Something for the Boys is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter

Cole Porter

Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...

 and a book by Herbert Fields

Herbert Fields

Herbert Fields was an American librettist and screenwriter.Born in New York City, Fields began his career as an actor, then graduated to choreography and stage direction before turning to writing. From 1925 until his death, he contributed to the libretti of many Broadway musicals...

 and Dorothy Fields

Dorothy Fields

Dorothy Fields was an American librettist and lyricist.She wrote over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films...

. Produced by Mike Todd

Mike Todd

Michael Todd was an American theatre and film producer, best known for his 1956 production of Around the World in Eighty Days, which won an Academy Award for Best Picture...

, the show opened on 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 1943 and starred Ethel Merman

Ethel Merman

Ethel Merman was an American actress and singer. Known primarily for her powerful voice and roles in musical theatre, she has been called "the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage." Among the many standards introduced by Merman in Broadway musicals are "I Got Rhythm", "Everything's...

 in her fifth Cole Porter musical.

Productions

Out of town tryouts began on December 18, 1942 at the Shubert Theatre, Boston

Boston

Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...

, Massachusetts.

The musical opened on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre on January 7, 1943 and closed on January 8, 1944 after 422 performances. It starred Ethel Merman (Blossom Hart), Bill Johnson

William Johnson (actor)

William Johnson was an American actor of the stage and screen.-Biography:Born in Baltimore, Johnson began his career as a child actor on the stage. He made his Broadway debut at the age of 8 as Gaffe in the 1924 play Shipwrecked. He returned to Broadway in 1926 to portray the Hangman in Rudolf...

 (Rocky Fulton), Betty Garrett

Betty Garrett

Betty Garrett was an American actress, comedienne, singer and dancer who originally performed on Broadway before being signed to a film contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...

 (Mary-Frances), Paula Laurence (Chiquita Hart), and Allen Jenkins (Harry Hart). The director was Hassard Short

Hassard Short

Hubert Edward Hassard Short , usually known as Hassard Short, was an actor, stage director, set designer and lighting designer in musical theatrewho directed over 50 Broadway and West End shows between 1920 and 1953...

, choreographer Jack Cole

Jack Cole

Jack Cole may refer to:*Jack Cole *Jack Cole *Jack Cole *Jack Isadore Cole , founder of the Coles chain and Coles notes...

, costumes were by Billy Livingston and the set design was by Howard Bay

Howard Bay (designer)

Howard Bay was an American scenic, lighting and costume designer for stage, opera and film. He won the Tony Award for Best Scenic Design twice.-Career:...

.

The musical premiered in the West End

West End theatre

West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...

 at the Coliseum Theatre

Coliseum Theatre

The London Coliseum is an opera house and major performing venue on St. Martin's Lane, central London. It is one of London's largest and best equipped theatres and opened in 1904, designed by theatrical architect Frank Matcham , for impresario Oswald Stoll...

 on March 30, 1944and closed on May 20, 1944. It starred Evelyn Dall

Evelyn Dall

Evelyn Dall was an American singer and actress.-Career:Born in The Bronx, New York City Dall began her career in short films and in supporting roles on Broadway. In 1935, she was invited to become the female vocalist for Bert Ambrose and his Orchestra, in the UK, where she remained until 1946...

 (Blossom), Daphne Barker (Chiquita), Bobby Wright (Harry), Leigh Stafford (Rocky) and Jack Billings (Laddie).

Plot

Three cousins inherit a Texas ranch that is next to a military base. Blossom Hart is a worker in the war department, Chiquita Hart is a night club dancer/singer, and Harry Hart is a carnival pitchman. Although none of the cousins know each other, they join together to convert the ranch into a boarding house for soldiers' wives. However, Lieutenant Colonel Grubbs thinks the activities at the house are suspicious and he tries to close it down. Meanwhile, Blossom and Rocky Fulton, a bandlesder in the Army band, begin a romance, much to the displeasure of his fiance, Melanie.

Recordings

In 1985, the Original Cast Recording was released on the AEI Records label derived from long lost transcriptions made for shortwave radio transmission.

A version of the title song was recorded by Ethel Merman for her Ethel Merman Disco Album

The Ethel Merman Disco Album

The Ethel Merman Disco Album is a 1979 album by American Broadway legend Ethel Merman. Over the years, the album became a camp classic and vinyl copies were highly sought out by collectors....

in 1979.

Songs

Act I

• See That You're Born in Texas - Ensemble
• When My Baby Goes to Town - Staff Sgt. Rocky Fulton
• Something for the Boys - Blossom Hart and Boys
• When We're Home on the Range - Blossom Hart, Chiquita Hart and Harry Hart
• Could It Be You? - Staff Sgt. Rocky Fulton and Boys
• Hey, Good Lookin' - Blossom Hart and Staff Sgt. Rocky Fulton
• Hey, Good Lookin' (Reprise) - Betty-Jean, Corp. Burns, Girls and Boys
• He's a Right Guy - Blossom Hart
• The Leader of a Big Time Band - Blossom Hart

Act II

• I'm in Love with a Soldier Boy - Mary-Frances, Girls and Boys
• There's a Happy Land in the Sky - Blossom Hart, Chiquita Hart, Harry Hart, Mr. Tobias Twitch and Staff Sgt. Rocky Fulton
• He's a Right Guy (Reprise) - Blossom Hart
• Could It Be You? (Reprise) - Staff Sgt. Rocky Fulton and Ensemble
• By the Mississinewa - Blossom Hart and Chiquita Hart

Response

Life Magazine wrote that the musical was "gay and glittering" and that "from start to finish the show belongs to the exuberant Ethel Merman".