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Show Tunes S4 EP21 "Wonderful Town" (1953)

Original Cast Album, "Wonderful Town" 1953
Original Cast Album, "Wonderful Town" 1953

Bernstein, Comden & Green team up for a delightful musical based on the writings of Ruth McKenney

Aspiring writer Ruth McKinney and her sister Eileen moved from Ohio to Manhattan in 1935. Ruth aspired to be a writer, and Eileen wanted to be a performer. They moved into an apartment on Christopher Street in Greenwich Village and had adventures that ended up as short stories, a play ("My Sister Eileen"), a musical, a non-musical movie, and finally, a sitcom!

Aside from some minor misunderstandings and moments of melancholia, "Wonderful Town" is a pretty happy-go-lucky show.

Lyricists Betty Comden and Adolph Green provide genuinely funny and heartfelt words, set to a fantastic Leonard Bernstein score.

Tony Awards (1953):

Best Musical
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Rosalind Russell)
Best Choreography (Donald Saddler)
Best Conductor and Musical Director (Lehmen Engel)

Roz's co-star Edith (Edie) Adams wasn't neglected, either - she won the Theatre World Award of 1953.

Biggest Hits

Ohio
Conga!
Wrong Note Rag

Honorable Mentions

One Hundred Ways
Swing!
My Darlin' Eileen

Musical Numbers

  1. Christopher Street
  2. Ohio
  3. One Hundred Ways
  4. What A Waste
  5. A Little Bit in Love
  6. Pass the Football
  7. Conversation Piece
  8. A Quiet Girl
  9. Conga!
  10. My Darlin' Eileen
  11. Swing!
  12. It's Love
  13. Ballet at The Village Vortex (instrumental)
  14. Wrong Note Rag

Kate Botello is a host and producer at Classical IPR.