The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

Infobox Musical
name =The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
subtitle =


image_size =200px
caption =Original cast album
music =Carol Hall
lyrics =Carol Hall
book =Larry L. King
Peter Masterson
basis =Story by Larry L. King
productions =1978 Broadway
1982 Broadway
awards =

"The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" is a musical with a book by Larry L. King and Peter Masterson and music and lyrics by Carol Hall. It is based on a story by King that was inspired by the real-life Chicken Ranch in La Grange, Texas.

Production history

The original Broadway production was directed by Peter Masterson and Tommy Tune and choreographed by Tune and Thommie Walsh. It opened on June 19, 1978 at the 46th Street Theatre and ran for 1,584 performances. The opening night cast included Carlin Glynn, Henderson Forsythe, Delores Hall, and Pamela Blair. Glynn was replaced by Fannie Flagg and Anita Morris later in the run.

In 1982, Glynn and Hall were cast in what was described as "a return engagement." After nine previews, it opened on May 31 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre and ran for 63 performances.

A short-lived sequel entitled "The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public" was staged on Broadway in 1994.

ynopsis

It is the late 1970s, a brothel that has been operating outside of fictional Gilbert, Texas for more than a century. It is under the proprietorship of Miss Mona Stangley, having been left to her by the original owner. While taking care of her girls, she is also on good terms with the local sheriff, Ed Earl Dodd. When crusading television reporter Melvin P. Thorpe (based on real-life Houston news personality Marvin Zindler) decides to make the illegal activity an issue, political ramifications cause the place to be closed down.

ong list

;Act I
*Prologue
*20 Fans
*A Lil' Ole Bitty Pissant Country Place
*Girl, You're a Woman
*Watch Dog Theme
*Texas Has a Whorehouse in It
*Twenty-Four Hours of Lovin'
*Watch Dog Theme (Reprise)
*Texas Has a Whorehouse in It (Reprise)
*Doatsy Mae
*Angelette March
*The Aggie Song;Act II
*The Sidestep
*No Lies
*Good Old Girl
*Hard Candy Christmas
*The Bus From Amarillo
*Finale

Awards and nominations

*Tony Award for Best Musical (nominee)
*Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical (nominee)
*Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Henderson Forsythe, winner)
*Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Carlin Glynn, winner; Joan Ellis, nominee)
*Tony Award for Best Choreography (nominee)
*Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical (nominee)
*Theatre World Award (Carlin Glynn, winner)
*Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical (nominee)
*Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Henderson Forsythe, nominee)
*Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Carlin Glynn, nominee)
*Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Pamela Blair, nominee)
*Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography (nominee)
*Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical (winner)
*Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics (winner)
*Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music (winner)

Bibliography

*Hall, Carol. Vocal selections from "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas". Melville, N.Y.: MCA Music, 1979.
*King, Larry L. and Masterson, Peter. "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas". Music and lyrics by Carol Hall. "French's Musical Library." New York, N.Y.: S. French, 1978. ISBN 0-573-68111-2
*King, Larry L. "The Whorehouse Papers." New York: Viking Press, 1982. ISBN 0-670-15919-0

Discography

*"The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas": original cast. Audio CD. MCA, 1997. MCAD-11683; MCA-3049.
*"Best Little Whorehouse in Texas": New cast recording. Audio CD. Fynsworth Alley/Varèse Sarabande, 2001. 302 062 117 2.

External links

* [http://www.ibdb.com/Show.asp?id=1958 Internet Broadway database listing]
* [http://www.samuelfrench.com/store/product_info.php/products_id/2665 Licensing Information from Samuel French, Inc.]
* [http://www.stageagent.com/Shows/View/838 Plot summary & character descriptions from StageAgent.com]
*imdb title|id=0083642|title=The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas