Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater is a 1979 musical that marked the first collaboration of composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman. Based on Kurt Vonnegut's 1965 novel of the same name, the musical tells the story of Eliot Rosewater, a millionaire who develops a social conscience and creates a foundation to improve the lives of the citizens of an impoverished Indiana town.
The musical had a showcase in May 1979 at the WPA Theater in New York City. Directed by Ashman, Frederick Coffin played Eliot Rosewater and Jonathan Hadary played Mushari. Menken played the keyboards.[1]
The musical transferred to the Entermedia TheatreOff-Broadway, where it opened on October 14, 1979 and closed on November 24, after 49 performances. Directed by Ashman, the production featured Frederick Coffin (Eliot Rosewater), Janie Sell (Sylvia Rosewater), and Jonathan Hadary (Norman Mushari).[2]
The musical was produced at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. in May to June 1981, again directed by Ashman and starring Coffin. The cast also featured Robert Westenberg, Steve Liebman, Theresa Rabov, and Leslie Cass.[3]
In March 2003, Rosewater was performed in concert as part of the CooperArts series at the Cooper Union; the concert featured Jim Walton (Eliot Rosewater), Carolee Carmello (Sylvia Rosewater), and David Pittu (Norman Mushari).[4]
The New England premiere of the show was performed from April 14–24, 2016 by Cape Cod Community College, in West Barnstable Massachusetts. The cast was made up of primarily students and most had heard of the book (Kurt Vonnegut was a resident of the area) however not many knew that it had been made into a musical.
^Martin, Judith. "'Rosewater': True Kitsch" "The Washington Post", May 15, 1981
^ abJones, Kenneth. "Menken & Ashman's 'God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater' Gets NYC Concert March 7" Playbill, March 6, 2003
^ abClement, Olivia. "James Earl Jones Joins 'God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater'" Playbill, June 27, 2016
^Donovan, Deirdre. God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater theaterscene.com, accessed October 22, 2019
^ abSommer, Elyse. "A CurtainUp Review. God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater at Encores! Off-Center" curtainup.com, July 28, 2016
^Stewart, Zachary. "Review. 'Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater'" theatermania.com, July 28, 2016
^Weinstock, Matt. "The Making of God Bless You Mr. Rosewater" Playbill, July 26, 2016
^ abDietz, Dan. God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater "Casts, Credits, Songs, Critical Reception and Performance Data of More Than 1,800 Shows", McFarland, 2010, ISBN0-786457317, p.589
God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater at the Music Theatre International website
"The Making of God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater", a 2016 Playbill oral history
April 12, 2024
kurt, vonnegut, bless, rosewater, 1979, musical, that, marked, first, collaboration, composer, alan, menken, writer, howard, ashman, based, kurt, vonnegut, 1965, novel, same, name, musical, tells, story, eliot, rosewater, millionaire, develops, social, conscie. Kurt Vonnegut s God Bless You Mr Rosewater is a 1979 musical that marked the first collaboration of composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman Based on Kurt Vonnegut s 1965 novel of the same name the musical tells the story of Eliot Rosewater a millionaire who develops a social conscience and creates a foundation to improve the lives of the citizens of an impoverished Indiana town Kurt Vonnegut s God Bless You Mr RosewaterPromo art for the 2016 Encores productionMusicAlan MenkenLyricsHoward Ashman Dennis GreenBookHoward AshmanBasisGod Bless You Mr Rosewater by Kurt VonnegutProductions1979 Off Broadway 1981 Arena Stage 2016 Encores Off Center Contents 1 Productions 2 Cast and characters 3 Musical numbers 4 References 5 External linksProductions editThe musical had a showcase in May 1979 at the WPA Theater in New York