Showtune (musical)
Showtune is a musical revue celebrating the words and music of Broadway composer and lyricist Jerry Herman. Its title was inspired by Herman's autobiography of the same name. The revue's original title was Tune the Grand Up. After its 1985 San Francisco premiere and several regional productions through the 1990s, the piece played in the West End in 1998 under the title The Best of Times, and Off-Broadway in 2003, titled Showtune. The forty songs featured in Showtune come from Herman's Broadway musicals Milk and Honey (1961), Hello, Dolly! (1964), Mame (1966), Dear World (1969), Mack & Mabel (1974), The Grand Tour (1979), A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine (1980), and La Cage aux Folles (1983). Conceived by Paul Gilger, the revue has no dialogue. Its songs are grouped into thematic scenes that tell stories and place a strong emphasis on Herman's lyrics and their optimistic messages. The song-cycle format creates dramatic sub-texts giving through-lines to the show. Scene and Song List Act I It's Today! (Mame) Big Time (Mack & Mabel) We Need a Little Christmas (Mame) Put On Your Sunday Clothes (Hello, Dolly!) Little More Mascara (La Cage aux Folles) The Man In the