Shine! (musical)
Encyclopedia
Shine! is a musical
based on characters and situations found in the works of Horatio Alger, particularly Ragged Dick
and Silas Snobden's Office Boy, respectively Alger's first best-seller and the one first printed in book form eighty years after it was first serialized in Argosy
. Its plot and characters focus on Alger's pervasive theme: that in America one could begin with nothing, and with the right attitude, hard work, application, and a little bit of luck, dream a dream and chart a course on which to achieve it. Richard Seff wrote the book, Lee Goldsmith the lyrics and Roger Anderson the music. Anderson and Goldsmith had previously collaborated on the musical Chaplin
.
Shine! was announced for Broadway
in 1982, but production was canceled when producer 20th Century Fox
disbanded its newly formed theatre division. The show was later produced in 1983 at the Virginia Museum Theatre in Richmond, Virginia
, starring George Lee Andrews, Alix Korey and Todd Taylor. A reading of a revised version was seen in 1998 at Off Broadway's York Theatre Company. In 2001, Shine! was part of the National Musical Theatre Network showcase. That performance was recorded and released by Original Cast Records in October 2001. The recording featured performers including Carole Shelley
, Harvey Evans, Brooks Ashmanskas
and Andrea Burns
. The show was published by Samuel French Inc.
in 2002.
In October 2010 the New York premiere production of a completely revised version of the show takes place at NYMF, Theatre at St. Clement's under the direction of Peter Flynn, choreography by Dev Janki, arrangements and orhcestrations by Greg Anthony, and starring Andy Mientus as the hero.
Act II
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
based on characters and situations found in the works of Horatio Alger, particularly Ragged Dick
Ragged Dick
Ragged Dick; or, Street Life in New York with the Boot Blacks is a Bildungsroman by Horatio Alger, Jr. serialized in Student and Schoolmate in 1867, and released as a full length novel in May 1868 by A. K. Loring. It was the first volume in the six volume Ragged Dick Series, and became Alger's...
and Silas Snobden's Office Boy, respectively Alger's first best-seller and the one first printed in book form eighty years after it was first serialized in Argosy
Argosy (magazine)
Argosy was an American pulp magazine, published by Frank Munsey. It is generally considered to be the first American pulp magazine. The magazine began as a general information periodical entitled The Golden Argosy, targeted at the boys adventure market.-Launch of Argosy:In late September 1882,...
. Its plot and characters focus on Alger's pervasive theme: that in America one could begin with nothing, and with the right attitude, hard work, application, and a little bit of luck, dream a dream and chart a course on which to achieve it. Richard Seff wrote the book, Lee Goldsmith the lyrics and Roger Anderson the music. Anderson and Goldsmith had previously collaborated on the musical Chaplin
Chaplin (musical)
Chaplin is a musical announced for Broadway in 1981 about the early life of the silent film star Charlie Chaplin. Financial troubles forced postponements and the eventual demise of the project. In 1993, the script and score were re-discovered and a smaller version was produced in Miami winning a...
.
Shine! was announced for Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in 1982, but production was canceled when producer 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
disbanded its newly formed theatre division. The show was later produced in 1983 at the Virginia Museum Theatre in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, starring George Lee Andrews, Alix Korey and Todd Taylor. A reading of a revised version was seen in 1998 at Off Broadway's York Theatre Company. In 2001, Shine! was part of the National Musical Theatre Network showcase. That performance was recorded and released by Original Cast Records in October 2001. The recording featured performers including Carole Shelley
Carole Shelley
Carole Shelley is an English actress. Among her many stage roles are the character of Madame Morrible in the original Broadway cast of the musical Wicked.-Life and career:...
, Harvey Evans, Brooks Ashmanskas
Brooks Ashmanskas
Brooks Ashmanskas is American stage actor. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical and a Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for playing various characters in Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me...
and Andrea Burns
Andrea Burns
Andréa Burns in Miami Beach, Florida, She is an American actress, singer and songwriter, primarily featured in theatre, recordings and television. She is married to Director Performer Peter Flynn, whom she met while touring in West Side Story...
. The show was published by Samuel French Inc.
Samuel French Inc.
Samuel French, Inc. is an American company, founded by Samuel French and Thomas Hailes Lacy, who formed a partnership to combine their existing interests in London and New York...
in 2002.
In October 2010 the New York premiere production of a completely revised version of the show takes place at NYMF, Theatre at St. Clement's under the direction of Peter Flynn, choreography by Dev Janki, arrangements and orhcestrations by Greg Anthony, and starring Andy Mientus as the hero.
Musical numbers
Act I- Prelude
- Wall Street Lament
- Shine!
- Look at Him
- Silas Snobden, Inc.
- Cock and Bull
- Maybe Today
- Put Your Money In
- Partners
- The Room
- Keeping Up With the Times
- A Hardworking Boy
- Look How Far We've Come
Act II
- Find That Boy
- A Hardworking Boy (Reprise)
- Shine (Reprise)
- From Now On
- Someone
- Yes!
- A Handful O' Hops
- North of 14th Street