Never Gonna Dance

Never Gonna Dance
Music Jerome Kern
Lyrics Oscar Hammerstein
Ira Gershwin
P. G. Wodehouse
Bernard Dougall
Johnny Mercer
Jimmy McHugh
Otto Harbach
Dorothy Fields
Book Jeffrey Hatcher
Basis Film Swing Time
Productions 2003 Broadway

Never Gonna Dance is a Broadway musical featuring the music of Jerome Kern. The musical was based on the 1936 Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers film Swing Time. Lyricists include Oscar Hammerstein, Ira Gershwin, P. G. Wodehouse, Bernard Dougall, Johnny Mercer, Jimmy McHugh, Otto Harbach, and Dorothy Fields.

It opened on Broadway in 2003.

Production

The musical opened on December 4, 2003 at the Broadhurst Theatre and closed on February 15, 2004 after 84 performances and 44 previews. It was directed by Michael Greif with choreography by Jerry Mitchell, costumes by William Ivey Long, lighting by Paul Gallo, and sets by Robin Wagner. The cast featured Noah Racey (Lucky), Nancy Lemenager (Penny), Karen Ziemba (Mabel) and Peter Gerety (Alfred J. Morganthal).

Synopsis

John "Lucky" Garnett is a dancer in vaudeville. His fiancee's father does not think Lucky can make a living without dancing. Lucky is determined to prove that he can earn a living without dancing, and so goes to New York on a bet with his lucky quarter to make $25,000. There he meets and falls in love with Penny Carroll, a dance teacher. They enter a dance contest. Meanwhile Penny's friend Mabel finds romance with a down-on-his-luck stockbroker, Alfred.

Songs

Act I
  • Dearly Beloved (Lyrics By Johnny Mercer) — Lucky Garnett and His Charms
  • Put Me to the Test (Lyrics By Ira Gershwin) — Lucky Garnett
  • I Won't Dance (Lyrics By Oscar Hammerstein II, Jimmy McHugh, Otto Harbach and Dorothy Fields) — Lucky Garnett and The Company
  • Pick Yourself Up — Penny Carroll and Lucky Garnett
  • Pick Yourself Up (Reprise) — Mabel Pritt and Alfred J. Morgenthal
  • Who? (Lyrics By Oscar Hammerstein II and Otto Harbach) — Ricardo Romero and the Rome-Tones
  • I'm Old Fashioned (Lyrics By Johnny Mercer) — Penny Carroll
  • She Didn't Say Yes, She Didn't Say No (Lyrics By Otto Harbach) — Spud and Velma
  • The Song Is You (Lyrics By Oscar Hammerstein II) — Mabel Pritt, Alfred J. Morgenthal and Waitresses
  • The Way You Look Tonight — Lucky Garnett and Penny Carroll
Act II
  • Waltz in Swing Time — The Company
  • Shimmy With Me (Lyrics By P. G. Wodehouse) — Mabel Pritt and The Company
  • A Fine Romance — Penny Carroll, Lucky Garnett, Mabel Pritt and Alfred J. Morgenthal
  • I'll Be Hard to Handle (Lyrics By Bernard Dougall) — Spud and Velma
  • I Got Love — Mabel Pritt
  • The Most Exciting Night (Lyrics By Otto Harbach and Dorothy Fields) — Ricardo Romero and the Rome-Tones
  • Remind Me — Penny Carroll and Lucky Garnett
  • Never Gonna Dance — Lucky Garnett and Penny Carroll
  • Dearly Beloved / I Won't Dance (Reprise) — The Company

Response

Reviews were mixed. For example, The New York Times deemed it a "pleasant" but "spiceless" production.[1] A review by The Village Voice was more positive, citing a convoluted plot and some miscast actors, but praising the musical numbers as "reassuringly good".[2]

Awards and nominations

Never Gonna Dance was nominated for two Tony Awards: Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Karen Ziemba) and Best Choreography (Jerry Mitchell). The musical also received nominations for two Drama Desk Awards: Outstanding Choreography (Mitchell) and Outstanding Orchestrations (Harold Wheeler).

References

  1. ↑ Brantley, Ben. Theatre Review: Tapping Towards Love in Celebrated Slippers. The New York Times, December 5, 2003. Retrieved November 4, 2006.]
  2. ↑ Feingold, Michael. Goods and disservices. The Village Voice, December 10, 2003. Retrieved November 4, 2006.]

External links

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