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Overview

Synopsis

Crazy For You -- the “new Gershwin musical comedy” with a book by famed comedic playwright Ken Ludwig -- is the classic tale of a boy, a girl, and a theater in need of salvation. Stage-struck Bobby Child works as a banker for his overbearing mother, Lottie, but spends his off hours practicing dance routines and sneaking in to audition for Zangler’s Follies, the most popular show in New York City, helmed by Bela Zangler, a temperamental Hungarian producer. Unfortunately, Bobby’s showbiz career is going nowhere, and his strident fiance is insisting that he name the date, so when Lottie demands that he investigate a far-away customer who has defaulted on a mortgage, Bobby jumps at the chance to get out of town. Arriving in hot, quiet Deadrock, Nevada, Bobby falls for Polly Baker, the sweet and sturdy postmistress, whose father happens to own the beautiful, but decaying, Gaiety Theater, which he has been sent to seize. Now lovestruck, Bobby comes up with a plan: call in his friends, the Follies Girls, all the way from New York City, cast the locals-- a bunch of rundown cowboys with latent musical talent--and put on a show to save the old building. Polly falls in turn for the enthusiastic young man, but feels angry and betrayed when she discovers that he comes from the bank.

In order to spend time with the furious Polly, Bobby disguises himself as Bela Zangler of Zangler’s Follies, all the better to produce and direct. But while “Zangler” is talking up Bobby to the unsuspecting Polly, Polly is falling for the impersonation of dashing, European Zangler…. and when the real Zangler arrives in town, chasing Tessie, his beloved dance captain, things really get “Crazy!” With a fast-paced and light-hearted script by Ludwig, and a collection of the most beloved tunes of George and Ira Gershwin, including the day-dreamy “Can’t Be Bothered Now”, the catchy, high-energy “Slap That Bass”, and the plaintive, romantic “Someone To Watch Over Me”, Crazy For You is a truly delightful homage to the beloved, optimistic musicals of the 1930s: a world of showgirls and cowboys, in which a city boy and a country girl reconcile their differences, fall in love, and save a theater, the old-fashioned way.

Show Information

Book
Ken Ludwig
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1992
Genres
Comedy, Romance
Settings
Period, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
1930s, new york city, and deadrock, nevada
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
Large
Dancing
Heavy
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, High School, Large Cast, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Late Teen Characters

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Bobby Child

Lead

Male

Baritone

Polly Baker

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Mrs. Lottie Child

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Irene Roth

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Lank Hawkins

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Bela Zangler

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Tess

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Patricia Fodor

Supporting

Female

Soprano

Eugene Fodor

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Everett Baker

Featured

Male

Baritone

Perkins

Featured

Male

Spoken

Elaine

Featured

Female

Soprano, Alto

Pete

Featured

Male

Tenor, Bass

Wyatt

Featured

Male

Tenor, Bass

Mingo

Featured

Male

Tenor, Bass

Betsy

Featured

Female

Soprano, Alto

Louise

Featured

Female

Soprano, Alto

Margie

Featured

Female

Soprano, Alto

Moose

Featured

Male

Tenor, Bass

Junior

Featured

Male

Tenor, Bass

Sheila

Featured

Female

Soprano, Alto

Mitzi

Featured

Female

Soprano, Alto

Vera

Featured

Female

Soprano, Alto

Sam

Featured

Male

Tenor, Bass

Patsy

Featured

Female

Soprano, Alto

Chauffeur

Featured

Male

Spoken

Billy

Featured

Male

Tenor, Bass

Custus

Featured

Male

Tenor, Bass

Harry

Featured

Male

Tenor, Bass

Jimmy

Featured

Male

Tenor, Bass

Follies Girls

Ensemble

Female

Soprano, Alto

New York / Nevada Ensemble

Ensemble

Either Gender

Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass

Songs

Act One

  • Overture
  • "K-ra-zy for You" (from Treasure Girl) – Bobby
  • "I Can't Be Bothered Now" (from A Damsel in Distress) – Bobby, Follies Girls
  • "Bidin' My Time" (from Girl Crazy) – Cowboy Trio and Cowboys
  • "Things Are Looking Up" (from A Damsel in Distress) – Bobby
  • "Someone to Watch Over Me" (from Oh, Kay!) – Polly
  • "Could You Use Me" (from Girl Crazy) – Bobby and Polly
  • "Shall We Dance?" (from Shall We Dance) – Bobby
  • "Entrance to Nevada" – Follies Girls and Cowboys
  • "Slap That Bass" (from Shall We Dance) – Bobby, Pete, Patsy, Tess, and Chorus
  • "Embraceable You" (from Girl Crazy) – Polly and Bobby
  • "Tonight's the Night" – Chorus
  • "I Got Rhythm" (from Girl Crazy) – Polly and Chorus

Act Two

  • Entr'acte
  • "The Real American Folk Song is a Rag" (from Ladies First) – Cowboy Trio and Chorus
  • "What Causes That?" (from Treasure Girl) – Bobby and Zangler
  • "Naughty Baby" – Irene, Lank, Cowboy Quartet
  • "Stiff Upper Lip" (from A Damsel in Distress) – Eugene, Patricia, Bobby, Polly, and Chorus
  • "They Can't Take That Away from Me" (from Shall We Dance) – Bobby
  • "But Not for Me" (from Girl Crazy) – Polly
  • "But Not for Me" (Reprise) – Polly
  • New York Interlude (Concerto in F)
  • "Nice Work If You Can Get It" (from A Damsel in Distress) – Follies Girls, and Bobby
  • "Bidin' My Time" (French Reprise) – Cowboy Trio
  • "Things Are Looking Up" (Reprise) – Everett
  • Finale – Chorus

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.

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