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I Married an Angel


Book by Rodgers & Hart, adapted from the play by Janos Vaszary | Music by Richard Rodgers | Lyrics by Lorenz Hart

I Married An Angel opened on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre on May 11, 1938, featuring Dennis King, Vivienne Segal, Walter Slezak and Vera Zorina. Directed by Joshua Logan and choreographed by George Balanchine, the musical ran for almost a year, playing 338 performances. Joshua Logan, incidentally, went on to collaborate with Rodgers & Hammerstein on South Pacific 20 years later. I Married an Angel toured 46 cities for most of 1940, and in 1942 became a motion picture musical starring Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. Hits from the Rodgers & Hart score included the title number and the ballad “Spring Is Here.”

Synopsis

Count Willy, a wealthy banker, becomes disillusioned with women and vows that the only woman for him would have to be an angel. Of course, it’s only a song or two before she comes flying in through the window. Willy marries Angel, only to discover that angels can sometimes be troublesome, having none of the human failings that allow mere mortals to tolerate one another. Angel’s inability to be dishonest alienates everyone, from the bank’s biggest depositor to society’s grand dame. Through some side-splitting shenanigans, Angel is brought down to earth for what is – naturally – a marriage made in heaven.

Characters

Count Willy Palaffi
Anna Murphy
Countess Peggy Palaffi
Angel
Major Domo
Olga Madayn
General Lucash
Peter Mueller
Justice of Peace
Valet de Chambre
Femme de Chambre
Modiste
Harry Mischka Szigetti
The Angels: Lucinda, Clarinda, Philomena, Rosalina, Seronella, Arabella & Florabella

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