to try their hand at "Conquering New York", only to find defeat and humiliation. Eileen, at least, has gotten food from a food samples man, as well as Mr. Valenti, but has also met Frank Lippencott, a local Walgreens manager who has developed a crush on her. Ruth, however, is left to wonder at her sister's magnetic appeal and her own unique romantic abilities; a talent for repelling men so successful that she could write a book entitled "One Hundred Easy Ways to Lose a Man".
Eventually, Ruth talks her way into the offices of a short story magazine, where she meets Bob Baker. Bob likes Ruth, but advises her that she has little chance of success, and tells her flat out "What A Waste" of money and time it was to come to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, because he along with many others have done the same thing. Undaunted, Ruth leaves three stories with Bob in the hope that he will read them.
Meanwhile, Eileen has been eating all of her lunches free at Walgreens, and finds herself "A Little Bit In Love" with Frank, and invites him over to dinner so Ruth can have free lunches when she goes to Walgreens too. Bob arrives at the apartment, looking for Ruth, and Eileen invites him over for dinner as well. The phone rings, and it is Chick Clark, a newspaper editor, whom Eileen met in an elevator, wanting to see Eileen.
The upstairs neighbors, Wreck, an out-of-season American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player, and his live-in lover, Helen, ask the girls to hide Wreck while Helen's mother, Mrs. Ella Wade is in town, because Mrs. Wade does not yet know about Wreck. Eileen happily agrees to stow him in their apartment, much to Ruth's hesitation. Wreck describes his lucky history as a student at Trenton Tech, who got by very well only because of his ability to "Pass The Football".
Eileen has invited Frank Lippencott, Bob Baker, and Chick Clark, a slimy newspaper scribe whom she has met with the object of furthering Ruth's career, over for potluck
Potluck
A potluck is a gathering of people where each person or group of people contributes a dish of food prepared by the person or the group of people, to be shared among the group...
supper. Unaware of each other's feelings, both girls find themselves attracted to Bob. Soon, all five of them are seated around the cramped apartment trying to fill the awkward silence in "Conversation Piece". Meanwhile, Helen deals with her overbearing and exaggerated mother.
Ruth and Bob talk over the quality of her stories, and he advises her to write about what she knows rather than flights of fancy. Both say several wrong things, and he finally tells her off. He soon regrets it as Ruth rushes inside in tears, and Bob is left to sing of his inability to find "A Quiet Girl" to love.
While all this is happening, anxious to be alone with Eileen, Chick Clark creates a bogus assignment for Ruth. He sends her off to the Brooklyn Navy Yard
Brooklyn Navy Yard
The United States Navy Yard, New York–better known as the Brooklyn Navy Yard or the New York Naval Shipyard –was an American shipyard located in Brooklyn, northeast of the Battery on the East River in Wallabout Basin, a semicircular bend of the river across from Corlear's Hook in Manhattan...
to interview a group of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian navy cadets. She quickly realizes that their sole interest is to learn and dance the "Conga
Conga Line
The conga line is a Cuban carnival march that was first developed in Cuba and became popular in the United States in the 1930s and 1950s. The dancers form a long, processing line. It has three shuffle steps on the beat, followed by a kick that is slightly ahead of the fourth beat...
". The sailors follow Ruth home, where the girls soon find themselves in chaotic confusion, as all the citizens of Christopher Street join the conga line in a finale. Ruth runs into Bob and gives him a piece of her mind, while Eileen is hauled off to jail for causing the riot.
Act II
In the local jail Eileen finds herself practically running the place, with Officer Lonigan and his brigade of doting Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
police officers at her beck and call. Given her name, they are convinced that she is Irish, and they serenade
Serenade
In music, a serenade is a musical composition, and/or performance, in someone's honor. Serenades are typically calm, light music.The word Serenade is derived from the Italian word sereno, which means calm....
her with "My Darlin' Eileen", and are not the least discouraged and continue to sing when she says she is, in fact, not Irish. Ruth comes to assure her that she will bail her out as soon as she collects the money from her new job as a promoter for the Village Vortex, a local nightclub. At the club, Ruth "digs the rhythm" of "Swing
Swing (genre)
Swing music, also known as swing jazz or simply swing, is a form of jazz music that developed in the early 1930s and became a distinctive style by 1935 in the United States...
