Overview
Synopsis
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 However, after several years away, he has been replaced by younger men playing piano in Cleveland’s hottest clubs.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.
Show Information
- Book
- Richard Oberacker , Robert Taylor
- Music
- Richard Oberacker
- Lyrics
- Richard Oberacker , Robert Taylor
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 2017
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy, Romance
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Cleveland, New York, 1945
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Small
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- Samuel French
- Ideal For
- College/University, Ensemble Cast, Large Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female, Star Vehicle Male, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Late Teen Characters
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Alto |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Alto |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Bass-Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Bass-Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Bass-Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Bass-Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Bass-Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
Songs
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
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
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher