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Johnny Johnson

A Legend (Play) with Music in 3 Acts, 13 Scenes. Play (book, lyrics) by Paul Green. Music by Kurt Weill.

Staged by Lee Strasberg. Musical director, Lehman Engel. Orchestrations by Kurt Weill.

44th Street Theatre, New York - Opened 19th November, 1936; closed 16th January, 1937 (68 perfs)

Synopsis

Based on Jaroslav Hasek's satiric novel The Good Soldier Švejk, it focusses on a naïve and idealistic young man who, despite his pacifist views, leaves his sweetheart Minny Belle Tompkins, to fight in Europe in World War I. He manages to bring the skirmish to a temporary halt by incapacitating a meeting of the generals with laughing gas, but once they recover he finds himself committed to an asylum for ten years. He returns home to discover Minny Belle has married a capitalist. He settles down as a toymaker who will create anything except tin soldiers, his personal gesture of peace in an increasingly warlike society.

Cast (in order of speaking):

  • The Mayor
  • The Editor
  • 'Whiny' BelleTompkins
  • Grandpa Joe
  • A Photographer
  • A Boy
  • Johnny Johnson
  • Anguish Newington
  • Aggie Tompkins
  • Captain Valentine
  • Dr. McBray
  • Private Patrick O'Day
  • Sergeant Jackson
  • A Camp Doll
  • Corporal George
  • Private Fairfax
  • Private Goldberger
  • Private Harwood
  • Private Kearns
  • Private Svenson
  • A West Point Lieutenant
  • An English Sergeant
  • Johann Lang
  • A French Nurse
  • An Orderly
  • A Doctor
  • A Sister from the O.D.S.D.L.D
  • Chief of the Allied High Command
  • His Majesty, a King
  • Belgian Major-General
  • British Connnander-in-Chief
  • A French Major-General
  • French Premier
  • American Commander-in-Chief
  • Scottish Colonel
  • A Liaison Office
  • American Priest
  • German Priest
  • Military Policeman
  • Dr. Mahodan
  • His Secretary
  • Dr. Frewd
  • Brother Thomas
  • Brother Claude
  • Brother George
  • Brother William
  • Brother Hiram
  • Brother Jim
  • Brother Theodore
  • Brother Henry
  • A Doctor
  • An Attendant
  • Anguish Newington, Jr.
  • Soldiers

Scenes and Settings

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Musical Numbers

  1. Over in Europe - The Mayor, Villagers
  2. Democracy's Call - Whiny Belle Tompkins, The Mayor, Villagers
  3. Up Chickamauga Hill - Grandpa Joe
  4. Johnny's Melody - Johnny Johnson
  5. Aggie's Sewing Machine Song - Aggie Tompkins
  6. O, Heart of Love - Whiny BelleTompkins
  7. Farewell, Goodbye - Whiny Belle Tompkins
  8. Captain Valentine's Tango - Captain Valentine
  9. Song of the Goddess - Johnny Johnson
  10. Song of the Wounded Frenchmen - Soldiers
  11. Tea Song - Sergeant Jackson, English Soldiers
  12. Cowboy Song (Oh, the Rio Grande) - Private Harwood
  13. Johnny's Dream - Whiny BelleTompkins
  14. Song of the Guns - Soldiers
  15. Music of the Stricken Redeemer - Orchestra
  16. Mon Ami, My Friend - French Nurse
  17. The Allied High Command - Chief of the Allied High Command, Belgian Major-General:, British Commander-in-Chief, A French Major-General, American Commander-in-Chief
  18. The Laughing Generals - His Majesty a King, Chief of the Allied High Command, Belgian Major-General, British Commander-in-Chief, A French Major-General, American Commander-in-Chief
  19. The Battle (No Man's Land) - Orchestra
  20. In Times of War and Tumults - Jack Saltzman, German Priest
  21. Johnny's Arrest and Homecoming - Orchestra
  22. The Psychiatry Song - Dr. Mahodan
  23. How Sweetly Friendship Binds - Brother Thomas, Brother Claude, Brother George, Brother William, Brother Hiram, Brother Jim, Brother Theodore, Brother Henry
  24. Hymn to Peace - Brother Thomas, Brother Claude, Brother George, Brother William, Brother Hiram, Brother Jim, Brother Theodore, Brother Henry
  25. Johnny's Song (Listen to My Song) - Johnny Johnson