Bandstand

It is 1945, World War Two has ended and America’s soldiers return home to a grand welcome. But what happens after that is a trickier field to navigate. Private Donny Novitski returns home, burdened with the grief and guilt of losing his best friend, Michael. He is determined to rebuild his life and pick up his music career where he left off. However, after several years away, he has been replaced by younger men playing piano in Cleveland’s hottest clubs. When NBC announces a national competition to find the next best swing band, Donny quickly hatches a plan. He recruits a group of musical veterans—each wrestling their own demons—and they form a swing band the like of which America has never seen. They are soon joined by Julia Trojan, Michael’s widow and a talented singer. She, too, is wrestling with her grief, but she and Donny soon form a talented song writing duo. The group wins the Ohio state contest, but they are flabbergasted when they realize the competition is a marketing scheme for an aspirin company and there is no financial reimbursement. Forced to travel to New York under their own steam, the band becomes determined to prove a point and make a name for themselves in the Big Apple. At the live radio broadcast, the band decide to stay true to their own story as struggling veterans and, while they do not win the contest, they find success comes in other forms.

Act One

Just Like It Was Before – Company

Donny Novitski – Donny

I Know A Guy – Jimmy, Davy, Nick, Wayne, Donny and Company

*Ain't We Proud – Donny and The Band

Proud Riff - Orchestra

Who I Was – Julia

Counterpoint/Pie Jesu - Julia and The Band

Just Like It Was Before (Reprise) – Mrs. Adams

First Steps First – Julia, Donny and The Band

Breathe – Donny, Nick, Wayne, Davy, Jimmy, Johnny and Julia

You Deserve It – Donny, Julia and The Band

Dwight Anson & Jean Ann - Jean Ann and Orchestra

Love Will Come and Find Me Again – Julia and The Band

*Right This Way – Donny, Nick, Wayne, Davy, Jimmy, Johnny and Julia

Act Two

*Nobody – Donny, Wayne, Nick, Davy, Julia, Mrs. Adams, Johnny, Jimmy and Company

*The Boys Are Back - Company

I Got a Theory – Julia, Donny, Wayne, Nick, Davy, Johnny, Jimmy and Company

Everything Happens – Mrs. Adams

Welcome Home – Donny, Julia and The Band

*A Band in New York City – Johnny, Davy, Jimmy, Nick, Wayne, Julia, Donny and Company

This is Life – Donny and Julia

This is Life (Reprise) - Donny

Welcome Home (Finale) – Julia and The Band

Epilogue – Donny, Julia, The Band and Company