George M. Cohan Tonight! is a 2006 musical

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...

, conceived, written and arranged by Chip Deffaa, with music and lyrics by George M. Cohan

George M. Cohan

George Michael Cohan , known professionally as George M. Cohan, was a major American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer, and producer....

, and additional material by Chip Deffaa

Chip Deffaa

Chip Deffaa is an author, jazz historian, playwright, songwriter and director. For 18 years, he wrote for the New York Post, covering jazz, cabaret, and theater...

. It is a one-man show depicting the life and music of Cohan utilizing his songs, dance routines, memoirs, and the stories of those who knew him. Able to be performed in dozen of venues, George M. Cohan Tonight! opened Off-Broadway

Off-Broadway

Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...

 in 2006 at the Irish Repertory Theatre

Irish Repertory Theatre

The Irish Repertory Theatre is an Off Broadway theatre, founded by Ciarán O’Reilly and Charlotte Moore, which opened its doors in September 1988, with Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars.The mission of the theatre was and remains:...

 in New York City. The original cast album is available from Sh-K-Boom Records/Ghostlight Records.

The New York Times hailed the show as "brash, cocky, and endlessly euphoric" (The New York Times, March 11, 2006). The show originally starred Jon Peterson, was directed by Chip Deffaa

Chip Deffaa

Chip Deffaa is an author, jazz historian, playwright, songwriter and director. For 18 years, he wrote for the New York Post, covering jazz, cabaret, and theater...

, with musical direction by Sterling Price-McKinney. The show earned star Jon Peterson a Drama Desk nomination, and author/director Chip Deffaa an IRNE Award (Independent Reviewers of New England). It is one of six different musicals about Cohan, created for different sized casts and audiences, created by Deffaa. For more info, go to www.GeorgeMCohan.org.

Productions

Since 2006, George M. Cohan Tonight! has toured the United States appearing in many regional theatre

Regional theatre in the United States

Regional theaters, or resident theaters, in the United States are professional or semi-professional, theater companies that produce their own seasons. The term regional theatre most often refers to professional theatres outside of New York City...

 houses. Jon Peterson, Justin Boccitto, and David Herzog have all starred in productions of the show in the US, directed by Deffaa. George M. Cohan Tonight! made an Asian debut in South Korea

South Korea

The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

 in 2007. In August 2008, it made its European debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe starring David Herzog. Herzog is set to star in the show's British debut, opening September 21st, 2010 at the New Players Theatre on the West End in London.

Musical Numbers

• Hello Broadway/Give My Regards to Broadway
  Give My Regards to Broadway
  "Give My Regards to Broadway" is a song written by George M. Cohan for his musical play Little Johnny Jones ....
  
  
• The Man Who Owns Broadway
• Night Time
• Musical Moon
• Ireland, My Land of Dreams
• I'm Saving Up to Buy a Home for Mother
• Josephine/Oh, You Wonderful Girl
• The Hinkey Dee
• Harrigan
  Harrigan (song)
  "Harrigan" is a song written by George M. Cohan for the 1907 Broadway musical, Fifty Miles From Boston. It celebrates, and to some extent mocks, his own Irish heritage....
  
  
• You Won't Do Any Business If You Haven't Got a Band
• My Father Told Me
• Forty-five Minutes from Broadway
  Forty-five Minutes from Broadway
  Forty-Five Minutes From Broadway is a three-act musical by George M. Cohan written about New Rochelle, New York. The play's title refers to the 45-minute train ride from New Rochelle to Broadway....
  
  
• I'm Awfully Strong For You

• Oh! You Beautiful Girl/I Want the World to Know
• Goodbye Flo
• I Want to Hear a Yankee Doodle Tune
• The Fatal Curse of Drink
• The Yankee Doodle Boy
  The Yankee Doodle Boy
  "The Yankee Doodle Boy", also well known as " Yankee Doodle Dandy" is a patriotic song from the Broadway musical Little Johnny Jones written by George M. Cohan...
  
  
• Mary's a Grand Old Name
• You're a Grand Old Flag
  You're a Grand Old Flag
  "You're a Grand Old Flag" is a patriotic song of the United States. The song, a spirited march written by George M. Cohan, is a tribute to the U.S. flag. In addition to obvious references to the flag, it incorporates snippets of other popular songs, including one of his own...
  
  
• Over There
  Over There
  "Over There" is a 1917 song popular with United States soldiers in both world wars.It was written by George M. Cohan during World War I. Notable early recordings include versions by Nora Bayes, Enrico Caruso, Billy Murray, and Charles King....
  
  
• Drink With Me/Did Ya Ever Have One of Those Days?
• I Love Everyone In the Wide, Wide World/I'm True to Them All
• All-American Sweetheart
• I Won't Be An Actor No More
• Life's a Funny Proposition After All
• All Aboard for Broadway/Give My Regards to Broadway
  Give My Regards to Broadway
  "Give My Regards to Broadway" is a song written by George M. Cohan for his musical play Little Johnny Jones ....
  
  (Reprise)