Sweet Smell of Success, The
- Full Length Musical, Drama, 1950s
- 13M, 9F
- ISBN: 9780573633560
It's New York, 1952. Welcome to Broadway, the glamour and power capital of the universe. J.J. Hunsecker rules it all with his daily gossip column in the New York Globe, syndicated to sixty million readers across America.
More information
Description
- Full Length Musical
- Drama
- 120 minutes
- Time Period: 1950s
- Set Requirements: Unit Set/Multiple Settings
- Cautions: Mild Adult Themes
- Orchestra Size: Large
- Performance Group:
- High School/Secondary, College Theatre / Student, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre
- Accolades:
- Nominee! Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical (2002)
Nominee! Tony Award for Best Book & Original Score for a Musical (2002)
It's New York, 1952. Welcome to Broadway, the glamour and power capital of the universe. J.J. Hunsecker rules it all with his daily gossip column in the New York Globe, syndicated to sixty million readers across America. J.J. has the goods on everyone, from the president to the latest starlet. And everyone feeds J.J. scandal, from J. Edgar Hoover and Senator Joe McCarthy down to a battalion of hungry press agents who attach their news to a client that J.J. might plug.
When a young press agent, Sidney, tries to hitch his wagon to J.J. while keeping secrets about his client's new relationship with J.J.'s sister, he learns that you can become no one if J.J. turns on you.
REVIEWS:
When a young press agent, Sidney, tries to hitch his wagon to J.J. while keeping secrets about his client's new relationship with J.J.'s sister, he learns that you can become no one if J.J. turns on you.
REVIEWS:
"John Guare has bravely gone beyond slavish adaptation while retaining many of the Hunseckerisms that fans of the film love to quote."
Curtain Up
Premiere Production:
The Sweet Smell of Success was first presented on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre in March of 2002 under the direction of Nichols Hytner. It starred John Lithgow.
Characters
- Casting: 13M, 9F
- Casting Attributes: Reduced casting (Doubling Possible), Room for Extras
SIDNEY - a struggling press agent
SUSAN - J.J.'s sister, a classy beauty who falls in love with Dallas
DALLAS - a hot young jazz piano player, who falls in love with Susan
RITA - Sidney's waitress girlfriend
MADGE
CONGRESSMAN
BLUE ANGEL PRESS AGENT
EMPIRE ROOM PRESS AGENT
ABIGAIL BARCLAY
TONY - the owner of a sleazy jazz join, Club Voodoo
BILLY VAN CLEVE
PREGNANT WOMAN
PEPPER WHITE'S ESCORT
OTIS ELWELL - J.J.'s rival gossip column monger
LESTER
DEAD ACTRESS
KELLO - powerful and sinister police detective
CLUB ZANZIBAR SINGER
CATHEDRAL SOLOIST
SENATOR
SENATOR'S GIRLFRIEND
TONY'S CAPRICE BARTENDER
TELETHON ANNOUNCER
BOBO
J.J.'S VAUDEVILLE PARTNER
PRESS AGENT
