''Revenge with Music'' 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, ...

with book and lyrics by

Howard Dietz Howard Dietz (September 8, 1896 – July 30, 1983) was an American publicist, lyricist, and librettist, best remembered for his songwriting collaboration with Arthur Schwartz. According to historian Stanley Green, Dietz and Schwartz were "most cl ...

and music by

Arthur Schwartz Arthur Schwartz (November 25, 1900 – September 3, 1984) was an American composer and film producer, widely noted for his songwriting collaborations with Howard Dietz. Biography Early life Schwartz was born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New ...

, that opened on Broadway in 1934. This was the first "book" musical by Dietz and Schwartz.

Background and productions

Dietz, inspired by a trip to Spain, wrote his libretto based on the Spanish novel '' El sombrero de tres picos'' by

Pedro Antonio de Alarcón Pedro Antonio de Alarcón y Ariza (10 March 183319 July 1891) was a nineteenth-century Spanish novelist, known best for his novel '' El sombrero de tres picos'' (1874), an adaptation of popular traditions which provides a description of villag ...

. The duo had wanted to write something other than the revues they had been doing. The musical takes place in Spain in 1800, and involves a young Spanish couple, played by

Libby Holman Elizabeth Lloyd Holman (née Holzman; May 23, 1904 – June 18, 1971) was an American socialite, actress, singer, and activist. Early life Elizabeth Lloyd Holman was born on May 23, 1904, in Cincinnati, Ohio, the daughter of a lawyer and stockbr ...

, as Maria a young, new bride, and Georges Metaxa as Carlos, her new groom. The story is based on a Spanish folk tale about seduction. Carlos seeks revenge on Don Emilio, the Spanish governor, for his attempt at seducing newly-wed Maria on their wedding night, by seducing the governor's willing wife, Doña Isabella. Produced by

Arch Selwyn Archibald Selwyn (also Arch or Archie Selwyn; November 3, 1877 – June 21, 1959) was a Canadian-American play broker, theater owner and stage producer who had many Broadway successes. He and his brother Edgar Selwyn were partners. They were amon ...

and Harold B. Franklin, the

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 ...

production, opened on November 28, 1934, at the

New Amsterdam Theatre The New Amsterdam Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 214 West 42nd Street (Manhattan), 42nd Street, at the southern end of Times Square, in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Manhattan in New York City, New Yor ...

for a total of 158 performances. The production had a brief closure from December 15, 1934, until December 24, 1934, to permit one of the leads,

Charles Winninger Charles J. Winninger (May 26, 1884 – January 27, 1969) was an American stage and film actor, most often cast in comedies or musicals. Life and career Winninger was born in Athens, Wisconsin, the son of Rosalia (Grassler) and Franz Winninger ...

, recover from a broken ankle so that he could return to his role without having to use crutches. The dance ensembles were by Michael Mordkin, direction by Theodore Komisarjevsky, orchestrations by

Robert Russell Bennett Robert Russell Bennett (June 15, 1894 – August 18, 1981) was an American composer and arranger, best known for his orchestration of many well-known Broadway and Hollywood musicals by other composers such as Irving Berlin, George Gershw ...

. The cast starred Charles Winninger as Don Emilio,

Ilka Chase Ilka Chase (April 8, 1905 – February 15, 1978) was an American actress, radio host, and novelist whose career spanned stage, film, and television. Born into a well-known New York family, she made her stage debut as a child and later became a ...

as Doña Isabella, Libby Holman and Georges Metaxa. The composers and members of the Broadway cast presented a 30-minute condensed version of ''Revenge with Music'' over the

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

radio network on the night of December 8, 1934. The show was adapted for

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

radio's ''The Railroad Hour'' in 1950, with

Gordon MacRae Albert Gordon MacRae (March 12, 1921 – January 24, 1986) was an American actor, singer, and television and radio host. He appeared in the film versions of two Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, ''Oklahoma!'' (1955) and ''Carousel'' (1956), and ...

and Nadine Conner in the leads, and for

television's ''Colgate Comedy Hour'' in 1954, starring Ray Middleton,

Ilona Massey Ilona Massey (born Ilona Hajmássy, June 16, 1910 – August 20, 1974) was a Hungarian-American film, stage and radio performer. Early life and career She was born in Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary (now in Hungary). Billed as "the new Die ...

and

Harpo Marx Arthur "Harpo" Marx (born Adolph Marx; November 23, 1888 – September 28, 1964) was an American comedian and harpist, and the second-oldest of the Marx Brothers. In contrast to the mainly verbal comedy of his brothers Groucho and Chico, Harp ...

. A planned 1986 revival by Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre Company was never staged, due to the death of the company's founding producer, Bill Tynes. Although this show was considered a failure, it included two hit songs "You and the Night and the Music" and "If There Is Someone Lovelier Than You." The former was used again in ''

The Band Wagon ''The Band Wagon'' is a 1953 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli, starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. The plot follows an aging musical star who hopes a Broadway show will revive his career, but the play ...

.'' A ''Revenge with Music'' medley was the subject of the first recording session by

Andre Kostelanetz Andre Kostelanetz (; December 22, 1901 – January 13, 1980) was a Russian-American popular orchestral music conductor and arranger who was one of the major exponents of popular orchestra music. Biography Abram Naumovich Kostelyanetz was born ...

and his orchestra, on November 9, 1934. It was

Victor Records The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American recording company and phonograph manufacturer, incorporated in 1901. Victor was an independent enterprise until 1929 when it was purchased by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) and became ...

' 12-inch release No. 36142.

Songs

Act I * Flamenco – Dancing Soloists * Never Marry a Dancer – Margarita * If There Is Someone Lovelier Than You – Carlos * In the Noonday Sun – Consuela and Ensemble * That Fellow Manuelo – Alonzo, Carlos, Company, Dancing Soloists, Guitarists and Ensemble * Think It Over – Don Emilio * Maria – Carlos, Maria and Ensemble * My Father Said – Carlos, Margarita and Ensemble *

You and the Night and the Music "You and the Night and the Music" is a popular song composed by Arthur Schwartz with lyrics by Howard Dietz. The song was debuted in the Broadway show ''Revenge with Music''. The show originally opened on November 28, 1934, ran for 22 performanc ...

– Carlos and Maria Act II * Once in a While – Margarita, Miguel Rodriguez and Ensemble * In the Middle of the Night – Alonzo and Ensemble * Wand’ring Heart – Maria

References

External links

Internet Broadway Database listing
{{DEFAULTSORT:Revenge With Music 1934 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals based on novels Musicals by Arthur Schwartz Musicals by Howard Dietz Musicals set in Spain Musicals set in the 1800s Works based on The Three-Cornered Hat