''Mr. President'' is a musical with a book by

Howard Lindsay Howard Lindsay, born Herman Nelke, (March 29, 1889 – February 11, 1968) was an American playwright, librettist, director, actor and theatrical producer. He is best known for his writing work as part of the collaboration of Lindsay and Crouse ...

and

Russel Crouse Russel Crouse (20 February 1893 – 3 April 1966) was an American playwright and librettist, best known for his work in the Broadway writing partnership of Lindsay and Crouse. Life and career Born in Findlay, Ohio, Crouse was the son of Sarah ...

and music and lyrics by

Irving Berlin Irving Berlin (born Israel Beilin; yi, ישראל ביילין; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-American composer, songwriter and lyricist. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook. Born in Imperial Russ ...

. The story focuses on fictional

US President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

Stephen Decatur Henderson, who runs into political trouble following a disastrous trip to the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

and his problems with his children. Bored with life as a civilian after his presidency ends, he decides to return to political life. The original 1962

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

production ran for 265 performances. The show was Irving Berlin's last musical.

Productions

The musical had its first out-of-town tryout in Boston beginning on August 27, 1962 and was coolly received. After extensive cuts and revisions, it was given another tryout at the National Theatre in

Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...

, on September 25, 1962 which was attended by President

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...

and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. The first couple congratulated Berlin on a hit. Kennedy later sent his aides, Kenneth P. O'Donnell and David Powers, to apologize to Berlin for his having to leave the performance early. This day of Kennedy's presidency is the one featured in an exhibit at the JFK Museum and Library. The Washington reviews "were lukewarm and even negative. The word 'corny' stuck, and was repeated again and again." After four previews, the

production, directed by Joshua Logan and choreographed by

Peter Gennaro Peter Gennaro (November 23, 1919 – September 28, 2000) was an American dancer and choreographer. Biography Gennaro was born in Metairie, Louisiana. He made his Broadway debut in the ensemble of ''Make Mine Manhattan'' in 1948. He followed t ...

, opened on October 20, 1962 at the St. James Theatre, where it ran for 265 performances. The cast included

Robert Ryan Robert Bushnell Ryan (November 11, 1909 – July 11, 1973) was an American actor and activist. Known for his portrayals of hardened cops and ruthless villains, Ryan performed for over three decades. He was nominated for the Academy Award for B ...

Nanette Fabray Nanette Fabray (born Ruby Bernadette Nanette Theresa Fabares; October 27, 1920 – February 22, 2018) was an American actress, singer, and dancer. She began her career performing in vaudeville as a child and became a musical-theatre actress dur ...

Jack Haskell John Thomas Haskell (April 30, 1919 – September 26, 1998) was an American singer and announcer in the era of old-time radio and later in television. Early years Haskell was born in Akron, Ohio and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He majored in musi ...

, Anita Gillette and

Baayork Lee Baayork Lee (born December 5, 1946) is an American actress, singer, dancer, choreographer, theatre director, and author. Early life and career Lee was born in New York City's Chinatown, to an Indian mother and Chinese father. She started dancing ...

. The musical premiered in a Broadway season dominated by hits like '' Oliver!'', '' A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' and ''

Stop the World – I Want to Get Off ''Stop the World – I Want to Get Off'' is a 1961 musical with a book, music, and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley. According to Oscar Levant, the play's title was derived from graffiti. Plot The show, set against a circus backdr ...

''. ''Mr. President'' received unenthusiastic reviews. Although Berlin's score was praised, the show "was just too old-fashioned and out of date." Berlin continued to work, revising ''Annie Get Your Gun'' and writing songs, such as for the film project ''Say It With Music'' (which was never produced), but "Broadway would never again see a truly Berlin work on the stage". ''Mr. President'' was the final Lindsay and Crouse collaboration. In 1964, former President

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...

made an opening night cameo appearance in a production of the show at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City. He left by ambulance at intermission due to an

appendicitis Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix. Symptoms commonly include right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite. However, approximately 40% of people do not have these typical symptoms. Severe complications of a ru ...

attack.

Gerard Alessandrini Gerard Alessandrini (born November 27, 1953) is an American playwright, parodist, actor and theatre director best known for creating the award-winning off-Broadway musical theatre parody revue '' Forbidden Broadway''. He is the recipient of ...

extensively revised the book and converted the plot into a

spoof Spoof, spoofs, spoofer, or spoofing may refer to: * Forgery of goods or documents * Semen, in Australian slang * Spoof (game), a guessing game * Spoofing (finance), a disruptive algorithmic-trading tactic designed to manipulate markets __NOTOC__ ...

of the 2000 Presidential election debacle. After thirty previews, it opened on August 2, 2001 at the Off-Broadway Douglas Fairbanks Theater where, hampered by reviews worse than those received by the original, it closed after only ten performances.

