A Joyful Noise

Infobox Musical
name= A Joyful Noise
subtitle=


caption=
music= Oscar Brand
Paul Nassau
lyrics= Oscar Brand
Paul Nassau
book= Edward Padula
basis= Novel by Borden Deal
"The Insolent Breed"
productions= 1966 Broadway
awards=

"A Joyful Noise" is a musical with a book by Edward Padula and music and lyrics by Oscar Brand and Paul Nassau. The 1966 Broadway production was a flop but introduced choreographer Michael Bennett in his Broadway debut.

Based on the 1959 novel "The Insolent Breed" by Mississippi author Borden Deal, the story centers on Shade Motley, a fiddler who arrives in a small Southern and shocks the stern community with his exuberant love of hillbilly music and life in general.

Background and production

The musical underwent significant changes, both in performers and creators, during the tryout period. The book originally written by Edward Padula was rewritten by Dore Schary, who also took over as director. However, he quit, and Padula and Michael Bennett became co-directors. Donna McKechnie, as the ingenue lead, was replaced by Susan Watson. Mitzi Welch and James Rado were replaced by Karen Morrow and Clifford David. It had "laughably stilted dialogue" and "an unconvincing plot." John Raitt, who was to play Shade Motley, was aware of the show's problems and, in an interview, said that they "could never get by the New York critics." [The background information is from "Not Since Carrie: Forty Years of Broadway Musical Flops", Ken Mandelbaum, pp. 69-70, 1992, St. Martin's Press, ISBN 0312082738]

After four previews, the Broadway production, directed by Padula and choreographed by Michael Bennett, opened on December 15 1966 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre where it ran for only twelve performances. The cast included Raitt as Shade Motley, Morrow, Susan Watson, Leland Palmer, Tommy Tune and Baayork Lee.

Plot

A wandering minstrel, Shade Motley, arrives in a small Tennessee town with his fiddle under his arm. The young women of the town find the stranger attractive. One young woman in particular, Jenny Lee, falls immediately in love with him, although she is engaged to Brother Locke, the local minister. Shade gives Jenny a locket, but her father Walter Wishenant, tells him to leave town. Just then Bliss Stanley arrives, with an offer to make Shade rich through his singing.

Jenny Lee ends up marrying Brother Locke, and Shade goes off to make his fortune. He returns for a visit with Mary Texas, an extroverted blonde.

ong list

;Act I
* "Longtime Travelin'"--Shade Motley
* "A Joyful Noise"--Shade Motley and Townspeople
* "I'm Ready"--Jenny Lee, Miss Jimmie and The Girls
* "Spring Time of the Year"--Shade Motley
* "I Like to Look My Best"--Shade Motley, Sam Fredrickson and Saw Mill Boys
* "No Talent"--Bliss Stanley
* "Not Me"--Jenny Lee and Miss Jimmie
* "Until Today"--Shade Motley and Jenny Lee
* "Swinging a Dance"--Shade Motley and Company
* "To the Top"--Bliss Stanley and Shade Motley;Act II
* "I Love Nashville"--Mary Texas and Her Boys
* "Whither Thou Goest"--Brother Locke
* "We Won't Forget to Write"--Miss Jimmie, Sam Fredrickson and Saw Mill Boys
* "Ballad Maker"--Shade Motley, Mary Texas, The Motley Crew and Ensemble
* "Barefoot Gal"--Mary Texas
* "Clog Dance"--Dancing Ensemble
* "Fool's Gold"--Shade Motley, Mary Texas, The Motley Crew and Ensemble
* "The Big Guitar"--Bliss Stanley
* "Love Was"--Jenny Lee
* "I Say Yes"--Shade Motley, The Motley Crew and Ensemble
* "Lord, You Sure Know How to Make a New Day"--Shade Motley
* "A Joyful Noise (Reprise)"--Shade Motley and Townspeople

Characters

*Shade Motley (John Raitt)-- the wandering minstrel
*Jenny Lee (Susan Watson)-- local young woman who becomes enamoured of Shade
*Bliss Stanley (Swen Swenson)-- an entrepreneur
*Brother Locke (Clifford David)-- a minister and Jenny Lee's fiancé
*Miss Jimmie (Leland Palmer)
*Mary Texas (Karen Morrow)-- Shade's flashy girlfriend
*Tommy (Tommy Tune)-- one of the Saw Mill Boys and The Motley Crew

Awards and nominations

Tony Award nominations went to Watson and Palmer as Best Featured Actress in a Musical and to Bennett for his choreography.

References

*"New York Times", The Theater: "A Joyful Noise Arrives", Walter Kerr, p. 57, December 16, 1966

External links

* [http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=3361 Internet Broadway Database listing]