''Promises, Promises'' is a
musical
Musical is the adjective of music
Music is generally defined as the The arts, art of arranging sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Exact def ...
with music by
Burt Bacharach
Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; born May 12, 1928) is an American composer, songwriter, record producer and pianist who composed hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. A six-time Gr ...
, lyrics by
Hal David and a book by
Neil Simon. It is based on the 1960 film ''
The Apartment
''The Apartment'' is a 1960 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and produced by Billy Wilder from a screenplay he co-wrote with I. A. L. Diamond. It stars Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, Jack Kruschen, ...
'' written by
Billy Wilder
Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American filmmaker. His career in Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Holl ...
and
I. A. L. Diamond. The story concerns a junior executive at an insurance company who seeks to climb the corporate ladder by allowing his apartment to be used by his married superiors for
trysts.
The musical premiered in 1968 on
Broadway with choreography by
Michael Bennett and direction by
Robert Moore. It starred
Jerry Orbach as Chuck Baxter and
Jill O'Hara as Fran Kubelik. It closed after 1,281 performances. A
West End
West End most commonly refers to:
* West End of London, an area of central London, England
* West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England
West End may also refer to:
Pl ...
production opened in 1969 featuring
Tony Roberts and
Betty Buckley
Betty Lynn Buckley (born July 3, 1947) is an American actress and singer. Buckley is the winner of a Tony Award, and was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Olivier Award. In 2012, she was inducted into the American ...
. The
cast album was nominated for the
Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, and two songs from the show (the title tune and "
I'll Never Fall in Love Again") became hit singles for
Dionne Warwick
Marie Dionne Warwick (; born December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host.
Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest U.S. hit makers between 1955 and 1999, based on her chart history on ''Billboards Hot 100 pop singles ch ...
.
Productions
Broadway (1968–1972)
After a tryout at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. and the Colonial Theatre in Boston, MA. the show premiered on Broadway at the
Shubert Theatre on December 1, 1968, and closed on January 1, 1972, after 1,281 performances. Directed by
Robert Moore, and choreographed by
Michael Bennett with
Bob Avian as assistant choreographer, the cast featured
Jerry Orbach as Chuck Baxter,
Jill O'Hara as Fran Kubelik, and
Edward Winter as J. D. Sheldrake. Featured in small or ensemble roles were
Kelly Bishop,
Graciela Daniele,
Ken Howard,
Baayork Lee,
Donna McKechnie,
Frank Pietri,
Margo Sappington, and
Marian Mercer. A national tour starring
Tony Roberts from the West End production as Chuck Baxter,
Melissa Hart as Fran, and
Bob Holiday as Sheldrake performed throughout the United States during the early 1970s.
Lorna Luft played Fran Kubelik on Broadway from October 1971 to January 1972. A second national tour starred
Will McKenzie as Chuck Baxter; featured ensemble players included
Trudi Green,
Laurent Giroux,
Guy Allen,
Dennis Grimaldi
Dennis Grimaldi is an American theatrical producer, director, and choreographer who has worked on Broadway, Off Broadway, television, and on London's West End. His work includes '' Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, Other Peo ...
,
Brandt Edwards, and
Patti McKenzie. Another tour starred
Donald O'Connor as Chuck Baxter,
Betty Buckley
Betty Lynn Buckley (born July 3, 1947) is an American actress and singer. Buckley is the winner of a Tony Award, and was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Olivier Award. In 2012, she was inducted into the American ...
as Fran Kubelik, and
Barney Martin
Barney Martin (March 3, 1923 – March 21, 2005) was an American actor, best known for playing Morty Seinfeld, father of Jerry, on the sitcom ''Seinfeld'' (1991-1998). He also played supporting roles in Mel Brooks' '' The Producers'' (1967), ...
as Dr. Dreyfuss; featured ensemble players included
Laurent Giroux,
Carla Lewis, and
Dennis Grimaldi
Dennis Grimaldi is an American theatrical producer, director, and choreographer who has worked on Broadway, Off Broadway, television, and on London's West End. His work includes '' Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, Other Peo ...
.
The show's now-iconic first act closing dance number, "Turkey Lurkey Time", underwent significant changes from its initial debut.
According to McKechnie, who portrayed Miss Della Hoya, the original choreography was staged on three desks pushed together, and was meant to reflect what the three secretaries might realistically have choreographed in their living rooms. During the first night of the show's Boston tryouts, the number was extremely poorly received by the audience. Bennet and Avian immediately reworked the choreography that same night in their hotel room, changing it from its initial realistic approach into its subsequent, high-energy form.
The number has been described as a cult classic, and is one McKechnie described in her 2006 memoir as "incredibly athletic" and designed to secure the audience's return after the intermission, despite the number having little to do with the musical's overall plot.
West End (1969)
The show was first produced in London's
West End
West End most commonly refers to:
* West End of London, an area of central London, England
* West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England
West End may also refer to:
Pl ...
at the
Prince of Wales Theatre in 1969, featuring
Tony Roberts and
Betty Buckley
Betty Lynn Buckley (born July 3, 1947) is an American actress and singer. Buckley is the winner of a Tony Award, and was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Olivier Award. In 2012, she was inducted into the American ...
. It ran for 560 performances.
Broadway revival (2010–2011)
A reading for a revival of the musical was held in October 2008 with
Sean Hayes and
Anne Hathaway.
The revival opened at the
Broadway Theatre
Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''T ...
on April 25, 2010, after previews starting on March 27. Directed and choreographed by
Rob Ashford, the revival starred
Sean Hayes,
Kristin Chenoweth,
Brooks Ashmanskas,
Katie Finneran, and
Tony Goldwyn. The Bacharach-David songs "
I Say a Little Prayer", a 1967 million-selling hit written for
Dionne Warwick
Marie Dionne Warwick (; born December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host.
Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest U.S. hit makers between 1955 and 1999, based on her chart history on ''Billboards Hot 100 pop singles ch ...
, and "
A House Is Not a Home" were added to the score.
Due to pregnancy,
Katie Finneran departed the role of Marge on October 10, 2010, and was replaced by ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serve ...
'' veteran
Molly Shannon. Hayes, Chenoweth, and Shannon remained with the production until its closing on January 2, 2011. The show had 291 performances and 30 previews.
Other productions
Regional theatre productions have included a 1993 staging at the
Goodspeed Opera House in
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
. New York City Center
Encores!
Encores! is a Tony-honored concert series dedicated to performing rarely heard American musicals, usually with their original orchestrations. Presented by New York City Center since 1994, Encores! has revived shows by Irving Berlin, Rodgers & ...
held a staged concert in March 1997, starring
Martin Short, Kerry O'Malley,
Eugene Levy,
Dick Latessa, and
Christine Baranski.
;2014 San Francisco
The musical opened at
San Francisco Playhouse in November 2014 and closed in January 2015. It featured Jeffrey Brian Adams in the role of Chuck and Monique Hafen as Fran.
;2017 Southwark Playhouse, London
This production ran from January to February, directed by Bronagh Lagan with Gabriel Vick in the role of Chuck and Daisy Maywood as Fran.
Synopsis
Act I
Chuck Baxter is an ambitious bachelor and junior executive for a large insurance company, Consolidated Life, who expresses his frustrations and hopes for career advancement ("Half as Big as Life"). To curry favor with higher-ups in the company, he allows his apartment to be used for their romantic trysts in return for promises of promotion ("Upstairs"). Chuck has his own eye set on Fran Kubelik, a waitress in the company cafeteria whom he's always admired from a distance. While talking together she wonders if she will ever find someone to share her life with. Chuck hopes that she might notice him ("You'll Think of Someone").
J.D. Sheldrake, the company's powerful personnel director, notices the glowing reviews written by Chuck's superiors and deduces the reason for them. He requests sole use of the apartment for his affairs in exchange for Chuck's long-awaited promotion and tickets to a basketball game ("Our Little Secret"). (In the 2010 revival, the song "
I Say a Little Prayer For You" was added for a scene in which Fran tells female workmates about flowers she has received from a new "mystery individual".) Chuck asks Fran to attend the basketball game with him, and she agrees to meet him there after first having a drink with her soon-to-be ex-lover ("She Likes Basketball").
Fran's lover turns out to be the married Sheldrake. Fran wants to end the relationship, but Sheldrake talks her into spending the evening with him ("Knowing When to Leave"). Though Fran stands him up, Chuck forgives her. When he informs the other executives that his apartment is no longer available for their use, they express dismay ("Where Can You Take a Girl?"). Meanwhile, Sheldrake wonders why he is drawn to affairs ("Wanting Things"). The scene shifts to the company Christmas party, where everyone is enjoying themselves ("
Turkey Lurkey Time"). Miss Olsen, Sheldrake's secretary, reveals to Fran that she is simply the latest in a long line of Sheldrake's mistresses. The first-act curtain falls as Fran is driven to misery ("
A House is Not a Home" in the 2010 revival), and Chuck discovers that Fran is the one Sheldrake has been taking to his apartment.
Act II
A despondent Chuck spends Christmas Eve trying to drink away his troubles at a bar, where he meets another tipsy lonelyheart, Marge MacDougall, who agrees to come back to his apartment ("A Fact Can Be a Beautiful Thing"). In the meantime, at Chuck's apartment, Fran confronts Mr. Sheldrake about his earlier affairs. While he admits to the affairs, he declares his love for Fran, but tells her that he must leave in order to catch his train home to spend Christmas Eve with his family. A despairing Fran discovers Chuck's sleeping pills and takes the whole bottle ("Whoever You Are").
When Chuck arrives with Marge, he discovers Fran on his bed. After quickly disposing of Marge, a frantic Chuck gets his neighbor, Dr. Dreyfuss, to come over and together they save her life. The next morning Chuck calls Sheldrake to let him know what happened. Sheldrake says he can't leave for the city without his wife knowing and asks Chuck to take care of Fran ("Christmas Day").
Over the next few days Chuck and Dreyfuss try to keep Fran's spirits up to prevent a relapse into suicidal behavior ("A Young Pretty Girl Like You"). Chuck and Fran play gin rummy and discuss their problems, growing closer ("
I'll Never Fall In Love Again"). Mr. Kirkeby, one of Chuck's former 'clients', discovers that Fran has been staying at Chuck's apartment, so as revenge for cutting him and the others off from using the apartment he tells Fran's overly protective brother where she has been staying. Karl Kubelik then comes to the apartment to collect her, and believing that Chuck is the cause of her current state he punches Chuck.
Miss Olsen soon discovers that Sheldrake's actions led to Fran almost killing herself. She quits her job and tells Mrs. Sheldrake all about her husband's affairs. She leaves him, resulting in his desperation to woo Fran back. Sheldrake asks for the keys to Chuck's apartment again on New Year's Eve to take Fran there. Chuck refuses and quits his job rather than allow Sheldrake to take Fran to his apartment ever again ("Promises, Promises").
Deciding that he has to get away, Chuck begins packing to move elsewhere when Fran comes to see him. Sheldrake had told her that Chuck had refused him access and quit, and she realizes that Chuck is the one who really loves her. As they resume their earlier game of gin, he declares his love for her, to which she replies, "Shut up and deal".
Notable casts and characters
Characters
*Chuck Baxter - An office worker
*Fran Kubelik - A restaurant waitress
*J.D. Sheldrake - A personnel manager
*Dr. Dreyfuss - A neighbor
*Marge MacDougall - A bar acquaintance
*Dobitch, Kirkeby, Eichelberger, and Vanderhof
*Vivien Della Hoya, Miss Polansky, and Miss Ginger Wong
*Karl - Fran's brother
*Mrs. Sheldrake
*Miss Olsen
Musical numbers
;Act One
*"Overture" - Orchestra
*"Half as Big as Life" - Chuck
*"Grapes of Roth" - Orchestra
*"Upstairs" - Chuck
*"You'll Think of Someone" - Chuck & Fran
*"Our Little Secret" - Chuck & Sheldrake
*"
I Say a Little Prayer" + - Fran
*"She Likes Basketball" - Chuck
*"Knowing When to Leave" - Fran
*"Where Can You Take a Girl?" - Dobitch, Kirkeby, Eichelberger, & Vanderhof
*"Wanting Things" - Sheldrake
*"
Turkey Lurkey Time" - Miss Della Hoya, Miss Polansky, Miss Wong, & Ensemble
*"
A House Is Not a Home" + - Fran
;Act Two
*"A Fact Can Be a Beautiful Thing" - Marge & Chuck
*"Whoever You Are (I Love You)" - Fran
*"Christmas Day" - Orchestra
*"A House Is Not A Home (reprise)" + - Chuck
*"A Young Pretty Girl Like You" - Dr. Dreyfuss & Chuck
*"
I'll Never Fall in Love Again" - Chuck & Fran
*"Promises, Promises" - Chuck
*"I'll Never Fall In Love Again (reprise)" + - Chuck & Fran
+ Added for the 2010 revival
Songs cut in the out-of-town tryouts included: "Tick Tock Goes The Clock," "We Did The Right Thing," "Loyal, Resourceful And Cooperative," "Wouldn't That Be A Stroke Of Luck," "Hot Food," "What Am I Doing Here?"
Songs written for the show but not used included: "Let's Pretend We're Grown Up," "Phone Calls," "In The Right Kind Of Light."
Reception
From ''The New York Times'': "Though the work featured memorable dance sequences by a choreographer on the rise named
Michael Bennett, what really set it apart was its score, written by the solid-gold pop composer Burt Bacharach with lyrics by Hal David. Mr. Bacharach introduced to Broadway not only the insistently rhythmic,
commercial-jingle buoyancy of 1960's soft-core radio fare, but also a cinematic use of Teflon-smooth, offstage backup vocals."
[
]
Awards and nominations
Original Broadway production
2010 Broadway revival
In popular culture
The title song, "Whoever You Are (I Love You)" and "Wanting Things" were all featured on Dionne Warwick's Scepter LP '' Promises, Promises'' which was released in 1968 before the show opened on Broadway. "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" was a hit for Dionne Warwick in the US (No. 6) and for Bobbie Gentry in the UK (No. 1). "Christmas Day" was recorded by Johnny Mathis
John Royce Mathis (born September 30, 1935) is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standard music, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum s ...
for his Christmas album '' Give Me Your Love for Christmas'' (1969). The title song and " Turkey Lurkey Time" were featured on ''Glee
Glee means delight, a form of happiness.
Glee may also refer to:
* Glee (music), a type of English choral music
* ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy
* ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
'' and the latter performed in '' Camp.''
Notes
References
*Dominic, Serene.
''The Little Red Book of Burt Bacharach''
New York: Schirmer; London: Music Sales, 2002.
External links
*
Internet Broadway Database listing, 2010
*Barnes, Clive
''The New York Times'' 1968 review
reprinted in Brantley, Ben, ''The New York Times Book of Broadway'', p. 177, Macmillan, 2001
{{Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album
1968 musicals
Musicals based on films
Broadway musicals
Musicals by Neil Simon
Plays set in New York City
Tony Award-winning musicals