Playbill

Kristen SatterleeDecember 12, 2006

TH 303 A – Dr. DurbinFinal Project

Hal PrincePresents

A League of Their OwnMusic and Lyrics

Richard Rodgers

Oscar Hammerstein II

Libretto

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Based on the 1992 Film

Starring

Idina MenzelDottie Hinson

Judy Garland (circa 1942)Kit Keller

and

Victor Garber (circa 1996)Jimmy Dugan

Directed by

Hal Prince

Choreographed by

Agnes De Mille

BIBLIOGRAPHYThe Internet Broadway Database. 12 Dec. 2006

<http://www.ibdb.com>.

The Internet Movie Database. 12 Dec. 2006

<http://www.imdb.com>.

Kislan, Richard. The Musical: a Look At the

American

Musical Theater. New York City: Applause

Books,

1995.

A League of Their Own. Dir. Penny Marshall. Perf.

Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Lori Petty. DVD.

Sony

Pictures Entertainment, 1992.

This new musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber was based on the movie A League of Their Own, which premiered in 1992 and followed the first year of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL), created to compensate for lack of men’s baseball during World War II. The story mainly focuses on quarrelling sisters Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis) and Kit Keller (Lori Petty) who become members of the Rockford Peaches, coached by ex-baseball legend Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks). The film follows their season with the Peaches, adding to the all-star cast (including Madonna as Mae Mordabito and Rosie O’Donnell as Doris Murphy). The feud between the sisters ends up with Kit being traded to another AAGPBL team, the Racine Belles. The two teams meet in the World Series and save the league from being closed down when the men’s baseball players come back from the war.

SYNOPSIS OF SOURCE MATERIAL

PROGRAM

Act IOpening Act I. (“Baseball Pitches In”)………………………Company

Scene I. Small town baseball field in Oregon. “Dottie’s Sister”………………………………………………………Kit

Scene II. Harvey Field, Chicago, Illinois. “Women’s Baseball”……………………………………...Company “That’s Me: A Rockford Peach”…………….Kit, Dottie, Peaches “If You Would’ve Just Laid Off The Booze”………………..Jimmy Dugan, Walter Harvey “Diamond Gals”…………………………………………..Company

Scene III. The Suds Bucket Roadhouse. “Dirt in Your Skirt”……………………………………………Peaches “It Had To Be You”………………………………………………………………………Marla

Scene IV. Baseball Field. “There’s No Crying in Baseball”……………………Jimmy Dugan “They Ain’t Closin’ Me Down”…………………………..Company

“It Just Got Too Hard” – This is the part of the story where Dottie decides to leave with Bob and go back to Oregon and quit the team. This is a duet between Jimmy and Dottie where he calls her out and says she is a quitter. He say she will miss it because he knows how much she loves it. And, as in the film, she says, “It just got too hard.”

Scene III. Baseball Field.“World Series” – This is a big choral song and dance number about how Racine (the team Kit is playing for) and Rockford are playing in the first World Series. It will be a lot like the previous large dance and choral numbers.

“Jimmy’s Prayer” – This is a prayer that Jimmy says in the movie right before the girls play their last game. It is a short solo and comedy song. Then the girls play their final game.

“Dottie’s Sister (Reprise)” – This is a reprise of Kit’s previous song, but after she has won the World Series for her team. She realizes that she is no longer in her sister’s shadow and forgives her.

Finale – see above

Act IIOpening Act II. (“Baseball Pitches In (Reprise)”)………….Company

Scene I. Baseball Field. “When Bob Comes Home”…………………………………...Dottie “Rosie, Turn in Your Rivets”………………………….Ira Lowenstein “I’ll Arrange A Trade”…………………………………Dottie, Ira, Kit

Scene II. Locker Room. “All-American League”……………………………………Peaches “The Telegram”…………………………………………………Jimmy “For The Rest of Our Lives”……………………………..Dottie, Bob “It Just Got Too Hard”………………………………..Jimmy, Dottie

Scene III. Baseball Field. “The World Series”…………………………………………Company “Jimmy’s Prayer”……………………………………………….Jimmy “Dottie’s Sister (Reprise)”…………………………………………..Kit

Finale……………………………………………………………….Company

Scene I. Baseball Field.“When Bob Comes Home” – This is a ballad sung by Dottie to Jimmy about how much she misses Bob. She is introducing his character for him and telling Jimmy that when Bob comes back from the war, she will leave the league to be with him.

