Goodtime Charley

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Goodtime Charley
GoodtimeCharley.JPG
Original Recording
Music Larry Grossman
Lyrics Hal Hackady
Book Sidney Michaels
BasisHistorical events surrounding the Dauphin of France
Productions1975 Broadway
2008 Off-Broadway concert

Goodtime Charley is a musical with a book by Sidney Michaels, music by Larry Grossman, and lyrics by Hal Hackady.

Contents

A humorous take on actual historical events, it focuses on the Dauphin of France, who evolves from a hedonistic young man enamored of women in general (and Joan of Arc in particular) into a regal king while Joan follows her voices to her tragic fate.

Background

The show was originally announced under the title "Charley and Joan", [1] with Al Pacino and Barbara Harris as the intended leads.[ citation needed ] It underwent extensive changes throughout its development stage, especially when Joel Grey expressed interest in playing the lead. The script and score were rewritten significantly in order to tailor the piece to his personality and talents. The producers were so keen on casting Ann Reinking as Joan they put everything on hold while she recovered from a back injury she had sustained while performing in Over Here! . The delay would prove to be damaging, since Grey had been signed for the film Buffalo Bill and the Indians and had limited time to commit to the stage project. [2]

Synopsis

Set in 15th Century France, the main character is Charles the Dauphin, the bastard son of Queen Isabella and a dissolute ne'er-do-well. This so-called "Goodtime Charley" meets his match in the Maid of Orleans, Joan of Arc. With her prodding and inspiration, "Goodtime Charley" grows from a fun-loving woman-chaser into Charles the VII, King of France, while Joan follows her voices to a greater fate as martyr and saint. [3]

Original cast and characters

CharacterBroadway (1975) [4]
Dauphin of France Joel Grey
Joan of Arc Ann Reinking
Agnès Sorel Susan Browning
The General Louis Zorich
Minguet Richard B. Shull
The Archbishop Jay Garner
Isabeau of Bavaria Grace Keagy
YolandePeggy Cooper
Charles VI of France Hal Norman

Song list

An original cast recording was released by RCA.

Productions

The out-of-town tryout in Boston resulted in major cuts in order to trim the running time from three-and-a-half hours to a more reasonable ninety minutes before the show continued to Philadelphia, where the reviews were now "raves", and finally New York City. [1]

The musical opened on Broadway on March 3, 1975 at the Palace Theatre, where it ran for only 104 performances and twelve previews, closing on May 31 when the producers were unable to find a name star to replace the departing Grey. The director was Peter H. Hunt, original choreography and staging concepts, Dennis Nahat (who brought in designers Willa Kim and Rouben Ter-Arutunian), replaced after Philadelphia by choreographer Onna White, with scenic design by Rouben Ter-Arutunian, costume design by Willa Kim, lighting design by Feder and orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick.

42nd Street Moon, San Francisco, California, presented a staged concert version in its "Lost Musicals" series from June 5 to 23, 1996. This version, in consultation with Grossman and Hackady, restored three songs that were cut prior to the Broadway premiere: "All She Can Do is Say No", "Tomorrow's Good Old Days", and "There Goes the Country" and returned the show to its original concept. [1]

A New York City revival, starring Daniel Reichard, was presented at the Arclight Theatre in September 2001.

The York Theatre Company (New York) "Musicals in Mufti" series presented the musical as a staged concert from June 27, 2008 to June 29, featuring Jenn Colella (Joan) and Matt McGrath (Charley). [5] The Beautiful Soup Theatre Collective in New York presented it as a benefit reading in March 2012. [6]

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
1975 Tony Award Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Joel Grey Nominated
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical Ann Reinking Nominated
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Richard B. Shull Nominated
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical Susan Browning Nominated
Best Scenic Design Rouben Ter-Arutunian Nominated
Best Costume Design Willa Kim Nominated
Best Lighting Design Abe FederNominated
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Musical Nominated
Outstanding Actor in a Musical Joel Grey Nominated
Outstanding Actress in a Musical Ann Reinking Nominated
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Richard B. Shull Nominated
Outstanding Director of a Musical Peter H. Hunt Nominated
Outstanding Costume Design Willa Kim Nominated
Outstanding Lighting Design Abe FederNominated

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Goodtime Charley Playbill Notes" Archived 2012-05-07 at the Wayback Machine 42ndstmoon.org, accessed May 30, 2012
  2. ↑ New York Public Libraryaccessed 07/16/2023
  3. ↑ Concord Theatricalsaccessed 07/16/2023
  4. ↑ Playbill 1975 Bio Cast Listaccessed 07/16/2023
  5. ↑ BWW News Desk.Photo Flash: Opening Night of 'Goodtime Charley'" broadwayworld.com, June 30, 2008
  6. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "Staged Benefit Reading of 'Goodtime Charley', With Charlie Duncan, Presented March 25" playbill.com, March 25, 2012
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