The Penny Friend

Last updated
The Penny Friend
Music William Roy
Lyrics William Roy
Book William Roy
Basis J.M. Barrie's A Kiss for Cinderella
Productions1966 Off Broadway

The Penny Friend is a musical with music, lyrics, and book by William Roy based on a play by J. M. Barrie, A Kiss for Cinderella. It featured Bernadette Peters in her first Off-Broadway role. William Roy later worked with Peters as a writer, arranger and conductor for her nightclub act. [1]

Contents

Production history

The Penny Friend opened off-Broadway at Stage 73 on December 26, 1966, and closed on January 22, 1967, after 32 performances. The director was Benno D. Frank, and musical numbers were staged by Lou Kristofer. The producer was Thomas Hammond (Bernadette Peters' manager). [2]

Plot summary

The story involves a girl who thinks that she is Cinderella, and whose friends go along with her story. After talking about attending a ball, she actually appears to be at the ball. However, it is soon evident that her story is all fantasy. In reality Cinderella is lying unconscious in a snow bank. She is brought to a hospital where she dies. [2]

Characters and cast

Related Research Articles

<i>Into the Woods</i> 1987 musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine

Into the Woods is a 1987 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernadette Peters</span> American actress and singer (born 1948)

Bernadette Peters is an American actress, singer, and children's book author. Over a career spanning more than six decades, she has starred in musical theatre, television and film, performed in solo concerts and released recordings. She is a critically acclaimed Broadway performer, having received seven nominations for Tony Awards, winning two, and nine Drama Desk Award nominations, winning three. Four of the Broadway cast albums on which she has starred have won Grammy Awards.

<i>Song and Dance</i> 1982 musical

Song and Dance is a musical comprising two acts, one told entirely in "Song" and one entirely in "Dance", tied together by a unifying love story.

<i>Cinderella</i> (Rodgers and Hammerstein musical) Musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein

Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella is a musical written for television, but later played on stage, with music by Richard Rodgers and a book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based upon the fairy tale Cinderella, particularly the French version Cendrillon, ou la petite pantoufle de verre, by Charles Perrault. The story concerns a young woman forced into a life of servitude by her cruel stepmother and self-centered stepsisters, who dreams of a better life. With the help of her fairy godmother, Cinderella is transformed into a princess and finds her prince.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolee Carmello</span> American actress

Carolee Ann Carmello is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals and for playing the role of Maple LaMarsh on the television series Remember WENN (1996–1998). She is a three-time Tony Award nominee and a five-time Drama Desk nominee, winning the 1999 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for her role in Parade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice Ghostley</span> American actress (1923–2007)

Alice Margaret Ghostley was an American actress and singer on stage, film and television. She was best known for her roles as bumbling witch Esmeralda (1969–72) on Bewitched, as Cousin Alice (1970–71) on Mayberry R.F.D., and as Bernice Clifton (1986–93) on Designing Women, for which she received an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1992. She was a regular on Nichols (1971–72) and The Julie Andrews Hour (1972–73).

<i>Dames at Sea</i> 1966 American musical parody

Dames at Sea is a 1966 musical with book and lyrics by George Haimsohn and Robin Miller and music by Jim Wise.

<i>The Goodbye Girl</i> (musical)

The Goodbye Girl is a musical with a book by Neil Simon, lyrics by David Zippel, and music by Marvin Hamlisch, based on Simon's original screenplay for the 1977 film of the same name.

Curley McDimple is a musical with music and lyrics by Robert Dahdah and book by Robert Dahdah and Mary Boylan. The play is a spoof of Depression-era Shirley Temple movies and was presented in a black and white design. This was one of two musicals in which Bernadette Peters appeared that spoofed some aspect of Hollywood—the other was Dames at Sea. "The Meanest Man in Town" is its best-known song.

Susan Watson is an American actress and singer best known for her roles in musical theatre.

<i>Another Cinderella Story</i> 2008 film by Damon Santostefano

Another Cinderella Story is a 2008 American teen musical comedy film directed by Damon Santostefano and written by Erik Patterson and Jessica Scott. The film stars Selena Gomez, Drew Seeley, and Jane Lynch. It is a sequel to A Cinderella Story (2004) and the second installment in the A Cinderella Story series. Like the first film, it is a retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale in a modern setting. The film was released on DVD on September 16, 2008, and premiered on ABC Family on January 18, 2009.

