''Tenderloin'' is a

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

with a book by George Abbott and Jerome Weidman, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock, their follow-up to the highly successful

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

-winning '' Fiorello!'' a year earlier. The musical is based on a 1959 novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams. Set in the Tenderloin, a

red-light district A red-light district or pleasure district is a part of an urban area where a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, and adult theaters, are found. In most cases, red-light districts are particu ...

in 1890s Manhattan, the show's story focuses on Reverend Brock, a character loosely based on American clergyman and social reformer Charles Henry Parkhurst.

Productions

After six previews, the Broadway production, directed by Abbott and

choreographed Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...

by Joe Layton, opened on October 17, 1960, at the

46th Street Theatre The Richard Rodgers Theatre (formerly Chanin's 46th Street Theatre and the 46th Street Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 226 West 46th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1925, it was designed by Her ...

, where it ran for 216 performances. The cast included Maurice Evans (better known as a Shakespearean actor than a musical performer) as Reverend Brock and Ron Husmann as Tommy. Tony Award nominations went to Evans for Best Actor in a Musical, Husmann for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, and Cecil Beaton for Best Costume Design in a Musical, and Husmann won the Theatre World Award for his performance. An original cast recording was released by

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...

, and Bobby Darin's recording of "Artificial Flowers" reached #20 on the Billboard charts. The musical was produced in New York City Center's ''

Encores! Encores! is a Tony-honored concert series dedicated to performing rarely heard American musicals, usually with their original orchestrations. Presented by New York City Center since 1994, Encores! has revived shows by Irving Berlin, Rodgers & Ha ...

'' staged concert series in March 2000, directed by Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Rob Ashford. The cast included David Ogden Stiers (Brock),

Debbie Gravitte Debbie Shapiro Gravitte is an American actress and singer. She was born in Los Angeles, California. Career Gravitte made her Broadway debut in the chorus of ''They're Playing Our Song'' in 1979. She performed on Broadway in '' Blues in the Nigh ...

(Nita),

Tom Alan Robbins Tom Alan Robbins (born March 29, 1954) is an American actor known for his roles in theatre and television. Early life and education Born and raised in Canton, Ohio, Robbins graduated from Lehman High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from ...

(Joe),

Patrick Wilson Patrick Joseph Wilson (born July 3, 1973) is an American actor and director. He began his career in 1995, starring in Broadway musicals. He received nominations for two Tony Awards for his roles in '' The Full Monty'' (2000–2001) and '' Okla ...

(Tommy), Sarah Uriarte Berry (Laura), Kevin Conway (Lt. Schmidt), and Jessica Stone (Margie). A concert cast recording was released by DRG Records.

Synopsis

Reverend Brock, a single-minded 1890s social reformer works to sanitize the Tenderloin, a red-light neighborhood in western Manhattan. He is foiled by everyone associated with the district, including the corrupt politicians and police who are taking their cut from the earnings of the prostitutes who work the streets there. Tommy Howatt, a writer for the local scandal sheet ''Tatler'', infiltrates the minister's church and proceeds to play one side against the other, eventually framing Brock by revealing to the authorities his plan to raid the

brothel A brothel, bordello, ranch, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. However, for legal or cultural reasons, establishments often describe themselves as massage parlors, bars, strip clubs, body rub par ...

s, but ultimately saving him by siding with him at his trial. As a result, the Tenderloin is shut down and Brock, asked to resign from his church, heads for Detroit with the hope of succeeding there as well.

Songs

;Act I * Bless This Land – Chorus * Little Old New York – Nita, Gertie, Girls, All * Dr. Brock – Brock * Artificial Flowers – Tommy, Jessica, All * What's in it for You? – Tommy, Brock * Reform – Girls * Tommy, Tommy – Laura * The Picture of Happiness – Tommy, Margie, Chorus * My Miss Mary – Company * Dear Friend – Brock, Group * The Army of The Just – Martin, Tommy, Brock, Men * How the Money Changes Hands – Company ;Act II * Good Clean Fun – Brock, Chorus * My Miss Mary – Tommy, Laura, Chorus * My Gentle Young Johnny – Nita * The Trial – Company * The Tenderloin Celebration – Frye, Gertie, Company * Reform (Reprise) – Liz, Nellie, Margie, Girls * Tommy, Tommy (Reprise) – Laura * Little Old New York (Reprise) – Company

Characters

*Reverend Brock – an idealistic old preacher *Tommy Howatt – an ambitious young reporter *Laura Crosbie – a society girl who falls for Tommy *Ellington Dupont Smythe II – Laura's elegant young suitor *Purdy – Laura's wealthy uncle *Bridget – Purdy's maid *Frye – a detective *Gertie – a vivacious young prostitute *Joe Kovack – a farmer who discovered coal on his land *Nita – escapes prostitution when she falls in love with Joe *Margie – one of the girls Tommy shares a musical act with *Jessica Havemeyer – clerk at the church Parish House *Martin – a prudish church choirmaster *Mrs. Barker – a church lady and friend of Rev. Brock *Chairman – officiates over the trial of the Tenderloin *Deacon – an old man who Tommy hires to take pictures *Rooney – a police officer *Sergeant – collects the money all the derelicts give the police *Schmidt – a corrupt police lieutenant *Derelicts; Prostitutes at Clark's tavern (Pearl, Maggie, Nellie, Liz)

Background

William and James Goldman were called in to doctor the show. "We'd been writing those other things and somebody must have read it and liked it and we were probably cheap and they asked us to do it," recalls William Goldman. Goldman also said the writer they replaced would not leave the project. "It was terrifying."

References

External links

* *
Tenderloin
' at the Music Theatre International website {{William Goldman 1960 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals based on novels Musicals by George Abbott Musicals by Jerry Bock Musicals by Sheldon Harnick Plays set in New York City