Brigadoon

Brigadoon (1947), a musical play by Alan Jay Lerner (book, lyrics), Frederick Loewe (music). [ Ziegfeld Theatre, 581 perf.] In Scotland, two American hunters, Tommy Albright (David Brooks) and Jess Douglass (George Keane), lose their way and stumble upon a village that seems to belong to another time, and where Charlie Dalrymple (Lee Sullivan) is preparing to marry Jean MacLaren (Virginia Bosler). Tommy falls in love with Jean's sister Fiona (Marion Bell) while Jeff has a comic fling with the man‐hungry Meg Brockie (Pamela Britton). Before the wedding, the Americans learn that the village is bewitched, coming back to life for a day only once a century. They flee but Tommy's love for Fiona is so strong that he returns to Scotland where the village miraculously appears just long enough to embrace him. Notable songs: The Heather on the Hill; I'll Go Home with Bonnie Jean; Almost Like Being in Love; Come to Me, Bend to Me. Apart from George Jean Nathan, who savagely attacked the work as unoriginal and dreary (in a personal vendetta, Lerner has stated), most critics were delighted with this sensitive handling of fantasy, although many felt the second act was not as good as the first. All praised the Cheryl Crawford production, including Agnes de Mille's ballets, especially the exciting Sword Dance. The musical has remained a favorite in stock and dinner theatres and was revived on Broadway in 1980 with de Mille's original choreography.