Bayn Johnson is a former American actress, electric guitarist and singer. She may be best known as Kelly, the female blonde-haired band/group member of the Short Circus in seasons 3-4 of the PBS children's television series The Electric Company from 1973 to 1975 when she was 14–16 years old. She is an actress in the 1970s.

<i>A Kiss for Cinderella</i>

A Kiss for Cinderella is a play by J. M. Barrie. It was first produced in London at Wyndham's Theatre on March 16, 1916, starring Gerald du Maurier and Hilda Trevelyan, enjoying great success over 156 performances, and with several annual Christmastime revivals.

Chandra Lee Schwartz is an American theatre performer, who played Glinda on the First National Tour of Wicked from Friday, 21 August 2009, through Sunday, 17 April 2011. She originally starred alongside Donna Vivino as Elphaba, who was later replaced by Jackie Burns. Schwartz recently reprised the role of Glinda in the Broadway production of Wicked beginning September 27, 2011. Her final performance was held on October 14, 2012 alongside former national tour co-star, Jackie Burns. She returned to the role of Glinda on the First National Tour, on July 29, 2014, with Emma Hunton as Elphaba. She closed the production, alongside Jennifer DiNoia as Elphaba, on March 15, 2015. She was recently cast as Annie in the upcoming world premiere of a musical adaptation of Sleepless in Seattle.

<i>Cinderella</i> (1997 film) 1997 television film directed by Robert Iscove

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella is a 1997 American musical fantasy television film produced by Walt Disney Television, directed by Robert Iscove, and written by Robert L. Freedman. Based on the French fairy tale by Charles Perrault, the film is the second remake and third version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical, which originally aired on television in 1957. Adapted from Oscar Hammerstein II's book, Freedman modernized the script to appeal to more contemporary audiences by updating its themes, particularly re-writing its main character into a stronger heroine. Co-produced by Whitney Houston, who also appears as Cinderella's Fairy Godmother, the film stars Brandy in the title role and features a racially diverse ensemble cast consisting of Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, Bernadette Peters, Veanne Cox, Natalie Desselle, Victor Garber, and Paolo Montalban.

<i>A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song</i> 2011 film by Damon Santostefano

A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song is a 2011 American teen comedy musical film directed by Damon Santostefano and starring Lucy Hale, Freddie Stroma, Megan Park, Matthew Lintz and Missi Pyle. It is a sequel to Another Cinderella Story (2008) and the third installment in A Cinderella Story series. In the film, a teenager dreams of being a singer, but her cruel stepmother and stepsister do everything they can to stop her from succeeding. When a new boy comes to school, she tries to get his attention using her voice. The film was released on DVD and digital on September 6, 2011, and premiered on ABC Family on January 22, 2012. The film was followed by A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits (2016).

<i>Rodgers + Hammersteins Cinderella</i> (Beane musical) Musical by Rodgers, Hammerstein and Beane (2013 adaptation)

Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella is a musical in two acts with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Douglas Carter Beane based partly on Hammerstein's 1957 book. The story is derived from the fairy tale Cinderella, particularly the French version Cendrillon ou la petite pantoufle de verre, by Charles Perrault. The story concerns a young woman forced into a life of servitude by her cruel stepmother. She dreams of a better life, and with the help of her Fairy Godmother, Cinderella is transformed into an elegant young lady and is able to attend the ball to meet her Prince. In this version, however, she opens the Prince's eyes to the injustice in his kingdom.

<i>Once Upon a One More Time</i> 2021 jukebox musical

Once Upon a One More Time is a jukebox musical based on songs popularized by Britney Spears. Set in a fantasy storybook realm, the plot follows numerous fairy-tale characters transformed by a feminist awakening.

<i>Cinderella</i> (Lloyd Webber musical) Stage musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella, produced on Broadway as Bad Cinderella, is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by David Zippel, and a book by Emerald Fennell. Loosely adapted from the classic story of the same name, plot changes include recast gender relationships and thematic exploration of beauty shaming. Cinderella changes her appearance to secure love, but discovers it is better to be true to oneself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernadette Peters on stage, screen and record</span>

Bernadette Peters is an American actress, singer, and children's book author.

References

  1. Jones, Kenneth."William Roy, Songwriter and Pianist Who Collaborated With Julie Wilson, Dead at 75", playbill.com, September 4, 2003
  2. 1 2 Sullivan, Dan (December 27, 1966). "Theater: 'Penny Friend'". The New York Times. p. 46.