". Meanwhile, Wreck is awkwardly masquerading as a wealthy art collector to meet Helen's mother's approval, and Chick is frantically calling Eileen, trying to make things right.
Thanks to Bob, Eileen is soon released from jail, and the sisters learn that Appopolous has been so scandalized by a missing picture that he painted (that was actually stolen and sold for $2 by Helen and Wreck for Wreck to stay at the Y) and Eileen's arrest, that he has threatened to evict them. Eileen discovers that Ruth is also attracted to Bob Baker, and the two of them wish, for a moment, that they had never left home, reprising "Ohio". Eileen is then confronted by the rhythmical Speedy Valenti, owner of the Village Vortex (the night club), who gives her her New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
debut as a singer because her fame has reached the front page of the news. Appopolous immediately changes his tune now that one of his tenants has a paying job, and extends their lease.
Eileen soon learns that Bob Baker has quit his job as a result of a disagreement with his boss about Ruth's story on the Brazilian sailors. Eileen is thrilled that Bob quit his job and assures the unbelieving Bob that "It's Love" that he feels for Ruth. Bob, faced with the facts, hesitantly realizes the truth: it is love.
The mood at the Vortex turns jazzy with the "Ballet At The Village Vortex". Eileen finds herself with a case of stage fright and she convinces Ruth to join her on stage to sing the "Wrong Note Rag". Chick arrives to make amends and presents Ruth with a press pass
Press pass
A press pass grants some type of special privilege to journalists. Some cards have recognized legal status; others merely indicate that the bearer is a practicing journalist...
: his boss has read her story about the Brazilian sailors and loved it, and given Ruth a job to take on the following Monday. The Vortex is alive with singing and dancing, and Bob decides it's the perfect moment to let Ruth know how he feels. The curtain closes as Eileen and the guests at the club sing "It's Love" along with everyone in a finale in celebration of Ruth and Bob's new found affection.
Musical Numbers
Act I- Overture
- Christopher Street—Tour Guide and The Villagers
- OhioOhio (1953 song)"Ohio" is a song from the 1953 Broadway musical Wonderful Town, sung by the protagonists, bemoaning the fact that they had left Ohio for New York.It was written by Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green....
--Ruth Sherwood and Eileen Sherwood - Conquering New York—Ruth, Eileen, First Cadet, Violet and The Villagers*
- One Hundred Easy Ways—Ruth
- What A Waste—Robert Baker and Associate Editors
- A Little Bit in Love—Eileen
- Pass the Football—Wreck and The Villagers
- Conversation Piece—Ruth, Eileen, Frank Lippencott, Robert and Chick Clark*
- A Quiet Girl—Robert
- Conga—Ruth
Act II
- My Darlin' Eileen—Eileen, Drunk and Policeman
- Swing—Ruth and Villagers
- Ohio (Reprise)--Ruth and Eileen
- It's Love—Robert and The Villagers
- Ballet at the Village Vortex
- Wrong Note Rag—Ruth, Eileen and The Villagers
- It's Love (Reprise)
- *"Conquering New York" and "Conversation Piece" both quote Bernstein's solo clarinet piece "Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs" premiered by Benny GoodmanBenny GoodmanBenjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
in 1955.
Cast
Original Broadway Cast (1953)- Ruth Sherwood -- Rosalind RussellRosalind RussellRosalind Russell was an American actress of stage and screen, perhaps best known for her role as a fast-talking newspaper reporter in the Howard Hawks screwball comedy His Girl Friday, as well as the role of Mame Dennis in the film Auntie Mame...
- Eileen Sherwood -- Edith Adams
- Robert (Bob) Baker -- George GaynesGeorge GaynesGeorge Gaynes is a Finnish-born American actor of stage, screen and television.He may be best known as Commandant Eric Lassard in the Police Academy series, and to television fans as the curmudgeonly Henry Warnimont on the NBC series Punky Brewster, in which his wife, Allyn Ann McLerie,...
- Wreck—Jordan Bentley
- Frank Lippencott -- Cris AlexanderCris AlexanderCris Alexander is an American actor, singer, dancer, designer, and photographer.-Acting career:As an actor he co-starred as Chip in the original Broadway cast of On the Town. Subsequent Broadway appearances included Present Laughter opposite Clifton Webb, Wonderful Town, and Auntie Mame. Mr...
