Take Flight (musical)

Take Flight
Music David Shire
Lyrics Richard Maltby, Jr.
Book John Weidman
Basis The pioneers of flight: the Wright Brothers, Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart
Productions 2007 Menier Chocolate Factory, London

Take Flight is a musical with book by John Weidman, music by David Shire and lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr.. The musical is inspired by the early history of aviation, interweaving the lives of the Wright Brothers, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart and her publisher George Putnam, along with such sundry luminaries as Otto Lilienthal, the German "Glider King"; Commander Richard Byrd; French flying aces Nungesser and Coli, and various others. Its premiered at London's award-winning Menier Chocolate Factory in July 2007, directed by Sam Buntrock. It received its American Premiere at McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, NJ, in April, 2010.

Musical numbers

Act I
  • Take Flight - Orville, Wilbur, Lindbergh, Amelia, Noonan and Company
  • Equilibrium - Orville, Wilbur
  • Sky! - Lindbergh, Company
  • Like You, Say - Putnam, Amelia
  • Throw It to the Wind - Amelia, Putnam
  • Pffft! - Lilienthal, Company
  • Lady in the Aeroplane - Amelia, Putnam, Burke, Company
  • Lady Lindy - Reporters, Putnam, Amelia
  • Solo/Sorry, Mr Lindbergh - Lindbergh, Bankers, Hall
  • Earthbound - Putnam, Amelia
  • What Are We Doing Here? - Wilbur, Orville, Lilienthal
  • Before the Dawn - Wilbur, Orville, Lindbergh, Amelia, Putnam, Company
Act II
  • A Part of Me - Amelia
  • Back of the Line/Before the Dawn (Reprise) - Lindbergh, Company
  • The Funniest Thing - Orville, Wilbur
  • (The Farther You Go) Around the World/Papua - Putnam, Amelia, Noonan
  • The Prize/The Landing - Company
  • Finale - Company

Original Cast (in alphabetical order)

Cast Recording

The Original Cast Recording was released by PS Classics in 2008 (ASIN: B000XUOLLQ). One Song, Pffft!, was made available only by digital download.

Awards and nominations

Theatregoers' Choice Awards 2007/8