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Overview

Synopsis

Before she survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912, Margaret “Molly” Brown was already a dominant force to be reckoned with. From humble beginnings outside of Hannibal, Missouri, young Molly Tobin made her way to Leadville, Colorado. With her headstrong charm and never-give-in spunk, Molly convinces local saloon owner Christmas Morgan to give her a job singing and playing piano. While at the Saddle Rock Saloon, Molly meets Johnny “Leadville” Brown. He falls madly in love with her, and will do anything to marry her. But there is just one problem: Molly is determined to land a rich husband in Denver. So Johnny sets out to convince Molly that they are destined for each other, and after building her a cabin (complete with a room for her father and a brass bed), Molly finally admits that she loves him and they get married. Even though Molly believes that she settles for love, the couple strikes it rich with Johnny’s mine. They pack off to Denver, destined to be a part of the sophisticated elite. Even though Molly has the wealth, she doesn’t yet have the charm of the stuffy socialites; on a trip to Europe, Molly’s infectious zest for life attracts international nobility and royalty. But even though Molly is moving up in sophistication, she is leaving her husband behind, and must figure out which dream is more important: love or money. The Unsinkable Molly Brown is a rollicking musical with Meredith Willson’s signature sound and vivacious characters, true entertainment for audiences of all ages.

While Meredith Willson and Richard Morris’ original 1960 musical is heavily fictionalized, in 2009, producer Dick Scanlon started working on a revised and updated version, more authentic to Margaret Brown’s real life. The revised Unsinkable Molly Brown opened Off-Broadway in February 2020. The guide here is based on Willson and Morris’ original 1960 musical, available for licensing through Musical Theatre International.

Show Information

Book
Richard Morris
Music
Meredith Willson
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1960
Genres
Comedy, Historical/Biographical
Settings
Period, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
Denver, Colorado, Europe, 1890s, 1900s, 1910s
Cast Size
medium
Orchestra Size
Medium
Dancing
Heavy
Licensor
Music Theatre International
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, High School, Large Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Early Teen, Late Teen, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast

Context

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Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Molly Tobin

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Johnny "Leadville" Brown

Lead

Male

Baritone

Tobin Brothers (3)

Supporting

Male

Baritone, Tenor

Shamus Tobin

Supporting

Male

Baritone, Tenor

Christmas Morgan

Supporting

Male

Baritone, Tenor

Mrs. McGlone

Supporting

Female

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano

Monsignor Ryan

Supporting

Male

Baritone, Tenor

Roberts

Supporting

Male

Tenor, Baritone

Prince DeLong

Supporting

Male

Baritone, Tenor

The International Set (7)

Supporting

Either Gender

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Ensemble

Featured

Either Gender

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Songs

Act I

  • *“I Ain't Down Yet” -- Molly Tobin and Her Brothers
  • *“Belly Up to the Bar, Boys” -- Molly Tobin, Christmas Morgan and the Miners
  • “I've A'ready Started In” -- Johnny "Leadville" Brown, Christmas Morgan, Charlie, Burt and Gitter
  • “I'll Never Say No to You” -- Johnny "Leadville" Brown
  • “My Own Brass Bed” -- Molly Tobin
  • “The Denver Police” -- Three Policemen
  • “Beautiful People of Denver -- Molly Tobin
  • “Are You Sure?” -- Molly Tobin, Monsignor Ryan and Guests
  • *“I Ain't Down Yet (Reprise)” -- Molly Tobin and Johnny "Leadville" Brown

Act II

  • “Happy Birthday, Mrs. J. J. Brown” -- The International Set
  • “Bon Jour (The Language Song)” -- Molly Tobin, Prince DeLong and the International set
  • “If I Knew” -- Johnny "Leadville" Brown
  • “Chick-a-pen” -- Molly Tobin and Johnny "Leadville" Brown
  • *”Keep-a-Hoppin'” -- Johnny "Leadville" Brown and His Leadville Friends
  • “Up Where the People Are” -- Monte Carlo Guests
  • “Dolce Far Niente” -- Prince DeLong and Molly Tobin
  • *“Finale” -- Johnny "Leadville" Brown, Molly Tobin and Leadville Friends

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

All monologues are the property and copyright of their owners.. Monologues are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this monologue, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

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Videos

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Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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Quote Analysis

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Guide Written By:

Cindi Calhoun

Cindi Calhoun

Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress