Dear World
Original Cast Recording
Music	Jerry Herman
Lyrics	Jerry Herman
Book	Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
Based upon	Jean Giraudoux's play The Madwoman of Chaillot
Productions	1969 Broadway

Dear World is a Broadway musical with a book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. With its opening, Herman became the only composer-lyricist in history to have three productions running simultaneously on Broadway Jerry Herman Jerry Herman (born Gerald Herman on July 10, 1933 in New York City) is an American composer/lyricist of the Broadway musical theater. ... Jerry Herman Jerry Herman (born Gerald Herman on July 10, 1933 in New York City) is an American composer/lyricist of the Broadway musical theater. ... Jerome Lawrence Schwartz (July 14, 1915 in Cleveland, Ohio - February 29, 2004 in Malibu, California) was an American playwright. ... Robert Edwin Lee (October 15, 1918 - July 8, 1994), was a playwright and lyricist. ... Hippolyte Jean Giraudoux (October 29, 1882 - January 31, 1944) was a French dramatist who wrote internationally acclaimed plays. ... The Madwoman of Chaillot is a 1969 satirical comedy-drama film made by Commonwealth United Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros-Seven Arts. ... Also: 1969 (number) 1969 (movie) 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theatre combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue. ... Jerome Lawrence Schwartz (July 14, 1915 in Cleveland, Ohio - February 29, 2004 in Malibu, California) was an American playwright. ... Robert Edwin Lee (October 15, 1918 - July 8, 1994), was a playwright and lyricist. ... Jerry Herman Jerry Herman (born Gerald Herman on July 10, 1933 in New York City) is an American composer/lyricist of the Broadway musical theater. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Based on Jean Giraudoux's play The Madwoman of Chaillot, it focuses on Countess Aurelia, Constance, and Gabrielle, who deviously scheme to stop businessmen from drilling for oil in the Parisian neighbourhood of Chaillot. Eventually the forces of poetry, love, and idealism win over those of materialism, science, and greed. Hippolyte Jean Giraudoux (October 29, 1882 - January 31, 1944) was a French dramatist who wrote internationally acclaimed plays. ... The Madwoman of Chaillot is a 1969 satirical comedy-drama film made by Commonwealth United Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros-Seven Arts. ... The Eiffel Tower has become the symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... This article is about the art form. ... For other uses, see Love (disambiguation). ... This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedias quality standards. ... In philosophy, materialism is that form of physicalism which holds that the only thing that can truly be said to exist is matter; that fundamentally, all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions; that matter is the only substance. ... A magnet levitating above a high-temperature superconductor demonstrates the Meissner effect. ... For other uses, see Greed (disambiguation). ...

Productions and background

The musical had a notably troubled preview period that included multiple changes to the script and score. Lucia Victor, Gower Champion's assistant, was hired as director (her first time), but resigned after a few days due to the usual "artistic differences" with Lansbury and the authors. Peter Glenville was then hired, but when the Boston reviews were negative, he withdrew. The show's final director, Joe Layton, was then hired, also replacing the choreographer Donald Saddler. ^[1] Gower Champion was an American theatre director, choreographer, and dancer. ... Peter Glenville (28 October 1913 - 3 June 1996), born Peter Patrick Brabason Browne, was an English film and stage actor and director. ... Donald Saddler (born January 24, 1918) is a Tony Award-winning American choreographer, dancer, and theatre director. ...

The production opened on Broadway at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on February 6, 1969, where it ran for 132 performances. Directed and choreographed by Joe Layton, Angela Lansbury starred. For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... The Mark Hellinger Theatre, at 1655 Broadway and 237 West 51st Street in New York City, was built in 1930 and operated as a theatre (under various names) until 1989. ... is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1969 (number) 1969 (movie) 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... Joe Layton (May 3, 1931 - May 5, 1994) was a Tony Award-winning American director and choreographer known primarily for his work on Broadway. ... Angela Lansbury CBE (born October 16, 1925) is a four-time Tony-winning, six-time Golden Globe-winning, three-time Oscar-nominated, and eighteen-time Emmy-nominated English actress. ...

