The Golden Apple (musical)

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The Golden Apple is a musical adaptation of both the Iliad and Odyssey of Homer, produced both off-Broadway and on- in 1954. With music by Jerome Moross and lyrics by John Treville Latouche, the show was one of the first musicals produced at the Phoenix Theatre to later move up to Broadway on April 20, 1954 at the Alvin Theater where it played 125 performances. The original production starred Kaye Ballard as Helen, Jonathan Lucas as Paris, Stephen Douglass as Ulysses, Priscilla Gillette as Penelope, Bibi Osterwald as Lovey Mars (Aphrodite), Jack Whiting and Portia Nelson as Miss Minerva Oliver (Athena).

The show resets the events of Homer's epics to the U.S. state of Washington, during the years after the Spanish-American War at the turn of the 20th century, satirizing cultural attitudes and icons of the time and place, and is entirely sung and danced. The musical has developed quite a cult following, even though the full score has never been commercially recorded and the show has never been revived on Broadway or in a first-class production. The play is remembered in part for introducing the standard Lazy Afternoon sung by Kaye Ballard portraying a character based on Helen of Troy, and the fantastical, suggestive settings by William and Jean Eckart.

Songs include:

• "Nothin' Ever Happens in Angels Roost"--Helen, Lovey Mars, Miss Minerva Oliver, Mrs. Juniper
• "My Love Is On the Way"--Penelope
• "It Was A Glad Adventure"--Ulysses and Heroes
• "Come Along, Boys"--Heroes and Ensemble
• "It's the Going Home Together"--Ulysses and Penelope
• "Helen Is Always Willing"--The Heroes
• "Introducin' Mr. Paris"--Paris and Ensemble
• "Lazy Afternoon"--Helen and Paris
• "My Picture In the Papers"--Helen, Paris, and Ensemble
• "When We Were Young"--Penelope
• "Store-Bought Suit"--Ulysses
• "By Goona-Goona Lagoon"--Lovey Mars
• "Circe, Circe"--Circe, Mother Hare, and Ensemble
• "We've Just Begun"--Ulysses and Penelope