| Chee-Chee (musical) | |
|---|---|
,_by_Rodgers_%26_Hart,_original_performance_poster.jpg) Original theater poster of 1928 | |
| Music | Richard Rodgers |
| Lyrics | Lorenz Hart |
| Book | The Son of the Grand Eunuch, by Charles Pettit |
| Setting | China |
| Premiere | September 25, 1928: Mansfield Theatre |
| Productions | 1928 Broadway 2003 14th Street Y, Manhattan[1] |
Chee-Chee is a musical by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart based on the 1927 book, The Son of the Grand Eunuch, by Charles Pettit. Chee-Chee opened on Broadway September 25, 1928, and the show closed after 31 performances.[2][3]
In 1963 vocalist Betty Comden released an album that included some of the songs from the musical.[4][5]
Synopsis
In 1928 Herbert Fields wrote a libretto based on Pettit's book in which the son of the Grand Eunuch, Li-Pi, and his wife, Chee-Chee, are forced into exile when the Grand Eunuch announces his plan for Li-Pi to become a eunuch and take his father's place as the Grand Eunuch. Chee-Chee is captured and rescued, and Li-Pi is captured and rescued, and finally the musical ends happily.[6]
Musical Numbers
Two acts, seven scenes.[7]
- Act I
Scene I: A Corridor in the Palace of the Holy Emperor, Son of Heaven, in the Violet Town of Peking
- We're Men of Brains - Eunuchs
- I Am a Prince - Prince Tao-Tee
- In a Great Big Way - Li-Li-Wee
- The Most Majestic of Domestic Officials (Entrance of the Grand Eunuch) - Ensemble
- Holy of Holies - Li-Pi-Siao, Li-Li-Wee
- Her Hair Is Black as Licorice (Food Solo) - Li-Pi-Siao
- Dear, Oh Dear - Chee-Chee, Li-Pi-Tchou
- Await Your Love (Concubines' Song) - Li-Pi-Siao, Miss Smile of a Rose, Ensemble
- Joy Is Mine - Li-Pi-Tchou
- I Wake at Morning - Li-Pi-Tchou
- Grovel to Earth (Chee-Chee's First Entrance) - Chee-Chee
- Just a Little Thing - Li-Pi-Tchou, Chee-Chee
- You Are Both Agreed (Finaletto Scene 1) - Li-Pi-Siao, Li-Pi-Tchou, Chee-Chee
Scene II: The Road to the Future
- I Must Love You - Chee-Chee, Li-Pi-Tchou
- Owl Song - A Very Narrow Minded Owl
Scene III: A Wayside Tavern
- I Bow a Glad Good Day (Tavern Opening) - Innkeeper, Li-Pi-Siao, Ensemble
- Better Be Good to Me - Li-Li-Wee, Prince Tao-Tee
- The Tartar Song - Tartar Chief, Ensemble
- Chee-Chee's Second Entrance - Chee-Chee
- Finale (Act I)
- Act II
Scene I: A Forest
- Khonghouse Song - Li-Pi-Tchou, Ensemble
- Sleep, Weary Head - Chee-Chee
- Singing a Love Song - Tartar Chief, Ensemble
Scene II: Visiting Day at the Monastery of Celestial Clouds
- Monastery Opening
- Chinese Dance
- Living Buddha (Impassive Buddha) - The Grand Prior
- Moon of My Delight - Li-Li-Wee, Prince Tao-Tee
Scene III: The Gallery of Torments
Scene IV: The Palace
- Finale Ultimo
See also
References
- ^ Kenneth Jones (January 31, 2019). "Eunuchs, Concubines and Love Songs Revived in Rodgers & Hart's Chee-Chee, Nov. 12-24". Playbill. Archived from the original on February 1, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- ^ Mark Miller (November 18, 2002). "Chee-Chee". TheaterMania. Archived from the original on February 1, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- ^ "VIII. Chee-Chee (09/25/28 – 10/20/28)". THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT!. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- ^ "Chee-Chee". Library of Congress. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- ^ "Betty Comden – Songs From Treasure Girl & Chee Chee". Discogs. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- ^ "Chee-Chee". StageAgent. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
- ^ "Chee Chee". Guide to Musical Theatre. Archived from the original on July 25, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
External links
- Dominic Symonds, We’ll Have Manhattan: The Early Work of Rodgers & Hart, chapter 8
- Chee-Chee Theatre Program, New York Public Library Digital Collections
Further reading
- Geoffrey Block, The Richard Rodgers Reader (Oxford University Press, 2006), pp 45–47
- Gerald Bordman, American Musical Theater: A Chronicle (Oxford University Press, 2001), pp 492–493