''But Never Jam Today'' was a 1979 musical with music by

Bert Keyes Ebert Adolphus Mahon (September 11, 1930 – July 21, 1987), known professionally as Bert Keyes, was an American pianist, songwriter, singer, and arranger. Biography Born in Brooklyn, New York, Keyes first came to prominence as accompanist ...

and Bob Larimer, lyrics by Larimer, and a book by both Larimer and

Vinnette Carroll Vinnette Justine Carroll (March 11, 1922 – November 5, 2002) was an American playwright, actress, and theatre director. She was the first African-American woman to direct on Broadway, with her 1972 production of the musical ''Don't Bother Me, I ...

. The musical is based on the works of

Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (; 27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet and mathematician. His most notable works are ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (1865) and its sequel ...

, and takes its title from the " jam tomorrow" discussion in Carroll's 1871 novel ''

Through the Looking-Glass ''Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There'' (also known as ''Alice Through the Looking-Glass'' or simply ''Through the Looking-Glass'') is a novel published on 27 December 1871 (though indicated as 1872) by Lewis Carroll and the ...

''.

Background

A musical by

Micki Grant Micki Grant (born Minnie Louise Perkins, June 30, 1929 – August 22, 2021) was an American singer (soprano), actress, writer, and composer. She performed in ''Having Our Say'' (as Sadie Delaney), ''Tambourines to Glory'' and ''Jericho-Jim Crow' ...

entitled ''Alice'' was the previous musical work of Alice's adventures, which premiered on May 31, 1978 in Philadelphia in a pre-Broadway tryout.

Production

It opened on July 31, 1979, at the

Longacre Theatre The Longacre Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 220 West 48th Street (Manhattan), 48th Street in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. Opened in 1913, it was desi ...

, produced by Arch Nadler, Anita MacShane, and The Urban Arts Theatre at the Longacre Theatre. The show closed on August 5, 1979, after only eight performances. The show was directed and devised by

, with choreography by

Talley Beatty Talley Beatty (22 December 1918 – 29 April 1995) was born in Cedar Grove, Louisiana, a section of Shreveport, but grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He is considered one of the greatest of African American choreographers, and also bears the titles dan ...

, musical direction and incidental music by Donald O. Johnston, set and costume design by William Schroder, lighting design by

Ken Billington Ken Billington (born October 29, 1946) is an American lighting designer. He began his career in New York City working as an assistant to Tharon Musser. He was born in White Plains, New York, the son of Kenneth Arthur (an automobile dealer) and ...

, choral arrangement and vocal preparation by Cleavant Derricks, sound design by T. Richard Fitzgerald, orchestrations by Bert Keyes, special orchestration by

H. B. Barnum Hidle Brown Barnum (born July 15, 1936) is an American pianist, arranger, record producer, songwriter, and former child actor. Biography After winning a nationwide talent contest at the age of four and starring in the film ''Valley of the Su ...

and Larry Black, dance music by Barnum, production manager Robert L. Borod, stage manager Robert Charles, and press by Alpert/Levine and Mark Goldstaub. The show starred Marilynn Winbush (Alice), Cleavant Derricks, (Caterpillar, Cook, Tweedledee, Seven of Spades),

Lynne Thigpen Cherlynne Theresa Thigpen (December 22, 1948 – March 12, 2003) was an American actress of stage and screen. She was known for her role as "The Chief" of ACME Crimenet in the game show '' Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?'' and various spi ...

(Persona Non Grata), Lynne Clifton-Allen (Black Queen), Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter (White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, Mock Turtle),

Reginald VelJohnson Reginald VelJohnson (born Reginald VelJohnson; August 16, 1952) is an American actor. He is best known for playing police officer characters, such as Carl Winslow on the sitcom ''Family Matters,'' which ran from 1989 to 1998, and LAPD Sergeant A ...

(Duchess, Humpty-Dumpty, King of Hearts), Jai Oscar St. John (Mad Hatter, Tweedledum, Two of Spades), Sheila Ellis (March Hare, Five of Spades, Cook), Celestine DeSaussure (Dormouse, Cook), and Charlene Harris (White Queen, Queen of Hearts). The Mushrooms were Brenda Braxton, Clayton Strange, Sharon K. Brooks, Garry Q. Lewis, Celestine DeSaussure, and Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter. The Guards were Clayton Strange and Garry Q. Lewis.

Scenes

; Act I *Scene 1 - Down the rabbit hole *Scene 2 - Interview with a Caterpillar (square 1) *Scene 3 - The Black Queen (Square 2) *Scene 4 - The Kitchen of the Duchess (Square 3) *Scene 5 - The Cheshire Cat *Scene 6 - A Mad Party (Square 4) *Scene 7 - The White Queen (Square 5) *Scene 8 - Humpty Dumpty *Scene 9 - Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Square 6) ; Act II *Scene 1 - The Queen of Hearts's croquet ground *Scene 2 - The Queen's Dungeon *Scene 3 - The Mock Turtle (Square 7) *Scene 4 - The Queen's dungeon *Scene 5 - An examination (Square 8) *Scene 6 - Alice's reward *Scene 7 - The daydream ends

Musical numbers

;Act 1 *Curiouser and Curiouser - Alice *Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star - Caterpillar, Persona Non Grata, Company *Long Live The Queen - Black Queen, Alice *A Real Life Lullabye - Duchess, Cooks *The More I See People - Cheshire Cat *My Little Room - Alice *But Never Jam Today - White Queen, Alice *Riding For A Fall - Persona Non Grata, Humpty Dumpty, Alice *All The Same To Me- Tweedledee, Tweedledum *I've Got My Orders - Alice ;Act 2 *God Could Give Me Anything - Two, Five, Seven of Spades *But Never Jam Today (Reprise) - Company, Persona Non Grata *I Like To Win - Alice *And They All Call The Hatter Mad - Persona Non Grata *Jumping From Rock To Rock - Mock Turtle, Alice, Company *They - Two, Five, Seven of Spades *Long Live The Company (Reprise) - Company *I've Got My Orders (Reprise) - Alice, Company ;Bibliography * "The Best Plays of 1979-1980". Dodd, Mead & Company, 1980, pp. 357–359. .

References

External links

Listen to songs from the show
* * {{Alice 1979 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals based on Alice in Wonderland