''Leave It to Me!'' is a 1938
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
produced by
Vinton Freedley
Vinton Freedley (November 5, 1891 – June 5, 1969) was an American theater and television producer known for his productions of the works of Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers and television shows such as Talent Jackpot and ''Showtim ...
with music and lyrics by
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film.
Born to ...
. The book was a collaborative effort by
Samuel and Bella Spewack
Bella (25 March 1899 – 27 April 1990) and Samuel Spewack (16 September 1899 – 14 October 1971) were a husband-and-wife writing team.
Samuel, who also directed many of their plays, was born in Ukraine. He attended Stuyvesant High School in N ...
, who also directed the Broadway production. The musical was based on the play ''Clear All Wires'' by the Spewacks, which was performed on Broadway for 93 performances in 1932, and which was
filmed in 1933, starring
Lee Tracy
William Lee Tracy (April 14, 1898 – October 18, 1968) was an American stage, film, and television actor. He is known foremost for his portrayals between the late 1920s and 1940s of fast-talking, wisecracking news reporters, press agents, lawye ...
,
Benita Hume
Benita Hume (14 October 1907 – 1 November 1967) was an English theatre and film actress. She appeared in more than 40 films between 1925 and 1955.
Life and career
She was married to film actor Ronald Colman from 1938 to his death in 1958 ...
,
Una Merkel
Una Merkel (December 10, 1903 – January 2, 1986) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress.
Merkel was born in Kentucky and acted on stage in New York in the 1920s. She went to Hollywood in 1930 and became a popular film ...
and
James Gleason
James Austin Gleason (May 23, 1882 – April 12, 1959) was an American actor, playwright and screenwriter born in New York City. Gleason often portrayed "tough-talking, world-weary guys with a secret heart-of-gold."
Life and career
Gleason w ...
.
Set in Stalinist Russia in the 1930s, with Stalin himself appearing at the end, in the Cold War era after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
its comic treatment of Soviets and Nazis seemed misplaced, and the show was not revived until the late 1980s.
Mary Martin
Mary Virginia Martin (December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on stage over her career, including Nellie Forbush in '' South Pacific'' (194 ...
made her
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
debut in this musical,
[Ewen, David]
"Cole Porter: The Great Sophisticate"
theatrehistory.com (originally published in ''The Story of America's Musical Theater'', 1961), accessed January 11, 2011[ which introduced the songs "]Get Out of Town
"Get Out of Town" is a 1938 popular song written by Cole Porter, for his musical ''Leave It to Me!'', where it was introduced by Tamara Drasin.
Notable recordings
*Ginny Simms - recorded December 7, 1938 for Vocalion Records (catalog No. 4549). ...
" and " My Heart Belongs to Daddy."
Productions
The musical had pre-Broadway tryouts at the Shubert Theatre, New Haven
New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...
, starting on October 13, 1938 and then at the Shubert Theatre, Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, starting on October 17, 1938.["'Leave It to Me'"]
sondheimguide.com, accessed January 11, 2011
It opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre
The Imperial Theatre is a Broadway theater at 249 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1923, the Imperial Theatre was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was constructed ...
on November 9, 1938 and closed on July 15, 1939 after 291 performances. It reopened on September 4, 1939 and closed September 16, 1939 for another 16 performances.[ The choreography was by ]Robert Alton
Robert Alton (2 January 1902 – 12 June 1957) was an American dancer and choreographer, a major figure in dance choreography of Broadway and Hollywood musicals from the 1930s through to the early 1950s. He is principally remembered today as the ...
, costumes by Raoul Pene du Bois, set by Albert Johnson, and Ernest K. Gann
Ernest Kellogg Gann (October 13, 1910 – December 19, 1991) was an American aviator, author, sailor, and conservationist. He is best known for his novels and memoirs about early aviation and nautical adventures. Some of his more famous aviation ...
was the General Manager. The cast featured William Gaxton
William Gaxton (né Arthur Anthony Gaxiola, December 2, 1893 – February 2, 1963) was an American star of vaudeville, film, and theatre. Gaxton was president of The Lambs Club from 1936 to 1939, 1952 to 1953, and 1957 to 1961. He and Victor ...
, Victor Moore
Victor Fred Moore (February 24, 1876 – July 23, 1962) was an American actor of stage and screen, a major Broadway star from the late 1920s through the 1930s. He was also a writer and director, but is best remembered today as a comedian, play ...
, Sophie Tucker, Mary Martin
Mary Virginia Martin (December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on stage over her career, including Nellie Forbush in '' South Pacific'' (194 ...
, Tamara Drasin
Tamara Drasin (c. 1905 – 22 February 1943), often credited as simply Tamara, was a singer and actress who introduced the song "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" in the 1933 Broadway musical ''Roberta''.
Tamara Drasin is sometimes confused with two ...
, and Alexander Asro
Alexander Asro (also: Aleksander Azro; 10 February 1888 – January 1963) was a film and theatre actor. He was a member of the Vilna Troupe and appeared in several comedic films in the United States.
Biography
Early life
Born in Vilna, in the ...
.[ In his first Broadway show, ]Gene Kelly
Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996) was an American actor, dancer, singer, filmmaker, and choreographer. He was known for his energetic and athletic dancing style and sought to create a new form of American dance accessibl ...
had a role as a dancer and Secretary to Mr. Goodhue. The original production ended with the appearance of Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secreta ...
, who led a final dance to the Soviet anthem The Internationale
"The Internationale" (french: "L'Internationale", italic=no, ) is an international anthem used by various communist and socialist groups; currently, it serves as the official anthem of the Communist Party of China. It has been a standard of t ...
