Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun (Stone)

A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE

Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun (Stone)

Full-Length Musical, Comedy  /  3w, 6m, 2girl(s), 1boy(s) plus ensemble

Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin
Original Book by Herbert Fields and Dorothy Fields|
As Revised by Peter Stone

Annie Oakley is the best sharpshooter in Buffalo Bill's show, but when her star power threatens to overshadow the man she loves, can she beat him in a final shoot-out?

Image: 2019 Bay Street Theater Production (Lenny Stucker)

Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun (Stone)

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 6m, 2girl(s), 1boy(s) plus ensemble
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Period, Docudrama/History, Romantic Comedy
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for All Audiences
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! Two 1999 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical
    Winner! 1999 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Bernadette Peters)
    Nominee: Two additional 1999 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Revival of a Musical
    Winner! 2001 Drama Desk Special Award (Reba McIntyre)
    Winner! 2001 Theatre World Award (Reba McIntyre)

Details

Summary
Annie Oakley is the best shot around, and she manages to support her little brother and sisters by selling the game she hunts. When she's discovered by Col. Buffalo Bill, he persuades this novel sharpshooter to join his Wild West Show. It only takes one glance for her to fall head over heels for dashing shooting ace Frank Butler, who headlines the show. She soon eclipses Butler as the main attraction which, while good for business, is bad for romance. Butler hightails it off to join a rival show, his bruised male ego leading the way, but is ultimately pitted against Annie in a final shoot-out. The rousing, sure-fire finale hits the mark every time in a testament to the power of female ingenuity.
History
The idea of doing a musical based on the life of sharpshooter Annie Oakley originated with Dorothy Fields in the mid 1940s, who never considered anyone but her friend Ethel Merman for the lead. (By this time Herbert and Dorothy Fields had co-authored four musicals for Merman, the most recent being Something For The Boys in 1943). Merman instantly agreed to take on the show, but when the Fields’ longtime producer Mike Todd turned the project down, they took it to a team of producers who, though novices in the field of producing, knew a thing or two about musicals nevertheless—Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.

Having scored with two folk American musicals of their own (Oklahoma! and Carousel), Rodgers & Hammerstein were all too happy to sign on as producers of what was originally called Annie Oakley. Hammerstein's longtime partner Jerome Kern was to write the music, Dorothy Fields the lyrics, and Dorothy and Herbert were to co-author the book. Jerome Kern's sudden death in November of 1945 changed everything.

Rather than scuttle plans for Annie Oakley, Rodgers, Hammerstein and the Fields turned instead towards finding the right team or person to take on the job of writing the score. All four felt unanimously that there was one person absolutely right for the job, but since he wrote words as well as music, Dorothy Fields would have to relinquish her role as lyricist. She had no trouble making her decision—if Irving Berlin would write the score for Annie Oakley, Dorothy Fields would happily step aside.

Irving Berlin had not written for Broadway since Louisiana Purchase in 1940, and, fresh from a patriotic three year stint with his revue This Is The Army, he was at first skeptical that his unique style was still in fashion. The musical revolution that Rodgers & Hammerstein had fomented with Oklahoma! changed the rules, and Berlin wasn’t sure he wanted to play by them. Still, it made sense when Rodgers & Hammerstein suggested that Berlin borrow the script, look at it over the weekend and see if he couldn't come up with a tune or two.

Berlin took their advice and the following Monday morning he came bounding into their office with three completed songs under his arms: "You Can’t Get a Man with a Gun," "Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly," and "There’s No Business Like Show Business." Bullseye again.

Directed by Joshua Logan, with sets by Jo Mielziner and costumes by Lucinda Ballard, starring Ethel Merman as Annie Oakley and Ray Middleton as Frank Butler, and with a rousing new title, Annie Get Your Gun opened at the Imperial Theatre, New York, on May 16, 1946. It was a smash success and the critics cheered.

"For verve and buoyancy, unslackening, there has seldom if ever been a show like it," said William Hawkins in the World Telegram. In the Post Vernon Rice declared "Irving Berlin has outdone himself this time. No use trying to pick a hit tune, for all the tunes are hits." Lewis Nichols of the New York Times modestly maintained that "it takes little gift of prophecy to add that [Annie Get Your Gun and Ethel Merman] will chant their saga of sharp-shooting for many months to come." In fact, Annie Get Your Gun ran on Broadway for an astounding 1,147 performances. (The first musical after Oklahoma! to go over the 1000+ performance plateau, Annie Get Your Gun was, along with Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, South Pacific and The King and I, part of the elite quartet of longest running musicals in Broadway's golden era.)

