- Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?
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Do Black Patent Leather Shoes
Really Reflect Up?
Original LogoMusic James Quinn
Alaric JansLyrics James Quinn
Alaric JansBook John R. Powers Basis Powers' novel Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? Productions 1982 Broadway Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? is a book published in 1975 by author John R. Powers. It was subsequently adapted into a Broadway musical and a screenplay.
Contents
Director, Ken Kwapis ("Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and "He's Just Not That Into You"), drafted a screenplay for a non-musical film version of the book in late 2005, and efforts are being made to secure that adaptation for the big screen by Troy Allen Dyer and Michael Matzdorff (director, "Feed The Fish" with Tony Shalhoub of "MONK").
Book rights and chain of title for both "The Last Catholic In America" and Power's follow-up novel, "Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?" have been purchased by Geneva Media Holdings, LLC. The main focus of the feature film is on late-blooming Eddie Ryan and his infatuation with a girl named "Una", his high school crush, now a single mother with a daughter of her own. The story is told in flashbacks to the 1970s and 1980s, with younger actors playing roles for the adults in contemporary Chicagoland.
The show has become a highly popular choice of regional and community theatres. The Chicago production's 4½-year run was the longest in the city's history, and it broke house records during its two runs in Philadelphia. Directed by Mike Nussbaum and choreographed by Thommie Walsh, opened on May 27, 1982 at the Alvin Theatre. In addition to Russ Thacker as Eddie and Maureen Moore as Becky, the cast included Don Stitt, Vicki Lewis and Jason Graae.
The 1950s era story from the original books were also turned into a musical with music and lyrics by James Quinn and Alaric Jans during the mid to late-1970s. The original coming of age musical involves the 1950s Catholic education of eight Chicago children, following them from the start of elementary school through the senior prom and beyond. Along the way it touches on such topics as first confessions, puppy love, patron saints, teacher's pets, sex education classes, and the importance of wearing panties under the school uniform's plaid pleated skirt so the shoes wouldn't reflect up. One of the central plot elements running through the musical is that Ryan is infatuated with a chubby girl, Becky Bakowski. She becomes his best friend, and he later falls in love with her when she matures into a beautiful woman. Unfortunately, she decides to become a nun. Ryan eventually decides to stop questioning his faith and rejoins the church as a teacher at his old Catholic high school, where he finds himself with the love of his high-school sweetheart, and his lifelong commitment to teaching the Catholic faith.
An original cast recording was released by Bay Cities Records.
The licensing agent for all performances is Samuel French, who calculates over 250 performances are given each year in North America.
Song list
- Act I
- Get Ready, Eddie
- The Greatest Gift
- Little Fat Girls
- It's the Nuns
- Cookie Cutters
- Queen of the May
- Patron Saints
- Private Parts
- How Far is Too Far?
- Act I Finale
- Act II
- Entr'Acte
- Doo-Waa, Doo-Wee
- I Must Be in Love
- Friends, The Best of
- The Greatest Gift (rep.)
- Mad Bomber/We're Saving Ourselves for Marriage
- Late Bloomer & Prom Montage
- Friends, The Best of (rep.)
- Thank God
External links
Categories:- 1982 musicals
- Broadway musicals
- Roman Catholic Church novels
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