. After the signing of the Nazi-Soviet pact, Stalin was dropped from the show.
The Equity Library Theater in New York City presented a revival of the show – the first time it was revived in the United States – in March 1988. The "Musicals Tonight!" series, New York City, held a staged concert in March 2001. 42nd Street Moon Theatre Company, San Francisco, presented the musical in November–December 2001."'Leave It to Me!' listing"
42ndstmoon.com, accessed January 11, 2011
Plot
In the late 1930s, aging businessman Alonzo "Stinky" Goodhue has become the American ambassador to the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
. The job was secured for him by his social-climbing wife, Leora, who helped to fund Franklin Roosevelt's re-election campaign. However, "Stinky" has no desire to live in Stalinist Russia. He is longing for the pleasures of his home in Topeka
Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Uni ...
, Kansas, especially banana splits. He hopes his tenure as ambassador will be a short one. Meanwhile, an ambitious newspaper reporter, Buckley J. "Buck" Thomas, is employed to discredit Goodhue by his publisher who wants to be the ambassador himself. When Thomas and Goodhue realise they both have the same aims, they work together.
Goodhue plans to make major diplomatic gaffes, which will be publicised by Thomas. He delivers an inflammatory speech, but is hailed for his courage. He kicks the Ambassador of Nazi Germany, to the delight of the Soviets. He then attempts to shoot a Soviet official, but hits a counter-revolutionary aristocrat instead. Each time he ends up being hailed as a hero (in a parody of diplomatic speak, the British ambassador says "Britain views your deed icking the Naziwith pride and alarm, congratulates and condemns you, and will now perform its breathtaking triple loop, suspended by a single wire, sitting in a tub of water."). His recall seems further away than ever.
In a subplot, Buck Thomas is involved with his boss's "protégée", the free-spirited Dolly Winslow. He falls in love with Colette, one of Goodhue's daughters. He has to extract himself from Dolly to win Colette. Dolly eventually finds herself stranded at a railroad station in Siberia
Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
. She slowly takes off her furs to admirers as she sings of her flirtations, but insists "My Heart Belongs to Daddy", referring to her "sweet millionaire" sugar-daddy.
The ambassador finally resolves to give up his tricks and tries to promote good relations between the United States and the Soviet Union; however his sincere attempts to improve matters now go disastrously wrong. He finally gets his wish to be recalled back to Topeka.
Original cast and characters
*Buckley J. "Buck" Thomas - William Gaxton
William Gaxton (né Arthur Anthony Gaxiola, December 2, 1893 – February 2, 1963) was an American star of vaudeville, film, and theatre. Gaxton was president of The Lambs Club from 1936 to 1939, 1952 to 1953, and 1957 to 1961. He and Victor ...
*Alonzo "Stinky" Goodhue - Victor Moore
Victor Fred Moore (February 24, 1876 – July 23, 1962) was an American actor of stage and screen, a major Broadway star from the late 1920s through the 1930s. He was also a writer and director, but is best remembered today as a comedian, play ...
*Mrs. Leora Goodhue - Sophie Tucker
*Colette - Tamara Drasin
Tamara Drasin (c. 1905 – 22 February 1943), often credited as simply Tamara, was a singer and actress who introduced the song "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" in the 1933 Broadway musical ''Roberta''.
Tamara Drasin is sometimes confused with two ...
*Dolly Winslow - Mary Martin
Mary Virginia Martin (December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on stage over her career, including Nellie Forbush in '' South Pacific'' (194 ...
Musical numbers
;Act 1
*"How Do You Spell Ambassador?" - Reporters
*"We Drink to You, J.H. Hardy" - Buckley Joyce Thomas and Guests
*"Vite, Vite, Vite" - Porters and Girls
*"I'm Taking the Steps to Russia" - Mrs. Goodhue, Mrs. Goodhue's Daughters, Secretaries to Mr. Goodhue and Les Girls
*"Get Out of Town
"Get Out of Town" is a 1938 popular song written by Cole Porter, for his musical ''Leave It to Me!'', where it was introduced by Tamara Drasin.
Notable recordings
*Ginny Simms - recorded December 7, 1938 for Vocalion Records (catalog No. 4549). ...
" - Colette
*"When It's All Said and Done" - Buckley Joyce Thomas, Dolly Winslow and Les Girls
*"Most Gentlemen Don't Like Love" - Mrs. Goodhue, Mrs. Goodhue's Daughters and Secretaries to Mr. Goodhue
*"Comrade Alonzo" - Ensemble
;Act 2
*"From Now On" - Buckley Joyce Thomas and Colette
*"I Want to Go Home" - Alonzo P. Goodhue
*" My Heart Belongs to Daddy" - Dolly Winslow
*"Tomorrow" - Mrs. Goodhue and Ensemble
*"Far, Far Away" - Buckley Joyce Thomas and Colette
*"From the U.S.A. to the U.S.S.R." - Alonzo P. Goodhue, Mrs. Goodhue and Mrs. Goodhue's Daughters
Critical response
Music scholar David Ewen wrote that Mary Martin "stole the limelight...in her Broadway debut." Appearing in a scene at a railway station, she did "a mock strip tease while removing her ermine wraps, and all the while chanting in a baby voice, 'My Heart Belongs to Daddy.' The house went into an uproar, thereby proclaiming a new queen of musical comedy."
References
Notes
External links
*
{{Authority control
1938 musicals
Broadway musicals
Musicals based on plays
Musicals by Cole Porter