“Rosie, Turn in Your Rivets” – This is a song that Ira Lowenstein sings after he finds out that Walter Harvey plans to cancel the league after this season is over. The men are going to be coming home from war and men’s baseball will be back in business. This song is when Ira Lowenstein realizes that this is how it will be with everything, not only baseball, and all women will be sent back to the home and to the kitchen. The title of the song comes from a line where he mentions having to tell Rosie to turn in her rivets.

“I’ll Arrange A Trade” – This song takes place right after Dottie pulls Kit out of a game. Kit is angry, so Dottie goes to Lowenstein and says she will leave. He offers to arrange a trade and she agrees, thinking he will trade her. In reality, he trades Kit. This song is a type of musical scene where all of these events are set to music.

Scene II. The Locker Room.“All-American League” – This song actually appears in the movie. One of the girls writes a theme song for the league. This is that scene and that song that talks about how the girls are each different but they are all members of the same league.

“The Telegram” – This musical scene is where a telegram from the War Department is delivered to one of the girls and Jimmy delivers it to Betty. It’s a short musical number, but a very dramatic one.

“For The Rest of Our Lives” – The title of this ballad duet between Bob and Dottie comes from a line in the movie. In this part, Dottie is crying because she misses Bob and she thought he was dead when the telegram was delivered earlier. He comes back injured from the war and she asks him, “Can we just hold each other for the rest of our lives?” This is them expressing how much they missed and love each other.

“Diamond Gals” – This song is a song that serves the purpose of introducing each of the girls on the Rockford Peaches team individually. In the movie, there is a news clip that does this and gives each girl a little more character and personality than before, and that is the main purpose of this song.

Scene III. The Suds Bucket Roadhouse.“Dirt in Your Skirt” – This is a big band swing song and dance number. There is a big dance break of swing dancing where the girls are dancing at the saloon. The lyrics are a play on words. The girls play baseball in skirts; therefore they will get dirt in their skirts while playing. But, they are also at a dirty roadhouse, where they could potentially get into some “dirty” trouble.

“It Had To Be You” – This is the only song that is not original to the musical. It was a popular song of the time period that was used in the same scene in the movie. It is a short clip of the song where a very intoxicated Marla is singing to Nelson, a man that she met in the Roadhouse, who she later marries.

Scene IV. Baseball Field.“There’s No Crying in Baseball” – This is a song that Jimmy Dugan will sing to the girls. A signature line from the movie, in the song he is singing about how frustrated he is coaching girls because they are too sensitive.

“They Ain’t Closin’ Me Down” – see above

Act II.

Opening Number. “Baseball Pitches In (Reprise)” – This is a reprise of the opening number, with a similar song and dance feel. The second act opens the same way, with the lone radio and a broadcast about how successful the Peaches and the League are doing.

STRUCTURE

The mood of this show is all about sports. The creation of the AAGPBL was a major turning point in sports history and this musical follows two young women whose lives are changed by their love of the game. Set during the World War II era, during a hard time for the American people, sports fans were relying on these women to fill the shoes of the men who had gone to war, just as the rest of the world was relying on women to fill the shoes of the men in the workforce who were overseas. The mood is a reflection of the time period in which the piece is set.

The music of this production is reflective of popular music during the World War II era. This is a more traditional music, with an orchestra in the pit, and a full cast and chorus on stage. Traditional of that time period is the music from the scene in the Suds Bucket Roadhouse, a medley of swing and jazz. All of the music and lyrics serve to propel the plot of the musical.

The show is split into two acts, the first with four scenes, and the second with three. The plot follows the same plot as the movie very closely, only omitting a few scenes. The main thing that was cut from the original source was the story that framed the story of the AAGPBL. That frame story is the story of Dottie and Kit and their teammates many years later as their return to the field they played on and reunite for the opening of a section in the Baseball Hall of Fame in their honor. These scenes were not crucial to the success of the story. The story that the public loves about the original movie still remains. There aren’t any new scenes or characters added to the plot—only the addition of music.

MUSICAL NUMBERSAct I.

