On the Twentieth Century is a musical with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Cy Coleman. Based partly on the 1932 play Twentieth Century and its 1934 film adaptation, the musical is part operetta, part farce and part screwball comedy. The story involves the behind-the-scenes relationship between Lily, a temperamental actress and Oscar, a bankrupt theatre producer. On a luxury train traveling from Chicago to New York in the early 1930s, Oscar tries to cajole the glamorous Hollywood star into playing the lead in his new, but not-yet-written drama, and perhaps to rekindle their romance.
The musical ran on Broadway in 1978–1979, running for 449 performances and winning five Tony Awards. It showcased Madeline Kahn in the role of Lily Garland, and when Kahn left the show, the role launched the career of Judy Kaye. Several revivals followed in London and elsewhere, and a 2015 Broadway revival featured Kristin Chenoweth and Peter Gallagher.
Background
Comden and Green based the musical on three works: the 1934 Howard Hawks film Twentieth Century; the original 1932 play of the same name by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur; and Hecht's and MacArthur's inspiration, Charles Bruce Millholland's unproduced play about his experiences working for theater producer David Belasco, Napoleon of Broadway.
Cy Coleman, when asked to compose the score, initially refused. "I didn't want to do twenties pastiche – there was too much of that around," he recalled. "But when I realized the main characters had these larger-than-life personalities, I thought – ah, comic opera! Even the tikka-tikka-tikka patter of a locomotive train has the rhythm of comic opera." Coleman agreed to write the music for the show and produced an operetta-style score reminiscent of the works of Sigmund Romberg and Rudolf Friml. Directed by Hal Prince and choreographed by Larry Fuller, the cast starred John Cullum and Madeline Kahn, and featured Imogene Coca and Kevin Kline. The show won Tony Awards for best score and best book, among others. After only nine weeks, Kahn departed the show. The New York Times reported that "she said she was withdrawing because of damage to her vocal cords." She was replaced by understudy Judy Kaye, who had been playing a small role, and the critics were invited to return. According to The New York Times, "bang, boom, overnight [Kaye] is a star." They praised her performance, Kaye won a Theatre World Award, and her theatrical career took off. She later starred in the US tour opposite Rock Hudson.
A London staging, produced by Harold Fielding, and starring Keith Michell as Oscar, Julia McKenzie as Lily, Mark Wynter as Bruce and Ann Beach as Mrs. Primrose, opened on March 19, 1980, at Her Majesty's Theatre, and ran for 165 performances. The musical was nominated for the Olivier Award, "Musical of the Year", and McKenzie was nominated for Actress of the Year in a Musical. As part of an Actors Fund benefit, a one night staged concert was held on September 26, 2005 at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York, starring Marin Mazzie as Lily, Douglas Sills as Oscar, Joanne Worley as Letitia and Christopher Sieber as Bruce. The first London revival was staged at the Union Theatre, Southwark in December 2010 and January 2011. Howard Samuels played Oscar and Rebecca Vere was Lily. The show was directed by Ryan McBryde.
In 2011, Roundabout Theatre Company had a reading with Hugh Jackman, Kristin Chenoweth and Andrea Martin participating. Roundabout revived the musical on Broadway, at the American Airlines Theatre, beginning previews on February 12, 2015, and officially opening on March 15, 2015 for a limited run through July 19, 2015 (extended from the original closing date of July 5). Scott Ellis directed, and choreography was by Warren Carlyle. The cast starred Chenoweth as Lily and Peter Gallagher as Oscar, and featured Andy Karl as Bruce, Mark Linn-Baker as Oliver, Michael McGrath as Owen and Mary Louise Wilson as Letitia. Designers included David Rockwell (set), William Ivey Long (costumes) and Donald Holder (lighting). The production was nominated for five Tony Awards, including best revival, but did not win any. The song "The Legacy" from the original score was rewritten as "Because of Her", using Coleman's original music but new lyrics by Amanda Green about Oscar's acknowledgement of Lily's importance in his life.
A Japanese production starring Takahisa Masuda played from March 12 to 31, 2024, at the Tokyu Theatre Orb before moving to Osaka April 5 to 10 at the Orix Theater.
