''Roza'' is a 1987 musical based on the novel '' The Life Before Us'' by

Romain Gary Romain Gary (; 2 December 1980), born Roman Kacew (, and also known by the pen name Émile Ajar), was a French novelist, diplomat, film director, and World War II aviator. He is the only author to have won the Prix Goncourt under two names. He i ...

with music by

Gilbert Bécaud Gilbert Bécaud (, 24 October 1927 – 18 December 2001) was a French singer, composer, pianist and actor, known as "Monsieur 100,000 Volts" for his energetic performances. His best-known hits are "Nathalie" and "Et maintenant", a 1961 release t ...

and lyrics and book by

Julian More Julian Bensley More (15 June 1928 – 15 January 2010) was a British writer, best known for book and lyrics to musicals ''Expresso Bongo'', ''Songbook'' and the English version of ''Irma La Douce''. His screenwriting credits include the films ''C ...

Background

Bécaud had seen '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'' and was inspired to work with

Harold Prince Harold Smith Prince (born Harold Smith; January 30, 1928 – July 31, 2019), commonly known as Hal Prince, was an American theatre director and producer known for his work in musical theatre. One of the foremost figures in 20th century America ...

, who directed the 1979

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with sho ...

musical. He wanted to adapt the novel '' The Life Before Us'' by

into a musical, which was also made into a movie ''

Madame Rosa ''Madame Rosa'' (french: La vie devant soi) is a 1977 French drama film directed by Moshé Mizrahi, adapted from the 1975 novel ''The Life Before Us'' by Romain Gary. It stars Simone Signoret and Samy Ben-Youb, and tells the story of an elderly ...

'' starring

Simone Signoret Simone Signoret (; born Simone Henriette Charlotte Kaminker; 25 March 1921 – 30 September 1985) was a French actress. She received various accolades, including an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, a César Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a ...

(1977), but Prince declined. Prince stated that he hated the movie and thought it was "sentimental and negative".Harold Prince and the American Musical Theatre - Foster Hirsch - Google Books
/ref> Becaud was determined to convince Prince, and Prince eventually agreed on one condition: that he be able to choose the librettist who would also write the lyrics. Prince ended up choosing Julian More. Prince suggested to More that the setting of the show jump between past and present, but it was "...clear that it was pretentious." They decided to tell the story in the present. Before going to Broadway, the show was workshopped at both the Centerstage in

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, and the

Mark Taper Forum The Mark Taper Forum is a 739-seat thrust stage at the Los Angeles Music Center designed by Welton Becket and Associates on the Bunker Hill section of Downtown Los Angeles. Named for real estate developer Mark Taper, the Forum, the neighboring ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

. Even though Prince felt it was not strong enough to go to Broadway, he decided to mount a Broadway production. The people in the previous cities had liked the show, but Broadway did not, and the show closed in less than two weeks. Prince later stated that show might have lived on in regional theaters had it not gone to Broadway.Not Since Carrie: Forty Years of Broadway Musical Flops - Ken Mandelbaum - Google Books
/ref>

Plot summary

The story follows Roza, a former prostitute, who now operates a temporary home for children of prostitutes until they can be adopted or reclaimed by their mothers.
/ref>

Songs

*Act I **''Happiness''—Madame Roza **''Max's Visit''—Max and Madame Roza **''Different''—Lola, Madame Roza, Madame Katz, Madame Bouaffa and Jasmine **''Is Me''—Young Momo, Young Moise, Salima, Michel, Banania, Madame Bouaffa and Jasmine **''Get The Lady Dressed''—Madame Roza, Lola, Young Momo, Young Moise, Salima, Michel and Banania **''Hamil's Birthday''—Company **''Bravo Bravo''—Madame Roza **''Moon Like a Silver Window''—Young Momo, Momo and Company *Act II **''Merci''—Momo and Moise **''House in Algiers''—Madame Roza **''Yussef's Visit''—Yussef Kadir, Madame Roza, Momo, Moise and Lola **''Life is Ahead of Me''—Momo **''Sweet Seventeen''—Madame Bouaffa, Jasmine, Momo and Moise **''Lola's Ceremony''—Lola and Company **''Don't Make Me Laugh''—Madame Roza and Lola **''Live a Little''—Madame Roza **''Finale''—Company

