Sugar Babies (musical)

Sugar Babies
Music	Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics	Dorothy Fields Al Dubin various
Book	Ralph G. Allen Harry Rigby
Productions	1979 Broadway 1987 Australia 1988 West End

Sugar Babies is a musical revue conceived by Ralph G. Allen and Harry Rigby, with music by Jimmy McHugh, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and Al Dubin and various others. The show is a tribute to the old burlesque era. First produced in 1979 on Broadway and running nearly three years, the revue attracted warm notices and was given subsequent touring productions.

Productions

Sugar Babies opened on Broadway at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on October 8, 1979 and closed on August 28, 1982 after 1,208 performances. Staging and choreography was by Ernest Flatt, with sketches directed by Rudy Tronto, musically directed by Glen Roven, scenic and costume design by Raoul Pene Du Bois, lighting design by Gilbert Vaughn Hemsley, Jr., vocal arrangements and lyrics by Arthur Malvin, additional vocal arrangements by Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane, and orchestrations by Dick Hyman.

The revue starred Mickey Rooney in his Broadway debut, Ann Miller, and featured Ann Jillian and Peter Leeds. After the original stars left, successors included Juliet Prowse, Anita Morris, Joey Bishop, Eddie Bracken, Jeff Dunham and Rip Taylor.

The revue subsequently had a short-lived National tour which starred Carol Channing and Robert Morse, from August through November 1980.^[1][2] The Bus and Truck Tour starred Eddie Bracken and Jaye P. Morgan (who was succeeded by Mimi Hines) and ran in 1982.^[3] The 2nd National Tour, in 1984 and 1985, reunited Rooney and Miller.^[4][5]

Concept

The show consists of "traditional material ... routines going back 50 to 60 years. It contains standard songs such as 'Don't Blame Me' and 'I Feel a Song Comin' On', interspersed with newly created musical numbers, including 'The Sugar Baby Bounce' ".^[6]

The show had burlesque "tropes" such as the swing number, the sister act, the fan dance, the vaudeville dog act. It was all fast and funny and it ended with a patriotic number...with the entire company in red, white, and blue with a flag background and Miller as the Statue of Liberty."^[7]

Songs and scenes

Source: Script^[8]

Act 1 Scene: A Memory of Burlesque A Good Old Burlesque Show Scene: Welcome to the Gaity Let Me Be Your Sugar Baby Scene: Meet Me Round the Corner Scene: Travelin' In Louisiana Goin' Back to New Orleans Scene: The Broken Arms Hotel Scene: Feathered Fantasy (Salute to Sally Rand) Sally Scene: The Pitchmen Scene: Ellis Island Lament Immigration Rose Scenes from Domestic Life Scene: Torch Song Scene: Orientale Scene: The Little Red Schoolhouse Scene: The New Candy-Coated Craze The Sugar Baby Bounce Scene: Special Added Attraction Down At the Gaity Burlesque Mr. Banjo Man

Act 2 Scene: Candy Butcher Scene: Girls and Garters I'm Keeping Myself Available For You Exactly Like You Scene: Justice Will Out Scene: In A Greek Garden Warm and Willing Scene: Presenting Madame Alla Gazaza Scene: Tropical Madness Cuban Love Song Scene: Cautionary Tales McHugh Medley Every Day Another Tune I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby I'm Shooting High When You and I Were Young, Maggie Blues On the Sunny Side of the Street Scene: Presenting Bob Williams Scene: Old Glory You Can't Blame Your Death on Uncle Sammy

Reception

Time wrote that the show is a "happy send-off to burlesque", and "Rarely has so much energy been packed into so small a package. Rooney dances, he sings, he mugs, he dresses in drag."^[9]

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

Year	Award	Category	Nominee	Result
1980	Tony Award	Best Musical		Nominated
		Best Book of a Musical	Ralph G. Allen and Harry Rigby	Nominated
		Best Original Score	Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields and Al Dubin	Nominated
		Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical	Mickey Rooney	Nominated
		Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical	Ann Miller	Nominated
		Best Direction of a Musical	Ernest Flatt and Rudy Tronto	Nominated
		Best Choreography	Ernest Flatt	Nominated
		Best Costume Design	Raoul Pène Du Bois	Nominated
	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Actor in a Musical	Mickey Rooney	Nominated
		Outstanding Actress in a Musical	Ann Miller	Nominated

References

1. Corry, John. "An Anomaly Is Born: Carol Channing As 'Babies' Burlesque Comic", The New York Times, August 7, 1980, Section C, p. 15
2. Lardner, James. "Theater Notes", The Washington Post, November 4, 1980, p. B8
3. Richards, David. "Sugar Babies To End Tour", The Washington Post, June 29, 1982, p. B10
4. Frank, Leah."Theater Review;Rooney Triumphant In 'Sugar Babies'". The New York Times, July 7, 1985
5. "Listing, 'Sugar Babies', Pantages Theatre, pp. 116-119", Orange Coast Magazine, February 1984
6. Klein, Alvin. "Theater; Understudy Becomes The Star In Darien's 'Sugar Babies'". The New York Times, March 1, 1987
7. Mordden, Ethan."'Sugar Babies'" One More Kiss: The Broadway Musical in the 1970s (2004), p. 237, Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 1-4039-6539-0
8. " 'Sugar Babies: The Burlesque Musical' script, pp. 8-9, Samuel French, Inc., 1983 ISBN 0-573-68166-X
9. (no author)."Show Business: Andy Hardy Comes Home"Time Magazine, October 29, 1979

External links

• Internet Broadway Database listing
• Playbill News, on the September 9, 2004, death of Ralph G. Allen