''Harrigan 'N Hart'' 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 Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

with a book by Michael Stewart, lyrics by Peter Walker, and music by

Max Showalter Max Gordon Showalter (June 2, 1917 – July 30, 2000), sometimes credited as Casey Adams, was an American film, television, and stage actor, as well as a composer, pianist, and singer. He appeared on more than 1,000 television programs. One ...

. The show is based on the book ''The Merry Partners'' by Ely Jacques Kahn, Jr. and material found by Nedda Harrigan Logan.Rich, Frank
"Stage: ''Harrigan 'n Hart'' Opens at the Longacre"
''The New York Times'', February 1, 1985, accessed October 1, 2014 The show opened at the

Longacre Theatre The Longacre Theatre is a Broadway theater at 220 West 48th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1913, it was designed by Henry B. Herts and is named for Longacre Square, the former ...

on January 31, 1985, and closed on February 3, 1985, after 25 previews and 4 performances.''Harrigan 'n Hart''
Internet Broadway Database, accessed October 1, 2014

Synopsis

The show follows the rise of Edward Harrigan and

Tony Hart Norman Antony Hart (15 October 1925 – 18 January 2009)Debrett's People of Today 2008, Debrett's Peerage Ltd, 2007. was an English artist best known for his work in educating children in art through his role as a children's television present ...

, better known as Harrigan & Hart, and their later decline.

Song List

;Act I *"Put Me in My Little Bed"—Tony Hart *"Wonderful Me"—Edward Harrigan and Tony Hart *"Mulligan Guard"—Edward Harrigan and Tony Hart *"Put Me in My Little Bed (Reprise)"—Tony Hart *"I Love to Follow a Band"—Edward Harrigan and Company *"Such an Education Has My Mary Ann"—Edward Harrigan, Tony Hart and Company *"Maggie Murphy's Home"—Annie Braham Harrigan, Edward Harrigan, Sam Nichols and Company *"McNally's Row of Flats"—Mrs. Annie Yeamons and Company *"Something New, Something Different"—Edward Harrigan, Tony Hart and Company *"That's My Partner"—Edward Harrigan and Tony Hart *"She's Our Gretel"—Edward Harrigan, Tony Hart, Mrs. Annie Yeamons and Company *"What You Need Is a Woman"—Gerta Granville *"Knights of the Mystic Star"—Mrs. Annie Yeamons and Company *"Girl of the Mystic Star"—Gerta Granville and Men *"Mulligan Guard (Reprise)"—Edward Harrigan and Tony Hart ;Act II *"Skidmore Fancy Ball"—Sam Nichols, Harry Mack, Johnny Wild and Billy Gross *"Sweetest Love"—Ada Lewis and Elsie Fay *"The Old Barn Floor"—Johnny Wild, Jennie Yeamons, Chester Fox and Lily Fay *"Silly Boy"—Gerta Granville, Billy Gross and Harry Mack *"Mulligan Guard (Reprise)"—Edward Harrigan, Tony Hart and Company *"We'll Be There"—Edward Harrigan, Tony Hart and Company *"Ada With the Golden Hair"—Annie Braham Harrigan, Johnny Wild and Billy Gross *"That Old Featherbed"— Harry Mack and Fay Sisters *"Sam Johnson's Colored Cakewalk"—Sam Nichols and Jennie Yeamons *"Dip Me in the Golden Sea"—Edward Harrigan, Mrs. Annie Yeamons and Company *"That's My Partner (Reprise)"—Edward Harrigan *"I've Come Home to Stay"—Tony Hart *"If I Could Trust Me"—Tony Hart *"Maggie Murphy's Home (Reprise)"—Martin Hanley, Lily Fay, Mrs. Annie Yeamons and Ada Lewis *"I've Come Home to Stay (Reprise)"—Tony Hart and Girls *"I Need This One Chance"—Gerta Granville *"I Love to Follow a Band (Reprise)"—Annie Braham Harrigan and Company *"Mulligan Guard (Reprise)"—Edward Harrigan, Tony Hart and Mrs. Annie Yeamons *"Something New, Something Different (Reprise)"—Edward Harrigan, Tony Hart and Company

Original production

The show was directed by Joe Layton, songs of the period by Edward Harrigan and David Braham, based on material compiled by Nedda Harrigan Logan and ''The Merry Partners'' by E.J. Kahn Jr., scenic design by David Mitchell, costume design by

Ann Hould-Ward Ann Hould-Ward (born April 8, 1954, in Glasgow, Montana)Biography and credits
filmreferen ...

, lighting design by Richard Nelson, music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by John McKinney, musical director Peter Howard, sound design by Otts Munderloh, production stage manager Mary Porter Hall, choreographed by K.J. Giagni. Presented by

Elliot Martin Elliot Martin (February 25, 1924 – May 21, 2017) was a theater producer best known for his Broadway productions of Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright. His poetically ...

, Arnold Bernhard and The Shubert Organization. The cast included

Harry Groener Harry Groener (born September 10, 1951) is an American actor and dancer, perhaps best known for playing Mayor Wilkins in ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (seasons 3, 4 and 7). Early life Groener was born in Augsburg, Bavaria, West Germany, to an op ...

(Harrigan),

Mark Hamill Mark Richard Hamill (; born September 25, 1951) is an American actor. He is best known for starring as Luke Skywalker in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, and the Joker (character), Joker in various animated DC Comics projects, starting with ''Batm ...

(Hart), Mark Fotopoulos (Stetson, Andrew LeCouvrier, Judge, Jonny Wild, Captain and William Gill), Clent Bowers (Archie White, Sam Nichols, Felix Barker and Uncle Albers), Cleve Asbury (Old Colonel, Billy Gross and Nat Goodwin), Barbara Moroz (The Colonel's Wife, Elsie Fay and Belle), Roxie Lucas (Eleanor and Ada Lewis), Oliver Woodall (Martin Hanley), Christopher Wells (Alfred J. Dugan, Harry Mack, Judge Hilton, and Doctor), Tudi Roche (Annie Braham Harrigan), Kenstom Ames (Chester Fox, Photographer, Newsboy and Newspaperman), Merilee Magnuson (Lily Fay, Adelaide Harrigan and Jurse),

Armelia McQueen Armelia Audrey McQueen (January 6, 1952 – October 3, 2020) was an American actress. She is best known for her roles in the Broadway musical '' Ain't Misbehavin (1978–1982, 1988–1989), the film ''Ghost'' (1990), and the television series ...

(Mrs. Annie Yeamons),

Amelia Marshall Amelia Marshall (born April 2, 1958) is an American actress. She is best known for playing the roles of Gilly Grant Speakes on the CBS soap opera ''Guiding Light'' (1989 to 1996), Belinda Keefer on the ABC soap opera ''All My Children,'' (1996 to ...

(Jennie Yeamons and Newsgirl), and

Christine Ebersole Christine Ebersole (born February 21, 1953) is an American actress, singer and comedian. She has appeared in film, television, and on stage (theatre), stage. She has received two Tony Awards, and a Drama Desk Award as well as a nomination for a ...

(Gerta Granville).

Frank Rich Frank Hart Rich Jr. (born June 2, 1949) is an American essayist and liberal op-ed columnist, who held various positions within ''The New York Times'' from 1980 to 2011. He has also produced television series and documentaries for HBO. Rich is ...

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 ...

'' found the show dull and "aimless", and so did audiences, as it closed after 25 previews and four regular performances.

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

References

External links

* {{ibdb show, 4358, title=Harrigan 'n Hart 1985 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals based on novels Musicals set in the 19th century