A Connecticut Yankee is a musical based on the novel
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by
American humorist Mark Twain. The music was written by Richard Rodgers, the lyrics by Lorenz Hart, and the book by
Herbert Fields. It was produced by Lew Fields and
Lyle D. Andrews. It enjoyed an original run on Broadway
in 1927 of 421 performances and a number of revivals.
The 1931 film starring Will Rogers was not adapted from this musical.
Productions
A Connecticut Yankee opened on Broadway at the Vanderbilt Theatre (which was demolished in 1954) on November 3
1927 and closed on October 27 1928, running for 421 performances. Directed by Alexander Leftwich, with dances by Busby Berkeley, it starred William Gaxton (Martin/The Yankee),
Constance Carpenter (Alice Carter/The Demoiselle Alisande la Carteloise), and June Cochrane (Mistress Evelyn Al Belle-Ans).
A 1943 revival opened at the Martin Beck Theatre (now the Al Hirschfeld
Theatre) on November 17 1943 and closed on
March 11 1944, after 135 performances. Directed by John C. Wilson
and choreographed by William Holbrook and Al White, Jr., it featured Vivienne Segal (Lt.
Merrill/Queen Morgan Le Fay), Dick Foran (Lt. Martin Barrett), Vera-Ellen (Mistress Evelyn Al
Belle-Ans), and Robert Chisholm (Admiral Arthur/King Arthur of Britain).
A television adaptation was broadcast on NBC in December 1955, with Eddie Albert, Janet Blair, and Boris
Karloff.
In 2001 New York City Center Encores! presented a staged
concert, with Christine Ebersole (Fay Morgan/Morgan Le Fay), Henry Gibson (Arthur Pendragos/King Arthur), Ron Leibman (Sir
Launcelot) and Jessica Walter (Guinevere).[1]
Plot
In Connecticut in the 1920's, Martin is about to be married to Fay. When an old flame, Alice, visits him, Fay knocks him out
in a jealous fit. As Martin dreams, he is seemingly in the court of King Arthur in 528. He falls in love with "Demoiselle
Alisande" ("Alice") but the king's evil sister, "Morgan Le Fay" ("Fay"), kidnaps her. As Martin rescues her, he wakes up and
realizes that is was Alice that he loved all along.
Note: the 1943 revival was revised by Rodgers and Hart. The setting was changed to a more topical
war-time setting, and the show art showed a knight and his damsel in a jeep. "Morgan Le Fay" was turned into a "singing
sorceress" anti-heroine, and the song "To Keep My Love Alive" was written for Vivienne Segal.[2]
Songs
Among the best remembered songs are the up-tempo duet, "Thou Swell",[1] the ballad "My Heart Stood Still",[2] "On a Desert Island with Thee", and "I Feel at Home with You". For the 1943
revival, Rodgers and Hart added several additional songs, including "Can't You Do a Friend a Favor?",[3].
- Act I
- This Is My Night to Howl--Fay Morgan and Ensemble
- My Heart Stood Still --Martin and Alice Carter
- Thou Swell--Martin and Alice Carter
- At the Round Table --The Company
- On a Desert Island with Thee--Mistress Evelyn Al Belle-Ans, Sir Galahad, Sir Gawain and Ensemble
- To Keep My Love Alive (1943 revival)-- Queen Morgan Le Fay
- My Heart Stood Still (Reprise) -- Martin and The Demoiselle Alisande la Carteloise
|
- Act II
- Ye Lunchtime Follies --Sir Galahad and Ensemble
- Can't You Do a Friend a Favor? (1943 revival)-- Queen Morgan Le Fay and Martin
- Thou Swell (Reprise)--Martin and The Demoiselle Alisande la Carteloise
- I Feel At Home With You --Sir Galahad, Mistress Evelyn Al Belle-Ans, Sir Gawain and Ensemble
- You Always Love the Same Girl --Martin and King Arthur of Britain
- The Camelot Samba --Sir Gawain and Ensemble
|
Recordings
A recording of the 1943 revival was released on June 29, 1944 by Decca.
References
External links
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