Ben Brantley Benjamin D. Brantley (born October 26, 1954) is an American theater critic, journalist, editor, publisher and writer. He served as the chief theater critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1996 to 2017, and as co-chief theater critic from 2017 to ...

, in his review for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', wrote that the musical "feels tired". However, the ''TheaterMania'' reviewers noted that, while "the overall tenor of the satire here is soft," it has "surprisingly buoyant appeal. It remains bubbly and effervescent thanks to the peppy, imaginative direction supplied by the team of John Znidarsic and Alessandrini."

Synopsis

President Stephen Decatur Henderson is a true patriot and loves his family. His daughter Leslie has recently had a series of romantic liaisons, some liberal and some conservative. Her newest romance is with Youssein Davair, the son of a Middle Eastern ruler; the sincerity of his affection is questionable. Pat Gregory, a Secret Service agent, has watched Leslie grow up and has fallen in love with her but doesn't believe that she could be interested in a simple guy like him. With the Cold War as a backdrop, Henderson, together with Nell, his First Lady, and their children go on a "good-will tour" of Europe, including the Soviet Union. Henderson gets in trouble for jokingly comparing the Soviet leader to a "wild cat". But the President lands in Moscow anyhow and gives a conciliatory and humanizing speech, assisted by his Russian-speaking son Larry, that earns the respect of the Soviets. Nevertheless, back at home, the gaffe plagues him and hurts his party's popularity. Larry is a bit of a hot-head and punches the party chairman on TV to defend his father. The presidential term of office ends, and the Hendersons leave the White House. In Act II, Henderson finds his post-politics life in Ohio mundane. The family is invited to a party at the White House, and there Leslie finds that Youssein is now interested in Betty Chandler, the daughter of the new President, and so they break up. Leslie leaves the party with Pat. Meanwhile, one of Ohio's senators dies, and the governor asks Henderson to finish his term of office. Henderson yearns to return to public life, but he questions the governor's motives and declines the job. Soon afterwards, however, another opportunity comes: the new President asks Henderson to attend an international summit meeting on behalf of the US, because of the respect that he commands in the Soviet Union.

Roles and original cast

– President Stephen Decatur Henderson *

– First Lady Nell Henderson * David Brooks – Manager; Governor Harmon Bardahl *Wisa D'Orso – Princess Kyra *Charlotte Fairchild – Tippy Taylor (''a secretary'') * Anita Gillette – Leslie Henderson (''First Daughter'') *Stanley Grover – Charley Wayne (''of the Secret Service'') *

– Pat Gregory (''of the Secret Service'') *

John Cecil Holm John Cecil Holm (November 4, 1904, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – October 24, 1981, in Westerly, Rhode Island) was an American dramatist, theatre director and actor. He is best known for his 1935 play ''Three Men on a Horse'', co-written w ...

– Chester Kincaid *Jerry Strickler – Larry Henderson (''First Son'') *Jack Washburn – Youssein Davair (''Son of a Middle Eastern ruler'') *

– Deborah Chakronin *Carol Lee Jensen – Betty Chandler (''new First Daughter'')

Musical numbers

;Act I * Let's Go Back to the Waltz – Nell and Ensemble * In Our Hide-Away – Nell and Steve * The First Lady – Nell * Meat and Potatoes – Pat and Charley * I've Got to Be Around – Pat * The Secret Service – Leslie * It Gets Lonely in the White House – Steve * Is He the Only Man in the World? – Nell and Leslie * They Love Me – Nell * Pigtails and Freckles – Pat and Leslie * Don't Be Afraid of Romance – Youssein * Laugh It Up – Nell, Steve, Leslie and Larry * Empty Pockets Filled with Love – Pat and Leslie * In Our Hide-Away (reprise) – Nell and Steve ;Act II * Glad to Be Home – Nell and Ensemble * Laugh It Up (reprise) – Nell and Steve * You Need a Hobby – Nell and Steve * Don't Be Afraid of Romance (reprise) – Youssein * The Washington Twist – Leslie and Dancers * Pigtails and Freckles (reprise) – Pat * The Only Dance I Know – Princess Kyra * Meat and Potatoes (reprise) – Pat * Is He the Only Man in the World? (reprise) – Leslie * I'm Gonna Get Him – Nell and Leslie * This Is a Great Country – Steve * Finale – Company

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mr. President Musicals by Irving Berlin 1962 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals by Lindsay and Crouse Tony Award-winning musicals