Herbert Fields (Book) was a part of a vibrant theatrical family that included his sister Dorothy Fields, a lyricist with a career that spanned more than 45 years; brother Joseph Fields, a prolific librettist and playwright; and their father, Lew Fields, the famous producer, actor and director. Together, Herbert and Dorothy Fields wrote the books for eight Broadway musicals including three with Cole Porter - Something For The Boys, Let’s Face It, and Mexican Hayride; By The Beautiful Sea (Arthur Schwartz); Up In Central Park (Sigmund Romberg); Arms and The Girl (Morton Gould); Redhead (Albert Hague); and Annie Get Your Gun (Irving Berlin). In addition to collaborating with his sister, Herbert Fields wrote seven musicals with Rodgers & Hart including A Connecticut Yankee, Peggy-Ann and Dearest Enemy). He wrote seven with Cole Porter, including Fifty Million Frenchmen, DuBarry was a Lady and Panama Hattie (as well as the three cited above). Among his many collaborators were Vincent Youmans, George & Ira Gershwin, Sigmund Romberg, and Arthur Schwartz.
Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart (Music and Lyrics) initially collaborated when both were students at Columbia University. Their breakthrough came with the 1925 Theatre Guild revue, The Garrick Gaities. Over the next five years, they wrote fifteen musicals for Broadway and the West End before relocating to Hollywood ,where they wrote several movie musicals. In 1935, they returned to Broadway, writing, among others, Dumbo, On Your Toes, Babes in Arms, I’d Rather Be Right, I Married An Angel, The Boys From Syracuse, Higher and Higher, Pal Joey, and By Jupiter. In 1943 Rodgers collaborated with Oscar Hammerstein II on Oklahoma! but resumed his partnership with Hart to revise their 1927 hit A Connecticut Yankee which opened less than a week before Lorenz Hart’s death. For the next two decades, Rodgers collaborated with Oscar Hammerstein on such treasures as Carousel, South Pacific, The King And I and The Sound of Music. After Hammerstein’s death in 1960, Rodgers continued to write for the musical stage; his fortieth and final Broadway musical, I Remember Mama, opened less than eight months before his death on December 30, 1979. In March of 1990, Richard Rodgers was awarded Broadway’s highest accolade when the 46th Street Theatre was renamed in his honor.
Director and Choreographer Thomas Mills
Musical Director, Vocal and Dance Arranger Mark Hartman
With Amy Barker*, Daniel Bogart, Carrie Brewer*, Stephen Carter-Hicks*, Joe Cassidy*, Jeff Croteau, Matt Fansworth*, Andrew Gitzy, Rita Harvey*, Leslie Kritzer*, Julie Price*, Nanne Puritz*, Alan Scott, Celia Tackaberry* and Patrick Tull*
*Denotes member of Actors Equity Association
Producer Mel Miller
Stage Manager Anthony Galluccio
Lighting Lita Riddock
Casting Director Stephen De Angelis
Graphics James Babbin, JB Art & Design, Inc.
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