''The Boys from Syracuse'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, based on

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's play ''

The Comedy of Errors ''The Comedy of Errors'' is one of William Shakespeare's early plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play. ...

'', as adapted by librettist

George Abbott George Francis Abbott (June 25, 1887 – January 31, 1995) was an American theatre producer, director, playwright, screenwriter, film director and producer whose career spanned eight decades. Early years Abbott was born in Forestville, New Yo ...

. The score includes swing and other contemporary rhythms of the 1930s. The show was the first musical based on a Shakespeare play. ''The Comedy of Errors'' was itself loosely based on a Roman play, ''The Menaechmi, or the Twin Brothers'', by

Plautus Titus Maccius Plautus (; c. 254 – 184 BC), commonly known as Plautus, was a Roman playwright of the Old Latin period. His comedies are the earliest Latin literary works to have survived in their entirety. He wrote Palliata comoedia, the ...

. The show premiered on

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 ...

in 1938 and Off-Broadway in 1963, with later productions including a West End run in 1963 and in a Broadway revival in 2002. A film adaptation was released in 1940. Well-known songs from the score include " Falling in Love with Love", " This Can't Be Love" and " Sing for Your Supper".

Production history

Abbott directed and George Balanchine choreographed the original production, which opened on Broadway at the Alvin Theater on November 23, 1938, after tryouts in

New Haven, Connecticut 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 ...

and

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 ...

. The show closed on June 10, 1939 after 235 performances. It starred

Eddie Albert Edward Albert Heimberger (April 22, 1906 – May 26, 2005) was an American actor and activist. He was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor; the first nomination came in 1954 for his performance in ''Roman Holiday'', ...

(Antipholus of Syracuse),

Ronald Graham Ronald Lewis Graham (October 31, 1935July 6, 2020) was an American mathematician credited by the American Mathematical Society as "one of the principal architects of the rapid development worldwide of discrete mathematics in recent years". He ...

(Antipholus of Ephesus), Teddy Hart (Dromio of Ephesus),

Jimmy Savo Jimmy Savo (1895 – September 5, 1960) was an American Vaudeville, Broadway, nightclub, film and television performer, comedian, juggler, and mime artist. Life Born in New York City as James Vincent Savo on July 31, 1895, Savo began his ca ...

(Dromio of Syracuse),

Muriel Angelus Muriel Angelus (born Muriel E S M Findlay, 10 March 1912 – 26 June 2004) was an English stage, musical theatre, and film actress. Born in Lambeth, South London, to Scottish parentage, her father was a chemist. She was educated at the Urs ...

(Adriana) and Marcy Westcott (Luciana). Scenic and lighting design were by Jo Mielziner and costumes were by

Irene Sharaff Irene Sharaff (January 23, 1910 – August 16, 1993) was an American costume designer for stage and screen. Her work earned her five Academy Awards and a Tony Award. Sharaff is universally recognized as one of the greatest costume designers of ...

. The show was revived Off-Broadway, opening at Theatre Four on April 15, 1963 and running for 500 performances. Directed by Christopher Hewett, the cast featured

Stuart Damon Stuart Damon (born Stuart Michael Zonis; February 5, 1937 June 29, 2021) was an American actor and singer. He was best known for his 30-year portrayal of Dr. Alan Quartermaine on the American soap opera ''General Hospital'', for which he won an ...

(Antipholus of Syracuse),

Clifford David Clifford David (June 30, 1928 – November 30, 2017) was an American actor, singer, and coach. His career began in the 1950s, with early live television appearances leading to roles in Broadway musicals. He also played character roles in tele ...

(Antipholus of Ephesus), Danny Carroll (Dromio of Syracuse), Rudy Tronto (Dromio of Ephesus),

Ellen Hanley Ellen Hanley (May 15, 1926 – February 12, 2007) was a musical theater performer best known for playing Fiorello H. LaGuardia's first wife in the Pulitzer Prize-winning ''Fiorello!''. She was related to the British writers James and Gera ...

(Adriana), Julienne Marie (Luciana), and

Karen Morrow Karen Morrow (born December 15, 1936) is an American singer and actress best known for her work in musical theater. Her honors include an Emmy Award and a Theatre World Award, and an Ovation Award and five Drama-Logue Award nominations. Early ...

(Luce). A West End production opened at the

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dr ...

on November 7, 1963 based on the off-Broadway production, starring

Denis Quilley Denis Clifford Quilley, OBE (26 December 1927 – 5 October 2003) was an English actor and singer. From a family with no theatrical connections, Quilley was determined from an early age to become an actor. He was taken on by the Birmingham Re ...

(Antipholus of Ephesus),

Maggie Fitzgibbon Margaret Helen Fitzgibbon (30 January 1929 – 8 June 2020) was an Australian actress and singer. Coming from a show-business family, she was the older sister of musician Smacka Fitzgibbon. Biography Fitzgibbon was born in Melbourne. She began ...

(Luce), Paula Hendrix (Luciana), Pat Turner (Courtesan), Sonny Farrar (Dromio of Ephesus), Adam Deane (Angelo), John Adams (Sergeant),

Edward Atienza Edward Atienza (27 January 1924 – 16 September 2014) was a British stage and film actor. He made his first London theatre appearance in the role of Mole in ''Toad of Toad Hall'' at the Prince's Theatre. Biography Edward Atienza was born in 1 ...

(Sorcerer),

Ronnie Corbett Ronald Balfour Corbett (4 December 1930 – 31 March 2016) was a Scottish actor, broadcaster, comedian and writer. He had a long association with Ronnie Barker in the BBC television comedy sketch show ''The Two Ronnies''. He achieved promine ...

(Dromio of Syracuse), Lynn Kennington (Adriana) and

Bob Monkhouse Robert Alan Monkhouse (1 June 1928 – 29 December 2003) was an English comedian, writer and actor. He was the host of television game shows including ''The Golden Shot'', '' Celebrity Squares'', '' Family Fortunes'' and '' ''Wipeout'. Ear ...

(Antipholus of Syracuse). A film version was released on August 9, 1940 by

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

. Directed by A. Edward Sutherland, the film starred Allan Jones in the dual roles of the two Antipholuses,

Joe Penner Joe Penner (born József Pintér; November 11, 1904 – January 10, 1941) was an American vaudeville, radio, and film comedian. Early life Penner was an ethnic Hungarian born József Pintér in Nagybecskerek, Austria-Hungary, (present-day Zre ...

in the dual roles of the Dromios,

Martha Raye Martha Raye (born Margy Reed; August 27, 1916 – October 19, 1994), nicknamed The Big Mouth, was an American comic actress and singer who performed in movies, and later on television. She also acted in plays, including Broadway. She was honored ...

and

Irene Hervey Irene Hervey (born Beulah Irene Herwick; July 11, 1909December 20, 1998) was an American film, stage, and television actress who appeared in over fifty films and numerous television series spanning her five-decade career. A native of Los Angeles ...

. A Stratford Festival of Canada production opened on May 19, 1986 and ran for 69 performances. It featured

Colm Feore Colm Joseph Feore (; born August 22, 1958) is a Canadian actor. A 15-year veteran of the Stratford Festival, he is known for his Gemini-winning turn as Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in the CBC miniseries '' Trudeau'' (2002), his portrayal of G ...

(Antipholus of Ephesus),

Geraint Wyn Davies Geraint Wyn Davies (, 20 April 1957) is a Welsh-American stage, film and television actor-director. Educated in Canada, he has worked in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. His most famous role as the vampire-turned police detec ...

(Antiophlus of Syracuse), Susan Wright (Luce), Goldie Semple (the Courtesan), and

Eric McCormack Eric James McCormack (born April 18, 1963) is a Canadian-American actor and singer, known for his roles as Will Truman in the NBC sitcom ''Will & Grace'', Grant MacLaren in Netflix's ''Travelers'' and Dr. Daniel Pierce in the TNT crime drama ...

. The production was filmed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and was broadcast in late 1986. A revival directed by

Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Regarded as one of Britain's best actresses, she is noted for her versatile work in various films and television programmes encompassing several genres, as well as for her ...

was mounted at the

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre Regent's Park Open Air Theatre is an open-air theatre in Regent's Park in central London. The theatre Established in 1932, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is one of the largest theatres in London (1,256 seats) and is situated in Queen Mary� ...

in London in July through August 1991, and toured the UK in September and October 1991.

