''Happy Town'' is a

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatre, theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, ...

that opened on

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 Stre ...

October 7, 1959 and closed October 10, 1959 after only five performances. The music was by Gordon Duffy, lyrics by Harry Haldane, and book by Max Hampton, with additional songs by Paul Nassau. The show starred

Cindy Robbins Cynthia Chenault is an American television actress and producer/writer active from the mid-1950s to the present. She used the screen name Cindy Robbins in her acting credits. Early years Robbins was born in Hammond, Louisiana. Her mother operat ...

Biff McGuire William Joseph McGuire Jr.; (October 25, 1926 – March 9, 2021), known as Biff McGuire, was an American actor, best known as Inspector Kramer in ''Nero Wolfe'' (1979). Early years McGuire attended Hamden High School and the University of Mass ...

, Ton Williams, Lee Venora, Chester Watson, and Michael Kermoyan and was about the only town in

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

that did not have a millionaire in residence. The production was directed by Alan Buchrantz and choreographed by Lee Scott. Other credits went to Curt Nations for scenic design, Michael Travis for costumes, and Paul More for lighting. The musical was poorly received.

Brooks Atkinson Justin Brooks Atkinson (November 28, 1894 – January 14, 1984) was an American theater critic. He worked for ''The New York Times'' from 1922 to 1960. In his obituary, the ''Times'' called him "the theater's most influential reviewer of his ...

of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' wrote in his review, "'Happy Town' is profoundly uninteresting. No one can beat pleasure into it." Thomas R. Dash, of ''

Women's Wear Daily ''Women's Wear Daily'' (also known as ''WWD'') is a fashion-industry trade journal often referred to as the "Bible of fashion". Horyn, Cathy"Breaking Fashion News With a Provocative Edge" ''The New York Times''. (August 20, 1999). It provides i ...

'', wrote, "The nadir of Broadway musicals of the recent past has been attained by ''

Portofino Portofino (; ) is a ''comune'' located in the Metropolitan City of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. The town is clustered around its small harbour, and is known for the colourfully painted buildings that line the shore. Since the late 19th centur ...

'' and '' Buttrio Square''. They can now move over and leave room for ''Happy Town''." In 1991, Ken Mandelbaum wrote about ''Happy Town'', "There have been camp flops since, but perhaps none as completely without merit or reason for being." The show received one Tony Award nomination for Best Choreography.

References

External links

* 1959 musicals Broadway musicals {{1950s-play-stub