Big Deal (musical)
Big Deal is a musical with a book by Bob Fosse using songs from various composers such as Ray Henderson, Eubie Blake, and Jerome Kern. It was based on the 1958 film Big Deal on Madonna Street by Mario Monicelli. The musical received five Tony Award nominations, with Fosse winning for Choreography. The production was Fosse's final work, as he died the next year. Production and background After shopping the project around to various composers (including Stephen Sondheim and Peter Allen), Fosse eventually settled on using popular songs of the 1920s and 30s. Fosse said that by using existing songs: "I can pick the perfect songs that will say the right things, and they're known. We'll have the greatest score in the world because they're all hit songs." Fosse said of the main character, Charley: "That's my part! A swaggering bumbler who thinks he's a ladies' man, and he's not." Big Deal opened on Broadway at the Broadway Theatre on April 10, 1986, and closed on June 8, 1986, after 69 performances and six previews. Directed and choreographed by Fosse, with Christopher Chadman as associate choreographer, the musical featured Cleavant Derricks as Charley, Loretta Devine as Lilly, Wayne Cilento, Cady Huffman, Valarie Pettiford, and Stephanie Pope. Songs Act 1 "Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries" – Lilly (Music and lyrics by Lew Brown and Ray Henderson) "For No Good Reason At All" – Narrators (Music and lyrics by Samuel M. Lewis, Abel Baer and Joseph Young) "Charley, My Boy" – Charley (Music and lyrics by Ted Fiorito and Gus Kahn) "I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'" – Kokomo, Charley, Judge and Narrators(Music and lyrics by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed) "Ain't We Got Fun?" – Prisoners (Lyrics by Kahn and Raymond B. Egan; music by Richard A. Whiting) "For No Good Reason At All" (Reprise) – Narrators and Dancers (Music and lyrics by Lewis, Baer and Young) "Chicago" – Narrators (Music and lyrics by Fred Fisher) "Pick Yourself Up" – Charley, Willie, Slick, Sunnyboy and Otis (Lyrics By Dorothy Fields; music By Jerome Kern) "I'm Just Wild About Harry" – Lilly (Music and lyrics by Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle) "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar" – Bandleader, Band and Dancers (Music and lyrics by Don Raye, Hughie Prince and Eleanor Sheehy) "The Music Goes 'Round and 'Round" – Bandleader and Band (Music and lyrics by Edward Farley, Red Hodgson and Michael Riley) "Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries" (Reprise) – Lilly Act II "Now's the Time to Fall in Love" – Narrators and Dancers (Music and lyrics by Al Sherman and Al Lewis) "Ain't She Sweet" – Sunnyboy, Phoebe, Narrators and Dancers (Lyrics by Jack Yellen; music by Milton Ager) "Everybody Loves My Baby" – Willie and Narrators (Music and lyrics by Jack Palmer and Spencer Williams) "Me and My Shadow" – Dancin' Dan and Shadows (Lyrics by Billy Rose, music by Al Jolson and Dave Dreyer) "Love Is Just Around the Corner" – Narrators