Broadway Musical Home - On the Twentieth Century

This musical comedy is based on three works: a 1932 of the same name, an unpublished play called “Napoleon of Broadway,” and a 1934 film called “Twentieth Century.”

Story:

Oscar Jaffee, a theatre producer with four consecutive flops to his name, has a plan to turn his career around and bring a winning show to Broadway, but he’s got to act fast - exactly as fast as the train ride from Chicago to New York. The plan is simple: raise money, find a play, and entice Hollywood starlet Lily Garland to join the cast before the whistle blows at Grand Central Station. If he can make it all happen, he just might have a winning project on his hands.

: Composer
Cy Coleman

: Lyricist and Librettist
Betty Comden

: Lyricist and Librettist
Adolph Green

Broadway Premiere

Theatre: St. James Theatre

Opening Night: Feb 19, 1978

Total Performances: 449

Original Cast: John Cullum, Madeline Kahn, Imogene Coca, Kevin Kline, George Lee Andrews, Tom Batten, Willi Burke, Susan Cella, Maris Clement, George Coe, Peggy Cooper, Keith Davis, Dean Dittman, Karen Gibson, Ray Gill, Ken Hilliard, David Horwitz, Mel Johnson, Jr., Craig Lucas, Carol Lugenbeal, Carol Lurie, Sal Mistretta, Hal Norman, Charles Rule, Stanley Simmonds, Rufus Smith, Ray Stephens, Melanie Vaughan, David Vogel, Joseph Wise

Director: Harold Prince

Choreographer: Larry Fuller

Producer: The Producers Circle 2, Inc., Robert Fryer, Mary Lea Johnson, James Cresson and Martin Richards

Musical Director: Paul Gemignani

Orchestrations: Hershy Kay

Scenic Design: Robin Wagner

Costume Design: Florence Klotz

Lighting Design: Ken Billington

Sound Design: Robin Wagner

2015 Broadway Revival

Theatre: American Airlines Theatre

Opening Night: Mar 12, 2015

Total Performances: 144

Original Cast: Kristin Chenoweth, Peter Gallagher, Andy Karl, Mark Linn-Baker, Michael McGrath, Mary Louise Wilson, Phillip Attmore, Justin Bowen, Preston Truman Boyd, Paula Leggett Chase, Ben Crawford, Rick Faugno, Jennifer Foote, Bahiyah Hibah, Drew King, Analisa Leaming, Kevin Ligon, Erica Mansfield, James Moye, Linda Mugleston, Mamie Parris, Andy Taylor, Jim Walton and Richard Riaz Yoder

Director: Scott Ellis

Choreographer: Warren Carlyle

Producer: Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes: Artistic Director; Harold Wolpert: Managing Director; Julia C. Levy: Executive Director; Sydney Beers, General Manager)

Musical Director: Kevin Stites

Orchestrations: Larry Hochman

Scenic Design: David Rockwell

Costume Design: William Ivey Long

Lighting Design: Donald Holder

Sound Design: Jon Weston

1934 Film Version

Movie Name: Twentieth Century

Type: Non-Musical

Director: Howard Hawks

Screenplay: Ben Hecht , Charles MacArthur

Starring: John Barrymore, Carole Lombard, Walter Connolly

Musical Numbers

Stranded Again

On the Twentieth Century

I Rise Again

Indian Maiden's Lament

Veronique

I Have Written a Play

Together

Never

Our Private World

Repent

Mine

I've Got It All

Five Zeros

Sextet

She's a Nut

Max Jacobs

Babbette

The Legacy

Lily, Oscar

Click on a song name to listen/purchase it on

CDs

: Original Broadway Cast Album

: 2015 Broadway Revival Cast Album

Sheetmusic

: Vocal Selections

Videos

: 1934 Hollywood Version DVD

Books

: Play

Other

1978 Tony Award Nominations

Best Book of a Musical
Best Original Score
Best Actor in a Musical - John Cullum
Best Featured Actor in a Musical - Kevin Kline
Best Scenic Design
Best Musical
Best Actress in a Musical - Madeline Kahn
Best Featured Actress in a Musical - Imogene Coca
Best Direction of a Musical

1978 Drama Desk Award Nominations

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical - Kevin Kline
Outstanding Music
Outstanding Costume Design
Outstanding Set Design
Outstanding Actress in a Musical - Judy Kaye

1978 Theatre World Award Nominations

Judy Kaye

2015 Tony Award Nominations

Best Revival of a Musical
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical - Kristin Chenoweth
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical - Andy Karl
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Best Scenic Design of a Musical

2015 Drama Desk Award Nominations

Outstanding Actress in a Musical - Kristin Chenoweth
Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical - Andy Karl
Outstanding Choreography

2015 Drama League Award Nominations

Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical
Distinguished Performance Award - Kristin Chenoweth
Distinguished Performance Award - Andy Karl

2015 Outer Critics Circle Award Nominations

Outstanding Actress in a Musical - Kristin Chenoweth
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical - Andy Karl
Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Outstanding Director of a Musical
Outstanding Choreographer
Outstanding Set Design
Outstanding Costume Design
Outstanding Actor in a Musical - Peter Gallagher
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical - Mary Louise Wilson