- Chick Clark -- Dort Clark
- Appopolous—Henry Lascoe
- Speedy Valenti—Ted Beniades
- Helen—Michele Burke
Revival Broadway Cast (2003)
- Ruth Sherwood -- Donna MurphyDonna MurphyDonna Murphy is an American stage, film, television actress and singer.Murphy has won two Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical for her roles in Passion as Fosca and in The King and I as Anna Leonowens...
- Eileen Sherwood -- Jennifer WestfeldtJennifer WestfeldtJennifer Westfeldt is an American actress and screenwriter known for the hit 2001 independent film Kissing Jessica Stein, which she co-wrote with Heather Juergensen and in which the two women starred.- Early life :...
- Robert (Bob) Baker -- Gregg EdelmanGregg EdelmanGregg Edelman is an American movie, television and theatre actor.Edelman was born in Chicago, Illinois, attended Niles North High School, where he starred as Lil' Abner opposite future soap star Nancy Lee Grahn, and was trained at Northwestern University...
- Wreck -- Raymond Jaramillo McLeod
- Frank Lippencott -- Peter BensonPeter Benson (actor)Peter Benson is a British actor probably best known as Bernie Scripps in the popular ITV1 TV-series Heartbeat, a drama about the police in Aidensfield in the 1960s. Benson has played Bernie Scripps in the series since 1995. In the TV-series 'Bernie' Scripps is running Aidensfield Garage, and the...
- Chick Clark -- Michael McGrathMichael McGrath (actor)Michael McGrath is an American stage actor. He is best known for his role as Patsy in Spamalot, for which he received a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He has been an ensemble member and understudy for many shows, including My Favorite Year, Swinging on a Star and...
- Appopolous -- David MarguliesDavid MarguliesDavid Joseph Margulies is an American actor.Margulies was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Runya , a nurse and museum worker, and Harry David Margulies, a lawyer. Margulies graduated from City College of New York. Immediately afterward, he made his stage debut in the off-Broadway play Golden 6...
- Speedy Valenti -- Stanley Wayne MathisStanley Wayne MathisStanley Wayne Mathis is an African American actor, singer, and dancer. He is probably best known for his portrayal of the character Schroeder in the 1999 revival of Clark Gesner's You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown.-Career:...
- Helen -- Nancy Anderson
1st National Touring Cast (2006)
- Ruth Sherwood -- Deborah Lynn
- Eileen Sherwood -- Allison Berry
- Robert (Bob) Baker -- Matthew Sean Callahan
- Wreck -- Rockford Sansom
- Frank Lippencott -- Trey Mitchell
- Chick Clark -- Joshua Gunn
- Appopolous -- Saum Eskandani
- Speedy Valenti -- Will Mann, Chris Anthony Giles
- Helen -- Sarah Roussos
Recordings
Though there have been only two major Broadway productions of Wonderful Town, many recordings of the music have been made over the years.- 1953: The Original Broadway Cast with Rosalind RussellRosalind RussellRosalind Russell was an American actress of stage and screen, perhaps best known for her role as a fast-talking newspaper reporter in the Howard Hawks screwball comedy His Girl Friday, as well as the role of Mame Dennis in the film Auntie Mame...
as Ruth. A 2001 CD re-issue also contained selections from On the Town, another Bernstein musical. - 1958: The CBS TV Movie Cast with Rosalind RussellRosalind RussellRosalind Russell was an American actress of stage and screen, perhaps best known for her role as a fast-talking newspaper reporter in the Howard Hawks screwball comedy His Girl Friday, as well as the role of Mame Dennis in the film Auntie Mame...
as Ruth. - 1986: The Original London Cast with Maureen LipmanMaureen LipmanMaureen Diane Lipman CBE is a British film, theatre and television actress, columnist and comedienne.-Early life:Lipman was born in Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, the daughter of Maurice Julius Lipman and Zelma Pearlman. Her father was a tailor; he used to have a shop between the...
as Ruth. - 1998: A Studio Ensemble with Karen MasonKaren MasonKaren Mason is an American theatre actress and singer.She was one of the featured cabaret vocalists at The Duplex Cabaret in the early 1980s. She has appeared at the Bay Area Cabaret, Empire Ballroom, San Francisco....