Louise Gold Louise Gold (born 1956) is an English puppeteer, actress and singer whose career has spanned more than four decades. She is best known for her work as a puppeteer on television and for roles in musical theatre in the West End. Gold was raised ...

played Adriana. The

Roundabout Theatre The Roundabout Theatre Company is a leading non-profit theatre company based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. History The company was founded in 1965 by Gene Feist, Michael Fried and Elizab ...

revival opened on Broadway at the American Airlines Theatre on August 18, 2002 and ran for 73 performances and 29 previews. The revival featured a new book by

Nicky Silver Nicky Silver is an American playwright. Formerly of Philadelphia, he resides in London. Many of his plays have been produced off-Broadway, and also at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. Biography Early life Silver was born in ...

based on the original book. It was directed by

Scott Ellis Scott Ellis (born April 19, 1957) is an American stage director, actor, and television director. Biography Ellis graduated from Goodman School of Drama at the Art Institute of Chicago (now at DePaul University) in Chicago.

with choreography by

Rob Ashford Rob Ashford (born November 19, 1959) is an American stage director and choreographer. He is a Tony Award, Olivier Award, Emmy Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award winner. Early life and education Born in Orlando, Florida and ...

, and the cast featured

Jonathan Dokuchitz Jonathan Dokuchitz is an American actor and singer who works mainly on Broadway. He has starred in ''The Who's Tommy'' as Captain Walker, and also was the singing voice for John Cusack's Dimitri in '' ''Anastasia'' (1997 film)''. Featured product ...

(Antipholus of Syracuse), Tom Hewitt (Antipholus of Ephesus),

Lee Wilkof Lee Wilkof (born June 25, 1951) is an American actor and veteran of the Broadway stage. He originated the roles of Samuel Byck in ''Assassins'' and Seymour in ''Little Shop of Horrors, ''later earning a Tony Award nomination for the 2000 revival ...

(Dromio of Syracuse),

Chip Zien Jerome Herbert "Chip" Zien (born March 20, 1947) is an American actor. He is best known for playing the lead role of the Baker in the original Broadway production of ''Into the Woods'' by Stephen Sondheim. He has appeared in all of the "Marvin ...

(Dromio of Ephesus),

Erin Dilly Erin Dilly (born May 12, 1972) is an American actress. She is most noted for her portrayal of Truly Scrumptious in the 2005 musical '' Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'', for which she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Act ...

(Luciana) and

Lauren Mitchell Lauren Stephanie Mitchell (born 23 July 1991) is an Australian former artistic gymnast. She is the 2010 World champion on the floor exercise and the 2009 World Championships silver medalist on the balance beam and floor exercise. Mitchell i ...

(Adriana). The

Shakespeare Theatre Company The Shakespeare Theatre Company is a regional theatre company located in Washington, D.C. The theatre company focuses primarily on plays from the Shakespeare canon, but its seasons include works by other classic playwrights such as Euripides, ...

of Washington, DC, presented a semi-staged concert version at its Sidney Harman Hall, November 4–6, 2011, with direction by Alan Paul, musical direction by George Fulginiti-Shakar, and artistic direction by Michael Kahn, with the concert adaptation by

David Ives David Ives (born July 11, 1950) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. He is perhaps best known for his comic one-act plays; ''The New York Times'' in 1997 referred to him as the "maestro of the short form". Ives has also written ...

. The production starred

Anastasia Barzee Anastasia Barzee (born April 24, 1971) is an American actress. Born in Miami, Barzee is a graduate of Frost School of Music. Career Barzee originated the role of Betty Haynes in '' White Christmas''. She also originated the role of Josephin ...

, Helen Carey, Anderson Davis, Ben Davis, Natascia Diaz, Alexander Gemignani, Adam Heller, Benjamin Horen, John Horton, Nehal Joshi,

Leslie Kritzer Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (born May 24, 1977) is an American singer and musical theatre actress. Life and career Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer was born in Manhattan and raised in Livingston, New Jersey. Her father is Jewish, and her mother is of Puer ...

, Michael McGrath, Michael Nansel, Matt Pearson, Tim Rogan, Thomas Adrian Simpson, and Betsy Wolfe. The show's Asian premiere was in

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

, performed by

LASALLE College of the Arts LASALLE College of the Arts (informally LASALLE) is a publicly-funded post-secondary arts institution, planned to be a constituent college of the University of the Arts Singapore (UAS) by 2024 along with the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Sing ...

