Overview
Synopsis
With Irish whimsy, melodious magic, and biting social commentary, Finian’s Rainbow tackles the American Dream and the state of civil rights in the post-World War II United States. Pursued by a vengeful leprechaun, crafty Finian McLonergan drags his daughter Sharon and a stolen crock of gold all the way from the mysterious Irish village of Glocca Morra to Missitucky U.S.A., planning to bury the gold near Fort Knox and watch it multiply. They run right into a battle between the poor sharecroppers of Rainbow Valley, led by the handsome smooth-talking Woody Mahoney, and the henchman of Senator Rawkins, a bigoted blowhard who covets the very land on which Finian needs to bury his gold. With hearts aflame and tempers running high, and lines of credit and rogue wishes running amok, it can only end in a fire, a thunderstorm… or a wedding! Featuring beloved and classic tunes such as ‘Old Devil Moon’, ‘Look to the Rainbow’, and ‘How Are Things in Glocca Morra’, this musical also explores themes of nostalgia, belonging, and home.
Show Information
- Book
- E.Y. "Yip" Harburg , Fred Saidy
- Music
- Burton Lane
- Lyrics
- E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
- Category
- Musical
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1947
- Genres
- Satire, Fairy Tale/Fantasy
- Settings
- Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- rainbow valley, missitucky, mid/late 1940s, post-wwii, usa
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- Tams Witmark Music Library
- Ideal For
- Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Late Teen, Young Adult, Child, Early Teen Characters, Large Cast
Context
Finian’s Rainbow opened to critical and popular acclaim on January 10th, 1947, at the 46th Street Theater in New York City. E.Y Harburg had both the initial inspiration for the show and credits as librettist and lyricist, with Fred Saidy as co-writer on the libretto and music by Burton Lane. The show won three Tonys; notably, David Wayne as Og received the first ever Best Supporting Actor in a Musical Award, while Milton Rosenstock took home a Tony for Best Conductor and Musical Director
to read the context for Finian's Rainbow and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
The scene opens on the green and fertile tobacco fields and rolling, wooded hills of fictional, yet familiar, Missitucky U.S.A., latter half of the 1940s. We are at the town meetin’ place, a little green space featuring a wishing well and an old tree. The scene is a peaceful spring morning with only the harmonica of Sunny the sharecropper to disturb the air, but soon Buzz Collins and the Sheriff enter, pinning up a notice that this particular bit of Rainbow Valley is to be auctioned
to read the plot for Finian's Rainbow and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken, Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Silent |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken, Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Silent |
|
|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Silent |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone |
Songs
Act One
- Overture
- *This Time of the Year - Ensemble, *Susan
- How Are Things in Glocca Morra? - Sharon
- Woody’s Entrance - Ensemble
- *Look to the Rainbow - Sharon, Ensemble
- Old Devil Moon - Woody and Sharon
- Reprise: How Are Things in Glocca Morra? - Sharon
- *Something Sort of Grandish - Sharon, Og
- *If This Isn’t Love - Sharon, Woody, Finian, *Susan, Ensemble
- Reprise: Something Sort of Grandish - Og
- Necessity - Ensemble (Mostly Female)
- That Great Come-And-Get-It- Day - Woody, Ensemble
Act Two
- *When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich - Sharon, Ensemble
- Reprise: Old Devil Moon - Woody and Sharon
- *Dance of the Golden Crock - Susan
- Reprise: How Are Things in Glocca Morra? - Og
- The Begat - Passion Pilgrim Gospeleers, Senator Rawkins
- Reprise (Wedding Scene): Look to the Rainbow - Sharon, Woody, Ensemble
- *When I’m Not Near the Girl I Love - Og, *Susan
- Finale: How Are Things in Glocca Morra? - Full Ensemble
- Curtain Call: That Great Come-And-Get-It-Day - Full Ensemble
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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