Good News, by Henderson, DeSylva and Brown, takes us back to the ingenuousness of the 1920s on college campuses (and on Broadway). Footballmad Tait College’s star is flunking astronomy until he falls for his tutor. A two-year run was followed by a hit movie. Songs include: "The Best Things in Life are Free," " Good News," "Lucky in Love," "The Varsity Drag," and "Just Imagine."
Libretto by Laurence Schwab and B.G. DeSylva
Music by Ray Henderson
Lyrics by B.G. DeSylva and Lew Brown
DeSylva, Brown and Henderson combined for the first time to write "It All Depends on You" for Al Jolson (in Big Boy, 1925); the first of several George White’s Scandals of 1926 (“The Birth of the Blues,” “The Black Bottom”); Manhattan Mary; Hold Everything! (“You’re the Cream in My Coffee”); Follow Thru (“Button Up Your Overcoat”); and Flying High. After working in Hollywood, the trio broke up when B.G. DeSylva became a film executive. The remaining duo returned to Broadway to write Hot-Cha, Strike Me Pink, and Say When. Their partnership was celebrated in the 1957 biopic The Best Things in Life Are Free.
Laurence Schwab wrote Sweet Little Devil (music by George Gershwin, 1924); Queen High; The New Moon (music by Sigmund Romberg, 1928), and produced America’s Sweetheart, as well as Good News.
Directed and Choreographed by Thomas Mills
Music Director, Vocal Arranger Rick Hip-Flores
Producer Mel Miller
With Selby Brown*, Ryan Dunkin, Leo Ash Evens*, Katy Frame, Ben Franklin*, Adam MacDonald*, Missy Matherne*, Patrick Maubert,Erik McEwen*, Emily Mixon, Noel Molinelli*, Jonathan Osborne*, Annie Ramsey*, Roger Rifkin*, Sandie Rosa, Adam Shonkwiler*, Tad Wilson*, and Dana Zihlman*
* Denotes Actors Equity Member
Scenes and Musical Numbers
Tait College
ACT I
Scene 1: The Campus
Opening Chorus - Ensemble
He’s a Ladies’ Man - Flo
Flaming Youth - Babe, Millie, Flo, Slats, Windy
Happy Days - Tom, Men
Just Imagine - Connie, Pat, Millie
The Best Things in Life are Free - Tom, Connie
Scene 2: Men’s Dormitory - Tom and Bobby’s Room
On the Campus - Flo, Millie, Windy, Sylvester
Scene 3: Outside Tait Hall
Tait School Song - George
The Varsity Drag - Flo, Millie, Windy, Sylvester
Baby! What! - Bobby, Babe
Lucky in Love - Tom, Connie
Tait School Song - Kearney, George, Johnson, Ensemble
Ladies Man - Tom, Pat, Bobby, Connie
Lucky in Love (reprise) - Tom, Pat, Bobby, Connie
ACT II
Scene 1: The Pi Beta Phi Sorority House
The Girl of Pi Beta Phi - Pat
Today’s the Day - Ensemble
After Commencement - Pete, Ben, Jim
(add’l music - Rick Hip-Flores)
In the Meantime - Bobby, Babe
Good News - Flo
Scene 2: Tait Stadium
Scene 3: The Locker Room at Tait Stadium
Tait School Song - Ensemble
Scene 4: Outside the Stadium, Looking Through a Knot-Hole
Good News (reprise) - Flo, Ensemble
The Best Things in Life are Free - Tom, Connie
Scene 5: School Dance
Varsity Drag - Ensemble
Good News (reprise) - Company
|
