''Two for the Show'' is a

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 ...

revue with sketches and lyrics by

Nancy Hamilton Nancy Hamilton (July 27, 1908 - February 18, 1985) was an American actress, playwright, lyricist, director and producer. Early life and education Nancy Hamilton was born in Sewickley, Pennsylvania on July 27, 1908, daughter of Charles Lee Hamil ...

and music by Morgan Lewis. The production was conceived by

John Murray Anderson John Murray Anderson (September 20, 1886 – January 30, 1954) was a Canadian theatre director and producer, songwriter, actor, screenwriter, dancer and lighting designer, who made his career in the United States, primarily in New York City and ...

Production

The musical opened 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 ...

at the

Booth Theatre The Booth Theatre is a Broadway theater at 222 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1913, the theater was designed by Henry Beaumont Herts in the Italian Renaissance ...

on February 8, 1940, and closed on May 25, 1940, after 124 performances. It was produced by Gertrude Macy and Stanley Gilkey. Scenic design and costumes were made by Raoul Pène Du Bois; vocal arrangements were by Harold Cooke, with orchestrations by Hans Spialek and Don Walker. Directed by John Murray Anderson, the sketches were directed by

Joshua Logan Joshua Lockwood Logan III (October 5, 1908 – July 12, 1988) was an American director, writer, and actor. He shared a Pulitzer Prize for co-writing the musical '' South Pacific'' and was involved in writing other musicals. Early years Logan ...

with musical staging 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 ...

. The original cast included William Archibald,

Eve Arden Eve Arden (born Eunice Mary Quedens, April 30, 1908 – November 12, 1990) was an American film, radio, stage and television actress. She performed in leading and supporting roles for nearly six decades. Beginning her film career in 1929 ...

, Virginia Bolen, Frances Comstock, Norton Dean,

Alfred Drake Alfred Drake (October 7, 1914 – July 25, 1992) was an American actor and singer. Biography Born as Alfred Capurro in New York City, the son of parents emigrated from Recco, Genoa, Drake began his Broadway career while still a student at Broo ...

, Brenda Forbes, Nadine Gae, Willard Gary,

Richard Haydn Richard Haydn (born George Richard Haydon, 10 March 1905 – 25 April 1985) was a British-American comedy actor. Some of his better known performances include his roles as Professor Oddley in ''Ball of Fire'' (1941), Roger in '' No Time for Lov ...

, Eunice Healy,

Betty Hutton Betty Hutton (born Elizabeth June Thornburg; February 26, 1921 – March 11, 2007) was an American stage, film, and television actress, comedian, dancer, and singer. Early life and education Hutton was born Elizabeth June Thornburg on February 2 ...

, Kathryn Kimber, Dean Norton, Richard Smart, Robert Smith, Tommy Wonder, and

Keenan Wynn Francis Xavier Aloysius James Jeremiah Keenan Wynn (July 27, 1916 – October 14, 1986) was an American character actor. His expressive face was his stock-in-trade; and though he rarely carried the lead role, he had prominent billing in mos ...

. The sketches "The Age of Innocence" and "Cookery" were written by Richard Haydn. The most notable song introduced in the show was "

How High the Moon "How High the Moon" is a jazz standard with lyrics by Nancy Hamilton and music by Morgan Lewis. It was first featured in the 1940 Broadway revue '' Two for the Show'', where it was sung by Alfred Drake and Frances Comstock. In ''Two for the Sh ...

," which subsequently has been recorded by many pop and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

artists, becoming a well-known standard. There were two other revues in this series, all conceived and directed by John Murray Anderson: ''One for the Money'' (February 4, 1939 – May 27, 1939), and ''Three to Make Ready'' (March 7, 1946 – December 14, 1946).

Songs

;Act 1 *Calypso Joe *This 'Merry' Christmas *That Terrible Tune *Destry Has Ridden Again *How High The Moon - Alfred Drake, Virginia Bolen, Norton Dean, Eunice Healy, Kathryn Kimber, Richard Smart, Robert Smith, Tommy Wonder *That Terrible Tune *That Terrible Tune *A House With a Little Red Barn *The All-Girl Band ;Act 2 *Where Do You Get Your Greens? *At Last It's Love *Song of Spain *Fool for Luck *Goodnight, Mrs. Astor

Critical response

In his review for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'',

Brooks Atkinson Justin Brooks Atkinson (November 28, 1894 – January 14, 1984) was an American theatre critic. He worked for ''The New York Times'' from 1922 to 1960. In his obituary, the ''Times'' called him "the theater's most influential reviewer of his ...

called the successor to last year's revue a "very pleasant evening...little in size and breezily acted." He felt that Nancy Hamilton's sketches were more clever than entertaining, but were more professional than in the previous revue. He praised Richard Haydn's "limp mannerisms and gasping speech." Especially noted was "fresh and antic" Betty Hutton, "who dances like a mad sprite and sings breathlessly as though she enjoys it."Atkinson, Brooks. "Two for the Show Comes as the Successor to Last Year's One for the Money", ''The New York Times'', February 9, 1940, p. 21.

References

{{reflist

External links

''Two for the Show'' on the Internet Broadway Database''One for the Money'', Internet Broadway database''Three to Make Ready'', Internet Broadway database
1940 musicals Broadway musicals Revues