Written 

by

Mark A. Ridge


Music and Lyrics
Written by

Nora Bayes, Irving Berlin, N.J. Clesi, Walter Donaldson, Ray Eagan,

Fred Fisher, Lemuel Fowler, Joe Goodwin, James E. Hanley,

Clarence Jennings, Howard Johnson, Geo. Landis, Sam M. Lewis, J.P. Long,

Roy Marsh, Billy McCabe, Stanley Murphy, Jack Norworth,

Mitchell Parish, Paul Pelham, Maceo Pinkard, Tom Pitts, Mark A. Ridge

J. Russel Robinson, Howard Rogers, Fred Rose, Jimmy Selby,

Al Siegel, Andrew V. Souders, Harry D. Squires, Roy Turk, Harry Von Tilzer,

Paul Whiteman, Eleanor Young and Joe Young


Original Music & Lyrics are all in the public domain.


Orchestrations

by

Donny Walker


Music, Revised Lyrics and Orchestrations

© Mark A. Ridge

All Rights Reserved

It takes balls to be

      a leading lady !

CAST OF CHARACTERS

43rd Street is a musical parody that pays homage to many classic Broadway and Hollywood musicals, and pokes fun at the persona of screen legend Joan Crawford. Utilizing updated and re-worked songs from some of Tin Pan Alley’s greatest composers, it’s the ultimate backstage musical.


43rd Street draws a lot of energy from the staples of the traditional drag show: mockery of “traditional” values, camp humor, references to popular culture, and winks and nods at the audience. There is also an attitude of fringe in the script, but where many fringe shows seek to alienate older adults, it still reaches out to fans of classic cinema and early jazz music.


For the person with a keen knowledge of the genre, there are over one hundred and fifty musicals referenced in the script, and a large portion of the dialogue is composed of show-tune lyrics.


43rd Street is a two act musical that requires fourteen actors, has minimal set requirements, and has been described as “An odd cross between a John Waters film and the Carol Burnett show.”

*Should be played a male actor in drag.


With the exception of Grandma and Tennie, the other roles do not have to be double cast.  


If desired, additional chorus members may be added.

Demo Recording Company

Vocals:

Jodi Ewen, Will Wilhelm, Marty Grubbs,

Bree Gordon, Panagiota Valkanas,

Chad Gearig-Howe, 

Stephanie Hansen and Mike Pope, 


Musicians:

Justin Harner, Donny Walker

THIS SHOW IS A WORK IN PROGRESS

WITH DOUBLING, 43RD STREET REQUIRES 14 ACTORS

4F, 10M

A NOTE ABOUT THE DEMO RECORDINGS .

The demo recordings were recorded in Chicago by a volunteer cast and crew.  They were basically done cold, with no rehearsals and in one take.  They are very rough.   Some vocals have been layered over the computer generated orchestra.  The volume and tempos do not always match.  In addition, they were done early in the process and some lyrics and roles have been changed.  Recordings are not available for several of the songs, but the demo samples give a general idea of the tunes.

One of my favorite possessions . . . 

Our fundraising campaign is no longer active, but we are still working on the show.  Creating a musical is an expensive endeavor.  In the future, we are hoping to return to the recording studio to create more complete demos.  If you would like to make a donation, please contact me .  Thanks!

BETSY: A young, perky, ambitious but slightly naïve girl. 

KATHIE: A very pregnant, indentured singer with an amazing voice.

*PENNY: Joan Crawford as her character from the film Torch Song.

JEFFERSON: The world’s greatest director.

DICK: A young, handsome, multi-talented Broadway actor.

SKIP: The choreographer and assistant director.

PETER: A young, attractive chorus boy.

FILMORE: A young, handsome, physical fitness entrepreneur.

FANNY: A chorus girl who rarely says “No.”

BANKS: A powerful banker and backer of Broadway shows.


*GRANDMA: Betsy’s sweet grandmother. **

*TEENIE: Penny’s maid who yearns for more


HARRY: A young, attractive chorus boy.

A DIRECTOR IN INDIANA: A Midwestern Theatre Director


THE ACTOR: A theatre veteran.

GABE: A powerful businessman and womanizing Broadway Angel


MONA: A chorus girl who is far from the brightest bulb on Broadway.

DR. BROCKTON: Jefferson’s doctor.

( 1)     THEY ALWAYS PICK ON ME

( 0)     OVERTURE

( 2)     THERE'S A BROKEN HEART FOR EVERY LIGHT ON BROADWAY

( 3)     I CAN ALWAYS FIND A LITTLE SUNSHINE

( 4)     I CAN ALWAYS FIND A LITTLE SUNSHINE REPRISE

( 5)     SHE'S A BIG STAR

( 6)     YOU'RE JUST THE TYPE FOR A BUNGALOW

( 7)     I NEVER KNEW I COULD LOVE ANYBODY

( 9)     A LITTLE KIND TREATMENT

(10)     TURN OUT YOUR LIGHT MR. MOONMAN

(11)     ALL BY MYSELF

(12)     MAMA WHIP!  MAMA SPANK!

(13)     I'LL MAKE YOU WANT ME

(14)     GEE! BUT I HATE TO GO HOME ALONE

(16)     YOU THINK HE'S YOUR MAN

(18)     I'VE GOT THE BLUES BUT I'M JUST TOO MEAN TO CRY

(19)     DON'T BRING ME PANSIES

(20)     CRY BABY BLUES

(21)     SWEET INDIANA HOME

(22)     TAP THAT!

(23-23)     43RD STREET AND REPRISE