as Ruth. The first complete recording of the score. - 1999: A Studio Ensemble with Kim CriswellKim CriswellKim Criswell is an American musical entertainer and actress.- Life and career :Criswell was born in Hampton, Virginia, but grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After she graduated from high school, she studied musical theatre at the University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music...
as Ruth and Audra McDonaldAudra McDonaldAudra Ann McDonald is an American actress and singer. She currently stars in the ABC television drama Private Practice as Dr. Naomi Bennett. She has appeared on the stage in both musicals and dramas, such as Ragtime and A Raisin in the Sun...
as Eileen, Thomas Hampson, and Rodney Gilfry, and conducted by Sir Simon RattleSimon RattleSir Simon Denis Rattle, CBE is an English conductor. He rose to international prominence as conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and since 2002 has been principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic ....
. - 2002: A live performance in Berlin on DVD with Kim CriswellKim CriswellKim Criswell is an American musical entertainer and actress.- Life and career :Criswell was born in Hampton, Virginia, but grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After she graduated from high school, she studied musical theatre at the University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music...
as Ruth and Audra McDonaldAudra McDonaldAudra Ann McDonald is an American actress and singer. She currently stars in the ABC television drama Private Practice as Dr. Naomi Bennett. She has appeared on the stage in both musicals and dramas, such as Ragtime and A Raisin in the Sun...
as Eileen, and with Thomas Hampson and Wayne Marshall, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic and conducted by Sir Simon RattleSimon RattleSir Simon Denis Rattle, CBE is an English conductor. He rose to international prominence as conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and since 2002 has been principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic ....
. - 2003: The New Broadway Cast with Donna MurphyDonna MurphyDonna Murphy is an American stage, film, television actress and singer.Murphy has won two Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical for her roles in Passion as Fosca and in The King and I as Anna Leonowens...
and Jennifer WestfeldtJennifer WestfeldtJennifer Westfeldt is an American actress and screenwriter known for the hit 2001 independent film Kissing Jessica Stein, which she co-wrote with Heather Juergensen and in which the two women starred.- Early life :...
as Ruth and Eileen, respectively. - 2004: A rerelease of The New Broadway Cast with Brooke ShieldsBrooke ShieldsBrooke Christa Shields is an American actress and model. Some of her better-known movies include Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon, as well as TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, That '70s Show and Lipstick Jungle....
and Jennifer Hope WillsJennifer Hope WillsJennifer Hope Wills is an American actress and soprano singer. She was the first child of William and Sue Wills. She made her stage debut at the age of 1 in a production of Rumplestiltskin performed by the Baltimore Actor's Theatre.The family moved to Ocean City, Maryland where her parents...
as Ruth and Eileen, respectively. For this recording, the original orchestral tracks from the New Broadway recording were used, and only Ruth and Eileen's songs were rerecorded.
Awards and nominations
Original Broadway production- Tony Awards
- Best Musical (WINNER)
- Best Actress—Rosalind Russell (WINNER)
- Best Scenic Design—Raoul Pène Du Bois (WINNER)
- Best Choreographer—Donald Saddler (WINNER)
- Best Conductor and Musical Director—Lehman Engel (WINNER)
- Theatre World AwardTheatre World AwardThe 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:...
-- Edith Adams
2003 Broadway revival
- Tony Awards
- Best Choreography—Kathleen Marshall (WINNER)
- Best Revival of a Musical (nominee)
- Best Actress in a Musical—Donna Murphy (nominee)
- Best Featured Actress in a Musical—Jennifer Westfeldt (nominee)
- Best Direction of a Musical—Kathleen Marshall (nominee)
- Theatre World AwardTheatre World AwardThe 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:...
-- Jennifer Westfeldt - Drama Desk Awards
- Outstanding Revival of a Musical (nominee)
- Outstanding Actress in a Musical—Donna Murphy (WINNER)
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical—Raymond Jaramillo McLeod (nominee)
- Outstanding Choreography—Kathleen Marshall (WINNER)
- Outstanding Director of a Musical—Kathleen Marshall (nominee)
- Outstanding Set Design of a Musical—John Lee Beatty (nominee)