Stop the World - I Want to Get Off

Infobox Musical
name= Stop the World -
I Want to Get Off
subtitle=


caption= London Cast Recording
music= Leslie Bricusse
Anthony Newley
lyrics= Leslie Bricusse
Anthony Newley
book= Leslie Bricusse
Anthony Newley
basis=
productions= 1961 West End
1962 Broadway
1966 Film
1978 Broadway revival
awards=

"Stop the World - I Want to Get Off" is a musical with a book, music, and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley.

Set against the backdrop of a circus, it focuses on Littlechap, whose first major step towards improving his lot is to marry Evie, his boss' daughter. Saddled with the responsibilities of a family, he allows his growing dissatisfaction with his existence to lead him into the arms of various women - Russian Anya, German Ilse, and American Ginnie - as he searches for something better than he has, only to realize in the twilight of his life what he always had - the love of his wife - was more than enough to sustain him.

According to Oscar Levant, the play's title was derived from a graffito. [Oscar Levant, "The Unimportance of Being Oscar", Pocket Books 1969 (reprint of G.P. Putnam 1968), page 6 (ISBN 0-671-77104-3)]

The West End production, directed by Newley, opened on July 20 1961 at the Queen's Theatre, where it ran for 485 performances. Newley starred as Littlechap, with Anna Quayle playing the multiple roles of Evie and the other women in his life. Marti Webb was a member of the chorus. An original cast recording was released by Decca Records [http://www.castalbumdb.com/rec.cfm?RNumber=1124] .

Producer David Merrick, always impressed by a low-cost project requiring minimal sets, costumes, and a small cast, decided to stage the show in New York City. After one preview, the Broadway production opened on October 3 1962 at the Shubert Theatre, eventually transferring to the Ambassador to complete its 555-performance run. Newley and Quayle reprised their London roles. Newley later was replaced by Kenneth Nelson, then Joel Grey, and Joan Eastman assumed the roles of Evie et al. A Broadway cast recording was released by Polydor [http://www.castalbumdb.com/rec.cfm?RNumber=1125] .

A Broadway revival directed by Mel Shapiro opened on August 3 1978 at the New York State Theatre in Lincoln Center, where it ran for 30 performances. The cast included Sammy Davis, Jr. and Marian Mercer. A revival cast recording was released by Warner Bros. Records [http://www.castalbumdb.com/rec.cfm?RNumber=2505] .

A 1966 Warner Bros. release was little more than a filmed version of a staged production. Directed by Philip Saville, it featured additional material by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, David Donable, and Al Ham. The cast included Tony Tanner and Millicent Martin. Neither a critical nor commercial success, it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Music Scoring.

Sammy Davis, Jr. and Marian Mercer reprised their Broadway revival roles for "Sammy Stops the World", a 1978 television adaptation [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079848/] .

ongs

;Act I
* The A.B.C. Song
* I Want to Be Rich
* Typically English
* A Special Announcement
* Lumbered
* Welcome to Sludgepool
* Gonna Build a Mountain
* Glorious Russian
* Meilinki, Meilchick
* Family Fugue
* Typische Deutsche
* Nag! Nag! Nag!;Act II
* All-American
* Once in a Lifetime
* Mumbo Jumbo
* Welcome to Sunvale
* Someone Nice Like You
* What Kind of Fool Am I?

Awards and nominations

*Tony Award for Best Musical (nominee)
*Tony Award for Best Author of a Musical (nominee)
*Tony Award for Best Composer and Lyricist (nominee)
*Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical (Newley, nominee)
*Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Quayle, winner)

Trivia

*In the episode, "Jimmy for President," Carl, being pressured by class president candidates, eventually flips out and screams "STOP THE WORLD, I WANNA GET OFF!"
*In the Mel Brooks 2001 Broadway musical "The Producers", the character Leo Bloom makes a reference to the musical shouting "Stop the world, I want to get on!"
*"The Simpsons" episode "A Fish Called Selma" features a musical called "Stop The Planet Of The Apes:I Want to Get Off!"
*What the World Is Waiting For, by Manchester band The Stone Roses, refers to the title of the musical in its lyrics

References

External links

*
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061034/ Internet Movie Database listing]