Overview
Synopsis
When talented young hopeful Ruby arrives in New York City with nothing but a pair of tap shoes in her suitcase, she is determined to break into show business. She stumbles into the cast of troubled show “Dames at Sea”, in which broke and pessimistic producer Hennesey is terrorized by Mona Kent, the aggressive, seductive, and surprisingly shady leading lady. Ruby seems to be in luck, as she makes a friend in clever chorus girl Joan, and falls in love with Dick, a singing sailor with songwriting ambitions, who just happens to be from her own hometown of Centerville, Utah. But things take a turn for the worse when Mona sets her sights -- and her claws -- on Dick, and Hennesey loses the theatre, which is promptly bulldozed out from under the cast and crew. Can Dick and his pal Lucky save the show by producing it on their battleship? Will the reluctant Captain be persuaded by Mona Kent, who just happens to be his tropical fling from long ago? Will Ruby go out there a chorus girl, but come back a star? The answer is a resounding yes in Dames at Sea, a light, bright, and hilariously tuneful homage to the glamorous and hopeful movie musicals of the 1930s. The sweet and salty script, full of wisecracks and vintage slang, is by George Haimsohn and Robin Miller, and the light and bubbly score, with music by Jim Wise, features the rousing “Good Times are Here to Stay,” the ridiculous tropical romance of “The Beguine,” and the delicate melancholy of “Raining in My Heart.” Dames at Sea received a Broadway revival in 2015.
Note: Cast size for Dames at Sea is flexible, as it can be performed with as few as 6 actors (3 M, 3 F), or with a full dancing and singing ensemble of chorus girls and sailor boys.
Show Information
- Book
- George Haimsohn , Robin Miller
- Music
- Jim Wise
- Lyrics
- George Haimsohn , Robin Miller
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1966
- Genres
- Comedy, Parody
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings, Spectacle
- Time & Place
- 1930s, new york city, 42nd street, a theatre, a battleship
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Heavy
- Licensor
- Samuel French
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, High School, Professional Theatre, Small Cast, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult, Late Teen Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone |
Songs
Act One
- Wall Street - Mona
- It’s You - Dick, Ruby
- Broadway Baby - Dick
- That Mister Man of Mine - Mona, Ensemble
- Choo-Choo Honeymoon - Joan, Lucky
- The Sailor of My Dreams - Ruby
- Singapore Sue - Lucky, Ensemble
- Good Times Are Here to Stay - Joan, Ensemble
Act Two
- Dames At Sea - Lucky, Dick, Ensemble
- The Beguine - Mona, Captain
- Raining in My Heart - Ruby, Ensemble
- There’s Something About You - Dick, Ruby
- Raining in My Heart (Reprise) - Ruby
- The Echo Waltz - Mona, Joan, Ruby, Ensemble,
- Star Tar - Ruby, Ensemble
- Let’s Have A Simple Wedding - 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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