Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope
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''Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope'' is a musical
revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatre, theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketch comedy, sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural pre ...
first staged in 1971 with music, lyrics and book by Micki Grant. It was originally produced by Edward Padula.


Background and productions

The all-singing, all-dancing show focuses on the African-American experience with songs on such topics as tenements, slumlords, ghetto life, student protests, black power, and feminism. The music is a mixture of gospel, jazz, funk, soul, calypso, and soft rock. The show had its first staging at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. from September 15 to October 10, 1971, with subsequent stagings at the Locust and Walnut Street Theatres in Philadelphia. The restaged Broadway production, directed by Vinnette Carroll and choreographed by
George Faison George W. Faison (born December 21, 1945) is an American dancer, choreographer, teacher, and theater producer, and winner of a 1975 Tony, a Drama Desk Award, and a 1991 nominee for the Emmy Award for choreography. He was a featured dancer with ...
, opened to acclaim on April 19, 1972, at the
Playhouse Theatre The Playhouse Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, located in Northumberland Avenue, near Trafalgar Square, central London. The Theatre was built by F. H. Fowler and Hill with a seating capacity of 1,200. It was rebuilt in ...
, where it ran for two months before transferring to the Edison. It had a total run of 1065 performances. In his review of the opening night,
Clive Barnes Clive Alexander Barnes (13 May 1927 – 19 November 2008) was an English writer and critic. From 1965 to 1977, he was the dance and theater critic for ''The New York Times'', and, from 1978 until his death, the ''New York Post''. Barnes had sign ...
of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' described it as "a mixture of a block party and a revival meeting" and wrote: "It is the unexpected that is the most delightful. Last night at the Playhouse Theater a new musical came clapping, stomping and stamping in. It is fresh, fun and black ...Black heroes such as
Flip Wilson Clerow "Flip" Wilson Jr. (December 8, 1933 – November 25, 1998) was an American comedian and actor best known for his television appearances during the late 1960s and 1970s. From 1970 to 1974, Wilson hosted his own weekly variety series '' The ...
and
Godfrey Cambridge Godfrey MacArthur Cambridge (February 26, 1933 – November 29, 1976) was an American stand-up comic and actor. Alongside Bill Cosby, Dick Gregory, and Nipsey Russell, he was acclaimed by ''Time'' in 1965 as "one of the country's foremost cel ...
, and even Bella Abzug and
Ralph Nader Ralph Nader (; born February 27, 1934) is an American lawyer and political activist involved in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes. He is a Perennial candidate, perennial presidential candidate. His 1965 book '' ...
are mentioned and the show makes wry mockery of the changing times and celebrates the rise of black aspiration and achievements ... the show is full of talent working together with a cohesion rarely encountered outside the dance world." ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' magazine theater critic T.E. Kalem also praised the show, writing: "all heaven breaks loose on stage. This is the kind of show at which you want to blow kisses." The cast included Micki Grant, Alex Bradford, Hope Clarke, and Arnold Wilkerson. With Vinnette Carroll as director, ''Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope'' became the first Broadway play to be directed by an African-American woman, and Micki Grant was the first woman to write both the music and lyrics to a Broadway musical. The 1972 Los Angeles production featured Paula Kelly. An original cast recording was released on the
Polydor Polydor Limited, also known as Polydor Records, is a British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in ...
label in 1972, produced by
Jerry Ragovoy Jordan "Jerry" Ragovoy (September 4, 1930 – July 13, 2011) was an American songwriter and record producer who wrote several pop songs including the instrumental " Time Is on My Side" (under the pseudonym of Norman Meade for Kai Winding), which ...
. In 2016 the York Theatre Company staged a limited engagement of ''Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope'' with 10 performances between February 27 and March 6."Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cop (York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's)"
OffBroadway.com, February 2016. Archived fro
the original
October 18, 2018.
In July 2018, the show was revived in the Encores! Off-Center season at New York City Center, choreographed and directed by Savion Glover.


Song list

*"I Gotta Keep Movin'" (reprised at play's end) *"Harlem Streets" *"Lookin' Over from Your Side" *"Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope" *"Fighting for Pharaoh" *"Good Vibrations" *"You Think I Got Rhythm?" *"They Keep Coming" *"My Name Is Man" *"Love Power" *"Questions" *"It Takes a Whole Lot of Human Feeling" *"Time Brings About a Change" *"So Little Time" *"Thank Heaven for You" *"All I Need"


Awards and nominations

*
Outer Critics Circle Award The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on Broadway and Off-Broadway. They are presented by the Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of New York theater writers for out-of-town news ...
, best musical, 1972 *
Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Awards are among the most esteemed honors in New York theater, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions within the same categories. The awards are considered a signific ...
for Outstanding Performance (Grant) *Drama Desk Award for Most Promising Lyricist *
Obie Award The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given since 1956 by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theater artists and groups involved in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. Starting just after th ...
for Best Actor in a Musical (Bradford) *
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
for Best Score from an Original Cast Show Album (Grant & Ragavoy) *Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, Distinguished Direction, 1972 (Carroll) *Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, Distinguished Performance (Kelly) *Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, Distinguished Choreography (
Claude Thompson Claude may refer to: People and fictional characters * Claude (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Claude (surname), a list of people * Claude Callegari (1962–2021), English Arsenal supporter * Claude Debussy (1862–1918), ...
) *Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, Distinguished Musical Direction and Arranging ( H.B. Barnum) *nominee,
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
for Best Musical,
1973 Events January * January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...
*nominee, Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical *nominee, Tony Award for Best Original Score *nominee, Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical


References


External links


Internet Broadway Database listing
{{Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album 1971 musicals African-American musicals Broadway musicals