Le monde des musicals

Musical (1960)

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Musique: Meredith Willson •
Paroles: Meredith Willson •
Livret: Richard Morris •
Production à la création:

Based on a real-life person, this was musically very much a follow up to Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man”, with marches, revivalist numbers, country-dances and “Americana” music.

Molly Brown rises from a rag-a-muffin tomboy in a tumbledown shanty to become an international heroine. Upon leaving her Irish father's side she storms the Colorado countryside in search of money and success. In her travels she meets, and later marries, Leadville Johnny Brown who soon discovers one of the largest silver mines in the United States. Now rich, Molly tries to besiege the Denver social register. Set back in her attempts, she decides that she and Johnny need the cultures of Europe. In Europe, Molly thrives on her cultural opportunities. However, Johnny feels out of place and dreams only of the pleasures of Colorado. Eventually even his undying love for his wife is not enough to keep him in Europe and he persuades Molly that they must return home. Molly accepts but invites several of her royal friends to come socialise with her in Denver. Her dreams of leadership of the Denver 400 soon fade as her royal coming-out party is turned into a free-for-all brawl by some of Johnny's friends. Ultimately defeated, Molly returns to Europe, leaving Johnny behind. After achieving social boredom in a lonely year with royal society, she sails for home on the ill-fated Titanic. When the ship is sunk at sea, Molly leads a lifeboat of survivors to safety - a superhuman feat inspired by her longing to return home to Johnny. Her heroism wins the admiration of the society that had spurned her.

The original Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on November 3, 1960 and closed on February 10, 1962 after 532 performances and 1 preview. It was directed by Dore Schary and choreographed by Peter Gennaro. The opening cast included Tammy Grimes, Harve Presnell, and Jack Harrold. Grimes won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. Grimes appeared in the US national tour in 1962, including Los Angeles and San Francisco in April and June 1962, respectively.

Presnell reprised his stage role for the 1964 film, also entitled The Unsinkable Molly Brown starring Debbie Reynolds. The two starred in a 1989-1990 national tour.

The first West End production, with Abi Finley and Sean Pol McGreevy in the leading roles, opened in May 2009

Act I
Overture -- Orchestra
I Ain't Down Yet -- Molly Tobin and Her Brothers
Belly Up to the Bar, Boys -- Molly Tobin, Christmas Morgan and the Miners
I've A'ready Started In -- Johnny "Leadville" Brown, Christmas Morgan, Charlie, Burt and Gitter
I'll Never Say No -- Johnny "Leadville" Brown
My Own Brass Bed -- Molly Tobin
The Denver Police -- Three Policemen
Beautiful People of Denver -- Molly Tobin
Are You Sure? -- Molly Tobin, Monsignor Ryan and Guests
I Ain't Down Yet (Reprise)-- Molly Tobin and Johnny "Leadville" Brown

Act II
Happy Birthday, Mrs. J. J. Brown -- Princess DeLong, Prince DeLong and the International set
Bon Jour (The Language Song) -- Molly Tobin, Prince DeLong and the International set
If I Knew -- Johnny "Leadville" Brown
Chick-a-pen -- Molly Tobin and Johnny "Leadville" Brown
Keep-a-Hoppin' -- Johnny "Leadville" Brown and His Leadville Friends
Up Where the People Are -- Monte Carlo Guests
Dolce Far Niente -- Prince DeLong and Molly Tobin
Colorado, My Home -- Johnny "Leadville" Brown, Molly Tobin and Leadville Friends

Aucun dossier informatif complémentaire concernant Unsinkable Molly Brown (The)