Productions

The 1987 Broadway production opened at the

Royale Theatre The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (formerly the Royale Theatre and the John Golden Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 242 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, the theate ...

and was directed by

, with musical staging by

Patricia Birch Patricia Birch (born October 16, 1934) is an American dancer, choreographer, film director, and theatre director. Early life Born in Englewood, New Jersey, Birch began her career as a dancer in Broadway musicals, including ''Brigadoon (musical), ...

(Grease), scenic design by Alexander Okun, costume design by

Florence Klotz Florence Klotz (October 28, 1920 – November 1, 2006) was an American costume designer on Broadway and on film. Biography Born in Brooklyn, New York, she graduated from Parsons School of Design, and went to work painting fabrics for Brooks C ...

(A Little Night Music), 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 ...

, sound design by Otts Munderloh, hair by Phyllis Della Illien, musical direction and dance and vocal arrangements by

Louis St. Louis Louis St. Louis (May 26, 1942 – March 26, 2021) was an American songwriter, Arrangement, music arranger and singer, famous for songs written for ''Grease (film), Grease'', particularly the song "Sandy (Grease song), Sandy" (co-written with Scr ...

, and music orchestration by Michael Gibson (Hair, film version "Grease"). The band consisted of

Ted Sperling Ted Sperling is a musical director, conductor, orchestrator, arranger, stage director and musician, primarily for the stage and concerts. He won the Tony Award for Best Orchestrations and the Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Orchestrations, for his ...

(Synthesizers), Luther Rix (Drums/Electronic Percussion), Stu Woods (Bass), Chuck D'Aloia (Guitars/Banjo),

Jamey Haddad Jamey George Haddad (born July 2, 1952 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American percussionist who works primarily in the fields of jazz and world music and specializes in hand drums. Biography Haddad is of Lebanese ancestry. From the age of four, he b ...

(Percussion/Hadgini Drums/Drum Machine/Sequencing), Joe Pisaro(Mallets/Percussion), Bill Drewes (Reeds), Ted Nash (Reeds), and Earl McIntyre (Trombone). The production, which closed after just ten days, starred Georgia Brown as Roza,

Bob Gunton Robert Patrick Gunton Jr. (born November 15, 1945) is an American character actor of stage and screen. He is known for playing strict authoritarian characters, including Warden Samuel Norton in the 1994 prison drama ''The Shawshank Redemption'', ...

as Lola, Max Loving as Young Momo,

Alex Paez Alex Paez (born July 25, 1963) is an American actor, musician and restaurateur. Career Paez began his career in 1971 appearing in various TV commercials. In 1979, he received a Best Actor Emmy Award for his performances in ''Unicorn Tales'', ...

as Momo, Joey McKneely as Moise, and also featured Al De Cristo, Ira Hawkins, Jerry Matz,

Marcia Lewis Marcia Lewis (August 18, 1938 – December 21, 2010) was an American character actress and singer. She was nominated twice for the Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical (''Chicago'' and '' Grease'') and twice for the Drama Desk Award ...

, Stephen Rosenberg, Richard Frisch, Michele Mais, Mandla Msomi, Thuli Dumakude, Monique Cintron, David Shoichi Chan, Yamil Borges, and Neal Ben-Ari. The standbys were Bob Frisch (Lola) and Chevi Colton (Madame Roza). Understudies were

Ramon Del Barrio Ramon Del Barrio (born Ramon G. del Barrio, May 9, 1964 in New York) is an American performer, choreographer, dancer and singer. He is sometimes credited as Raymond Del Barrio. Career He has worked as director and choreographer for boy-band O ...

, Anny De Gange, Dennis Courtney and Francisco Paler-Large.

References

External links

* {{ibdb show, 7664, title=Roza 1987 musicals Musicals based on novels