Opening Number. “Baseball Pitches In” – see above

Scene I. Small town baseball field in Oregon.“Dottie’s Sister” – This is an inner monologue song sung by Kit where she reveals her feelings of being shadowed by Dottie’s accomplishment. She has just lost their baseball game for the dairy because she did not listen to Dottie’s advice, and she faces criticism from the crowd—“Good thing your sister bailed you out, Kit!” In the original source, Kit has a line where she says, “You ever hear Dad introduce us to people? ‘This is our daughter Dottie, and this is our other daughter, Dottie’s sister.’” This is where the title of the song came from and these are the issues that Kit addresses in this ballad.Scene II. Harvey Field, Chicago, Illinois.

“Women’s Baseball” – This song comes from a part of the movie where radio announcer Maida Gillespie talks about how women playing baseball takes away their femininity. This song is preceded by that speech. Then this number is where the women all try out for the different teams. The number will be choreographed, but includes moves that mimic stretching, jumping jacks, and the women playing baseball. The song is a mix of a comedy and a charm song talking about women entering the sport of baseball, combined with the tryouts.

“That’s Me: A Rockford Peach” – This is a shorter number where the girls who become a Rockford Peach have their names read off and Kit and Dottie express their excitement to the audience about being chosen to be a part of a professional team.

“If You Would’ve Just Laid Off The Booze” – This is a mix between a comedy and an “I want” song. It begins with Jimmy talking about his previous career in baseball and how he was a famous player until his injury. Then, Walter Harvey chimes in about how Jimmy’s alcohol problem is what led to his downfall, but he is giving him another chance by letting him coach a girl’s baseball team. The point of the duet is that he still has a chance to be a big part of the baseball world.

CHARACTERS

Dottie HinsonKit KellerJimmy Dugan – coach of Rockford PeachesMae Mordabito – member of Rockford PeachesErnie Capadino – baseball talent scoutIra Lowenstein – league ownerWalter Harvey – league sponsor, owner of Harvey BarsBob Hinson – Dottie’s husbandMarla Hooch – member of Rockford PeachesDoris Murphey – member of Rockford PeachesBetty ‘Spaghetti’ Horn – member of Rockford PeachesEvelyn Gardner – member of Rockford PeachesCharlie Collins – coach of Racine BellesAlice Gaspers – member of Rockford PeachesShirley Baker – member of Rockford PeachesDave Hooch – Marla’s fatherEllen Sue Gotlander – member of Rockford PeachesHelen Haley – member of Rockford PeachesBeverly Dixon – member of Rockford PeachesVivian Ernst – member of Rockford PeachesMiss Cuthbert – team chaperoneStilwell ‘Stilwell Angel’ Gardner – Evelyn’s sonNelson – Marla’s love interest & husband

Rockford Peaches doing the closing number, until the very end when the entire Company would join in (including other players and fans). It is also a production number with a lot of dancing and spectacle. The entire sequence would end with Dottie in her signature pose from the movie: catching a fly ball while doing the splits right before the curtain falls.

Finale.

The final song of the last scene is a reprise of “Dottie’s Sister,” right after Kit has won the World Series for the Racine Belles. She has an inner monologue song where she realizes that she is important and she finally realizes her worth. She and Dottie make peace and the finale of the show is a reprise of many of the songs (an example of a show that does this is Hello, Dolly!). Some of the songs included in the Finale are “That’s Me: A Rockford Peach,” “Dirt in Your Skirt,” “There’s No Crying in Baseball,” and finally closing with “All-American League.” “All-American League” is the theme song that appears in the original source and would be the final song in the production. These reprises would lead the audience back through everything that has just happened. Ending the show with the full choral number, “All-American League,” is a type of charm song that leaves the audience with a good feeling and a happy ending.

WHO’S WHO IN THE CASTIdina Menzel (Dottie Hinson) Idina Menzel made her Broadway debut in Jonathan Larson’s Rent playing Maureen. She then went on to win a Tony Award for Best Actress for her performance as Elphaba in Wicked. She also appeared in the film version of Rent and records her own albums as well. Idina was chosen for this role because of her flexibility, her voice, and her status in current musical theatre. She has the vocal power and the build and mix of sporty and feminine appearance needed to play the role of Dottie.

Judy Garland (Kit Keller) Judy Garland, now age 22, is most known for her recent role in the film The Wizard of Oz (1939), where she played Dorothy. She has since appeared in other musical films including Babes on Broadway (1941). Judy was chosen for this role because of the innocence she has brought to her previous roles. Kit is a young woman and she is still learning the ways of how the real world works. Judy has a beautiful voice and a spunk that she has brought to the role of Kit.

