Lady in the Dark (1940)

Musical play in two acts.
Book by Moss Hart. Lyrics by Ira Gershwin.

Synopsis
Song List
Performance Information
Principal Productions
Recordings

Scene photo from original production

Maggie Grant (Margaret Dale), Russell Paxton (Danny Kaye),
and Liza Elliott (Gertrude Lawrence), New York, 1941.

Synopsis

A play of psychoanalysis. Liza Elliott, the protagonist, is an extremely successful editor of a fashion magazine, and several desirable men want to marry her, but she is miserable. She goes to a psychiatrist, who delves into her feelings by way of her dreams. She recounts three dreams (which are actually extended musical sequences)--of glamor, of marriage, and finally a manic trial scene in which she is forced to defend herself against the charge that she refuses to make up her mind. Finally the analyst explains that her feelings toward her mother are the root of her problem, and they are symbolized by a childhood song which haunts her, but which she is unable to remember in full. She comes to terms with her memories, remembers the song, and realizes that the man she really wants is the magazine's advertising manager, who had not previously been a candidate.

Song list

Glamour Dream
Oh Fabulous One
Huxley
One Life to Live
The Girl of the Moment
Wedding Dream
Mapleton High Chorale
This is New
The Princess of Pure Delight
Circus Dream
The Greatest Show on Earth
Dance of the Tumblers
The Best Years of His Life
Tschaikowsky
The Saga of Jenny
Childhood Dream
My Ship

Performance Information

Cast: Singing roles -- Liza Elliott (soprano), Miss Foster, as Sutton in Dream 1 (mezzo-soprano), Russell Paxton, as Beekman in Dream 1, as Ringmaster in Dream 3 (baritone), Kendall Nesbitt, as Pierre in Dream 1, as Witness in Dream 3, Charley Johnson, as Marine in Dream 1, as Jewelry Salesman/Minister in Dream 2, as Prosecuting Attorney in Dream 3 (baritone), Randy Curtis, as Defense Attorney in Dream 3 (baritone), ensemble.
Speaking roles -- Dr. Brooks, Miss Bowers, Miss Stevens, Maggie Grant, Alison Du Bois, office boys, models, children, dancers.
Orchestra: fl (picc), Reed 1 (cl, alto sax), Reed 2 (cl, bass cl, alto sax, bar. sax), Reed 3 (cl, ten. sax, ob); 3 tpt, 1 tbn; Hammond organ, piano, timp & perc; strings (without violas).
Duration: full evening, 65 minutes music
Published Editions: piano-vocal score, Chappell Music Company/Hal Leonard HL00312238
Performance Rights and Rentals: All territories: RH
Authorized Translations: German -- Marianne Schubart & Karl Vibach; Maria Teichs

Guide to orchestration, territory abbreviations, and publishers' symbols.

Principal productions

January 23, 1941, New York, Alvin Theater, Moss Hart, dir., Maurice Abravanel, cond.
May 24, 1951, Kassel, Paul Ross, dir., Willy Krauss, cond. (in German)
September 11, 1976, Lübeck, Bühne der Hansestadt, Karl Vibach, dir., Wolfgang Peters, cond. (in German)
December 28, 1989, Chicago, Light Opera Works, Peter Amster, dir., Edward Zelnis, cond.
May 5, 1994, New York, Encores!, Larry Carpenter, dir., Rob Fisher, cond. (semi-staged performance)
March 30, 1996, Tokyo (and other cities), Tokyo Art Sphere (in Japanese)
March 11, 1997, London, Royal National Theatre, Francesca Zambello, dir., Mark Dorrell, cond.
September 29, 2001, Philadelphia, Prince Music Theater, Ted Sperling, dir., Rob Berman, cond.

Recordings

AEI 1146 CD reissue: AEI-CD003	Gertrude Lawrence, MacDonald Carey, Maurice Abravanel, cond. [excerpts]
CBS MK 44689 CD reissue: Sony MHK 62869	Risë Stevens, Adolph Green, Lehman Engel, cond. (CD reissue includes bonus tracks featuring Danny Kaye's recordings from 1941)
AEI CD 041	Ann Sothern, Carleton Carpenter, James Daly, Shepperd Strudwick (recorded from kinescope of television version; includes numbers not taken from the Broadway production or from original LP issue; bonus tracks feature Gertrude Lawrence's recordings from 1941)
Sepia CD 1052	Ann Sothern, Carleton Carpenter, James Daly, Shepperd Strudwick (television version; re-issue of LP recording, RCA Victor LM-1882)
JAY CDJAY 1278	Maria Friedman, James Dreyfus, Paul Shelley, and other members of the London cast, Mark W. Dorrell, conductor (complete score)
Prism CD PLATCD 999	reissue of 1941 recordings by Gertrude Lawrence and Danny Kaye ("The Broadway Musicals Series")

Also see Symphonic Nocturne from Lady in the Dark.