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Overview

Synopsis

Jerusha Abbott is a poor, teenaged orphan who has spent her life at the John Grier Home. An unnamed benefactor decides to send her to college to be educated as a writer. From a distance, Jerusha gets a brief glimpse of this mysterious benefactor as he leaves the orphanage. She notices his height and nicknames him ‘Daddy Long Legs’. Daddy’s only requirement for providing her the scholarship is that she write him a letter once a month. However, he will not write her back or reveal his identity. Although she knows that he will never respond to her letters, she grows more and more curious about this elusive and kindly “old” gentleman. Meanwhile, another relationship begins to develop in Jerusha’s life with Jervis Pendleton, a well-to-do uncle of one of Jerusha’s roommates. Through her monthly letters with Daddy and her growing intimacy with Jervis, Jerusha’s letters chronicle her growth from a doe-eyed orphan girl to a strong, independent woman. In the end, Jerusha also finds love with a man she never expected to enter her life.

Show Information

Book
John Caird
Music
Paul Gordon
Lyrics
Paul Gordon
Based on the Play/Book/Film
Based on the classic novel by Jean Webster
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
2009
Genres
Romance
Settings
Period
Time & Place
new england in the early 20th century
Cast Size
small
Orchestra Size
Small
Dancing
Musical Staging
Licensor
Music Theatre International
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre, Small Cast, Includes Adult, Late Teen, Young Adult Characters

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Jerusha

Lead

Female

Alto

Jervis

Lead

Male

Tenor, Baritone

Songs

Act One

  • "The Oldest Orphan in the John Grier Home" - Jerusha
  • "Who Is This Man?" - Jerusha
  • "Mr. Girl Hater" - Jerusha, Jervis
  • "She Thinks I'm Old" - Jervis
  • "Like Other Girls" - Jerusha, Jervis
  • "Freshman Year Studies" - Jerusha, Jervis
  • "Things I Didn't Know" - Jerusha, Jervis
  • "What Does She Mean By Love?" - Jervis
  • "I'm a Beast" - Jerusha
  • "When Shall We Meet?" - Jervis
  • "The Color of Your Eyes" - Jerusha, Jervis
  • "The Secret of Happiness" - Jerusha
  • "The Color of Your Eyes" (Reprise) - Jerusha, Jervis

Act Two

  • "Sophomore Year Studies"* - Jerusha, Jervis
  • "My Manhattan"- Jervis
  • "I Couldn't Know Someone Less" - Jerusha
  • "The Man I'll Never Be" - Jervis
  • "The Secret of Happiness (Reprise)" - Jervis, Jerusha
  • "Humble Pie" - Jervis
  • "Graduation Day" - Jerusha, Jervis
  • "Charity" - Jervis
  • "I Have Torn You From My Heart" - Jerusha
  • "My Manhattan (Reprise)"* - Jervis
  • "I'm A Beast (Reprise)" - Jervis
  • "All This Time" - Jerusha, Jervis

*In the Original Cast and Japanese recordings, a song titled "Girl in the Window Display" was a duet by Jerusha and Jervis and was the predecessor to "My Manhattan".

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

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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.

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