Victor Garber (Jimmy Dugan) Victor Garber made his musical film debut in the 1973 adaptation of Godspell where he played Jesus. He also starred in the original production of Sweeney Todd as Anthony Hope. Most recently, Victor brought out his baseball skills in the revival of Damn Yankees where he played Applegate. Victor has the ability to be a very kind gentlemanly character, or in the case of Jimmy Dugan, can be quite crude if he wants to. Victor was chosen for this role because of his versatility and his ability to convey Jimmy’s character and change of mindset throughout the production.

KEY MOMENTSThere are three key moments in every musical, and this production is no different. These moments are the opening number, the end of Act I, and the Finale. This section will go into more details about each of these key moments in our production.

Opening. “Baseball Pitches In.”

The musical opens on an empty stage with an old 1940’s radio set. The background is a splash of red color done simply by lighting the backdrop. As the overture ends, we hear the radio announcer begin to talk about how the great baseball players of the time are turning in their bats for guns and heading overseas to fight in World War II. The company enters and sings a large choral number with choreography. All of these things combined introduce the setting and time period of the story. The issue characters of Dottie and Kit, are introduced at the end of the song, where they begin to discuss the possibility of being a part of the new All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Then, the radio rolls away, and benches, a dugout, and baseball scene roll in, with a change of background from red to a sky blue color.

End of Act I. “They Ain’t Closin’ Me Down.”

The title of the Act I Finale, “They Ain’t Closin’ Me Down,” is a line from the original source, that Mae says to Ira Lowenstein when he talks about how the league is failing and may be shut down. This is what happens right before the finale of Act I. The team hasn’t been doing so well in their games and the stands aren’t filling up the way that Walter Harvey had hoped. Ira tells the girls this to give them motivation to do all they can to keep the league open. They are on the field after a game and Mae tells Ira Lowenstein that she won’t go back to her old life of dancing in a men’s club because Harvey wants to shut down the league—“They ain’t closin’ me down!” The Peaches begin a song and dance about their plans to keep the league open. It is somewhat of a musical scene, because there would be dialogue between the girls when they share ideas of how to keep the league open. The number would be more of a female ensemble dance because it would be just the

CREATIVE TEAM

Richard Rodgers (Composer) Richard Rodgers’ most popular composed works are from his collaborations with Oscar Hammerstein II, which he now continues with this production. Some past shows include Oklahoma!, Carousel, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. Rodgers was chosen for this musical because of his ability to make the song serve a function of propelling the plot of the musical. Before Rodgers & Hammerstein, the plot was just something that was thrown in to make the songs of the show make sense together. We wanted a strong sense of plot, and Rodgers’ ability to convey this through his orchestrations is what made his participation in this production so attractive.

Oscar Hammerstein II (Lyricist) Oscar Hammerstein II, like Rodgers, is known for their collaborative efforts. Hammerstein was chosen for many of the same reasons. His lyrics propel the plot and they are honest and sincere. We wanted the emotions of the characters and the mood of the story to be conveyed through every word that was spoken or sung. Hammerstein was the right man for that sort of creative effort.

Andrew Lloyd Webber (Librettist) Andrew Lloyd Webber is most often associated with the British invasion of American musical theatre. His most celebrated works include Phantom of the Opera, Cats, and Jesus Christ Superstar. Webber followed Rodgers’ work closely and these shows and his desire to work with one of his idols are what drew us to him. His previous shows have become major hits and classics in the hearts of American theatergoers.

Hal Prince (Director) Hal Prince has been one of the most influential people in Broadway and has been involved in such noteworthy shows as West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, as well as the original production of Sweeney Todd, which our Jimmy Dugan, Victor Garber, starred in. His previous experience with all of these different shows is why he was chosen to direct this production.

Agnes De Mille (Choreographer) – Agnes De Mille originally began by choreographing ballets, but moved to musical theatre when Rodgers and Hammerstein asked her to choreograph their original production of Oklahoma!, one of her most influential works. Her ability to convey character and plot through dance is why she was chosen for this production. All of her choreography serves the purpose of the characters and plot, and is fluid and graceful while still being true to the time period and mood of the play.