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Here's Love

CD Album Sleeve - OCR Book, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson based on "Miracle On 34th Street". Story by Valentine Davies. Screenplay by George Seaton

Shubert Theatre, Broadway - 3 October,1963 (334 perfs)

Available for amateur performance as It's Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas

Synopsis

This joyous musical proves that love makes the world go round - especially at Christmas time!

Susan Walker's mother, Doris, is in charge of staging the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Susan's life is one of stark reality. Doris is divorced and is determined that no fantasies will ever allow her child to fall into any such disillusionment as her former marriage. Faith, hope, and men are strictly taboo. When the parade Santa gets drunk, Mr. Kris Kringlc, a jolly man with streaming natural white beard, pops up from nowhere. He is a big success in the parade and becomes Macy's store Santa.

Meanwhile Susan has met Fred, a returning Marine veteran and hopeful law student. He befriends Susan even though Doris believes it's a plot to get to her. Kris is a great Santa. He even tells mothers where to buy toys that Macy's doesn't sell. Mr. Macy is upset, but Doris sees a great promotional chance. Make Macy's a friendly store-the true Christmas spirit. The plan is a huge success, but in the process, Kris admits that he is the real Santa Claus. His strange hehaviour wins him an interview with the store's psychologist, Dr. Sawyer, who nearly goes mad trying to break down Kris's story and wants to have him committed. Susan and Kris have also become good friends.

When she learns of Kris's plight, she asks Fred to help defend him. The move is seconded by Doris, who is discovering that Fred isn't like the other men she has known. At the sanity hearing Mr. Macy testifies that Kris is Santa Claus. So does the prosecuting attorney's little son. As a clincher Fred manages to get the U.S. Post Office to deliver all its "Dear Santa" letters to the courtroom.

The judge sees his chance to jump from his political hook and accepts the U.S. Government recognition as proof of Kris's claim. Fred has won more than a hearing. He has won a prospective wife and daughter as well. With a tuneful score by Meredith Willson, Here's Love is the perfect family musical for all seasons.

Cast:

10 men, 10 women, chorus - 29 parts, plus 5 to 10 children, 9 principals.

Others are mostly straight roles with some singing. : Large dancing chorus, 7 to 14 memher singing chorus.

Total cast, 36-60.

Musical Numbers:

Arm In Arn
Big Ca-lown Balloons
The Bugle
Expect Things To Happen
Here's Love
Look Little GIrl
Come Take Me Again
My State
My Wish
Nothing In Common
Pine Cones and Holly Berries
The Plastic Alligator
She Hadda Go Back
That Man Over There
You Don't Know

Instrumentation:

Reed 1 (piccolo/flute/alto flute [opt.]/clarinet/alto sax), Reed II (piccolo [opt.]/flute/ clarinet/Eb clarinet [opt]/alto sax), Reed III (oboe [opt]/cor anglais [opt.]/clarinet/tenor sax), Reed I (piccolo [opt.]/flute [opt.]/clarinet/tenor sax), Reed V (clarinet/bass clarinet/alto sax/baritone sax), horn, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 2 percussion, guitar (acoustic/acoustic bass guitar/banjo), piano, celesta, 3 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, double bass

Scenes and Sets:

2 acts, 23 scenes. 6 full stage sets (including 6 drops). 6 partial stage sets. 5 scene drops, large sleigh set piece. Original drops were very simply done-pastel drops with simple suggestion of windows, trees, building outlines, etc.

ACT I

ACT II

Several Weeks later, December 19th.

Period and Costume:

The present: Thanksgiving Day to Christmas Eve.

Santa Claus suits. Army and Marine uniforms, work dresses, overcoats, white parade uniforms with multiple costume accessories to change each into approximately 7 outfits (on the run), white boots, large fur plumes, drum major hats, toy soldier uniforms, white Santa costume, ice-skating outfits with muffs. Marine dress blues, judge robes, current style suits and dresses, mufflers, winter coats, sweaters, policeman, nurse, mailman, and Girl Scout uniforms.

Choreography:

Macy's Parade production numhcr, hoedown steps, modern ballet, waltz, soft shoe steps.

Lighting and Special Effects:

Mostly general lighting. Ten-minute version of Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on stage requires many special effects to convey true spirit of the event. Lights on stage spelling out Macy's and bordering large display window.