Full Evening, 70 minutes music
19 October 1938, New York, Ethel Barrymore Theater, Josh Logan, dir., Maurice Abravanel, cond. (168 performances)
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Final chorus sung by Walter Huston, 1938
In 1809, Washington Irving hopes to create an enduring work that will augur a new American literature. He decides to write a history of the original Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam ().
As Irving looks on, the scene shifts to Manhattan, 1647. Dutch maidens swab the pier (), and the town council (), headed by Tienhoven, sights the ship carrying their new Governor, Peter Stuyvesant. To honor him and prove they are diligent public servants–though they admit to under-the-table dealings ()–the council members decide to hang a convict. But there are no prisoners; they have all escaped.
Now Irving decides on a commoner, Brom Broeck, as his hero. Brom hopes to marry Tina, Tienhoven’s daughter, but wants to be more respectable first (). He admits that he is incapable of taking orders, which means he can’t tolerate bosses or officials. He and Tina still love each other anyway (). The council enters, still seeking a victim. Brom accuses Tienhoven of selling brandy and firearms to the Indians–a hanging offense. Irving intervenes and tells Brom to disregard the facts so that he won’t have to report such disagreeable charges to his latter-day readers. But he and Brom agree that an inability to take orders combined with a hatred of corruption add up to a working definition of an American ().
The council votes to hang Brom. Tina protests as they tie him up (). Brom tricks the council into putting the noose around his belly, not his neck. They hoist him just as Stuyvesant makes his entrance. Impressed by Brom’s ingenuity, Stuyvesant pardons him. The governor promises democratic reform, which proves indistinguishable from tyranny (), but the crowd cheers. Stuyvesant confronts Tienhoven with his crimes, but notes that he will be useful when the government takes over the sale of contraband to the Indians (). Then Tienhoven announces that Tina will marry Stuyvesant. Tina objects furiously to the arranged marriage () and pleads for time. But Stuyvesant wants to marry the next day, since he is getting old and doesn’t have the luxury of waiting (), and he persuades her. Stuyvesant detects Brom’s resistance and throws him in jail, ordering the crowd to sing and rejoice ().
Observing Brom in his jail cell, Washington Irving notes the irony that the real crooks are all on the outside (). Tina comes to return Brom’s ring. Then Stuyvesant enters and tells Brom that he ought to write a jailhouse book, like Bunyan and Cervantes (). When Stuyvesant leaves, Tina tries to sneak into the cell past the jailer, but as Brom and the jailer engage in a tug of war over her, her skirts are ripped off. They resolve to escape together, but the jailer foils them. Tienhoven reminds Tina she must wed Stuyvesant; if she resists, Brom will be hanged. Tina and Brom lament their fate ().
Irving sets the next scene (“There’s Nowhere to Go But Up!” reprise), and the newly mustered army marches in (). Stuyvesant orders the council to reorganize the colony’s economy; for the first time the council members object to his tyrannical plans, but only after he exits (). The betrothal ceremony proceeds () as Stuyvesant makes Tina recite his list of rules for wives. He is not alarmed that Tina was seen without her skirt in Brom’s cell the previous night ().
Suddenly shots ring out: Brom and his friend Tenpin enter, fleeing the Indians who have burned down the jail (“The Algonquins from Harlem” dance). The council members retreat, but Stuyvesant and Brom stand and fight. Tenpin is felled by arrows (); Brom rescues Stuyvesant and together they drive away the Indians. Then Brom tells the crowd he witnessed Stuyvesant selling the Indians firearms. Tenpin recovers and corroborates Brom’s charge. An enraged Stuyvesant swears he will hang Brom, who tells the crowd that they were better off with the inefficient corruption of the council than with Stuyvesant’s efficient corruption. The council mutinies and refuses to proceed with the hanging ().
Stuyvesant is preparing to gun down the mutineers when Washington Irving intervenes. He advises Stuyvesant not to fire so he will not seem a ruthless tyrant to posterity. Stuyvesant has a change of heart; he pardons Brom and allows him to marry Tina. Then he allows that he may be an American, too, since he was never able to take orders, either (“How Can You Tell an American?” reprise).
Piano-vocal score
Chappell Music Co./Hal Leonard
