Barefoot Boy with Cheek

Barefoot Boy with Cheek is a 1947 comedic Broadway musical written by Max Shulman, with music by Sidney Lippman and lyrics by Sylvia Dee.[1] The show, which satirizes college life at the "fictitious" University of Minnesota, is based on Shulman's 1943 novel of the same name.[2] It premiered at the Martin Beck Theatre on April 3, 1947, and closed on July 5 of that year after 108 performances.[1]

Barefoot Boy With Cheek
MusicSidney Lippman
LyricsSylvia Dee
BookMax Shulman
SettingUniversity of Minnesota
BasisBarefoot Boy With Cheek by Max Shulman
PremiereApril 3, 1947: Martin Beck Theatre

Productions

Prior to its staging on Broadway, the show saw out-of-town tryouts in March in New Haven and Boston.[2][3] The show's original act one finale, "Don't Spoil the Party", was cut before its Broadway premiere.[2][4]

For the Broadway production, George Abbott directed and produced, Milton Rosenstock was the music director, Richard Barstow provided choreography, and Jo Mielziner provided set and lighting design.[5]

In 2011 a reading of the show was done at Manhattan Theatre Club's Creative Center as part of UnsungMusicalsCo. Inc's Archival Project. Jenn Colella, Randy Donaldson, Jenny Fellner, Nick Gaswirth, Drew Gehling, Anne Horak, Robert Lenzi, Sarah Litzsinger, Nora Mae Lyng, Rye Mullis, Greg Reuter, and Max von Essen participated in the reading. The libretto remained almost entirely original, and included "Don't Spoil the Party" in its original placement at the end of act one.[4]

Cast
1947 Broadway[1]
Roger Hailfellow Jack Williams
Shyster Fiscal Red Buttons
Van Varsity Ben Murphy
Charlie Convertible Loren Welch
Freshman Patrick Kingdon
Asa Hearthrug Billy Redfield
Eino Fflliikkiinnenn Benjamin Miller
Noblese Oblige Billie Lou Watt
Clothilde Pfefferkorn Ellen Hanley
Yetta Samovar Nancy Walker
Professor Schultz Philip Coolidge
Peggy Hepp Shirley Van
Kermit McDermott Jerry Austen
Boris Fiveyearplan Solen Burry

Songs

Act l
  • A Toast to Alpha Cholera
  • We Feel Our Man Is Definitely You
  • The Legendary Eino Fflliikkiinnenn
  • Too Nice a Day to Go to School
  • I Knew I'd Know
  • I'll Turn a Little Cog
  • Who Do You Think You Are?
  • Everything Leads Right Back to Love
  • Little Yetta's Gonna Get a Man
  • Alice in Boogieland

Act ll
  • After Graduation Day
  • There's Lots of Things You Can Do With Two (But Not With Three)
  • The Story of Carrot
  • When You Are Eighteen
  • Star of the North Star State
  • Reprise: I Knew I'd Know
  • It Couldn't Be Done (But We Did It)[1]

Reception

The show received positive reviews before its transfer to Broadway, but New York theater critics were less enamored with the show.[6][7] Audiences, however, seemed to enjoy the production. The show's first full week of performances resulted in a $34,232 box office gross, the highest in the theater's history.[2]

References
  1. "Barefoot Boy with Cheek (Broadway, Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 1947)". Playbill. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  2. West, Ben (23 May 2013). "Musical of the Month: Barefoot Boy With Cheek". The New York Public Library. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  3. Suskin, Steven (2011). The sound of Broadway music : a book of orchestrators and orchestrations. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-979084-5. OCLC 700406779.
  4. Gans, Andrew (14 January 2011). "Barefoot Boy With Cheek Reading, with Jenn Colella, Drew Gehling, Max Von Essen, Offered Jan. 14". Playbill. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  5. "Barefoot Boy With Cheek - 1947 Broadway - Creative Team". www.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  6. Atkinson, Brooks (1947-04-04). "THE NEW PLAY: 'BAREFOOT BOY WITH CHEEK'; Abbott's Musical Comedy at the Martin Beck Seen as Another Class Reunion on a Dear Old College Campus". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  7. Golly, Sidney (15 March 1947). "Out-of-Town Opening: Barefoot Boy With Cheek". The Billboard (11): 40. ISSN 0006-2510.
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