Overview
Synopsis
A lonely San Francisco waitress, Rosabella, has a mysterious secret admirer. After months of exchanging letters, she finally asks him to send her his picture. Fearing that she will not love him due to his old age and poor appearance, Tony -- an elderly Italian-American vineyard owner from Napa -- sends her the picture of his young, handsome ranch hand, Joe. When Rosabella finally visits Napa, tragedy occurs. Tony gets in a car crash and nearly dies. While Rosabella is furious with Tony for deceiving her, she ultimately agrees to go through with their mail-order-bride agreement -- but not before she has sex with the younger and handsomer hired hand, Joe, whose picture Tony had sent her. As Tony heals from his accident, Rosabella ends up truly falling in love with the kind, old man. When Rosa discovers that she is pregnant with Joe's baby, however, things get more complicated. Can true love overcome the betrayal? Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, They Knew What They Wanted, Loesser's_ The Most Happy Fella_ is an ambitious "Broadway opera" with a dramatic and intensely personal love story at its heart.
Show Information
- Book
- Frank Loesser
- Music
- Frank Loesser
- Lyrics
- Frank Loesser
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1956
- Genres
- Romance
- Cast Size
- large
- Licensor
- Music Theatre International
- Ideal For
- Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly, Late Teen, Early Teen Characters, Large Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
|
|
|
Featured |
Male |
|
|
|
Featured |
Male |
|
|
|
Featured |
Female |
|
|
|
Featured |
Male |
|
|
|
Featured |
Male |
|
|
|
Featured |
Male |
|
Songs
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
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Videos
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Quizzes
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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