A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE
A Catered Affair
Full-Length Musical, Drama / 6w, 4m
Book by Harvey Fierstein
Music and Lyrics by John Bucchino
Based on the Turner Entertainment motion picture distributed by Warner Brothers and written by Gore Vidal, and the original teleplay by Paddy Chayefsky.
A Catered Affair tells the story of a Bronx mother’s efforts to give her only daughter the elaborate wedding she never had – and never asked for.
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Cast Size
6w, 4m -
Duration
90 minutes -
Subgenre
Period, Docudrama/History -
Target Audience
Appropriate for All Audiences
Accolades
- Winner! 2008 Drama League Award for Best Musical
Nominee: Three 2008 Tony Awards, including Best Orchestrations
Nominee: Twelve 2008 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical, Book, Lyrics, Music and Orchestrations

Details
Summary
History
Keywords
Performing Groups
- Time Period 1950s
- Setting The South Bronx, NYC. Early summer, 1953.
- Features Period Costumes
- Duration 90 minutes
Media
“Quietly beautiful.. simply a musical with an honest heart. ” – New York Post
“This Bronx tale, with its interlocking, underlining and quietly beautiful music and lyrics by John Bucchino, skims along the edge of sentimentality to find honest sentiment in this story. These are not musical comedy stereotypes – these are people. It’s simply a musical with an honest heart, and that's enough.” – New York Post
“An emphasis on characters drawn with passion and compassion, and handled with that most quaint of virtues: dignity. [Fierstein] has fashioned a witty, wise, moving script. John Bucchino’s score is similarly thoughtful and heartfelt.” – USA Today
"A triumph of craft over commercialism. Fierstein’s book is a sweet tale filled with humor and pathos. Bucchino's score for A Catered Affair is a ravishing combination of gorgeous melodies and scrupulously crafted lyrics. He has ingeniously blended recitative and song into character-driven pieces that fuse perfectly with the dialogue. It's an auspicious Broadway debut for Bucchino and several songs in the score, such as ‘Don't Ever Stop Saying I Love You,’ are destined to become standards.” – Next Magazine
“Running a concise but enthralling 90 minutes, this quietly intense, intimate musical possesses a heart and emotional power that too often has been missing from Broadway musicals... The beautiful score by John Bucchino, making his Broadway debut, gives each of the main players their chance to shine.” – The Hollywood Reporter
“Perhaps the perfect show for a new period of economic anxiety and widening class divide... the show commands respect by further challenging standard preconceptions of how the Broadway musical should sound, function and feel.” – Variety
Music
Music Samples
- Musical Style Classic Broadway, Operetta
- Dance Requirements Minimal
- Vocal DemandsModerate
- Orchestra Size Medium
- Chorus Size No Chorus
Licensing & Materials
- Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.