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Destry Rides Again

Full-Length Musical, Drama  /  3w, 4m

Music and Lyrics by Harold Rome
Book by Leonard Gershe
Based on the Story by Max Brand

Original Production Directed and Choreographed by Michael Kidd
Produced for the Broadway Stage by David Merrick

A whoopin', shootin', hollerin' firecracker of a show! Destry Rides Again is based on the novel by Max Brand and the celebrated 1939 movie western starring Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart.

Destry Rides Again

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 4m
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adaptation (Literature), Adaptation (Stage & Screen), Period
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for All Audiences
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! 1960 Tony Award for Best Choreography
    Nominee: Four 1960 Tony Awards, including Best Direction of a Musical
Destry Rides Again

Details

Summary
Destry Rides Again is based on the novel by Max Brand and the 1939 western movie starring Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart. Tom Destry is hired as the deputy sheriff of Bottleneck in order to rid the town of Kent and his gang. Frenchy, a saloon girl who is initially one of Kent’s followers, saves Destry’s life and becomes romantically involved with him.
History
Destry Rides Again opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre on April 23, 1959, starring Dolores Gray and Andy Griffith. The show played for 472 performances.
Keywords
Performing Groups
Hollywood's classic western was filmed three times before the decision was made to turn the durable sagebrush saga into a Broadway musical. A whoopin', shootin', hollerin' firecracker of a show, the action centers around a violence-hating sheriff, Thomas Jefferson Destry, Jr. and a peppery saloon entertainer known as Frenchy. Contrary to the movie industry's moral code that never permitted a happy ending for a woman of easy virtue, Frenchy is not killed protecting Destry but ends up in his arms. The show's choreographic highlight is the spirited whip-cracking dance performed by the outlaws.
Bartender
Frenchy
Wash
Sheriff Keogh
Kent’s Gang:
Gyp Watson
Bugs Watson
Rockwell
Mayor Slade
Claggett
Kent
Chloe
Rose Lovejoy
Jack Tyndall
Destry
Stage Driver
Ming LI
Mrs. Claggett
Bailey
Clara
Dimples

Rose Lovejoy Girls, Frenchy’s Girls, Cowboys and Townspeople
  • Time Period 19th Century
  • Setting The western town of Bottleneck. Late 1890s.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Mild Adult Themes

Music

Music Samples

Act I

1. Overture – Orchestra
2. Opening: “Don’t Take Me Back To Bottleneck” – Chorus, Gyp, Bugs & Rockwell
3. “Ladies” – Frenchy & Girls
4. Incidental – Orchestra
5. The scene continues – Orchestra
6. The scene continues – Orchestra
7. “Hoop-De-Dingle” – Wash, Chorus, Gyp, Bugs, & Rockwell
8. Processional (Hoop-De-Dingle Crossover) – Orchestra
9. Scene Changes – Orchestra & Chorus
10. The Scene Continues – Chorus
11. “Tomorrow Morning” – Destry
12. End of Scene 2 – Orchestra
13. “Ballad Of A Gun” – Destry & Wash
14. The Social (Dance) – Orchestra
15. End of Scene – Orchestra
16. “I Know Your Kind” – Frenchy
17. “I Hate Him” – Frenchy
17a. Change of Scene 4 – Orchestra
18. Change of Scene 5 – Orchestra
19. “Paradise Alley” – Gyp, Bugs, Rockwell, Men, Tenor Solo
19a. Scene Continues – Orchestra
20. “Anyone Would Love You” – Destry & Frenchy
20a. The Scene Continues – Orchestra
21. “Once Knew A Fella” – Destry & Men
22. The Scene Continues – Orchestra
23. “Every Once In A While” – Men & Dance
23a. Coda to: Every Once In A While – Orchestra
24. “Fair Warning” – Frenchy
25. Reprise: “Ballad of The Gun” – Chorus

Act II

Entr’acte – Orchestra
26. “Are You Ready, Gyp Watson?” – Frenchy, Kent, Gyp, Bugs, Rockwell & Chorus
27. “Not Guilty” – Male Chorus (acapella)
27a. Reprise: “Are You Ready, Gyp Watson?” – Frenchy, Destry, & Chorus
28. “Only Time Will Tell” – Destry & Chorus
28a. After: Only Time Will Tell – Orchestra
28b. The Scene Continues – Orchestra
29. Reprise: “Hoop-De-Dingle” – Wash
30. Introduction: Respectability – Orchestra
31. “Respectability” – Rose & Girls
32. “Ring On The Finger” – Frenchy & Girls & Clara
33. Incidental (after Ring On The Finger) – Orchestra
34. Reprise: “Once Knew A Fella” – Frenchy & Destry
35. “I Say Hello” – Frenchy
36. “Dirge (Hoop-De-Dingle)” – Chorus (acapella)
37. Crossover (after Dirge) – Orchestra
38. Finale Act II – Chorus
39. Exit Music – Orchestra

Full Orchestration

Violin A
Violin B
Viola
Cello
Bass

Reed 1: Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet & Alto Saxophone
Reed 2: Clarinet & Alto Saxophone
Reed 3: Clarinet & Tenor Saxophone
Reed 4: Clarinet & Tenor Saxophone
Reed 5: Clarinet & Baritone Saxophone

Horn
Trumpet 1 & 2
Trumpet 3
Trombone 1
Trombone 2

Percussion:

Timpani (2 drums)
Snare Drum
Bass Drum
Cymbal
Hi-Hat Cymbals
Tom-toms (2)
Bongo Drums
Xylophone
Bells
Triangle
Temple Blocks
Wood Block
Cowbell
Slide Whistle
Ratchet

Guitar

Piano-Celeste (Piano-Conductor’s Score)

  • Musical Style Classic Broadway
  • Dance Requirements Moderate
  • Vocal DemandsDifficult
  • Orchestra Size Large
  • Chorus Size Large

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

Music Rentals

Concord offers a full suite of resources to help you put on the show of a lifetime!
25 Libretto-Vocal Book
1 Piano-Conductor
1 Reed 1
1 Reed 2
1 Reed 3
1 Reed 4
1 Reed 5
1 Horn
2 Trumpet 1&2
1 Trumpet 3
1 Trombone 1
1 Trombone 2
1 Percussion
1 Guitar
2 Violin A
1 Violin B
1 Viola
1 Cello
1 Bass
25 Libretto-Vocal Book
1 Piano-Conductor
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Authors

Leonard Gershe

Leonard Gershe
Born in New York City, Leonard Gershe made his Broadway debut as a lyricist for the 1950 revue Alive and Kicking. He wrote the book for Harold Rome's musical stage adaptation of Destry Rides Again in 1959, and in 1969 a play, Butterflies are Free. Later Gershe wrote another p ...
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Author

Harold Rome

Max Brand

Max Brand

MAX BRAND was one of a total of fifteen pen names used by Frederick Schiller Faust, a prolific writer best known for his fictional characters Dr. James Kildare and Harrison Destry. Born in Seattle and raised in California, Faust began writing as a university student and sold ...

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