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Smile

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A Musical in 2 Acts. Book and lyrics by Howard Ashman. Based on the film of the same name with screenplay by Jerry Belson. Music by Marvin Hamlisch.

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Broadway - Opened 24 November 1986; closed 3 January 1987 (11 previews, 48 performances)

Synopsis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - (Incomplete)

Smile opens with all the contestants packing to leave for Santa Rosa, where the pageant is held. At orientation, Brenda tells the girls what to expect during the upcoming week. The story switches over to the dorms where we meet Maria and Shawn, and Doria and Robin. Doria explains to Robin about the pageant and what happens while Robin writes a postcard to her Mom. Doria then remembers seeing her first pageant in Disneyland and how one day she'll be there.

We then meet Little Bob Freelander, who wants to sneak into the dorms and take pictures of the girls while they're in the showers. The next day, the girls begin learning their dance routines under Tommy French. This song follows the typical day before the pageant. The girls learn to dance, while Brenda takes a few girls to speak at luncheons for the Elks, Lions Club, and Rotarians. At the end of the day, Brenda is determined to do better than she did eighteen years ago, and have everything go perfectly; the girls have finally learned the dance.

Robin, who has no experience in pageants, is worn out and wants to leave. Meanwhile, Shawn has become angry that the judges like Maria's talent of cooking. Shawn wants to have Maria taken out of competition. The scene changes to Big Bob talking to the other judges. He warns them to look beyond the appearance of the girls and look at their hearts, and how the world never does this. Freddy and Little Bob are seen sneaking around that night. They plan on getting pictures of the girls that night. The scene changes to the next morning. Brenda is giving the girls their daily schedule, while they recover from the previous workout.

Musical Numbers (Broadway Production)

  1. Prologue - The Contestants
  2. Orientation/Postcard #1 - Brenda, Robin, Contestants
  3. Disneyland - Doria
  4. Shine - The Contestants, Tommy, Brenda
  5. Postcard #2 - Robin
  6. Nerves - The Contestants
  7. Young and American (Preliminary Night) - The Contestants
  8. Until Tomorrow Night - The Contestants, Brenda, Big Bob
  9. Postcard #3/Dressing Room Scene - Robin, Doria, Ted, Contestants
  10. Smile - Ted, Contestants
  11. In Our Hands - The Contestants
  12. Pretty as a Picture - Ted, Big Bob, Robin, Contestants

After the Broadway production, Howard Ashman and Marvin Hamlisch revised the show for stock production. Among book changes include the change of Shawn's roommate from Connie-Sue to Maria, and the addition of some material for Bob. The score got more of a revision, gaining a completely re-structured opening number (though retaining most of the original melody and words), a new song for Brenda (Very Best Week of Your Lives) that completely replaced the Orientation Sequence musically, a new song for Bob (Bob's Song), a new number for the winner of the pageant (There Goes the Girl) and perhaps most notably, a completely new melody and lyric set for Robin's letters home and a slight decrease in the time given to them. The ending was also re-worked giving Bob a significant musical section new to the revised version.

Songs (Licensed Version)

  1. Overture
  2. Opening - Typical High School Senior
  3. The Very Best Week Of Your Lives
  4. Dear Mom #1
  5. Disneyland
  6. Shine
  7. Dear Mom #2
  8. Bob's Song
  9. Nerves
  10. The Ramp Scene
  11. Young And American (Preliminary Night)
  12. Until Tomorrow Night
  13. Entr'acte
  14. Opening - Act Two
  15. Smile
  16. We Wish We Were You
  17. In Our Hands
  18. There Goes The Girl
  19. Finale

Cast

Scenes and settings

Instrumentation