Really Rosie
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''Really Rosie'' 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 ...
with a book and lyrics by
Maurice Sendak Maurice Bernard Sendak (; June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012) was an American author and illustrator of children's books. He became most widely known for his book ''Where the Wild Things Are'', first published in 1963.Turan, Kenneth (October 16, 200 ...
and music by
Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one ...
. The musical is based on Sendak's books ''Chicken Soup with Rice'', ''Pierre'', ''One was Johnny'', ''Alligators All Around'' (which comprise 1962's ''The Nutshell Library''), and ''The Sign on Rosie's Door'' (1960). Sendak based the story on a demonstrative little girl who used to sing and dance on the stoop of her building, whom he observed while he was a little boy growing up in Brooklyn. The show follows a typical summer day in the life of the Nutshell Kids, a group of several neighborhood friends, including Pierre, Alligator, Johnny, and Chicken Soup from the ''Nutshell Library'' books, and Rosie and Kathy from ''The Sign on Rosie's Door''. Rosie, the self-proclaimed sassiest kid on her block of
Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
's Avenue P, entertains everyone by directing and starring in a movie based on the exciting, dramatic, funny (and slightly exaggerated) story of her life. A half-hour animated television special aired on CBS TV on February 19, 1975. It was directed by Maurice Sendak, animated by Ronald Fritz and Dan Hunn of D&R Productions Inc., with
Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one ...
voicing the title character. King was ultimately selected as the voice of Rosie when casting directors had difficulty selecting a child actor whose voice could complement the pre-recorded songs. An album of the songs by King and lyrics by Sendak is available on Ode Records. In the animated special, only the first seven songs and ''Really Rosie (Reprise)'' were showcased. Sendak expanded the piece for London and Washington, DC, stage productions in 1978, and an
off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
production, directed and
choreographed Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...
by Patricia Birch with designs by Sendak, which opened on October 14, 1980, at the Westside Theatre, where it ran for 274 performances. During its off-Broadway run, the lead role of Rosie was first played by a then-12-year-old Tisha Campbell-Martin. Midway through the run, Tisha left the cast and was replaced by cast member and "Rosie" understudy Angela Coin, age 10. Angela also sang the role of "Rosie" on the cast recording. The musical has become a mainstay of children's theater groups."KU Theater for Young People to stage Sendak's ''Really Rosie'' in February,"
University of Kansas, February 5, 2004 It was also one of John Mulaney's main inspirations for his Netflix Special '' John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch''.


Plot

Rosie and the Nutshell Kids (Johnny, Alligator, Pierre, and Kathy) live on the same block on Avenue P in Brooklyn, New York. On a hot July Saturday, the children are bored and need something to do. Rosie imagines herself as a talented star, and decides to produce an imaginary musical about her life and in particular the demise of her boyfriend Chicken Soup, called ''Did You Hear What Happened to Chicken Soup?'' She gets her friends to audition for a role in the film, but they begin to fight over casting. A thunderstorm forces them to move into the cellar for shelter. To keep the kids' attention, Rosie decides that they need to show the producer the movie's big finale number. She gets them all to close their eyes and imagine the producer inviting them to make her movie. Afterward, when the children go home, Rosie remains to dream of stardom in her big number.


Voice cast

*
Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one ...
as Rosie * Dale Soules as Pierre/Chicken Soup *
Alice Playten Alice Playten ('' née'' Plotkin; August 28, 1947 – June 25, 2011) was an American actress known for her high-pitched, child-like voice. Life and career Born in New York City, Playten began her career at age 11 in the Broadway musical ''Gyp ...
as Alligator * Baillie Gerstein as Kathy * Mark Hampton as Johnny *
Maurice Sendak Maurice Bernard Sendak (; June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012) was an American author and illustrator of children's books. He became most widely known for his book ''Where the Wild Things Are'', first published in 1963.Turan, Kenneth (October 16, 200 ...
as Jenny's bark * Bingo Wyer as Buttermilk's meow * Andrew Riss as Special Whistle


Home media

* The special was released uncut on VHS by Children's Circle in 1993. * Though the special has never been released in its entirety on DVD, the Carole King song adaptations of The Nutshell Library, set to the 1999 remastered CD version of the soundtrack were made available on the very first Scholastic Video Collection/Storybook Treasures DVD "Where The Wild Things Are and more Maurice Sendak Stories" released on September 24, 2002. Only one song, "The Ballad of Chicken Soup", was omitted from the release due to concerning children of self-strangulation imitating the characters.


Soundtrack


Track listing

Lyrics by Maurice Sendak, music by Carole King. ;Side 1 #"Really Rosie" – 1:51 #"One Was Johnny" – 2:08 #"Alligators All Around" – 1:54 #"Pierre" – 5:38 #"Screaming and Yelling" – 1:16 #"The Ballad of Chicken Soup" – 2:15 #"Chicken Soup with Rice" – 4:20 ;Side 2 #
  • "Avenue P" – 3:03 #"My Simple Humble Neighborhood" – 3:07 #"The Awful Truth" – 3:11 #"Such Sufferin'" – 2:55 #"Really Rosie" (Reprise) – 1:40 ;Bonus track (1999 remaster) #
  • "Really Rosie" (Original piano demo) On cassette versions, "Chicken Soup with Rice" is repeated on Side 2 to even out the playing times of each side.


    Personnel

    *Carole King - vocals, piano *Charles Larkey - bass *
    Andy Newmark Andrew Newmark (born July 14, 1950)
    - drums * Louise Goffin, Sherry Goffin - background vocals *
    Hank Cicalo Hank Cicalo (born June 25, 1932) is an American recording engineer whose career has spanned over fifty years. Among the artists recorded by Cicalo are The Monkees, Carole King, Barbra Streisand, and George Harrison. Early career In 1957, Cical ...
    , Milt Calice - engineers *Maurice Sendak - lyrics, story, artwork *Dan Hunn, Ronald Fritz - animation producers, animation directors


    Chart position


    Stage Play

    The stage version of Really Rosie follows a similar plot to the animated special, with a few key changes: * The cut songs have been reinstated, scattered in between the original track list. * Chicken Soup is now Rosie’s younger brother, whom her mother forces her to watch over. Rosie’s annoyance and anger towards this scares Chicken Soup into hiding, leading to the plot of her movie. * Alligator is no longer a real alligator, but rather a human child obsessed with reptiles (to the point of dressing as one). The other kids tease him for this, and try to force him to eat Rosie. * The Nutshell Kids is expanded to include every child in the neighborhood. This is done to give the show a larger ensemble. * Kathy is given a larger role, her own musical number ("The Awful Truth") and the full Jewish name of Kathy Grossman.


    Notes


    References

    Jennings, Coleman A. and Maurice Sendak. ''Theater for Young Audiences: 20 Great Plays For Children'', New York: St. Martin's Press/Macmillan, 2005


    External links

    *
    ''Really Rosie''
    at Google Books

    {{Authority control 1975 musicals Carole King albums Off-Broadway musicals Albums produced by Lou Adler 1975 television specials Animated television specials CBS television specials 1975 soundtrack albums Theatre soundtracks Epic Records soundtracks Soft rock soundtracks Children's music albums Ode Records soundtracks Adaptations of works by Maurice Sendak