The Robber Bridegroom
A country-folk musical in 1 act: Music by Robert Waldman: Book and Lyrics by Alfred Uhry: Adapted from the novella by Eudora Welty
Harkness Theatre, New York, 7 October, 1975 (15 perfs); Revived at the Biltmore Theatre, Broadway - 9 October, 1976 (145 perfs)
A folk legend from Mississippi involving the romantic 'Robin Hood-like' figure Jamie who saves Clemment Musgrove (the richest planter in the county) from the Harp gang and pursues and wins his daughter, the 'moon-sizzling' Rosamund. A rollicking, riotous romp from America's early history.
STORY
To the sound of a country string band, the legendary characters of the Mississippi Territory are introduced. As the story begins a rich planter, Clemment Musgrove, is looking for an inn in the wild river town of Rodneys Landing. Jamie Lockhart, a gentleman robber, plans to relieve Musgrove of his treasure. Unfortunately, the wily Harp Gang is planning to do the same thing. The Harp Gang consists of Little Harp, the head of his brother, Big Harp and a talking Raven. Jamie Lockhart succeeds in getting rid of the Harps and gaining Musgrove's trust. He explains his methods of stealing with style.
Meantime, Musgrove's beautiful daughter Rosamund is daydreaming of love and fairy tales. Rosamund is despised by her jealous stepmother, Salome. Salome hires the local simpleton, Goat, to push Rosamund into a ravine while she is gathering herbs. Unaware of this impending disaster, Rosamund wanders through the woods complaining of the lack of excitement in her life. She meets up with Jamie Lockhart, disguised as the Bandit of the Woods. He steals her clothes. Both Rosamund and Jamie have been so taken by their first meeting that both come to the same spot the next morning in the hopes of finding one another again.
Clement Musgrove, meanwhile, has invited Jamie to dinner. Rosamund becomes totally dishevelled in preparation for the dinner and the two lovers do not recognise each other. The dinner is a shambles; Musgrove is trying to marry off his daughter, Jamie is trying to catalogue the household treasures, Salome has her own designs on Jamie and Rosamund is trying to look as unattractive a possible. Jamie leaves, vaguely promising to rescue Rosamund from the fiend in the woods and marry her, but he can't forget the girl he met in the woods. Rosamund sneaks away to her bandit's house. She arrives and settles in, but only after Jamie explains his unorthodox style of lovemaking to the audience.
Meanwhile, Goat is still looking for Rosamund. He meets up with Little Harp, who is also dying to get his hands on the girl. Salome figures out where Rosamund is and makes her way to Jamie's cabin. She tricks Rosamund into going out to gather the ingredients of a berry stain remover. Rosamund returns with her stain remover and sings Jamie to sleep while she applies it. Jamie and Rosamund each discover the other's true identity. This leads to an argument. They separate and then wander up and down the Natchez Trail trying to find each other.
Enormously pregnant, Rosamund hears Jamie is running a dry goods store in New Orleans and the company helps her get there. Rosamund bears twins, Clementine and Jamie, Junior and finally finds Jamie in New Orleans. All ends happily with a wedding.
Musical Numbers:
Harkness Theatre Production
- With Style - Jamie Lockhart, Company
- The Real Mike Fink - Jamie Lockhart, Clemment Musgrove, Mike Fink
- The Pricklepear Bloom - Salome
- Nothin' Up - Rosamund
- Deeper in the Woods - Company
- Riches - Clemment Musgrove, Jamie Lockhart, Salome, Rosamund
- Love Stolen - Jamie Lockhart
- Poor Tied Up Darlin' - Little Harp, Goat
- Goodbye Salome - The Company
- Sleepy Man - Rosamund
Biltmore Theatre Production
- Once Upon the Natchez Trail - The Company
- Suddenly the Day Looks Sunny - Jamie Lockhart
- Two Heads - Big Harp, Little Harp
- (Steal) With Style - Jamie Lockhart
- Rosamund's Dream - Rosamund
- The Pricklepear Bloom - Salome
- Nothin' Up - Rosamund
- Deeper in the Woods - Company
- Riches - Clemment Musgrove, Jamie Lockhart, Salome, Rosamund
- Little Pieces of Sugar Cane - Jamie Lockhart, Company
- Love Stolen - Jamie Lockhart
- Poor Tied Up Darlin' - Little Harp, Goat
- Mean As a Snake - A Raven
- Goodbye Salome - The Company
- Sleepy Man - Rosamund
- Where, Oh Where (Is My Baby Darlin'?) - Jamie Lockhart, Clemment Musgrove, Rosamund
- Pass Her Along - The Company
- Finale - Jamie Lockhart, Company
Principals:
5 Male, 4 Female.
Jamie Lockhart - a robber
Mike Fink - a flatboatman
Clemment Musgrove - a rich planter
Goat - a simpleton
Little Harp - a robber
Big Harp - the head of the robbers
Kyle Nunnery, Tom Playmale, Billy Brenner, John Oglesby, Ernie Summers, Herman McLaughlin - neighbours
Salome - Musgrove's second wife
Rosamund - Musgrove's daughter
Goat's Mother
Airie - Goat's sister
Raven
Queenie Sue Stevens
The Fiddler
Discography:Original Broadway Cast starring Barry Bostwick, Rhonda Coullet & Barbara Lang - CBS P 14589 |
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