Going Up (musical)

Infobox Musical
name= Going Up
subtitle=


caption=
music= Louis Hirsch
lyrics= Otto Harbach
book= Otto Harbach and James Montgomery
basis= James Montgomery's play "The Aviator"
productions= 1917 Broadway
1918 West End
1923 Film
awards=

"Going Up" is a musical comedy in three acts with music by Louis Hirsch and book and lyrics by Otto Harbach and James Montgomery. Set in Lenox, Massachusetts, United States in 1919, the musical tells the story of a writer turned aviator who wins the hand of the high society girl that he loves by his daring handling of the joystick of a 1919 biplane. Popular songs included "Hip Hooray," "If You Look in Her Eyes," "Kiss Me," "Going Up," "Do It for Me," "The Tickle Toe," and "Down! Up! Left! Right!".

Background and productions

The development of aviation and flying in the early years of the 20th century captivated the public's attention. "Going Up" is based on a 1910 play called "The Aviator" by James Montgomery. The play took on new significance during World War I.

The musical was produced by George M. Cohan and Sam H. Harris and opened at the Liberty Theatre in New York on December 25 1917 and ran for 351 performances, starring youngsters Evelyn Laye and Edward Begley, Edith Day. It then opened at the Gaiety Theatre on May 22 1918, running for a very successful 574 performances and starring Day and Begley. In Australia, Cyril Ritchard and Madge Elliott played in the piece in 1919.

The piece enjoyed various tours and revivals. There was also a 1923 motion picture farce based on the musical. [http://imdb.com/title/tt0014089/combined] "Going Up" has been played in some modern performances, including in 1976 at the John Golden Theater in New York, where it ran for 49 performances. [http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=3856]

Roles and London cast

*Miss Zonne, a telephone girl - Ruth Donnelly
*John Gordon, manager of the Gordon Inn - John Park
*F. H. Douglas, a chronic bettor - Donald Meek
*Mrs. Douglas, his wife - Grace Peters
*Jules Gaillard, their prospective son-in-law - Joseph Lertora
*Grace Douglas, his fiancee - Edith Day
*Madeline Manners, her chum - Marion Sunshine
*Hopkinson Brown, her fiance - Frank Otto
*Robert Street, author of "Going Up" - Frank Craven
*James Brooks, his publisher - Arthur Stuart Hull
*Sam Robinson, a mechanician - Edward Begley
*Louis, Gaillard's mechanician - Francois Vaulry

Musical numbers

*Overture ;Act I - Lounging room at Gordon Inn, Lenox, Massachusetts
*No. 1 - Opening Chorus, with soloist - Miss Zonne - "Hello! Hello! It's the Gordon Inn you're yelling to..."
*No. 2 - Song - John Gordon & Ensemble - "I never saw a game of chance but I was straight way in it..."
*No. 3 - Duet and Dance - Madeline Manners & Hopkinson Brown - "I do admire a boy with spirit, plucky and fine..."
*No. 4 - Duet - Grace Douglas & Madeline Manners - "A maiden's lips no longer express things that she'd have you know..."
*No. 5 - Song - Jules Gaillard & Chorus - "The world is always wanting something new, sensations only last a day or two..."
*No. 6 - Finale Act I (reprise) - "You start to sway, and then you shut your eyes, you're in the way that leads to Paradise..." ;Act II - Sitting room of Robert Street's apartment at the Inn, same evening
*Entr'acte (reprise of item 4)
*No. 7 - Song - Grace Douglas and Girls - "Poor old bachelor a-living by himself, thinks he doesn't need a wife..."
*No. 8 - Quartet - Street, Brown, Brooks & Robinson - "Climb into your seat, arrange your feet..."
*No. 9 - Duet - Madeline Manners & Hopkinson Brown - "I don't exactly think it nice of you, that you should make me wait..."
*No. 10 - Song - Grace Douglas and Ensemble - "While I travelled in the west, where the Salt Sea lies at rest..."
*No. 11 - Duet - Grace and Gaillard - "Why should we wait until tomorrow? Tomorrow may but bring us sorrow..."
*No. 12 - Scene - Grace and Street - "She'll tell you what you're to do, dear, if you'll look in her eyes..."
*No. 13 - Finale Act II - "She may not say one word, yet somehow you'll get a sort of knowing look..."
*No. 13a - Entr'acte ;Act III - Scene 1 - A field near Gordon Inn, six o'clock the next afternoon
*No. 14 - Opening Chorus - "Hip hooray, see the crowds appearing, hear the cheering! ..."
*No. 14a - Song - Jules Gaillard and Ensemble - "Ev'rybody gather round me here, for I want to make it very clear..." ;ACT III - Scene 2 - Another portion of the field
*No. 15 - Song - Grace Douglas and Ensemble - "America and good old France, you're standing side by side..." ;ACT III - Scene 3 - In the air, an hour later
*No. 16 - Ensemble (reprise) - "You start to sway, and then you shut your eyes..." ;ACT III - Scene 4 - Exterior of Hotel, one hour later
*No. 17 - Finale Ultimo - "You start to sway, and then you shut your eyes..."

References

* [http://www.talkinbroadway.com/bway101/3b.html Description of "Going Up"]
* [http://parlorsongs.com/issues/2005-11/thismonth/feature.asp Information about "Going Up" and Hirsch]

External links

* [http://www.halhkmusic.com/goingup.html Song list and links to Midi files and cast list]
* [http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=8647 Information about the Broadway production]
* [http://www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/th-longr.html List of longest running plays in London and New York]
* [http://movies2.nytimes.com/mem/movies/review.html?res=9A07E1DE1530E333A25753C1A9669D946295D6CF Information about the 1923 film]
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,918427,00.html?iid=chix-sphere Review of the 1976 Goodspeed production]