GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES

A Musical Comedy in 2 Acts, 12 Scenes. Book by Joseph Fields and Anita Loos, based on her novel of the same name. Music by Jule Styne. Lyrics by Leo Robin.

Ziegfeld Theatre, Broadway 8 December, 1949. closed 15 September 1951 (740 perfs)
Princes Theatre, London 20 August, 1962 (223 perfs)

Dances and musical ensembles by Agnes de Mille.
Production (sets) designed by Oliver Smith.
Costumes designed by Miles White.
Musical direction by Milton Rosenstock.
Musical arrangements by Don Walker.
Vocal direction and arrangements by Hugh Martin.
Lighting by Peggy Clark.
Music for dances arranged by Trude Rittmann.
Entire production staged by John C. Wilson.
Produced by Herman Levin and Oliver Smith.

Synopsis

Lorelei Lee is about to embark on the Ile de France for a cruise to Europe, where she will marry the delightfully rich Gus Esmond, son of America's Button King. With her is her friend Dorothy Shaw, both of them ex-Follies girls. However, two clouds appear on the horizon right away. Gus announces that his father insists he stay behind for an important button conference, so he can't travel with the girls. And he has heard worrying news about a new invention called the zipper, which just might ruin his great button empire.

The girls set about enjoying their cruise. They have plenty of help, notably from the American Olympic Team who are also en route for Paris. Also on board are Mrs. Spofford, the richest widow in Philadelphia, and her son Henry, who takes to Dorothy in a big way. There is an English couple too - Sir Francis and Lady Beekman; she has a diamond tiara that Lorelei just knows would look its best on her own blonde head. And there is Josephus Gage, a hearty young man who turns out to America's Zipper King. So when Lorelei gets a wireless message from Gus that his father has found out about a little escapade of hers with a revolver in Little Rock and it looks like the wedding is off, it is only logical that she should turn her attention to Josephus and Sir Francis.

Eventually Lorelei succeeds in getting her tiara and her Gus - and arranges a merger between the button business and the zipper business that looks like bringing lots of success (and lots more diamonds) in the future.

Musical Numbers:

ACT 1

1. It's High Time - Dorothy, Ensemble
   
2. Bye, Bye Baby - Gus, Lorelei
   
3. Bye, Bye Baby (reprise) - Gus, Ensemble
   
4. A Little Girl from Little Rock - Lorelei
   
5. I Love What I'm Doing - Dorothy
   
6. Dance - Bill, Dorothy, Ensemble
   
7. Just a Kiss Apart - Henry
   
8. The Practice Scherzo - Gloria
   
9. It's Delightful Down in Chile - Sir Francis, Lorelei, Show Girls, Male Ensemble
   
10. Sunshine - Henry, Dorothy
    
11. In the Champs de Mars - Ensemble
    
12. Dance - Gloria, Taxi Driver
    
13. Sunshine (reprise) - Ensemble
    
14. I'm A'Tingle, I'm A'Glow - Josephus
    
15. House on Rittenhouse Square - Dorothy
    
16. You Say You Care - Henry
    
17. Finaletto - Lorelei, Ensemble

ACT 2

18. Bye, Bye Baby (reprise) - Dancing Ensemble
    
19. Mamie Is Mimi - Gloria, Coles & Atkins
    
20. Coquette - The Tenor, Show Girls
    
21. Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend - Lorelei
    
22. You Say You Care (reprise) - Dorothy, Henry
    
23. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - Lorelei, Gus
    
24. Homesick Blues - Lorelei, Dorothy, Gus, Henry, Ella Spofford, Josephus
    
25. Keeping Cool With Coolidge - Dorothy, Bill, Ensemble
    
26. Button Up With Esmond - Lorelei, Show Girls, Ensemble
    
27. Finale: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (reprise) Lorelei, Gus, Ensemble
    
28. Bye, Bye Baby (reprise) - Entire Company
    

Principal Characters:

