Tales of Tinseltown

Musical

Writers: Michael Colby Paul Katz

Overview

Show Information

Music
Lyrics
Category
Musical
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1985
Genres
Satire, Comedy
Settings
Period, Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
Hollywood, 1930s
Cast Size
medium
Orchestra Size
Small
Dancing
Musical Staging
Ideal for
College/University, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast
Casting Notes

Includes late teen, young adult, adult, mature adult characters

Synopsis

"It's Singin' in the Rain meets Hollywood Babylon." On a farm in Walnut Iowa, the abused but ambitious Ellie Ash aspires to screen immortality. Elmo Green, a scenarist from NYC, bicycles by. He's immediately smitten by Ellie, who jumps on his bike—Hollywood bound. Soon they work with characters reminiscent of Ethel Merman (brassy Bertha Powell), Gene Kelly (fleet Danny Burke), Mario Lanza (lumpy Tony Toscanni), Erich Von Stroheim (producer/director Norman G. Neinstein), & Joan Crawford (vamp Lulu Beauveen). Soon, Ellie triumphs at N.G.N. Productions—the "Girl of a Thousand Sounds"—till columnist Adele DeRale exposes unseemly events. Separately, Ellie & Elmo climb up to the Hollywoodland Sign, possibly to jump, then make an unexpected decision.

Lead Characters


Tales of Tinseltown guide sections