Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical
Musical
Writers:Overview
Synopsis
Based on the 1942 award-winning movie, Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical, is a fresh take on an old classic. When singer-songwriter Jim Hardy tires of showbiz, he shocks his best friend Ted and fiancee Lila by leaving the bright lights of Broadway behind and for a calm life in a farmhouse in Connecticut. At first, he greets his new life with enthusiasm, but, just as he starts to think farm life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, he meets Linda Mason, a spunky school teacher harboring immense talent and big dreams. Together, they bring life back to the Mason farm by transforming it into the Holiday Inn, a lively venue for festive performances celebrating the red letter days on the calendar. However, when Ted shows up ready to spirit Linda away to Hollywood, will Jim lose his best shot at happiness? With dance numbers galore and a score packed with Irving Berlin classics like “Blue Skies”, ”Heat Wave”, “Shaking the Blues Away” and the beloved “White Christmas”, this heartwarming romance is sure to delight all 365 days a year!
Show Information
- Book
- Gordon Greenberg , Chad Hodge
- Music
- Irving Berlin
- Lyrics
- Irving Berlin
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 2014
- Genres
- Comedy, Romance
- Settings
- Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- 1946, a farm in Connecticut
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Medium
- Dancing
- Heavy
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, High School, Large Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female, Star Vehicle Male, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Child, Early Teen, Young Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Holiday Inn is based on the musical film of the same name, produced in 1942 by Paramount Pictures. Irving Berlin wrote 12 songs for the film that starred Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby, including the iconic “White Christmas” which later inspired a film of its own.
Understanding the draw of a holiday spectacle and wanting to bring some playful fun to Broadway, producers fast-tracked the creation and production of the new show, taking Irving Berlin’s music and the basic plot of the movie and
to read the context for Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
It is August 1946, and performing trio Jim Hardy, Ted Hanover, and Lila Dixon have just finished a show in a NYC club (“Steppin' Out With My Baby / I'll Capture Her Heart”). After the show, Jim proposes to Lila, his girlfriend of two years, and reveals that he has bought a farmhouse in the Connecticut countryside for them where they can retire from show business and raise a family (“The Little Things in Life”). Right after, Ted arrives backstage with Danny, their manager, in
to read the plot for Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Treble/Boy Soprano |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass |
Songs
Act One
- "Overture" - Orchestra
- *"Steppin' Out with My Baby / I'll Capture Her Heart” – Jim, Ted, Lila, and Ensemble
- "The Little Things in Life" – Jim
- "Blue Skies" – Jim and Ensemble
- "Marching Along With Time" – Linda and Jim
- *"Heat Waves" – Ted, Lila, and Ensemble
- "It's a Lovely Day Today" – Jim, Lila, and Louise
- *"Plenty to Be Thankful For" – Ted, Lila, and Ensemble
- "Plenty to Be Thankful For" (reprise) – Linda and Charlie
- "Marching Along With Time" (reprise) – Linda
- "Nothing More to Say" – Linda
- *"Shaking the Blues Away" – Louise, Jim, and Ensemble
- "White Christmas" – Jim and Linda
- "Holiday Inn / Happy Holiday" – Jim, Louise, and Ensemble
- "Let's Start the New Year Right" – Linda, Jim, Ted, and Ensemble
Act Two
- *"You're Easy to Dance With" – Ted and Ensemble Women
- "Let's Take an Old-Fashioned Walk" – Jim and Linda
- "Be Careful, It's My Heart" – Jim and Linda
- *"Cheek to Cheek" – Ted, Linda, and Ensemble
- *"Easter Parade" – Ted, Jim, Linda, and Ensemble
- "Song of Freedom" – Linda, Ted, and Jim
- *"Let's Say It With Firecrackers" – Jim, Ted, Linda, and Ensemble
- "Nothing More to Say" (reprise) – Linda
- "White Christmas" (reprise) – Ted, Linda
- "Finale" – Full Company
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
A play, musical, or opera that has been adapted from a written work.
A production designed especially to show off the talents of a particular performer.
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