Broadway 2 A Day: 1951 - 1952

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Week two, and right off the bat, this week is not as exciting as week one. I'm looking forward to moving beyond the 50s slowly but surely. Every musical is either a sappy love story with a healthy dose of sexism or a complete snoozefest or both! 

If you are interested in dipping your toes into these shows but don't want to listen to several hours of music each week, I'm here for you. I am slowly building a playlist of my favorite song from each show (thanks to Andrew's Spotify premium) and you can follow along here for weekly additions. Let's get into it.

  • Make a Wish 
    • Have I heard of it before? No
    • Did I enjoy it? No, very forgettable in my opinion 
    • Synopsis: Make a Wish focuses on the adventures of a French orphan, Janette, who is on a tour of Paris. When Janette breaks away from her group, she experiences various adventures. Soon, she falls in love with a young artist, Paul. (Stage Agent)
    • Favorite song: Who Gives a Sou?

  • Top Banana  
    • Have I heard of it before? No
    • Did I enjoy it? Absolutely not, might have been the worst show so far
    • Synopsis: Jerry Biffle, the star of the Blendo Soap Program, has been invited to participate in an autograph-signing party for his new book at an important department store. At the signing he meets a beautiful department store model, Sally, and makes her part of his TV troupe. As part of his campaign to court Sally, Jerry gets Cliff Lane, the tenor of his TV company, to sing to her over the phone. Trouble occurs when Cliff and Sally fall in love. (Stage Agent) 
    • Favorite song: "Only If You're In Love" is the least offensive to my ears 
  • Two on the Aisle
    • Have I heard of it before? Yes, but only because Kristin Chenoweth covered one of the songs
    • Did I enjoy it? More than the last two shows, but I don't really like revues with no plot
    • Synopsis: Two on the Aisle is a musical revue with a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Jule Styne. (Wikipedia)
    • Favorite song: If You Hadn't But You Did (just look up the KCheno version on YouTube)
  • New Faces of 1952
    • Have I heard of it before? No
    • Did I enjoy it? The Lizzie Borden song was a STRONG choice 
    • Synopsis: New Faces of 1952 is a musical revue with songs and comedy skits. It ran on Broadway for nearly a year in 1952 and was then made into a motion picture in 1954. It helped launch the careers of several young performers including Paul Lynde, Alice Ghostley, Eartha Kitt, Robert Clary, Carol Lawrence, Ronny Graham, performer/writer Mel Brooks (as Melvin Brooks), and lyricist Sheldon Harnick. (Wikipedia)
    • Favorite song: Lizzie Borden 
  • Paint Your Wagon
    • Have I heard of it before? No
    • Did I enjoy it? No, it's a poor man's Oklahoma
    • Synopsis: This Lerner and Loewe classic tells the story of the rise and fall of an isolated town at the height of the California Gold Rush. After years of searching for gold out West, Ben Rumson and his young daughter, Jennifer, strike it rich. At the burial service of another miner, Jennifer discovers a gold nugget and Rumson Town is born. Word of the strike spreads fast and soon Rumson Town is overflowing with 400 men, hoping to strike gold. Meanwhile, Jennifer falls in love with a young Mexican prospector, Julio Valveras. Accustomed to the complete lack of female presence in town, the men feel uncomfortable with Jennifer's presence and demand Ben sends her back East to school. Tensions rise even further when a Mormon miner and his two wives come to town. (Stage Agent)
    • Favorite song: Wand'rin' Star
  • Pal Joey
    • Have I heard of it before? Yes
    • Did I enjoy it? Yeah, very similar feeling to Guys and Dolls, so also very sexist
    • Synopsis: Pal Joey follows smooth-talking, cocky anti-hero Joey Evans as he worms his way into owning his own nightclub. Along the way, Joey juggles the affections of many women, including Linda English, a naive young woman, and Vera Simpson, a wealthy, married socialite. Vera begins to bankroll Joey’s new club, Chez Joey, until a crooked agent, Ludlow Lowell and his sidekick chorus girl, Gladys Bumps, threaten to tell Vera’s husband about her affair. Joey finally gets a taste of his own medicine when Vera dumps him and cuts the funding for his club. Linda hopes to win Joey’s heart, now that he is newly single, but unfortunately can’t keep the playboy tied down. Joey lands on his feet, not learning anything from his fall from grace, and continues his scheming ways. (Stage Agent) 
    • Favorite song: Bewitched (highly recommend the Patti LuPone version)
  • Three Wishes for Jamie 
    • Have I heard of it before? No
    • Did I enjoy it? No, this literally put me to sleep at noon
    • Synopsis: Based on O'Neal's 1949 novel The Three Wishes of Jamie McRuin, the fantasy focuses on the title character, a young Irishman who, when offered three wishes by the Queen of the Fairies, chooses travel, a bride, and a son who can speak Gaelic. (Wikipedia)
    • Favorite song: My Home's A Highway
  • Four Saints in 3 Acts
    • Have I heard of it before? No
    • Did I enjoy it? No, I listened to five minutes and decided not to continue. The only opera I can stomach is the kind with a phantom involved.
    • Synopsis: The opera focuses on two sixteenth century Spanish saints — Ignatius of Loyola and Teresa of Avila — as well as their followers, St. Settlement and St. Chavez. The cast also includes St. Teresa's alter ego, "St. Teresa II", and the master and mistress of ceremonies called the Compere and Commere. The first act takes place at the Ávila cathedral, the second involves a telescope and glimpses of a heavenly mansion, the third is a picnic and the final act is set at the garden of a monastery. (Stage Agent)
    • Favorite song: None, but I've included a short sample in the playlist if you're curious
  • Of Thee I Sing
    • Have I heard of it before? No
    • Did I enjoy it? Yes, this was my favorite of the week even if it is still brimming with 50s sexism
    • Synopsis: "Of Thee I Sing" is a political satire focusing on the election campaign and Presidency of John P. Wintergreen. Wintergreen is a real empty shirt “ with no viable platform he runs simply on love. He even promises that if elected he will marry the girl chosen for him at an Atlantic City beauty pageant. However, trouble begins when he falls in love with his campaign secretary instead of the beauty pageant winner. (Stage Agent)
    • Favorite song: Mine or The Senate Roll Call
  • Wish You Were Here
    • Have I heard of it before? No
    • Did I enjoy it? I enjoyed the Dirty Dancing/Catskill summer camp shenanigans but nothing really stood out to me
    • Synopsis: The show takes place at Camp Karefree, a summer camp for adults. Depressed over her upcoming marriage to a man she doesn’t love, Teddy Stern arrives along with her flirty blonde bombshell friend, Fay. Teddy hopes her time at the camp will help her relax and prepare for her wedding. Instead, she ends up falling in love with one of the wait-staff – the charming law student Chick Miller. (Stage Agent)
    • Favorite song: Could Be

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