Lorelei Lee - A blonde from Little Rock
Dorothy Shaw - Her friend from the Follies
Gus Esmond - A sugar daddy
Henry Spofford - A wealthy Philadelphia benefactor
Ella Spofford - His mother
Sir Francis Beekman - A rich Englishman
Lady Phyllis Beekman - his wife
Gloria Stark - A girl from the Follies
Josephus Cage - A zipper manufacturer
Robert Lemonteur - A lawyer
Louis Lemonteur - his son

ORIGINAL CAST

(in order of speaking):

Dorothy Shaw: YVONNE ADAIR.
A Steward: Jerry Craig.
Lorelei Lee: CAROL CHANNING.
Gus Esmond: JACK McCAULEY.
Frank, George (of the Olympic Team): Robert Cooper, Eddie Weston.
Sun Bathers: Pat Donohue, Marjorie Winters.
Lady Phyllis Beekman: RETA SHAW.
Sir Francis Beekman: REX EVANS.
Mrs. Ella Spofford: ALICE PEARCE.
Deck Stewards: Bob Burkhradt, Shelton Lewis.
Henry Spofford: ERIC BROTHERSON.
An Olympic: Curt Stafford.
Josephus Gage: GEORGE S. IRVING.
Deck Walkers: Fran Keegan,
Junior Standish.
Bill, a Dancer: PETER BIRCH.
Gloria Stark: ANITA ALVAREZ.
Pierre, a Steward: Bob Neukum.
Taxi Driver: Kazimir Kokic.
Leon, a Valet: Peter Holmes
Robert Lemanteur: MORT MARSHALL.
Louis Lemanteur, his son: HOWARD MORRIS.
A Flower Girl: Nicole France.
Maitre d'Hotel: Crandall Diehl.
Zizi: Judy Sinclair.
Fifi: Hope Zee.
Coles and Atkins: HONI COLES and CHOLLY ATKINS.
The Tenor: William Krach.
Policeman: William Diehl.
Headwaiter: Kazimir Kokic.
Mr. Esmond, Sr.: IRVING MITCHELL.

Show Girls:

Pat Donohue, Anna Rita Duffy, Fran Keegan, Anisette Kohl, Junior Standish, Marjorie Winters.

Singing Ensemble:

Angela Castle, Joan Coburn, Ellen McCown, Candy Montgomery, Judy Sinclair, Lucille Udovick, Beverly Jane Weston, Hope Zee, Bob Burkhardt, Jerry Craig, William Diehl, William Krach, Shelton Lewis, Bob Neukum, Curt Stafford, David Vogel.

Dancing Ensemble:

Suzanne Ames, Florence Baum, Nicole France, Pauline Goddard, Pattty Ann Jackson, Alicia Krug, Mary Martinet, Caren Preiss, Evelyn Taylor, Norma Thornton, Polly Ward, Prue Ward, Helen Wood, Charles Basile, Bill Bradley, Rex Cooper, Robert Cooper, Crandall Diehl, Aristide J. Ginoulias, Peter Holmes, John Laverty, Eddie Weston.

Scenes and Settings

Time: 1924.

Act 1

Scene 1: The French Line Pier in Ncw York. A Midnight Sailing.
Scene 2: The Sun Deck of the Ile de France. Third day out.
Scene 3: The Boat Deck. The same day.
Scene 4: Lorelei's Suite on the Ile de France. Later that day.
Scene 5: Paris. The Place Vendome. One week later.
Scene 6: Champs de Mars — Under the Eiffel Tower. Same Day.
Scene 7: The Place Vendome. Later that day.
Scene 8: The Ritz Hotel in Paris. Lorelei's Suite. That evening.

Act 2

Scene I: The Pre-Catelan in the Bois. The same evening.
Scene 2: A Street in Paris. Later that evening.
Scene 3: The Ritz Hotel in Paris. Lorelei's Suite. Three a.m. the next morning.
Scene 4: The Central Park Casino, New York, Ten days later.