Shows G

YANKY DOODLE DANDY also known as GEORGE M! Music and lyrics by George M. Cohan : Book by Michael Stewart and John & Fran Pascal : Lyrics and musical revisions by Mary Cohan Produced on Broadway by David Black, Konrad Matthael and Lorin E. Price Directed and choreographed for Broadway by Joe Layton Palace Theatre, Broadway - 10 April, 1968 (435 perfs) STORY Jerry Cohan learns of the birth of his son while on a vaudeville stage in Providence, Rhode Island. Years later we find the four Cohans in Cedar Rapids working their way towards Broadway. Finally there is the big break - vaudeville impresario E.F. Albee will see their act. Albee wants only sister Josie, but relents and agrees to use the whole act for an out-of-town circuit. George blurts out, "It's Broadway or nothing!" Blowing their chance the Cohans move to New York to try to make their way on their own. In the process of building a name, George meets Ethel Levy. During the period of their courtship, the four Cohans and Ethel achieve fame. She and George are married. Not satisfied with vaudeville success, George seeks a new form of entertainment. He writes his first musical comedy but it turns out to be a flop. Undaunted, he starts to produce Little Johnny Jones. Auditions are held, numbers run through, scenery built all of which climaxes in the full productions of Give My Regards To Broadway. George M. Cohan has his first hit. Now a success on Broadway, George and his partner, Sam Harris, seek to become the kings of Broadway. They sign the biggest star of the day, Fay Templeton, to appear in their show. George is now on top but wife Ethel feels totally neglected and the two are divorced. This event has a tremendous effect of George's ego, Later he runs into Agnes Nolan from the cast of Little Johnny Jones and confides his troubles to her. Soon after this meeting, she becomes the second Mrs Cohan. Together with Agnes, George writes some of his more enduring work, "Yankee Doodle Dandee", "Nellie Kelly", "Harrigan", "Over There" and "You're A Grand Old Flag". But then things begin to happen to the people that George has held most dear. His father has died; his sister Josie has married and left the theatre, and the actors, whom he has always paid more than any other producer, have voted in Actors' Equity and are presenting their "demands". Rather than recognise the union, he declares he will write no more shows. With the success of the union George retires from the Broadway scene. True to life, however, George comes out of retirement in the 1930s to help his friend Sam Harris by starring in a new show, I'd Rather Be Right. Things have changed, and George is forced to eat humble pie by taking orders instead of giving them. George confides to Agnes that he us a but shaken by the experience but is happy in one fact - he is on Broadway again. MUSICAL NUMBERS: 1. All Aboard For Broadway 2. All In the Wearing 3. All Our Friends 4. The American Ragtime In his lifetime George Michael Cohan was THE great towering giant of the American musical theatre and George M! is his story. It is colourful, exciting and, above all, fast moving as any show needs to be to cover the hectic 60 year career of this amazing performer.

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