City Directed by Ashman Frederick Coffin played Eliot Rosewater and Jonathan Hadary played Mushari Menken played the keyboards 1 The musical transferred to the Entermedia Theatre Off Broadway where it opened on October 14 1979 and closed on November 24 after 49 performances Directed by Ashman the production featured Frederick Coffin Eliot Rosewater Janie Sell Sylvia Rosewater and Jonathan Hadary Norman Mushari 2 The musical was produced at the Arena Stage in Washington D C in May to June 1981 again directed by Ashman and starring Coffin The cast also featured Robert Westenberg Steve Liebman Theresa Rabov and Leslie Cass 3 In March 2003 Rosewater was performed in concert as part of the CooperArts series at the Cooper Union the concert featured Jim Walton Eliot Rosewater Carolee Carmello Sylvia Rosewater and David Pittu Norman Mushari 4 The New England premiere of the show was performed from April 14 24 2016 by Cape Cod Community College in West Barnstable Massachusetts The cast was made up of primarily students and most had heard of the book Kurt Vonnegut was a resident of the area however not many knew that it had been made into a musical An Encores Off Center staged concert ran at New York City Center from July 27 30 2016 The production starred Skylar Astin Norman Mushari Santino Fontana Eliot Rosewater Brynn O Malley Sylvia and James Earl Jones Kilgore Trout The production also featured Rebecca Naomi Jones and was directed by Michael Mayer 5 6 7 8 This cast recorded the first studio recording of this musical in 2017 Cast and characters editCharacters WPA Theater 1979 1 9 10 Off Broadway 1979 2 Arena Stage 1981 10 Cooper Union 2003 4 Encores 2016 5 Eliot Rosewater Frederick Coffin Jim Walton Santino FontanaSylvia Rosewater Mimi Turque Janie Sell Barbara Andres Carolee Carmello Brynn O MalleyNorman Mushari Jonathan Hadary Robert Westenberg David Pittu Skylar AstinMusical numbers editSource CurtainUp 7 Act IOverture Orchestra The Rosewater Foundation Rosewater Foundation Office Workers Eliot Company The Rosewater Foundation Reprise Eliot Dear Ophelia Eliot Thank God for the Volunteer Fire Brigade Firefighters Eliot Company Mushari s Waltz Magical Moment Mushari Thirty Miles From the Banks of the Ohio Look Who s Here Eliot Rosewater Township Citizens Cheese Nips Sylvia Company The Rosewater Foundation Reprise II Eliot Township Citizens Since You Came to This Town Rosewater Township Citizens Company Act IIA Poem by William Blake A Voice Not Unlike God s Company The Rhode Island Tango Fred Caroline Mushari Eliot Sylvia Eliot Sylvia Plain Clean Average Americans Mushari Eliot Caroline Fred Company A Firestorm Consuming Indianapolis Eliot Dear Ophelia Reprise Sylvia I Eliot Rosewater Eliot CompanyReferences edit a b Gussow Mel Stage God Bless You Mr Rosewater The New York Times May 21 1979 a b God Bless You Mr Rosewater Martin Judith Rosewater True Kitsch The Washington Post May 15 1981 a b Jones Kenneth Menken amp Ashman s God Bless You Mr Rosewater Gets NYC Concert March 7 Playbill March 6 2003 a b Clement Olivia James Earl Jones Joins God Bless You Mr Rosewater Playbill June 27 2016 Donovan Deirdre God Bless You Mr Rosewater theaterscene com accessed October 22 2019 a b Sommer Elyse A CurtainUp Review God Bless You Mr Rosewater at Encores Off Center curtainup com July 28 2016 Stewart Zachary Review Kurt Vonnegut s God Bless You Mr Rosewater theatermania com July 28 2016 Weinstock Matt The Making of God Bless You Mr Rosewater Playbill July 26 2016 a b Dietz Dan God Bless You Mr Rosewater Casts Credits Songs Critical Reception and Performance Data of More Than 1 800 Shows McFarland 2010 ISBN 0 786457317 p 589External links edit nbsp United States portal nbsp Theatre portalGod Bless You Mr Rosewater at the Internet Off Broadway Database God Bless You Mr Rosewater at the Music Theatre International website The Making of God Bless You Mr Rosewater a 2016 Playbill oral history Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kurt Vonnegut 27s God Bless You Mr Rosewater amp oldid 1189617882, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
