Happy Days

Happy Days
a new musical
Logo
Music	Paul Williams
Lyrics	Paul Williams
Book	Garry Marshall
Basis	Sitcom Happy Days
Productions	2009 American Tour

Happy Days is a musical with a book by Garry Marshall and music and lyrics by Paul Williams, based on the American Broadcasting Company television series of the same name.

The musical debuted at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank, California, directed by Marshall, and was produced by Marshall, his sister Ronny Hallin, and his daughter, Kathleen Marshall.^[1] It starred Joey Sorge, Cynthia Ferrer, Felicia Finley and Steven Booth. Happy Days received subsequent productions at the Goodspeed Opera House and the Papermill Playhouse. Given the show's 1959 setting, it would have probably taken place around Season 4.

The musical skipped Broadway and went directly into a touring version. The Raleigh News and Observer described it as a "lame musical" that "putters around like an ailing Edsel."^[2]

Synopsis

Act 1

It is 1959 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Richie Cunningham, on the precipice of a new decade, is about to graduate high school and go off to college. His friends and family meet at Arnold's malt shop, and, together, they bid us "Welcome to Wisconsin". Arnold breaks the bad news that a construction company has plans to turn his eponymous restaurant into a parking lot and something called a "mall". Arthur Fonzerelli—aka "The Fonz" -- vows to save the day, and that it will be a "Snap".

The next morning, Ralph, Potsie and Chachi rehearse as "The Dial Tones", singing "The Thing About Girls" and "Romeo Midnight". They announce that Arnold's will host a dance contest to raise money to save the malt shop. Across town at the Leopard Lodge ("Leopards Are We"), Mr. Cunningham suggests a wrestling match between the tough Malachi brothers and Fonzie. The Leopards promise Howard "The Plaque" if he is able to talk Fonzie into the scheme, expecting it to bring a great deal of media coverage.

Back at Arnold's, Joanie, Richie's kid sister, tells everyone that Pinky Tuscadero will be passing through town on her motorcycle tour. The Pinkettes enter and confirm that "The Pink's in Town". Joanie and Chachi see Pinky mooning over a photo of Fonzie: she's clearly not as over him as she pretends to be, but he insists that his days of pining over her are over.

At the Cunningham home, Mrs. C, after being rebuffed by Howard, ponders the plight of the 50s housewife in "What I Dreamed Last Night", quietly joined by Joanie who laments the curse of being a lovelorn 50s teen, for Joanie loves Chachi.

Later at Arnold's, before the dance contest, the Dial Tones rehearse another girl-themed number, "Hot Love", and everyone anxiously awaits Pinky's arrival as guest judge. She asks Fonzie to help her judge, and he nonchalantly agrees. The first number is a Ladies' Choice, and Pinky, seeing that Joanie is too shy to ask Chachi to dance, tells her to find a "Message in the Music". The two dance and win the contest. With his characteristic punch to the jukebox, Fonzie slows things down. Pinky urges him to accept the wrestling challenge, and he does. The crowd rejoices in the news that will certainly save their favorite hangout.

Outside, Richie reminds The Fonz about his bad knee, torn up from a demolition derby. Richie, in a desire to help his friend, vows to tell the gang about Fonzie's ailment, and Fonzie pushes Richie away. Left alone, The Fonz wonders if "Maybe It's Time to Move On".

Act Two

A week later, Fonzie is still missing and everyone realizes how much he means to them. With Fonzie gone, there can be no media frenzy surrounding a nonexistent wrestling match, and Arnold's is doomed. Richie tells the gang that he will wrestle the Malachis in Fonzie's stead, with Ralph in his corner. The guys decide not to "Run" from the challenge, but, instead, to face it like Milwaukee warriors.

At Arnold's, Pinky tells everyone of Fonzie's nomadic nature and that he may never return, which makes Joanie wonder if Chachi could do the same. Pinky, missing her "Legend in Leather", advises Joanie to remain strong.

Fonzie is on the outskirts of town, his efforts to leave unsuccessful. Joined by some car hop girls, Fonzie admits that his reign of cool could be over and that he is feeling "Aaay'mless".

Back at the malt shop, the "Malachis" appear and, with tension in the air, explain their rise to infamy. When the brothers discover that they won't be wrestling The Fonz, they humiliate Richie and Ralph, just in time for a photo to be taken.

In the Cunningham kitchen, Marion and Joanie are preparing for the picnic when Pinky stops in to give Mrs. C a gift. Marion, assuming that Pinky finds her domesticity boring, is surprised to find her envious of the security of family ("What I Dreamed Last Night (reprise)").

Later, Marion finds Arthur hiding under the stairs. She reminds him that true cool—like James Dean and Elvis Presley -- means not caring what others think. She leaves him in thought, and, miraculously, Fonzie's two heroes appear, convincing Fonzie that "Guys Like Us" change direction for a worthy cause.

At Phister Park, the wrestling match is getting underway. The cameras roll, and just as Richie and Ralph are about to be extinguished by the Malachis, Fonzie rolls in on his motorcycle. He offers to fight for Arnold's if the brothers promise not to touch his bad knee. The Malachis cheat, of course, but with Richie's help, the good guys prevail.

Everyone celebrates while Fonzie and Pinky resolve to forget old issues and go "Dancing on the Moon". The Leopards present their plaque to Fonzie, but he focuses everyone's attention to the truly cool businessman, Howard Cunningham. Mr. C is everyone's "Ordinary Hero". Fonzie announces to a joyous crowd that enough money has been raised to save Arnold's.

The Class of '59 Graduation Dance begins, and everyone celebrates the "Happy Days" as an iconic decade draws to a close.^[3]

Musical numbers

External links

• Official site

References