Goldilocks is a musical with a book by Jean and Walter Kerr, music by Leroy Anderson, and lyrics by the Kerrs and Joan Ford.
Background A parody of the silent film era when directors made quickie one-reelers overnight, it focuses on Maggie Harris, a musical comedy star retiring from show business in order to marry into high society, until producer-director Max Grady arrives to remind her she has a contract to star in his film Frontier Woman. The two battle and slapstick situations ensue as the movie evolves into an epic about Ancient Egypt and filming extends well beyond the amount of time Grady promised it would take to make the movie.
Production Following tryouts in Boston and Philadelphia,"The Music and Life of Leroy Anderson. 'Goldilocks' pbs.org, retrieved March 18, 2017 the Broadway production, directed by Walter Kerr and choreographed by Agnes de Mille, opened on October 11, 1958, at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre and closed on February 28, 1959, after 161 performances. The cast included Elaine Stritch (as Maggie), Don Ameche (as Max Grady), Russell Nype (as George Randolph Brown), Margaret Hamilton (as Bessie), Pat Stanley (as Lois Lee), and Patricia Birch (dancer)." 'Goldilocks' Broadway" Playbill, retrieved March 18, 2017 Ameche was a replacement for Barry Sullivan, originally cast in the role.Bernstein, Bob. "'Goldilocks' Will Have B'way Run and Some Tune Success" Billboard, 20 October 1958, 5.
Musicals Tonight! presented the musical in concert in June 2000 in New York City.Goldilocks listing musicalstonight.orgJones, Kenneth. "Musical 'Goldilocks' Gets Concert Reading in NYC, June 13-25" Playbill, March 8, 2000
42nd Street Moon in San Francisco, California presented the show in staged concert in 2001.Snyder, Kelly.Goldilocks frugalfun.com Goldilocks 42ndstmoon.org
An original cast recording, orchestrated by composer Anderson and Philip J. Lang, was released by Columbia Records.
Jean Kerr later recounted the trials and tribulations of creating a new musical in her books Please Don't Eat the Daisies, The Snake Has All the Lines, and Penny Candy.
Song list
Act I Lazy Moon Give the Little Lady Save a Kiss No One'll Ever Love You If I Can't Take It with Me Who's Been Sitting in My Chair? There Never Was a Woman The Pussy Foot
Act II Lady in Waiting The Beast in You Shall I Take My Heart and Go? Bad Companions I Can't Be in Love I Never Know When The Town House Maxixe (Dance) Two Years in the Making Heart of Stone (Pyramid Dance)
Awards and nominations Source: Playbill
Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Nype, winner, in a tie) Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Stanley, winner) Tony Award for Best Costume Design (nominee) Tony Award for Best Choreography (nominee) Tony Award for Best Conductor and musical director (nominee)
References
External links Goldilocks at Internet Broadway Database Goldilocks plot, song list at guidetomusicaltheatre.com