On a luxury train traveling from Chicago to New York in the early 1930s, Oscar tries to cajole the glamorous Hollywood star into playing the lead in his new, but not-yet-written drama, and perhaps to rekindle their romance.
Comden and Green based the musical on three works: the 1934 Howard Hawks film Twentieth Century; the original 1932 play of the same name by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur; and Hecht's and MacArthur's inspiration, Charles Bruce Millholland's unproduced play about his experiences working for theater producer David Belasco, Napoleon of Broadway.
"[1] Coleman agreed to write the music for the show and produced an operetta-style score reminiscent of the works of Sigmund Romberg and Rudolf Friml.
His latest show has abruptly closed in Chicago, leaving his angry cast and crew (to whom he owes back salary) "Stranded Again."
On the lam, Oscar secretly sends orders to Owen O'Malley and Oliver Webb, his press agent and business manager, to meet him on the Twentieth Century Limited to New York and to get tickets for Drawing Room "A."
Owen and Oliver, bursting into Drawing Room "A," discover Congressman Grover Lockwood in a compromising position with his secretary Anita.
After making it on the departing train by climbing through a window, Oscar tells Owen and Oliver that he will soon regain his riches and success ("I Rise Again").
In a flashback, Oscar remembers the time he auditioned spoiled actress Imelda Thornton for the leading role in a play.
Oscar discovered that the gawky young accompanist, Mildred Plotka, could sing "The Indian Maiden's Lament" much better than Imelda, even finishing with an operatic cadenza.
Oscar immediately decided to cast Mildred in the leading role as "Veronique," a French street singer who wouldn't sleep with Otto von Bismarck and thus instigated the Franco-Prussian War.
Owen and Oliver stop by Drawing Room "B" and beg Lily to return, revealing that Oscar is so poor, his theatre will be repossessed the next day.
In the observation car, passengers complain that the religious lunatic has stuck "Repent for the time is at hand" stickers everywhere.
These stickers inspire Oscar with an idea for his new play: he will direct The Passion of Mary Magdalene, a role so good that Lily could not possibly refuse it.
Oscar furiously returns to Drawing Room "A", but he is mollified when Oliver and Owen introduce him to rich and religious Mrs. Primrose.
Congressman Lockwood enters and announces, "I Have Written a Play", titled Life on the Hog Market Committee.
They send him out and Oscar and Mrs. Primrose shake hands as Bruce and Lily sit down to dinner in the next car ("On The Twentieth Century" (reprise)).
She reads over the play, trying to envision herself as the decadent, glamorous title character, "Babette", but her thoughts keep straying to Mary Magdalene.
[2] Directed by Hal Prince and choreographed by Larry Fuller, the cast starred John Cullum and Madeline Kahn, and featured Imogene Coca and Kevin Kline.
[5] A London staging, produced by Harold Fielding, and starring Keith Michell as Oscar, Julia McKenzie as Lily, Mark Wynter as Bruce and Ann Beach as Mrs. Primrose,[6] opened on March 19, 1980, at Her Majesty's Theatre, and ran for 165 performances.
[8] As part of an Actors Fund benefit, a one night staged concert was held on September 26, 2005 at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York, starring Marin Mazzie as Lily, Douglas Sills as Oscar, Joanne Worley as Letitia and Christopher Sieber as Bruce.
The cast starred Chenoweth as Lily and Peter Gallagher as Oscar, and featured Andy Karl as Bruce, Mark Linn-Baker as Oliver, Michael McGrath as Owen and Mary Louise Wilson as Letitia.
Designers included David Rockwell (set), William Ivey Long (costumes) and Donald Holder (lighting).
[16] A Japanese production starring Takahisa Masuda played from March 12 to 31, 2024, at the Tokyu Theatre Orb before moving to Osaka April 5 to 10 at the Orix Theater.