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Bells Are Ringing

 
American Theater Guide: Bells Are Ringing
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Bells Are Ringing (1956), a musical comedy by Betty Comden, Adolph Green (book, lyrics), Jule Styne (music). [ Shubert Theatre, 924 perf.] Ella Peterson (Judy Holliday), the friendly operator for Susanswerphone, often gets involved with her unseen clients and even falls for the playwright Jeff Moss (Sydney Chaplin). When she finally meets Jeff face‐to‐face she is not disappointed but complications set in, augmented by bookies using the answering service to take horseracing bets, which lead the police to Ella and her boss (Jean Stapleton). Notable songs: The Party's Over; Just in Time; Long Before I Knew You; I'm Going Back. The lighthearted Theatre Guild production was a tailor‐made vehicle for Holliday whose Tony Award–winning performance was a delight. Faith Prince was also praised as Ella in the 2001 Broadway revival, though the show had a short run.

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Wikipedia: Bells Are Ringing (musical)
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This article is about the stage musical. For the 1960 film, see Bells Are Ringing
Bells Are Ringing
Original Cast Recording
Music Jule Styne
Lyrics Betty Comden
Adolph Green
Book Betty Comden
Adolph Green
Productions 1956 Broadway
1957 West End
1960 Film
2001 Broadway revival

Bells Are Ringing is a musical with a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Jule Styne. The story revolves around Ella, who works at an answering service and the characters that she meets there. The main character was based on Mary Printz, who worked for Green's answering service.[1] Three of the show's tunes - "Long Before I Knew You," "Just in Time," and "The Party's Over" - became popular standards.

Contents

Productions

The original Broadway production, directed by Jerome Robbins and choreographed by Robbins and Bob Fosse, opened on November 29, 1956 at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran for slightly more than two years before transferring to the Alvin Theatre, for a total run of 924 performances. It starred Judy Holliday as Ella and Sydney Chaplin as Jeff Moss,[1] as well as Jean Stapleton as Sue Summers, Eddie Lawrence as Sandor, George S. Irving, Jack Weston, and Peter Gennaro.

An original cast album was released by Columbia Records.

The West End production opened on November 14, 1957 at the Coliseum, where it ran for 292 performances. The cast included Janet Blair as Ella Peterson, George Gaynes as Jeff Moss, Jean St. Clair as Sue Summers, Eddie Molloy as Sandor, and Allyn McLerie as Gwynne Smith.[2]

In 1960, a film adaptation of the same name was released by MGM.

A Broadway revival, directed by Tina Landau and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun, opened on April 12, 2001 at the Plymouth Theatre where, struggling to overcome mediocre reviews and ongoing hostility between the show's producers and its cast and crew,[3] it finally closed after 68 performances and 36 previews. The cast included Faith Prince as Ella, Marc Kudisch as Jeff, David Garrison, and Beth Fowler.

Plot synopsis

Ella Peterson works in the basement office of her boss, Sue, of "Susanswerphone", a telephone answering service. She listens in on others' lives and adds some interest to her own humdrum existence by adopting different identities – and voices – for her clients. They include Blake Barton, an out-of-work Method actor, Dr. Kitchell, a dentist with musical yearnings but lacking talent, and playwright Jeff Moss, who is suffering from writer's block and desperately needs a muse. As suggested by the song title, Ella considers the relationships with these clients "perfect" because she can't see them and they can't see her, yet she derives great pleasure from meddling in their lives.

When Jeff Moss pleads with Ella for help in writing, she responds, and a romance ensues ("Long Before I Knew You"). Complications arise when Ella thinks that she does not fit in with Jeff's wealthy friends ("The Party's Over").

Adding complications to the plot are the police, who are certain the business is a front for an "escort service," and Sandor, the owner's shady boyfriend, who unbeknownst to Sue is using the agency as a bookmaking operation ("It's A Simple Little System").

Song list

Act I
  • Bells Are Ringing--Telephone Girls
  • It's a Perfect Relationship--Ella Peterson
  • Independent (original title: On My Own) -- Jeff Moss and Ensemble
  • You've Got To Do It -- Jeff Moss
  • It's A Simple Little System -- Sandor and Ensemble
  • Is It a Crime? -- Ella Peterson
  • Better than a Dream -- Ella Peterson and Jeff Moss (later addition to original production)
  • Hello, Hello There -- Ella Peterson, Jeff Moss and Ensemble
  • I Met a Girl -- Jeff Moss and Ensemble
  • Long Before I Knew You -- Jeff Moss and Ella Peterson
Act II
  • Mu-Cha-Cha -- Carl and Ella Peterson
  • Just In Time -- Jeff Moss, Ella Peterson and Ensemble
  • Drop That Name -- Ella Peterson and Ensemble
  • The Party's Over -- Ella Peterson
  • Salzburg -- Sue and Sandor
  • The Midas Touch -- Dr. Kitchell, Boys and Girls
  • Long Before I Knew You (Reprise) -- Ella Peterson
  • I'm Going Back -- Ella

Note: "Better Than A Dream" was written for the film.

Awards and nominations

References

  1. ^ a b Fox, Margalit (1 March 2009). "Mary Printz, an Ear for the Famous, Dies at 82". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/02/nyregion/02printz.html. Retrieved 1 March 2009. 
  2. ^ Listing at broadwayworld.comaccessed March 2, 2009
  3. ^ McKinley, Jesse."The Checks Are Bouncing at 'Bells Are Ringing'"The New York Times, June 13, 2001

External links

v • d • e
Jule Styne musicals
v • d • e
Musicals by Betty Comden and Adolph Green

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

 

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American Theater Guide. The Oxford Companion to American Theatre. Copyright © 2004 by Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Bells Are Ringing (musical)".  Read more