- The Happiest Girl in the World
Infobox Musical
name= The Happiest Girl in the World
subtitle=
caption= Original Recording
music=Jacques Offenbach
lyrics=E.Y. Harburg
book=Fred Saidy
Henry Mayers
basis=Comedy "Lysistrata " byAristophanes
productions=1961 Broadway
awards="The Happiest Girl in the World" is a musical with a book by
Fred Saidy and Henry Mayers, lyrics byE.Y. Harburg , and music taken from the works ofJacques Offenbach .Based on the
comedy "Lysistrata " byAristophanes and tales ofGreek mythology byThomas Bulfinch , it focuses on the women ofAncient Greece andSparta who, inspired byvirgin algoddess Diana, vow to withhold sex from their husbands and lovers until they promise to put an end to their fighting. Complications ensue when Diana's uncle and underworld ruler Pluto balks at the notion of peace and attempts to derail her plan.The Broadway production, directed by
Cyril Ritchard andchoreographed byDania Krupska , opened onApril 3 1961 at the Martin Beck Theatre, where it ran for 98 performances. The cast included Ritchard in multiple roles (most notably that of Pluto),Janice Rule as Diana, andLainie Kazan ,David Canary ,Ted Thurston , and Bruce Yarnell in supporting roles. Krupska was nominated for theTony Award for Best Choreography and Yarnell won theTheatre World Award for his performance.An original cast recording was released by
Columbia Records .ong list
;Act I
*Cheers for the Hero
*The Glory That is Greece
*The Happiest Girl in the World
*The Greek Marine
*Shall We Say Farewell
*Never Be-Devil the Devil
*Whatever They May Be
*Eureka
*The Oath
*The Happiest Girl in the World (Reprise)
*Diana's Transformation
*Vive La Virtue!
*Adrift on a Star
*The Happiest Girl in the World (Reprise)
*Act One Finale;Act II
*That'll Be the Day
*How Soon, Oh Moon?
*Love-Sick Serenade
*Five Minutes of Spring
*The Greek Marine (Reprise)
*Five Minutes of Spring (Reprise)
*Never Trust a Virgin
*Entrance of the Courtesans
*The Pied Piper's Can-Can
*Vive La Virtue! (Reprise)
*FinaleExternal links
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