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They Knew What They Wanted
They Knew What They Wanted (1924), a play by Sidney Howard. [Garrick Theatre, 192 perf.; Pulitzer Prize.] Tony ( Richard Bennett), an aging Italian winegrower in the California Napa Valley, proposes by letter to a San Francisco waitress, Amy ( Pauline Lord), who waited on him once. Fearing she would consider him too old and too ugly, he sends her a photograph of his hired hand Joe ( Glenn Anders). When Amy arrives at Tony's vineyard, she is shocked to learn the truth and soon finds herself having an affair with Joe before he leaves town. Tony is forgiving, even offering to adopt the baby Amy will have. His goodness melts Amy's disdain, and she agrees to marry him. The Theatre Guild presentation offered what were generally acknowledged as some of the finest performances of the era. It was adapted into the musical THE MOST HAPPY FELLA (1956) by FrankLoesser, who wrote the book, music, and lyrics. Amy was renamed Rosabella ( Jo Sullivan), Robert Weede played Tony, and Art Lund was Joe. The musical struck many critics as a not altogether successful amalgam of musical play, musical comedy, and opera. The most operatic music was given to Tony; Rosabella and Joe were given songs typical of modern operetta or musical play; while the lighter songs were assigned to the secondary, comic roles. Yet the show offered something for everyone, and it has enjoyed many revivals regionally, by opera companies, and on Broadway. Notable songs: Big ‘D’; Standing on the Corner; The Most Happy Fella; Happy to Make Your Acquaintance; Somebody, Somewhere; Warm All Over; My Heart Is So Full of You.
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Cite this article
Gerald Bordman and Thomas S. Hischak. "They Knew What They Wanted." The Oxford Companion to American Theatre. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. Gerald Bordman and Thomas S. Hischak. "They Knew What They Wanted." The Oxford Companion to American Theatre. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O149-TheyKnewWhatTheyWanted.html Gerald Bordman and Thomas S. Hischak. "They Knew What They Wanted." The Oxford Companion to American Theatre. 2004. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O149-TheyKnewWhatTheyWanted.html |
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They Knew What They Wanted
They Knew What They Wanted, play by Sidney Howard, produced in 1924 and published in 1925, when it won a Pulitzer Prize.
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Cite this article
James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "They Knew What They Wanted." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "They Knew What They Wanted." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-TheyKnewWhatTheyWanted.html James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "They Knew What They Wanted." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-TheyKnewWhatTheyWanted.html |
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