Up in Central Park

Up in Central Park (1945), a musical play by Herbert Fields (book), Dorothy Fields (book, lyrics), Sigmund Romberg (music). [ Century Theatre, 504 perf.] Rosie Moore (Maureen Cannon), the daughter of a Tweed Ring politician, loves the muckraking reporter, John Matthews (Wilbur Evans), but after he writes an article exposing Mr. Moore and his cronies, Rosie breaks off their romance and marries another man. Luckily, when she comes to her senses, she learns her new spouse is a bigamist, so she can still marry John. Notable songs: April Snow; The Big Back Yard; Close as Pages in a Book; When You Walk in the Room; Carousel in the Park. A solid Romberg‐Fields score and Helen Tamiris's memorable “Currier and Ives Ballet” helped make this show a smash hit. However, producer Michael Todd brought it back to New York just as Brooks Atkinson returned to his post at the Times. Atkinson perceived it as superannuated operetta and led a virulent attack on it, after which it fell out of favor.