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A Connecticut Yankee


Book by Herbert Fields, adapted from A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain | Music by Richard Rodgers | Lyrics by Lorenz Hart

A playfully romantic romp through King Arthur’s court, A Connecticut Yankee was based on the comical 1889 novel by Mark Twain. The musical opened on Broadway at the Vanderbilt Theatre on November 3, 1927, featuring William Gaxton, Constance Carpenter and June Cochrane. On November 17, 1943, the show was revived at the Martin Beck Theatre, featuring Vivienne Segal, Dick Foran, Vera-Ellen and Robert Chisholm, and a 1955 television special featured Eddie Albert, Janet Blair, Gale Sherwood, and Boris Karloff. In 2001, New York City Center Encores! presented a staged concert of the musical featuring Christine Ebersole, Henry Gibson, Ron Leibman and Jessica Walter. This delectable musical comedy, with its willfully silly dedication to pure hi-jinks, features several Rodgers and Hart gems, including “Thou Swell,” “My Heart Stood Still” and “To Keep My Love Alive,” which was added for the 1943 Broadway revival.

Synopsis

In Connecticut in 1927, on the eve of his marriage to Fay Morgan, young Martin is visited by his former fiancée, Alice. When Fay discovers them together, she knocks Martin out with – what else? – a champagne bottle. He dreams that he is transported back 1400 years, to the days of Camelot, where he charms King Arthur’s court, falls in love with the Demoiselle “Alisande,” (who uncannily resembles Alice), and is soon put in charge of industrializing the country. The king’s evil sister, Queen Morgan Le Fay (who uncannily resembles Martin’s fiancée Fay), has Alisande kidnapped, but Martin rescues her just as he awakens from his prophetic dream. Newly enlightened, Martin realizes he must break his engagement to Fay and instead marry his true love, Alice.

Characters

Lt. Kenneth Kay, U.S.N. / Sir Kay
Judge Thurson Merrill / Merlin
Admiral Arthur K. Arthur, U.S.N. / King Arthur
Ensign Gerald Lake, U.S.N. / Sir Galahad
Lt. Martin Barrett, U.S.N.
Capt. Lawrence Lake, U.S.N. / Sir Lancelot
Lt. Fay Merrill, W.A.V.E. / Queen Morgan Le Fay
Corp. Alice Courtleigh, W.A.C. / Alisande La Courtelloise (Sandy)
Evelyn
Queen Guinevere
Lady Angela
Naval Officers, Knights and Ladies-in-Waiting

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