Overview
Synopsis
Status-obsessed Gene Gorman isn’t happy with his life in Brooklyn. Gene dreams of living the high life in Manhattan and is willing to fake it until he makes it. While trying to crash a party at the Plaza Hotel, Gene meets a fellow Brooklynite, Helen Fogel, who is attempting the same ruse. In an attempt to impress Helen, Gene uses the money he has collected from his friends for a “get-rich-quick” scheme on Wall Street and invests in an apartment. Without money to use for the stocks, Gene sells the beloved car of his cousin, Eugene “Pinhead” Gorman, to come up with the cash. When the stock crashes and Pinhead calls the police to find his missing car, Gene finds himself spiraling into a world of trouble. Based on the play Front Porch in Flatbush by Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein, Saturday Night is a lesser known Sondheim gem. With its nostalgic charm and toe-tapping tunes, Saturday Night is sure to delight audiences everywhere.
Show Information
- Book
- Julius J. Epstein
- Music
- Stephen Sondheim
- Lyrics
- Stephen Sondheim
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- Based on the play Front Porch in Flatbush by Julius J. Epstein
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1997
- Genres
- Comedy
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Brooklyn, New York, 1929
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Medium
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- Music Theatre International
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Regional Theatre, Professional Theatre, Includes Young Adult, Late Teen, Adult Characters, Large Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
Songs
ACT ONE
- “Saturday Night” - Ted, Artie, Ray, Dino
- “Class” - Gene, Hank, Company
- “Delighted, I’m Sure” - Ted, Artie, Ray, Dino, Bobby, Celeste, Mildred
- “Love’s a Bond Part 1 and 2” - Male Vocalist
- “Isn’t It” - Helene
- “In the Movies” - Ray, Ted, Artie, Dino, Hank, Celeste, Mildred
- “Exhibit ‘A’” - Bobby
- “A Moment With You” - Helen, Gene, Male Vocalist
- “Saturday Night Reprise” - Dino, Ray, Artie, Ted
- “Montana Chemical” - Dino, Ray, Artie, Ted, Celeste, Hank
- “So Many People” - Helen, Gene
- “One Wonderful Day’ - Company
- “Act One Finale” - Company
ACT TWO
- “Saturday Night Reprise 2” - Ted, Artie, Ray, Dino
- “Dino’s Piano Solo” - Dino
- “I Remember That” - Hank, Celeste
- “Love’s a Bond Blues” - Female Vocalist
- “All for You” - Helen
- “It’s That Kind of Neighborhood” - Company
- “What More Do I Need” - Company
- “Act Two Finale” - 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
The belief that equality and opportunity is available to any American.
The financial and industrial slump of 1929 and subsequent years.
A major American stock market crash that occurred in the autumn of 1929.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Emma Houlahan
Canadian vocalist and actor now based in London.