Billion Dollar Baby
Encyclopedia
Billion Dollar Baby is a musical
set on Staten Island
and in Atlantic City during the late 1920s. It follows the adventures of an ambitious young woman, Maribelle Jones, in her quest for wealth during the Prohibition
era. Betty Comden
and Adolph Green
, fresh from their success with On the Town, wrote the book and lyrics; Morton Gould
provided the score. Indeed, the production team was something of an On the Town reunion: once again, George Abbott
directed and Jerome Robbins
choreographed.
The show's original Broadway
production opened at the Alvin Theatre on December 21, 1945 and ran for 220 performances. Billion Dollar Baby was not well-received, although Robbins' choreography—which included two dream ballet
s, a Charleston
, and a gangster's funeral procession
-was widely praised. (Decades later, Robbins incorporated the Charleston number into Jerome Robbins' Broadway
.) The production starred Joan McCracken
as Maribelle, Mitzi Green
, William Tabbert
, and David Burns
; early in the run, McCracken was replaced by Virginia Gorski
(later Virginia Gibson
). James Mitchell
was Tabbert's dance double. Other dancers in the cast included Danny Daniels
, Shirley Van, Helen Gallagher
, and Arthur Partington. The musical director was Max Goberman
.
There is no original cast recording, although there is a recording of the 1998 York Theatre Company Mufti Series concert version with Kristin Chenoweth
, Debbie Gravitte, Marc Kudisch
, Michael McCormick, and Richard B. Shull
.
The show gained notoriety for an event that happened in rehearsals: Robbins, walking backwards as he ranted at the dancers, failed to realize how close he was to the orchestra pit—and fell into it.
Act II
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
set on Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
and in Atlantic City during the late 1920s. It follows the adventures of an ambitious young woman, Maribelle Jones, in her quest for wealth during the Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
era. Betty Comden
Betty Comden
Betty Comden was one-half of the musical-comedy duo Comden and Green, who provided lyrics, libretti, and screenplays to some of the most beloved and successful Hollywood musicals and Broadway shows of the mid-20th century...
and Adolph Green
Adolph Green
Adolph Green was an American lyricist and playwright who, with long-time collaborator Betty Comden, penned the screenplays and songs for some of the most beloved movie musicals, particularly as part of Arthur Freed's production unit at MGM, during the genre's heyday...
, fresh from their success with On the Town, wrote the book and lyrics; Morton Gould
Morton Gould
Morton Gould was an American composer, conductor, arranger, and pianist.Born in Richmond Hill, New York, Gould was recognized early as a child prodigy with abilities in improvisation and composition. His first composition was published at age six...
provided the score. Indeed, the production team was something of an On the Town reunion: once again, George Abbott
George Abbott
George Francis Abbott was an American theater producer and director, playwright, screenwriter, and film director and producer whose career spanned more than nine decades.-Early years:...
directed and Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins was an American theater producer, director, and choreographer known primarily for Broadway Theater and Ballet/Dance, but who also occasionally directed films and directed/produced for television. His work has included everything from classical ballet to contemporary musical theater...
choreographed.
The show's original Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production opened at the Alvin Theatre on December 21, 1945 and ran for 220 performances. Billion Dollar Baby was not well-received, although Robbins' choreography—which included two dream ballet
Dream ballet
A dream ballet, in musical theater, is an all-dance, no-singing production number that reflects the themes of the production. The plot, themes, and characters are typically the same—although the people playing the characters may be different, as the roles of the dream ballet are usually filled by...
s, a Charleston
Charleston (dance)
The Charleston is a dance named for the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. The rhythm was popularized in mainstream dance music in the United States by a 1923 tune called "The Charleston" by composer/pianist James P. Johnson which originated in the Broadway show Runnin' Wild and became one...
, and a gangster's funeral procession
Funeral procession
A funeral procession is a procession, usually in motor vehicles, from a church, synagogue, or mosque to the cemetery. The deceased is usually transported in a hearse, while family and friends follow in their vehicles.- Standard procedure :...
-was widely praised. (Decades later, Robbins incorporated the Charleston number into Jerome Robbins' Broadway
Jerome Robbins' Broadway
Jerome Robbins' Broadway is an anthology comprising musical numbers from earlier shows that were either directed or choreographed by Jerome Robbins. Robbins won his fifth Tony Award for direction of the show....
.) The production starred Joan McCracken
Joan McCracken
Joan McCracken was an American dancer, actress, and comedian who became famous for her role as Silvie in the original 1943 production of Oklahoma!. By age 11, she was studying dance with Catherine Littlefield. She dropped out of high school to join Littlefield's ballet company...
as Maribelle, Mitzi Green
Mitzi Green
Mitzi Green was an American child actress for Paramount and RKO, in the early talkie era...
, William Tabbert
William Tabbert
William “Bill” Tabbert was an American actor and singer primarily remembered as Lieutenant Joseph Cable in the original Broadway production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical South Pacific.-Early life:...
, and David Burns
David Burns
David Burns may refer to:*David Burns , American actor*David Burns , American basketball player*David D. Burns, American psychotherapist and author*David Burns , former English professional footballer*David R...
; early in the run, McCracken was replaced by Virginia Gorski
Virginia Gibson
Virginia Gibson is an American dancer, singer and actress of film, television and musical theatre.-Career:...
(later Virginia Gibson
Virginia Gibson
Virginia Gibson is an American dancer, singer and actress of film, television and musical theatre.-Career:...
). James Mitchell
James Mitchell (actor)
James Mitchell was an American actor and dancer. Although he is best known to television audiences as Palmer Cortlandt on the soap opera All My Children , theatre and dance historians remember him as one of Agnes de Mille's leading dancers...
was Tabbert's dance double. Other dancers in the cast included Danny Daniels
Danny Daniels
Danny Daniels is an American choreographer, tap dancer, and teacher.Daniels was a featured dancer in several 1940s Broadway musicals, including Billion Dollar Baby, Street Scene, and Kiss Me, Kate; although he continued performing during the 1950s and after, including a tour with the Agnes de Mille...
, Shirley Van, Helen Gallagher
Helen Gallagher
Helen Gallagher is an American actress, dancer, singer and makeup artist.-Early years:Born in Brooklyn, she was raised in Scarsdale, New York for several years until the Wall Street crash which heralded the Great Depression, and her family moved to the Bronx. Her parents separated and she was...
, and Arthur Partington. The musical director was Max Goberman
Max Goberman
Max Goberman was an American conductor. He conducted ballets, Broadway musicals , and the classical repertoire...
.
There is no original cast recording, although there is a recording of the 1998 York Theatre Company Mufti Series concert version with Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth is an American singer and actress, with credits in musical theatre, film and television. She is best known on Broadway for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown , for which she won a Tony Award, and for originating the role of Glinda in the musical...
, Debbie Gravitte, Marc Kudisch
Marc Kudisch
Marc Kudisch is an American stage actor, who is best known for his musical theatre roles on Broadway.-Early life and education:...
, Michael McCormick, and Richard B. Shull
Richard B. Shull
Richard Bruce Shull was an American character actor.-Career:Shull was born in Evanston, Illinois, the son of Zana Marie , a court stenographer, and Ulysses Homer Shull, a manufacturing executive. Shull attended the University of Iowa and served in the U.S. Army before starting his Broadway career...
.
The show gained notoriety for an event that happened in rehearsals: Robbins, walking backwards as he ranted at the dancers, failed to realize how close he was to the orchestra pit—and fell into it.
Songs
Act I- Million Dollar Smile (Billion Dollar Baby)
- Who's Gonna Be the Winner
- Dreams Come True
- Charleston
- Broadway Blossom
- Speaking of Pals
- There I'd Be
- One Track Mind Sang and danced by Shirley Van
- Bad Timing
- The Marathoners
- A Lovely Girl
Act II
- Funeral Procession
- Havin' a Time
- The Marathon Dance Faithless
- I'm Sure of Your Love
- A Life With Rocky
- The Wedding