Subsequent productions

Originally conceived as a chamber musical, Dear World fell victim to a massive production that effectively overwhelmed the simplicity of the original tale. After the Broadway closing, Herman, Lawrence, and Lee rewrote the show, restoring the intimacy they felt had been undermined on Broadway.

A revised version was produced at Goodspeed Musicals in November-December 2000, with Sally Ann Howes as Aurelia. This version had a revised book by David Thompson plus three songs written after the musical closed.^[2] A concert version was staged by 42nd Street Moon, San Francisco in September 6-24, 2000. This production used the revision by Herman, Lawrence and Lee. ^[3] Goodspeed Musicals, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theater and the creation of new works, was formed in 1959 to restore the Goodspeed Opera House, located in East Haddam, Connecticut, to its original Victorian appearance and elegance. ... For other uses, see November (disambiguation). ... Look up December in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Sally Ann Howes as Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with Van Dyke as Caractacus Potts. ... There are several men named David Thompson: David Thompson (explorer, early American settler) (c1592-1628), first European settler of New Hampshire David Thompson (explorer) (1770-1857), Canadian explorer David Thompson (politician) (1836-1886), former member of the Canadian House of Commons David Thompson (basketball) (b. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... For other uses, see September (disambiguation). ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

A further revised version was produced at the Sundance Theatre in June - August 2002 with Maureen McGovern playing Aurelia. Thompson had revised his previous revision of the book.^[4] For other uses, see June (disambiguation). ... August is the eighth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... A former secretary, Maureen McGovern quickly became the new it singer in 1973 with the Oscar-winning Morning After. ...

Plot

A corporation has discovered oil under the streets of Paris, directly under a bistro. The Countess Aurelia --The Madwoman of Chaillot--lives in the bistro's basement, driven mad because of a lost lover and reminiscing about her past. When the corporation decides to blow up the bistro to get the oil, a young executive, Julian, helps to foil the plan because he has fallen in love with Nina, the bistro's waitress. Aurelia lures the corporation executives to the underground in the sewer system! This article is about the capital of France. ... This article is about the type of restaurant. ...

Song List

† Added in the Goodspeed (2000) and Sundance (2002) versions

Cast list

• Countess Aurelia (The Madwoman of Chaillot) -- Angela Lansbury
• Gabrielle (The Madwoman of Montmarte) -- Jane Connell
• Constance (The Madwoman of the Flea Market) -- Carmen Mathews
• The Sewerman -- Milo O'Shea
• Julian -- Kurt Peterson
• Nina -- Pamela Hall

Jane Connell is an American actress of film, stage and television. ... Milo OShea (born June 2, 1926 in Dublin, Ireland) is a character actor, recognizable for his bushy eyebrows, resounding voice and impish smile. ...

Awards and nominations

Tony Award What is popularly called the Tony Award (formally, the Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre) is an annual award celebrating achievements in live American theater, including musical theater, primarily honoring productions on Broadway in New York. ...

• Best Actress in a Musical--Angela Lansbury (winner)
• Best Scenic Design -- Oliver Smith (nominee)

Critical response

The show received "blistering" reviews, with many critics seemingly personally offended by selling tickets to the troubled show. The book and score were criticized. Walter Kerr called Lansbury's showstopper number "I Don't Want to Know" "banal." Clive Barnes in the New York Times (2/7/69) did give Lansbury a positive review: "The minor miracle is Miss Lansbury...no connoisseur of musical comedy can afford to miss Miss Lansbury's performance. It is lovely." Sally Ann Howes and the majority of critics now believe that the Herman score is of such high quality that with a revised book it could be successful. ^[5] Walter Kerr (July 8, 1913 – October 9, 1996) was an American writer and Broadway theater critic. ... Clive Barnes (born May 13, 1927) is an English writer, journalist, and critic. ...

References

• The New York Times, Clive Barnes, "Theatre: 'The Madwoman of Chaillot' Set to Music", p.33, 2/7/69

External links

• Internet Broadway Database listing