A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE

70, Girls, 70

Full-Length Musical, Comedy  /  6w, 6m

Book by Fred Ebb and Norman L. Martin
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Based on the play Breath of Spring by Peter Coke, Adaptation by Joe Masteroff

When they learn their retirement home is due for the wrecking ball, some feisty old folks resort to stealing and reselling furs. The tuneful Kander & Ebb score includes “Coffee in A Cardboard Cup” and “Yes.”

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    6w, 6m
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for All Audiences, Senior
Also Available

Details

Summary

Original 1971 Version! Based on the 1958 play Breath of Spring by Peter Coke, 70, Girls, 70 features a host of great musical comedy roles for older actors. When their Upper West Side retirement hotel, the New Sussex Arms, is slated to be sold to developers, a group of larcenous old folks begins stealing and reselling furs from various New York City stores in order to buy the building for themselves. The show's tuneful score includes “Coffee in A Cardboard Cup,” “Go Visit Your Grandmother” and “Yes.”

In reviewing a 2023 revival of the show, Broadway World called it “an absolutely delightful gem of a musical,” adding, “70, Girls, 70 is such a tremendous pleasure from to start to finish that you will wonder why you haven’t seen it before.”

History
70, Girls, 70 premiered on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre on 15 April 1971. Supervised by Stanley Prager and directed by Paul Aaron, the production featured Hans Conried, Mildred Natwick and Lillian Roth.
Cast Attributes
Performing Groups

The roles can be played by a cast of 12 actors (6f, 6m) plus an Ensemble.

LORRAINE
MELBA
FRITZI
GERT
WALTER
EUNICE
HARRY
IDA
EDDIE
SADIE
MRS. McILLEHENNY
MR. McILLEHENNY
WOMAN IN BLOOMINGDALE’S
SECURITY MEN

  • CHARLIE
  • MOE
  • JACK
  • PHIL

EDNA WHITTAKER
MARVIN WHITTAKER
OLD LADY
GRANDMOTHER
CALLAHAN
KOWALSKI
LADY, 70
GENTLEMAN, 70
WATCHMAN
POLICEMAN
MINISTER

VARIOUS RESIDENTS

With doubling, the roles can be played by a cast of 12 actors (6f, 6m) plus an Ensemble.

  • Time Period 1970s
  • Setting

    New York City, 1971.

  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • No Special Cautions

Media

“An absolutely delightful gem of a musical!”– Broadway World, 2023

“A bright, jaunty score by Kander & Ebb... Both a traditional book musical about the life-enhancing properties of thievery and... a brassy valentine to showbiz troupers.” – Ben Brantley, The New York Times

“Funny, bright-hearted, poignant and magnetically uplifting... 70, Girls, 70 is such a tremendous pleasure from to start to finish that you will wonder why you haven’t seen it before.” – Broadway World, 2023

“A disarming tribute to age... never permits you to wax sentimental over the jaunty members of the stage’s considerably more mature set.” – The New York Post

Music

Music Samples

Act I

“Old Folks” – Company
“Home” – Ida, Ensemble
“Broadway My Street” – Melba, Fritzi, Ensemble
“The Caper” – Harry
“Coffee in a Cardboard Cup” – Melba, Fritzi
“You and I, Love” – Mr. McIllehenny, Mrs. McIllehenny, Ensemble
“Do We?” – Walter, Eunice
“Hit It, Lorraine” – Ensemble
“See the Light” – Gert, Male Ensemble

Act II

Entr’acte
“Boom Ditty Boom” – Company
“Believe” – Melba, Ensemble
“Go Visit Your Grandmother” – Eddie, Grandmother
“70, Girls, 70” – Company
“The Elephant Song” – Ida, Melba, Fritzi
“Yes” – Ida, Company
Bows: “Old Folks” and “Boom Ditty Boom” – Company

  • Musical Style Classic Broadway
  • Dance Requirements Easy
  • Vocal DemandsModerate
  • Orchestra Size Medium

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!

Rental materials for this title may present challenges for some licensees. Please purchase a music perusal prior to licensing.


1 Piano-Conductor Score
25 Vocal Chorus Books
25 Libretti

1 Reed 1
1 Reed 2
1 Reed 3
1 Trumpet
1 Trombone 1
1 Trombone 2
1 Trombone 3
2 Percussion(2 Books)
1 Guitar
1 Bass

1 Piano-Conductor Score
25 Vocal Chorus Books
25 Libretti

Add-Ons

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Authors

Fred Ebb

Fred Ebb (1933–2004) was an award-winning lyricist, librettist and director who frequently and successfully collaborated with composer John Kander. Ebb's work for the theatre included Flora, The Red Menace; Cabaret; The Happy Time; Zorba; 70, Girls, 70; Chicago; The Act; Woma ...

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John Kander

John Kander is a Tony, Emmy and Grammy-winning composer, a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors Award, and a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame. With frequent collaborator Fred Ebb, he composed the score to dozens of Broadway musicals, including Cabaret, Zorba, Chi ...

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Author

Norman L. Martin

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