In Trenton, New Jersey, old high school buddies Wally (now an executive in public relations) and Alvin (a furniture mover) discuss the possibility of adding some spice to their lives by having a foursome. Alvin suggests to his wife Cleo that they share their bed with Monica, Wally's wife. Cleo thinks that she would enjoy Wally. They agree that whoever enters first becomes the evening's partner, but the couple walks in together. After Monica leaves, the three discuss the situation and decide on a foursome on Christmas Eve.
Alvin and Cleo arrive for dinner on Christmas Eve, and while Monica is initially unhappy with the arrangement, she ultimately agrees. Too excited to eat: they undress, get into bed, and have some pot to relax. As Wally suggests ideas from a sex manual, the group discards all the options.
Song listEdit
Act I
We're Still Friends - Company
Monica - Alvin, Monica and Four Guys
By Threes - Wally, Alvin and Harvey
A Mover's Life - Alvin and Four Guys
Love Revolution - Cleo
Someone Wonderful I Missed - Monica and Cleo
Sexually Free - Alvin, Cleo and Wally
Act II
Hey There, Good Times - Harvey, Stanley, Quentin and Norman
Lovers on Christmas Eve - Monica, Wally and Norman
Scream - Harvey, Stanley, Quentin and Norman
Everybody Today is Turning On - Alvin and Wally
Married Couple Seeks Married Couple - Alvin, Cleo, Wally and Monica
The band consisted of four on-stage musicians who were among the friends and acted in the opening scene. The show was filled with their shenanigans in the background during the songs. They sang along with some of the numbers and sometimes one of them took a solo and sang alone.
The Helen Hayes Theatre in Nyack, New York, presented the musical in April 2004.[6]
Clive Barnes, reviewing for The New York Times, wrote that the musical is "bright, inventive, amusing and breezy." He noted that what Coleman and Stewart did regarding the band "is breathtakingly simple, but none...has ever done it before. They have taken the band and put it up on stage...The musicians are welded into the play, as a kind of Greek chorus." He especially noted that "It is a gorgeous cast-just right." Finally, he called the musical "mildly sexy, vastly diverting and highly amusing."[8]
^Cy Coleman, Cy; Stewart, Michael (1980). I Love My Wife. Samuel French, Inc. ISBN0-573-68110-4, p. 3
^ abCorry, John (March 4, 1977). "Broadway". The New York Times. p. 48. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
^Kenrick, John (2002). "Stage Musical Chronology: 1970s". Musicals101.com.
^"Olivier Winners 1977". Official London Theatre. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
^. britishsites.co.uk. Archived from the original on September 11, 2011.
^Rendell, Bob. . broadwaytalk.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
^Hodgins, Paul (December 4, 2008). "'I Love My Wife' pokes fun at swinging '70s". The Orange County Register. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
^Barnes, Clive (April 18, 1977). "Stage: Tuneful 'I Love My Wife'". The New York Times. p. 38. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
External linksEdit
Internet Broadway Database listing
I Love My Wife at guidetomusicaltheatre.com
2015 City Center with Lea DeLaria about I Love My Wife
October 21, 2023
love, wife, this, article, about, 1977, musical, 1970, film, film, musical, with, book, lyrics, michael, stewart, music, coleman, based, play, luis, rego, original, broadway, production, logo, illustration, hilary, knightmusiccy, colemanlyricsmichael, stewartb. This article is about the 1977 musical For the 1970 film see I Love My Wife film I Love My Wife is a musical with a book and lyrics by Michael Stewart and music by Cy Coleman based on a play by Luis Rego 1 I Love My WifeOriginal Broadway production logo Illustration by Hilary KnightMusicCy ColemanLyricsMichael StewartBookMichael StewartProductions1977 Broadway 1977 West End 1977 Madrid 1979 Buenos AiresA satire of the sexual revolution of the 1970s the musical takes place on Christmas Eve in suburban Trenton New Jersey where two married couples who have been close friends since high school find themselves contemplating a menage a quatre Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Song list 3 Productions 4 Response 4 1 Critical reviews 5 Awards and nominations 5 1 Original Broadway production 5 2 Original London production 6 Watch and listen 7 References 8 External linksSynopsis EditIn Trenton New Jersey old high school buddies Wally now an executive in public relations and Alvin a furniture mover discuss the possibility of adding some spice to their lives by having a foursome Alvin suggests to his wife Cleo that they share their bed with Monica Wally s wife Cleo thinks that she would enjoy Wally They agree that whoever enters first becomes the evening s partner but the couple walks in together After Monica leaves the three discuss the situation and decide on a foursome on Christmas Eve Alvin and Cleo arrive for dinner on Christmas Eve and while Monica is initially unhappy with the arrangement she ultimately agrees Too excited to eat they undress get into bed and have some pot to relax As Wally suggests ideas