. The production run was at The Singapore Airlines Theatre in March 2012. The show was directed by Tony Knight, musical direction by Bronwyn Gibson, and choreography by Tiffany Wrightson. The cast included Linden Furnell, Taryn Erickson, Mina Kaye, James Simpson, Gimbey Dela Cruz, Elle-May Patterson, Safia Hanifah, Michelle Kraiwitchaicharoen and Oda Maria.

Plot

Identical twins Antipholus of Ephesus and Antipholus of Syracuse were separated from each other in a shipwreck as young children. Their servants, both named Dromio, are also long-separated identical twins. When the pair from Syracuse come to Ephesus, a comedy of errors and mistaken identities ensues when the wives of the Ephesians, Adriana and her servant Luce, mistake the two strangers for their husbands. Adriana's sister Luciana and the Syracuse Antipholus fall in love. But all ends happily.

Musical numbers

;Act I * "I Had Twins" – A Sergeant, Aegon, Duke of Ephesus and The Crowd * "Dear Old Syracuse" – Antipholus of Syracuse and Dromio of Syracuse * "What Can You Do with a Man?" – Dromio of Ephesus and Luce * " Falling in Love with Love" – Adriana * "The Shortest Day of the Year" – Adriana and Antipholus of Ephesus * " This Can't Be Love" – Antipholus of Syracuse and Luciana * "Ladies' Choice" (Ballet) Courtesan, Antipholus of Ephesus, Pygmalion & Galatea, Amazons, Assistant Courtesan and Adriana (not in 2002 revival) * "Let Antipholus In" – Entire Company (not in 2002 revival) ;Act II * "

You Took Advantage of Me "You Took Advantage of Me" is a 1928 popular song composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart, for the musical '' Present Arms'' (1928), where it was introduced by Joyce Barbour and Busby Berkeley as the characters Edna Stevens and Dou ...

" – The Courtesans (in 2002 revival, from ''Present Arms'', 1928) * "Ladies of the Evening" – Singing Policeman, Another Policeman, Policemen and Courtesans (not in 2002 revival) * "He and She" – Dromio of Syracuse and Luce * "You Have Cast Your Shadow on the Sea" – Antipholus of Syracuse and Luciana * "Come With Me" – A Sergeant and Syracuse Policemen * "Big Brother" – Dromio of Ephesus (comes before "Come With Me" in 2002 revival, and sung by both Dromios) * " Sing for Your Supper" – Adriana, Luce, Luciana, * "Oh, Diogenes!" – Courtesan and Full Company The 2002 revival ended with: * "Hurrah! Hurroo (reprise) (Sing for Your Supper)" – Madam, Courtesans, Luce, Adriana, Luciana, and the Crowd * "This Can't Be Love" (reprise) – The Company

Roles and original cast

*The Masks: Robert Sidney, Harry Peterson *Singing Policeman: Bob Lawrence *Another Policeman: James Wilkinson *Antipholus of Ephesus: Ronald Graham *Dromio of Ephesus: Teddy Hart *Dancing Policeman: George Church *Tailor: Clifford Dunstan *Tailor's Apprentice:

Burl Ives Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives (June 14, 1909 – April 14, 1995) was an American musician, actor, and author with a career that spanned more than six decades. Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own rad ...

*Antipholus of Syracuse:

*Dromio of Syracuse:

*Merchant of Syracuse: Byron Shores *Duke of Ephesus: Carroll Ashburn *Aegeon: John O'Shaughnessy *Luce: Wynn Murray *Adriana:

*Luciana: Marcy Westcott *Sorcerer: Owen Martin *Courtesan: Betty Bruce *Secretary to Courtesan: Heidi Vosseler *Angelo: John Clarke *Merchant of Ephesus: Clifford Dunstan *Seeress: Florence Fair

References

External links

Information from LorenzHart.org website
*
Plot summary & casting breakdown
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Boys from Syracuse, The 1938 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals by Rodgers and Hart Musicals based on plays Plays and musicals based on The Comedy of Errors Plays set in ancient Greece Twins in fiction