Songs
;Act I
- Stranded Again – Bishop, Actors, Singers
- Saddle Up the Horse – Owen O'Malley & Oliver Webb
- On the Twentieth Century – Porters, Letitia, Conductor, Flanagan, Rogers, Passengers
- I Rise Again – Oscar Jaffe, Owen & Oliver
- Indian Maiden's Lament – Imelda & Mildred Plotka
- Veronique – Lily Garland & Male Singers
- I Have Written a Play – Conductor Flanagan
- Together – Porters & Passengers, Oliver
- Never – Lily, Owen, & Oliver
- This Is the Day – Lily & Agnes (performed in Boston, cut prior to Broadway opening)
- Our Private World – Lily & Oscar
- Repent – Letitia
- Mine – Oscar & Bruce Granit
- I've Got it All – Lily & Oscar
- On the Twentieth Century (reprise) – Company
;Act II
- Entr'acte: Life is Like a Train – Porters
- I Have Written a Play (Reprise 1) - Congressman Lockwood
- Five Zeros – Owen, Oliver, Letitia, & Oscar
- I Have Written a Play (Reprise 2) - Dr. Johnson
- Sextet/Sign Lily Sign – Owen, Oliver, Oscar, Letitia, Lily, Bruce
- She's a Nut – Company
- Max Jacobs – Max
- Babbette – Lily
- The Legacy ("Because of Her" for 2015 revival) – Oscar
- Lily, Oscar – Lily & Oscar
- Finale - Company
Casts
<!-- Long-running major productions only, please. -->
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Original Broadway (1978)
!Broadway Revival (2015)
|-
|Lily Garland (Mildred Plotka)
|Madeline Kahn
|Kristin Chenoweth
|-
|Oscar Jaffee
|John Cullum
|Peter Gallagher
|-
|Letitia Primrose
|Imogene Coca
|Mary Louise Wilson
|-
|Owen O'Malley
|George Coe
|Mark Linn-Baker
|-
|Oliver Webb
|Dean Dittman
|Michael McGrath
|-
|Bruce Granit
|Kevin Kline
|Andy Karl
|-
|Congressman Lockwood
|Rufus Smith
|Andy Taylor
|-
|Max Jacobs
|George Lee Andrews
|James Moye
|-
|Conductor Flanagan
|Tom Batten
|Jim Walton
|-
|Agnes
|Judy Kaye
|Mamie Parris
|-
|Imelda Thornton
|rowspan=2|Willi Burke
|Paula Leggett Chase
|-
|Dr. Johnson
|Linda Mugleston
|}
Awards and nominations
Original Broadway production
{| class="wikitable" width="95%"
|-
! width="5%"| Year
! width="20%"| Award
! width="45%"| Category
! width="20%"| Nominee
! width="10%"| Result
|-
| rowspan="15" align="center"| 1978
| rowspan="9"| Tony Award
| colspan="2"| Best Musical
|
|-
| Best Book of a Musical
| Betty Comden and Adolph Green
|
|-
| Best Original Score
| Cy Coleman, Betty Comden and Adolph Green
|
|-
| Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
| John Cullum
|
|-
| Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
| Madeline Kahn
|
|-
| Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
| Kevin Kline
|
|-
| Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
| Imogene Coca
|
|-
| Best Direction of a Musical
| Hal Prince
|
|-
| Best Scenic Design
| Robin Wagner
|
|-
| rowspan="5"| Drama Desk Award
| Outstanding Actress in a Musical
| Judy Kaye
|
|-
| Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
| Kevin Kline
|
|-
| Outstanding Music
| Cy Coleman
|
|-
| Outstanding Set Design
| Robin Wagner
|
|-
| Outstanding Costume Design
| Florence Klotz
|
|-
| colspan="2"| Theatre World Award
| Judy Kaye
|
|}
Original London production
{| class="wikitable" width="95%"
|-
! width="5%"| Year
! width="20%"| Award
! width="45%"| Category
! width="20%"| Nominee
! width="10%"| Result
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center"| 1980
| rowspan="2"| Laurence Olivier Award
| colspan="2"| Best New Musical
|
|-
| Best Actress in a Musical
| Julia McKenzie
|
|}
2015 Broadway revival
{| class="wikitable" width="95%"
|-
! width="5%"| Year
! width="20%"| Award
! width="45%"| Category
! width="20%"| Nominee
! width="10%"| Result
|-
| rowspan="22" align="center"| 2015
| rowspan="5"| Tony Award
| colspan="2"| Best Revival of a Musical
|
|-
| Best Actress in a Musical
| Kristin Chenoweth
|
|-
| Best Featured Actor in a Musical
| Andy Karl
|
|-
| Best Scenic Design of a Musical
| David Rockwell
|
|-
| Best Costume Design of a Musical
| William Ivey Long
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| Drama Desk Award
| colspan="2"| Outstanding Revival of a Musical
|
|-
| Outstanding Actress in a Musical
| Kristin Chenoweth
|
|-
| Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
| Andy Karl
|
|-
| Outstanding Choreography
| Warren Carlyle
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| Drama League Award
| colspan="2"| Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Distinguished Performance
| Kristin Chenoweth
|
|-
| Andy Karl
|
|-
| rowspan="9"| Outer Critics Circle Award
| colspan="2"| Outstanding Revival of a Musical
|
|-
| Outstanding Director of a Musical
| Scott Ellis
|
|-
| Outstanding Choreographer
| Warren Carlyle
|
|-
| Outstanding Set Design
| David Rockwell
|
|-
| Outstanding Costume Design
| William Ivey Long
|
|-
| Outstanding Actor in a Musical
| Peter Gallagher
|
|-
| Outstanding Actress in a Musical
| Kristin Chenoweth
|
|-
| Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
| Andy Karl
|
|-
| Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
| Mary Louise Wilson
|
|}
References
Bibliography
- Kantor, Michael and Maslon, Laurence. Broadway: The American Musical. New York:Bullfinch Press, 2004.
External links
- Broadway 2015 Revival at Internet Broadway Database