from a sex manual the group discards all the options Song list EditAct IWe re Still Friends Company Monica Alvin Monica and Four Guys By Threes Wally Alvin and Harvey A Mover s Life Alvin and Four Guys Love Revolution Cleo Someone Wonderful I Missed Monica and Cleo Sexually Free Alvin Cleo and Wally Act IIHey There Good Times Harvey Stanley Quentin and Norman Lovers on Christmas Eve Monica Wally and Norman Scream Harvey Stanley Quentin and Norman Everybody Today is Turning On Alvin and Wally Married Couple Seeks Married Couple Alvin Cleo Wally and Monica I Love My Wife Alvin and WallyProductions EditThe pre Broadway tryout opened at the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia on March 21 1977 2 The Broadway production opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on April 17 1977 and closed on May 20 1979 after 857 performances and seven previews Directed by Gene Saks and choreographed by Onna White the cast included James Naughton as Wally Joanna Gleason as Monica Lenny Baker as Alvin Ilene Graff as Cleo Michael Mark guitar as Stanley Joseph Saulter drums as Quenton John Miller bass as Harvey and Ken Bichel piano as Norman During the show s run cast replacements included Tom and Dick Smothers Tom Wopat Janie Sell and in an African American version Lawrence Hilton Jacobs Hattie Winston and Barbara Sharma Original director and choreographer Joe Layton was replaced due to injuries sustained in a fall 2 The West End production opened at the Prince of Wales Theatre on October 6 1977 where it ran for 401 performances 3 It was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Musical of the Year 4 The show originally starred Porridge and Rising Damp star Richard Beckinsale who was replaced as the lead mid run by Confessions of a Window Cleaner actor Robin Askwith 5 The band consisted of four on stage musicians who were among the friends and acted in the opening scene The show was filled with their shenanigans in the background during the songs They sang along with some of the numbers and sometimes one of them took a solo and sang alone The Helen Hayes Theatre in Nyack New York presented the musical in April 2004 6 A production was staged by the Reprise Theatre Company Brentwood Theatre Brentwood California in December 2008 This starred Jason Alexander Alvin Vicki Lewis Cleo Patrick Cassidy Wally and Lea Thompson Monica 7 Response EditCritical reviews Edit Clive Barnes reviewing for The New York Times wrote that the musical is bright inventive amusing and breezy He noted that what Coleman and Stewart did regarding the band is breathtakingly simple but none has ever done it before They have taken the band and put it up on stage The musicians are welded into the play as a kind of Greek chorus He especially noted that It is a gorgeous cast just right Finally he called the musical mildly sexy vastly diverting and highly amusing 8 Awards and nominations EditOriginal Broadway production Edit Year Award Category Nominee Result1977 Tony Award Best Musical NominatedBest Book of a Musical Michael Stewart NominatedBest Original Score Cy Coleman and Michael Stewart NominatedBest Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Lenny Baker WonBest Direction of a Musical Gene Saks WonBest Choreography Onna White NominatedDrama Desk Award Outstanding Musical NominatedOutstanding Actor in a Musical Lenny Baker WonOutstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Ken Bichel WonMichael MarkJohn MillerJoseph SaulterOutstanding Director of a Musical Gene Saks NominatedOutstanding Music Cy Coleman WonTheatre World Award Joanna Gleason WonOriginal London production Edit Year Award Category Nominee Result1977 Laurence Olivier Award Best New Musical NominatedWatch and listen EditI Love My Wife excerpt YouTube I Love My Wife excerpt YouTube I Love My Wife A Musical 1977 Original Broadway Cast Recording CD April 10 1992 DRG Records ASIN B000000PG7 Broadway Bound 216 Yesterday amp Today plus Cy Coleman The Public Radio Exchange PRX Everybody Today is Turning On Bea Arthur amp Rock Hudson The Beatrice Arthur SpecialReferences Edit Cy Coleman Cy Stewart Michael 1980 I Love My Wife Samuel French Inc ISBN 0 573 68110 4 p 3 a b Corry John March 4 1977 Broadway The New York Times p 48 Retrieved March 15 2022 Kenrick John 2002 Stage Musical Chronology 1970s Musicals101 com Olivier Winners 1977 Official London Theatre Retrieved March 15 2022 Richard Beckinsale britishsites co uk Archived from the original on September 11 2011 Rendell Bob Hey There Good Times Cy Coleman is Here broadwaytalk com Archived from the original on July 17 2012 Retrieved August 28 2009 Hodgins Paul December 4 2008 I Love My Wife pokes fun at swinging 70s The Orange County Register Retrieved March 15 2022 Barnes Clive April 18 1977 Stage Tuneful I Love My Wife The New York Times p 38 Retrieved March 15 2022 External links EditInternet Broadway Database listing I Love My Wife at guidetomusicaltheatre com 2015 City Center interview with Lea DeLaria about I Love My Wife Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title I Love My Wife amp oldid 1180311141, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
