I Married an Angel
A Musical Comedy in 2 Acts, 11 Scenes.
Book by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart adapated from the Hungarian musical play "Angyalt vettem feleségül" by János Vaszary. Music by Richard Rodgers. Lyrics by Lorenz Hart.
Staged by Joshua Logan. Settings by Jo Mielziner. Choreography by George Balanchine.
Sam S. Shubert Theatre, New York - Opened 11th May, 1938; closed 25th February 1939 (338 perfs)
Synopsis:
The story has as its hero a banker and ladies' man, Willie Palaffi. His bank is in trouble and so is his courtship of Anna. In a rash moment Willie breaks off the affair and swears that he will marry no one but an angel. When the gods wish to punish they answer - and an angel flies into Willie's rooms. He marries her and promptly clips her wings. But the gods above are snickering. Her open angelic ways cause endless embarrassment until Willie's sister, the Countess Palaffi, indoctrinates her brother's angel in the ways of the world. A vengeful Anna spreads tales about the bank's problems. But Willie's backer, Harry, arrives to save the day. Even his arrival would have been too late had not the Countess again stepped in to help. She bribes the cab drivers who are bringing the creditors to drive so slowly that the creditors appear only after Harry and Willie have agreed terms.
(Story condensed from "A Chronicle of American Theatre" by Gerald Boardman ISBN 0-19-502356-0
Musical Numbers:
- Did You Ever Get Stung? - Count Willy Palaffi, Countess Peggy Palaffi, Peter Müller
- I Married an Angel - Count Willy Palaffi
- Musical Interlude — The Modiste - Count Willy Palaffi, Angel, Modiste, 1st Vendeuse, 2nd Vendeuse
- Honeymoon Ballet - Angel, Count Willy Palaffi, 1st Dancer, Corps de Ballet
- I'll Tell the Man in the Street - Countess Peggy Palaffi, Harry Mischka Szigetti
- How to Win Friends and Influence People - Anna Murphy, Peter Müller, Ensemble
- Finale Act I - Count Willy Palaffi, Countess Peggy Palaffi, Angel
- Spring Is Here - Count Willy Palaffi, Countess Peggy Palaffi
- Musical Interlude — Angel Without Wings - Angel, Lucinda, 1st Vendeuse, 2nd Vendeuse, 1st Stenographer, 2nd Stenographer, Arabella, Florabella
- A Twinkle in Your Eye - Countess Peggy Palaffi
- I'll Tell the Man in the Street (reprise) - Harry Mischka Szigetti
- At the Roxy Music Hall - Anna Murphy
- Roxy's Music Hall - Danced by Cast, Ensemble
- Finale - Act II -
Entire Company
Cast:
(in order of appearance):
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Ladies of the Ballet: Gentlemen of the Ballet:
Scenes and Settings:
Act I
- Scene 1: Willy's Salon, a spring evening.
- Scene 2: Willy's Study, later that evening.
- Scene 3: Bedroom in a Paris Hotel. The Next evening, the next morning.
- Scene 4: Honeymoon Ballet.
- Scene 5: Willy's Study, noon, one month later.
- Scene 6: Willy's Salon, immediately after.
Act 2
- Scene 1: Palaffi's Brothers' Bank, five minutes to four that afternoon.
- Scene 2: Angel's Boudoir, that evening.
- Scene 3: Harry's Salon, later that evening.
- Scene 4: Dream of Roxy's Music Hall.
- Scene 5: Harry's Salon, six o'clock the next morning.