Overview
Synopsis
It’s 1954, and young Benjy Stone is realizing his life-long dream of writing for television, working as a freshman writer on TV’s most popular comedy show: King Kaiser’s Comedy Cavalcade. Life is crazy but exhilarating, and just when he thought it couldn’t get any more interesting, Benjy is assigned as chaperone (read: babysitter) to swashbuckling veteran Hollywood star, Alan Swann. Swann has been Benjy’s movie idol and inspiration since he was a child. Benjy was raised by a single mother, and used to fantasize about Swann being his real father. It’s a dream come true, until he meets the real Swann and realizes that life is much more complicated than it ever looks in the movies. Ahrens and Flaherty’s coming-of-age musical is based on the 1982 motion picture My Favorite Year, with a story by Dennis Palumbo and a screenplay by Norman Steinberg and Dennis Palumbo.
Show Information
- Book
- Joseph Dougherty
- Music
- Stephen Flaherty
- Lyrics
- Lynn Ahrens
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1992
- Genres
- Comedy
- Settings
- Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- new york, 1954
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Musical Staging
- Licensor
- Music Theatre International
- Ideal For
- many featured roles, community theatre, professional theatre, older roles, male lead, large chorus, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult, Late Teen Characters, Large Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Alto |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
|
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
|
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
|
Songs
Act I
- *Twenty Million People - Benjy and Company
- Larger Than Life - Benjy
- *The Musketeer Sketch - Benjy, Sy, King, Alice, K.C., Leo and Herb
- Waldorf Suite - Benjy, Offstage Chorus
- Rookie in the Ring - Belle
- Manhattan - Alan and Ensemble
- Naked in Bethesda Fountain - Sy, Alice, Leo, Herb and K.C.
- *The Gospel According to the King - King, Alan and Ensemble
- *The Musketeer Sketch Rehearsal - Musketeers, Benjy, and Alan
- Funny / The Duck Joke - K. C. and Alice
- *The Musketeer Sketch Rehearsal Part II - King, Alan and Ensemble
- Welcome to Brooklyn - Morty, Rookie, Belle, Sadie, Benjy, Alan and Neighbors
- If the World Were Like the Movies - Alan
Act II
- Exits - Alan
- *Shut Up and Dance - K. C., Benjy, Offstage Chorus
- *Professional Showbizness Comedy - Alice, King and Ensemble
- The Lights Come Up - Alan and Benjy
- *Maxford House - Maxford House Girls
- The Musketeer Sketch Finale - King and Ensemble
- *My Favorite Year - Benjy and 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
Sorry! We do not currently have terms for this guide.
Videos
Quizzes
Sorry! We do not currently have quizzes for this guide.
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Quote Analysis
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Guide Written By:
