Charity Valentine is the eternal optimist. While working at the seedy Fan-Dango ballroom, she is often taken advantage of and continually experiences bad relationships. Finally, she seems to have met a decent fellow in Oscar. Trying to hide her true profession, she lies to him and tells her that she works in a bank. Soon, Oscar asks Charity to marry him. Unfortunately, Oscar discovers Charity's real profession and backs out of the marriage. Nevertheless, Charity continues to remain hopeful that good things will happen in her life.
Original productions
After a tryout at Detroit's Fisher Theatre, the musical premiered on Broadway at the Palace Theatre on January 29, 1966 and closed on July 15, 1967 after 608 performances and 10 previews. It was conceived, directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse and starred Gwen Verdon, John McMartin, Helen Gallagher, Thelma Oliver, James Luisi, Arnold Soboloff, and Sharon Ritchie. Scenic and lighting design were by Robert Randolph and costume design was by Irene Sharaff. The production was nominated for 12 Tony Awards, winning for Fosse's choreography.
The musical opened in the West End at the Prince of Wales Theatre in October 1967, running for 476 performances. Juliet Prowse starred, and was succeeded by Gretchen Wyler.
1986 Broadway revival
A revival opened on Broadway at the Minskoff Theatre on April 27, 1986 and closed on March 15, 1987, running for 369 performances and 15 previews. Again directed and choreographed by Fosse, Debbie Allen starred as Charity with Bebe Neuwirth as Nickie and Michael Rupert as Oscar. Fosse's wife Gwen Verdon (the original Charity from 1966), remounted the choreography with Fosse, and taught much of the ensemble numbers to the female chorus. The production won four Tony Awards including the Tony Award, Best Reproduction (Play or Musical). When Allen left the show Ann Reinking took over as Charity.
1998 Benefit concert
On June 15, 1998, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS presented an all-star fully staged one-night-only concert at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center. It starred Chita Rivera, Bebe Neuwirth, Donna McKechnie, Debbie Allen and in her last public stage appearance, Gwen Verdon, all in the shared role of Charity.
1998 London revival
A West End revival opened on 19 May 1998 and closed on 15 August 1998 at the Victoria Palace Theatre, choreographed by Stephen Mear and starring Bonnie Langford.
2005 Broadway revival
Christina Applegate starred in another revival of the show, opening on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on May 4, 2005, after a troubled three-city preview tour. The show went into production beginning January 25, 2005 at the Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis. Audience-attended previews began February 8, with the Opening Night performance held February 17, 2005. The Minneapolis engagement closed on February 20. Applegate broke her foot in Chicago, the second stop on the tour, and was replaced by her understudy, Charlotte d'Amboise. Then, after the final leg of the tour in Boston, the producers announced that the production would not be continuing to Broadway due to lack of interest. However, two days later, the Broadway engagement was on after Applegate convinced the producers to continue. A week into previews, Applegate rejoined the cast, which also included Denis O'Hare and Ernie Sabella. The show was nominated for three Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical for Applegate. Reportedly, pop icon Britney Spears was asked to replace Applegate when her contract expired, but declined the offer. The musical ended its Broadway run on December 31, 2005, after 279 performances.
A national tour of the 2005 Broadway revival began in September 2006 and ended in August 2007. It starred Molly Ringwald and later Paige Davis as Charity.
2009 London revival
A revival of the show opened for a limited engagement at London's Menier Chocolate Factory on 21 November 2009 and closed on 7 March 2010. It starred Tamzin Outhwaite as Charity. Outhwaite is reprising the title role in the West End transfer of the successful Chocolate Factory production of the show. Playing at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket the show opened officially on 4 May 2010 after previews began on 23 April. This was the first major production to have the same actor (Mark Umbers) play all three of Charity's love interests: Charlie, Vittorio and Oscar. Similarly, Josefina Gabrielle plays both Nickie and Ursula while Tiffany Graves plays Helene. The production closed at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on 6 November 2010 but will transfer to run until 8 January 2011. The 2011 Olivier Award nominations were announced on Monday 7 January 2011, and this production received three nominations: Best Revival of a Musical, Best Theatre Choreography for Stephen Mear and Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for Josefina Gabrielle.
Act I
"Overture"
"Charity's Theme"
"You Should See Yourself" - Charity
"Big Spender" - Nickie, Helene and Fandango Girls
"Charity's Soliloquy" - Charity
"Rich Man's Frug" - The Company
"If My Friends Could See Me Now" - Charity
"Too Many Tomorrows" - Vittorio Vidal
"There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" - Charity, Nickie and Helene
"I'm The Bravest Individual" - Charity and Oscar
Act II
"The Rhythm Of Life" - Daddy Johann Sebastian Brubeck, Daddy's Assistants, Daddy's All-Girl Rhythm Choir and The Company
"Good Impression" - Oscar
"Baby, Dream Your Dream" - Nickie and Helene
"Sweet Charity" - Oscar and The Company
"Where Am I Going?" - Charity
"I'm A Brass Band" - Charity and The Company
"I Love To Cry At Weddings" - Herman and The Company
"I'm The Bravest Individual" (Reprise) - Charity
Charity Hope Valentine, the girl who wanted to be loved
Oscar Lindquist, a man whom Charity befriends and eventually falls in love with
Charlie, Charity's boyfriend in the opening of the show, and the name on her tattoo
Nickie and Helene, Charity's closest friends who are taxi dancers at the Fandango Ballroom
Herman, the authoritarian owner of the Fandango Ballroom; Charity's boss
Vittorio Vidal, a famous Italian movie star
Ursula March, Vittorio's girlfriend
Daddy Johann Sebastian Brubeck, the enigmatic leader of the Rhythm of Life Church
Carmen, a dancer at the Fandango Ballroom who is friends with Nickie, Helene, and Charity
Rosie, the new dancer at the Fandango Ballroom
Suzanne, Frenchie, Betsy, and Elaine, dancers at the Fandango Ballroom
Aucun dossier informatif complémentaire concernant Sweet Charity
Version 1
Sweet Charity (1966-01-Palace Theatre-Broadway)
Type de série: OriginalThéâtre: Palace Theatre (Broadway - Etats-Unis) Durée : 1 an 5 mois 2 semaines Nombre : 10 previews - 608 représentationsPremière Preview : mardi 18 janvier 1966Première : samedi 29 janvier 1966Dernière : samedi 15 juillet 1967Mise en scène : Bob Fosse • Chorégraphie : Bob Fosse • Producteur : Commentaires longs: The production was nominated for 12 Tony Awards, winning for Fosse's choreography.
Version 4
Sweet Charity (1986-04-Minskoff Theatre-Broadway)
Type de série: RevivalThéâtre: Minskoff Theatre (Broadway - Etats-Unis) Durée : 10 mois 3 semaines Nombre : 15 previews - 369 représentationsPremière Preview : mardi 15 avril 1986Première : dimanche 27 avril 1986Dernière : dimanche 15 mars 1987Mise en scène : Bob Fosse • Chorégraphie : Bob Fosse • Producteur :
Version 5
Sweet Charity (1998-05-Victoria Palace Theatre-London)
Type de série: RevivalThéâtre: Victoria Palace Theatre (Londres - Angleterre) Durée : 2 mois 4 semaines Nombre : 103 représentationsPremière Preview : samedi 09 mai 1998Première : mardi 19 mai 1998Dernière : samedi 15 août 1998Mise en scène : Carol Metcalfe • Chorégraphie : Bob Fosse • Producteur : Avec : Bonnie Langford (Chanty), Cornell John {Oscar), Mark Wynter (Vittorio Vidal) Johanne Murdock (Nicky), Jane Fowler (Helene), Omar F. Okai (Brubeck)Commentaires : This production originated at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley. Its West End run was just three months, following very mixed reviews.
Version 6
Sweet Charity (2005-05-Al Hirschfeld Theatre-Broadway)
Type de série: RevivalThéâtre: Al Hirschfeld Theatre (Broadway - Etats-Unis) Durée : 8 mois Nombre : 25 previews - 279 représentationsPremière Preview : lundi 11 avril 2005Première : mercredi 04 mai 2005Dernière : samedi 31 décembre 2005Mise en scène : Walter Bobbie • Chorégraphie : Wayne Cilento • Producteur :
Version 7
Sweet Charity (2009-12-Chocolate Factory (Menier)-London)
Type de série: RevivalThéâtre: Menier Chocolate Factory (Londres - Angleterre) Durée : 3 mois Nombre : Première Preview : samedi 21 novembre 2009Première : mercredi 02 décembre 2009Dernière : dimanche 07 mars 2010Mise en scène : Matthew White • Chorégraphie : Stephen Mear • Producteur : Avec : Tamzin Outhwaite (Charity), Mark Umbers (Oscar/Vittorio/Charlie), Josefina Gabrielle (Nicky/Ursula), Tiffany Graves (Helene), Paul J. Medford (Brubeck), Annalisa Rossi, Jayde Westaby, Rachael Archer, Ebony Molina, Jack Edwards, Zak NemorinCommentaires : This was yet another in the sequence of scaled-down musicals at the Menier Chocolate Factory which received excellent notices and would go on to future life in the West End itself. The show was notable for the excellent performance by Tamzin Outhwaite (best known for playing Mel in “Eastenders”). It was also the first to have the same actor, Mark Umbers, play all three of Charity’s love interests. The show transferred to the Theatre Royal Haymarket on May 4 th (previews from April 23 rd ) and ran for six months, closing on November 6 th.
Version 8
Sweet Charity (2010-05-Haymarket Theatre-London)
Type de série: RevivalThéâtre: Haymarket Theatre (Londres - Angleterre) Durée : 6 mois Nombre : Première Preview : vendredi 23 avril 2010Première : mardi 04 mai 2010Dernière : samedi 06 novembre 2010Mise en scène : Matthew White • Chorégraphie : Stephen Mear • Producteur : Avec : Tamzin Outhwaite (Charity), Mark Umbers (Oscar/Vittorio/Charlie), Josefina Gabrielle (Nicky/Ursula), Tiffany Graves (Helene), Paul J. Medford (Brubeck), Annalisa Rossi, Jayde Westaby, Rachael Archer, Ebony Molina, Jack Edwards, Zak NemorinCommentaires : This was yet another in the sequence of scaled-down musicals at the Menier Chocolate Factory which received excellent notices and would go on to future life in the West End itself. The show was notable for the excellent performance by Tamzin Outhwaite (best known for playing Mel in “Eastenders”). It was also the first to have the same actor, Mark Umbers, play all three of Charity’s love interests. The show transferred to the Theatre Royal Haymarket on May 4 th (previews from April 23 rd ) and ran for six months, closing on November 6 th.Presse : "The music is consistently as atmospheric and tuneful as Stephen Mear’s choreography, though much indebted to the great Bob Fosse, is crisp and lively....It is fun, fun fun. . " The Times
"The show itself is a joy. From the moments you hear the bleary, brassy opening notes of the show’s most famous number, Hey Big Spender, one knows — as the song promises — that one is in for a good time. The band handles Cy Coleman’s outstanding jazzy score with superb panache throughout. The cast do splendid justice to Dorothy Fields’s witty and often touching lyrics and Neil Simon’s gag-filled script, in which he largely avoids the mushy sentimentality that is so often his downfall. " Charles Spencer for The Daily Telegraph
"Comes up trumps . " Mark Shenton for The Stage
"This is an ingratiating, exuberant show with some gorgeous balletic moments and a winning vitality. " Henry Hitchings for The Evening Standard
Version 9
Sweet Charity (2019-04-Donmar Warehouse-London)
Type de série: RevivalThéâtre: Donmar Warehouse (Londres - Angleterre) Durée : 1 mois 3 semaines Nombre : Première Preview : samedi 06 avril 2019Première : mercredi 17 avril 2019Dernière : samedi 08 juin 2019Mise en scène : Josie Rourke • Chorégraphie : Wayne McGregor • Producteur : Avec : Anne-Marie Duff, Arthur Darvill, Lizzy Connolly, Lauren Drew, Jo Eaton-Kent, Will Haswell, Charlotte Jaconelli, Stephen Kennedy, Debbie Kurup, Martin Marquez, Ryan Reid, Amy Ellen Richardson, Danielle Steers and Shaq Taylor.Commentaires : Josie Rourke returns to the work of Cy Coleman, who wrote the music for City of Angels, with the Broadway classic Sweet Charity. With choreography from the world-renowned Wayne McGregor, Rourke reunites with Anne-Marie Duff as Charity, and Arthur Darvill makes his Donmar debut as Oscar, for her farewell production as Donmar Artistic Director.Presse : "As she bows out as artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse, Josie Rourke is leaving her mark on the classic musical Sweet Charity. She’s got the great Anne-Marie Duff making her musical theatre debut in the title role, a stellar roster of talent, and some of the biggest numbers in musical theatre. But, just like Charity, this production never really seems to find its feet as it flits between trying to create a super hip vibe, while keeping its traditional appeal." (London Theatre Guide)
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