Dolores Gray starred in the 1947 London production, which ran at the Coliseum for 1,304 performances. Mary Martin headed the U.S. national tour, which began in October of 1947 and travelled for nineteen months; she subsequently played Annie to John Raitt's Ray Butler in a 1957 NBC telecast. MGM released the movie version of Annie Get Your Gun in 1956; Betty Hutton starred (in a role originally slated for Judy Garland), and Howard Keel played Butler.

In 1966 Ethel Merman re-created her role in a Music Theater of Lincoln Center production, presented by Richard Rodgers. Irving Berlin wrote a new song for this production, "An Old Fashioned Wedding."

In the years since, hundreds of actresses have played Annie Oakley, from Paris (Annie Du Far-West) to Berlin (Schiess Los, Annie!), from Evi Hayes in Melbourne, Australia to Chiemi Eri in Tokyo, Japan. Annie Get Your Gun has been seen in Kuala Lumpur, Zimbabewe, Venezuela and throughout Europe.

In the 1990s Annie Get Your Gun kept "doin’ what comes natur’lly" with a sumptuous studio recording from EMI Records, featuring Kim Criswell and Thomas Hampson under the musical direction of John McGlinn; a U.S. national tour starring Cathy Rigby, directed by Susan Schulman, which originated at the Houston Grand Opera in July 1992 and toured throughout the following year; and a U.K. national tour and West End production starring Kim Criswell and John Dierdrich.

At the end of the 20th century Annie Oakley aimed her bullets over Broadway once more, with a Tony-winning revival starring Bernadette Peters and Tom Wopat. Opening in April 1999, it ran on Broadway for over two and a half years, and spawned a successful national tour. In its second year, country music star Reba McEntire made her Broadway debut in the title role, and took the town by storm.

"Berlin’s greatest achievement in the theatre," wrote New York Post critic Clive Barnes about the ’99 revival, "should carry Annie Get Your Gun happily into the next century and a bit beyond. It will always be a musical for the ages, one of the Broadway theatre’s enduring triumphs."
PRINCIPALS
1 Women
1 Men

FEATURED
2 Woman
5 Men
2 Girls
1 Boy

ENSEMBLE
Singing-dancing ensemble consisting of Cowboys, Indians, Young Men and Ladies, Kings and Queens of Europe, Socialites, Debutantes

CHARACTERS
Frank Butler (A2-F4)
Buffalo Bill Cody (B2-F4)
Dolly Tate (B3-B4)
Tommy Keeler (Bb2-D4)
Winnie Tate (Bb3-E5)
Charlie Davenport (B2-F4)
Foster Wilson (F3-C4)
Mac - the Prop Man
Chief Sitting Bull
Annie Oakley (G3-F5 (opt. Bb5))
Jessie - Annie's Little Sister (Bb3-D5)
Nellie - Annie's Other Little Sister (A3-D5)
Little Jake - Annie's Little Brother (Bb3-D5)
Running Deer
Eagle Feather
Dining Car Waiter
Sleeping Car Porter
Pawnee Bill
Messenger
Band Leader
Mrs. Sylvia Potter-Porter
Mrs. Schuyler Adams
Cowboys, Indians, Young Men and Ladies, Kings and Queens of Europe, Socialites, Debutantes, et al.
  • Time Period 19th Century
  • Setting

    The Midwest and New York City. 1800s.

  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Gun Shots

Media

“A musical for the ages, one of the Broadway theatre's enduring triumphs.” – The New York Post

“What a wonderful musical Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun is: the melodies just shake out of it in an endless cascade, and the simple story is unexpectedly involving. We care!” – The New York Post

“You can't get a man with a gun...but you can get a surefire audience pleaser by reviving Irving Berlin's best musical.” – Houston Chronicle

“A rich, romantic story, a melodious score and brilliant lyrics.” – New York Journal American

“One of the musical theater's finest scores, by Irving Berlin, and a witty, often amusing book by Herbert and Dorothy Fields.” – Theatermania

Videos

  • Annie Get Your Gun Promo - Sheffield Theatres youtube thumbnail

    Annie Get Your Gun Promo - Sheffield Theatres

  • Annie Get Your Gun - UK Tour Trailer youtube thumbnail

    Annie Get Your Gun - UK Tour Trailer

  • Annie Get Your Gun - Summer Lyric Theatre, Tulane University youtube thumbnail

    Annie Get Your Gun - Summer Lyric Theatre, Tulane University

  • Annie Get Your Gun - Music Circus in Sacramento, CA youtube thumbnail

    Annie Get Your Gun - Music Circus in Sacramento, CA

Photos

  • Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun (Stone)

    Image: 2019 Bay Street Theater Production (Lenny Stucker)

  • Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun (Stone)

    Image: 2019 Bay Street Theater Production (Lenny Stucker)

Music

Music Samples

Act I

1. “There's No Business Like Show Business” - Frank and the Company
2. “Doin' What Comes Natur'lly” - Annie, Wilson and the Kids
3. The Girl That I Marry” - Frank and Annie
4. “You Can't Get A Man With A Gun” - Annie
5. “Show Business (Reprise 1)” - Frank, Buffalo Bill, Charlie and Annie
6. “I'll Share It All With You” - Tommy, Winnie and the Ensemble
7. “Moonshine Lullaby” - Annie, Kids and Cowboy Trio
8. “Show Business (Reprise 2)” - Annie
9. “They Say It's Wonderful” - Annie and Frank
10. “My Defenses Are Down” - Frank and Cowboys
11. “You Can't Get A Man With A Gun (Reprise)” - Annie

Act II

12. “Entr'acte” - Annie and the Company
13. “I Got Lost In His Arms” - Annie
14. “Who Do You Love, I Hope” - Winnie and Tommy
15. “I Got the Sun In The Morning” - Annie and the Ensemble
16. “An Old-Fashioned Wedding” - Annie and Frank
17. “The Girl That I Marry (Reprise)” - Frank
18. “Anything You Can Do” - Annie and Frank
19. “They Say It's Wonderful (Reprise)” - Annie, Frank and the Company
20. “Finale Ultimo” - The Company

Reed 1 (Flute, Piccolo)
Reed 2 (Oboe, English Horn, Clarinet)
Reed 3 (Clarinet, Alto Sax, Flute)
Reed 4 (Clarinet, Alto Sax)
Reed 5 (Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Tenor Sax)
Horn
Trumpet 1
Trumpet 2
Trumpet 3
Trombone 1
Trombone 2
Piano
Guitar (Acoustic, Banjo)
Keyboard
Harp
Drums (Trap Set)
Percussion (Bells, 2 Timpani, Triangle, Vibes, Xylophone, Ratchet, Chimes (C and G), Marimba, Piatti, Tambourine, Bell Tree (sounding up), Temple Blocks (2), Slide Whistle, Suspended Cymbal, Sleigh Bells, Jew's Harp)
Violin A (Divisi)
Violin B (Divisi)
Violin C (Divisi)
Viola (Divisi)
Cello (Divisi)
Bass

  • Musical Style Classic Broadway, Country/Western
  • Dance Requirements Moderate
  • Vocal DemandsModerate
  • Orchestra Size X-Large
  • Chorus Size Large

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

    PLEASE BE ADVISED: There are multiple versions of this title. Before you proceed, please double-check to ensure that you are applying for the version you want. We will not be able to refund rental or shipping fees if you pay for the wrong version. If you’re not sure which version best suits your needs, you may purchase a perusal for each available version.

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
1 Trumpet 1
1 Trumpet 2
1 Trumpet 3
1 Trombone 1
1 Trombone 2
1 Guitar
1 Keyboard
1 String Synthesizer (Optional)
1 Harp
1 Drums
1 Percussion
1 Violin A
1 Violin B
1 Violin C
1 Viola
1 Cello
1 Bass
1 Logo Pack

Additional Material:
A Full Score is available for this title for an additional fee. Please contact your licensing representative for additional information.
25 Libretto-Vocal Book
1 Piano-Conductor
1 Logo Pack

Add-Ons

Take a look below at how you can enhance your show!

Authors

Irving Berlin

With a life that spanned more than 100 years and a catalogue that boasts over 1,000 songs, Irving Berlin (1888-1989) epitomized Jerome Kern’s famous maxim that “Irving Berlin has no place in American music – he is American music.” Berlin wrote scores to 13 Broadway musicals, ...

View full profile

Herbert Fields

Herbert Fields (1897-1958) was a celebrated librettist and screenwriter. The brother and sister team of Herbert and Dorothy Fields was part of a vibrant New York theatrical family that also included their brother, Joseph, a prolific librettist and playwright, and their father ...

View full profile

Dorothy Fields

Dorothy Fields (1904–1974) was an award-winning American librettist and lyricist. The brother and sister team of Herbert and Dorothy Fields was part of a vibrant New York theatrical family that also included their brother, Joseph, a prolific librettist and playwright, and the ...

View full profile

Peter Stone

Peter Stone (1930-2003) was the first writer to win the Tony, the Oscar and the Emmy. With 15 Broadway productions to his credit, he received Tony Awards for his books to 1776, Woman Of The Year, The Will Rogers Follies and Titanic (all four also winning the Tony for Best Mus ...

View full profile

Now Playing

Related