| The Goodbye Girl | |
|---|---|
 Original cast recording | |
| Music | Marvin Hamlisch |
| Lyrics | David Zippel |
| Book | Neil Simon |
| Basis | The Goodbye Girl by Neil Simon |
| Productions | 1993Broadway 1997West End |
The Goodbye Girl is amusical with a book byNeil Simon, lyrics byDavid Zippel, and music byMarvin Hamlisch, based on Simon's originalscreenplay for the1977 film of the same name.
The Goodbye Girl opened in out-of-town tryouts at theShubert Theatre inChicago, from December 29, 1992 to January 30, 1993. The director,Gene Saks, was fired during the Chicago tryouts and replaced byMichael Kidd.[1] During the run, producers created a new opening song forBernadette Peters as Paula and Tammy Minoff as her daughter Lucy. "An exuberant song about their hoped-for move to California from New York City, it's meant to help Paula lighten up; in the first act, she has been perceived as a drip."[2] Ticket sales were "brisk" for the Chicago run and the musical had a $10 million advance for Broadway.[3]
The musical, directed by Michael Kidd and choreographed byGraciela Daniele, opened onBroadway at theMarquis Theatre on March 4, 1993 and closed on August 15, 1993, after 188 performances and 23 previews. The opening cast included Bernadette Peters as Paula McFadden andMartin Short as Elliot Garfield, withCarol Woods as Mrs. Crosby, Susann Fletcher as Donna Douglas, Tammy Minoff as Lucy, Lisa Molina as Melanie and Erin Torpey as Cynthia. This musical marked Martin Short's Broadway debut.[4]
The musical was produced at theMarriott Theatre,Lincolnshire, Illinois, in February through April 1994. This version featured some modifications by lyricist David Zippel, who also co-directed the production.[5] This represents the version preferred by the authors and is currently licensed by the licensing agent, MTI.
In 1995, British actor and comedianGary Wilmot performed "My Rules" in hisBBC One musical theatre seriesShowstoppers. He subsequently persuaded producer Paul Elliott to mount the show in London.[6] After several previews, a revised version (with new lyrics byDon Black) opened on April 17, 1997 at theAlbery Theatre in theWest End, and closed on June 28, 1997. It starred Gary Wilmot andAnn Crumb. The new lyrics in this production were not well received.[7] The production, directed by Rob Bettinson and choreographed by Tudor Davies, also featured Angela Avrili, Carol Ball, Cliff Brayshaw, Kyle Dadd, Steve Elias, Lucy Evans,Josefina Gabrielle, Adrian Goodfellow, Rachel Harris, Nicola Hughes, Michael Mears, Hayley Newton, Richard Pettyfer, Mary Savva, Wesley James Smith, Mason Taylor, Dina Tree, Jodie Lee Wilde and Shezwae Powell.
Wilmot subsequently toured the UK in 1997 and 1998 oppositeMarti Webb.[6]Sophie McShera alternated withHannah Chick in the role of Lucy and Hope Augustus played the landlady.[8][9] Other roles were played by Cherelle Binns, Cliff Brayshaw, Lisa Christoforou, Kyle Dadd, Steve Elias, Andrea Francis, Peter Grayer, Grant Neal, Darvina Plante, Mary Savva, Garry Stevens, Portia Singleton, Jenny-Anne Topham, and Katie Verner.[citation needed]
Egotistical actor Elliot Garfield sublets a friend'sManhattan apartment only to discover it is still occupied by his friend's ex-girlfriend Paula, a former dancer, and her precocious pre-teen daughter Lucy. Initially suspicious and antagonistic, Elliot and Paula arrive at an uneasy truce. Paula, fed up with being hurt by boyfriend-actors, rashly vows never to become involved again ("No More"), while Elliot sets down the rules for the living arrangements ("My Rules/Elliot Garfield Grant"). Paula decides to return to work as a dancer, but during dance class finds it difficult ("A Beat Behind").
While attempting to cohabit as peacefully as possible, despite their differences of opinion and temperament, Elliot and Paula find themselves attracted to each other ("Paula (An Improvised Love Song)"). Although Elliot finds a job out-of-town, Paula realizes that this is the true love she has been seeking, and they reach a happy ending ("What a Guy").
Original cast recordings for both theBroadway andWest End productions have been released.In his review of the London cast recording,Ken Mandelbaum noted that "The LondonGoodbye Girl is perhaps the sharpest example to date of an unnecessary revision. The skimpier new score isn't bad, but in no way does it improve upon what was there (the loss of all three of Peters' solos is particularly inexplicable)."[10]
| Character | 1993 Broadway cast | 1994 Chicago cast | 1997 West End cast | 2023 Off-Broadway cast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paula McFadden | Bernadette Peters | Kathy Santen | Ann Crumb | Sierra Boggess |
| Elliot Garfield | Martin Short | James Fitzgerald | Gary Wilmot | Santino Fontana |
| Lucy McFadden | Tammy Minoff | Jessie Ann Fisher | Dina Tree | Lena Josephine Marano |
| Mrs. Crosby | Carol Woods | Felicia P. Fields | Shezwae Powell | Debra Thais Evans |
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Variety wrote in the review of the out-of-town tryout in Chicago: "There's some good news on the way to Broadway...Among the show's various virtues, the most surprising and wonderful is Martin Short...Peters is well cast as Paula, though she still seems to be finding her way into the role of the dancer...Marvin Hamlisch's score isn't likely to go down as one of the most memorable in Broadway history, but coupled with David Zippel's ingenious lyrics, it becomes a great asset."[11]
Despite major changes, before the New York opening, reviews did not improve.[12]Frank Rich inThe New York Times wrote: "Even if you don't share my conviction that Bernadette Peters and Martin Short are among the most winning of performers, you still might admire how they play the losing hand they've been dealt in 'The Goodbye Girl.'"[13]Time wrote: "THE BOTTOM LINE: Big stars, boffo story, but bad judgments turn a much anticipated show into an amiable disappointment."[14]
According toKen Bloom, "reviews were tepid, as was audience reaction. What should have been a major success had had trouble on the road, and a few key production staff were replaced prior to Broadway."[15]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Tony Award | Best Musical | Nominated | |
| Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical | Martin Short | Nominated | ||
| Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical | Bernadette Peters | Nominated | ||
| Best Choreography | Graciela Daniele | Nominated | ||
| Best Direction of a Musical | Michael Kidd | Nominated | ||
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Martin Short | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Lyrics | David Zippel | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Music | Marvin Hamlisch | Won | ||
| Theatre World Award | Martin Short | Won | ||