A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE

Happiness

Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy  /  7w, 10m, 1girl(s), 1boy(s)

Music by Scott Frankel
Lyrics by Michael Korie
Book by John Weidman

In this unique and touching musical from the accomplished musical team of Frankel and Korie, a dozen New Yorkers, stuck on a subway car, realize they have died and must relive a single memory to take with them into eternity.

Happiness

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    7w, 10m, 1girl(s), 1boy(s)
  • Duration
    Duration
    105 Minutes
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult
Accolades
Accolades
  • Nominee: Four 2009 Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical and Outstanding New Score

Details

Summary
Happiness tells the stories of a dozen harried New Yorkers stuck in the morning rush hour on a stalled subway car, where they are required by the spectral trainman to recall and reenact the happiest moment in their lives before they can continue their travels... and travails. Happiness celebrates those fleeting moments in everyday lives – typically unanticipated, largely overlooked, always ephemeral – that upon reflection become people’s fondest memories.
History
Happiness premiered off-Broadway at Lincoln Center's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre on March 30, 2009. Directed by Susan Stroman, the production featured Fred Applegate, Sebastian Arcelus, Miguel Cervantes, Hunter Foster, Joanna Gleason, Ken Page, Robert Petkoff, Jenny Powers, Phyllis Somerville and Pearl Sun.
Keywords
Performing Groups

Albert
Arlene
Cindy
Clementine Girl
Gina
Ginny
Helen
Hyacinth
Jason Fitterman
Juanita
Kevin
Kevin's Father
Luther
Marcello
Maurice
Mick Jagger
Miguel
Neil
Stanley
Stewardess
Tommy Mathis
USO Vocalist, female
USO Vocalist, male
Yolanda
Young Helen
Young Kevin
Zack

New Yorkers

  • Setting New York City. 2009.
  • Duration 105 Minutes
  • Cautions
    • Alcohol
    • Strong Language

Media

“110 minutes of flawless, nonstop entertainment. It amazes.” – John Simon, Bloomberg.com

“Happiness has a jazzy score and clever lyrics, thanks to composer Scott Frankel and lyricist Michael Korie, who also did Grey Gardens. They have a gift for understanding the subtle contradictions in people and exposing the vulnerability beneath a polished exterior.” – Fern Seigel, The Huffington Post

“This highly imaginative production moves seamlessly, reeling in its audience in the first five minutes and never letting it off the hook... one of the unexpected delights of the waning theatrical season.” – Frederick M. Winship, United Press International

“110 minutes of flawless, nonstop entertainment. It amazes. It is the work of sometime Sondheim librettist John Weidman, with music and lyrics by Grey Gardens creators Scott Frankel and Michael Korie and direction and choreography by the eminent Susan Stroman, which adds up to as good a pedigree as one could hope for in a new musical.” – John Simon, Bloomberg.com

“Chock-full of wonderful, original, thought-provoking characters, ideas and songs. It’s one of the best musicals of the last 10 years to not get recorded. If a musical plays in the forest but nobody makes an original cast recording, did it really play? (In all seriousness, a Happiness cast recording must happen.)” – Jennifer Ashley Tepper, Playbill.com

Videos

  • Beyond Broadway: Happiness youtube thumbnail

    Beyond Broadway: Happiness

Music

“Just Not Right Now” – Zack, Miguel, Gina, Cindy, Neil, Arlene, Ensemble
“Blips” – Stanley
“Flibberty Jibbers and Wobbly Knees” – USO Vocalists, Helen, Ensemble
“Best Seats in the Ballpark” – Kevin, Young Kevin, Kevin’s Dad
“Gstaad” – Gina
“The Boy Inside Your Eyes” – Maurice
“Perfect Moments” – Zack, Cindy, Gina, Miguel, Arlene, Neil, Ensemble
“Step Up the Ladder” – Stanley, Suits, Ensemble
“Zack’s Rant (Reprise: Just Not Right Now)” – Zack
“Family Flashcards” – Neil, Cindy
“The Tooth Fairy Song” – Miguel, Yolanda
“Road to Nirvana” – Arlene, Luther, Jason, Mick, Ensemble
“Gstaad (Reprise)” – Gina
“Finale” – Zack, Stanley

  • Musical Style Contemporary Broadway

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   Vocal Book
1   Piano-Vocal

1   Reed 1 – Flute, Piccolo, Alto Flute, Bass Flute, Chinese Flute, Clarinet & Alto Sax
1   Reed 2 – Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Sax & Baritone Sax
1   Horn
1   Trumpet – doubling Flügelhorn
1   Trombone
1   Keyboard
1   Guitar – Electric, Nylon String, Acoustic, Arch Top, Steel String, Mandolin, Banjo, Tenor Banjo
1   Percussion – Drum Kit, Wood Block, Timbales, Toms, Mark Tree, Bell Tree, Bells, Timpani, Vibraphone, Finger Cymbal (D), Suspended Cymbal (with light chain), China Symbol, Triangle, Temple Block, Tam-tam, Crotales, Claves, Shaker, Ratchet, Tambourine (with skin), Cowbell, Slapstick, Sandblock
1   Bass - Electric, Acoustic, Fretless Electric
1   Full Score
25   Vocal Book
1   Piano-Vocal

Scripts

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Authors

Michael Korie

Michael Korie

Michael Korie is the lyricist of the Broadway musical War Paint, starring Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole, and is the recipient of this year's Marc Blitzstein Award, given by the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Writing for musical theater, he created the lyrics to co ...

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Scott Frankel

Scott Frankel
Scott Frankel is a composer whose most recent work, The Flamingo Kid, had its world premiere in 2019 at Hartford Stage. Other works include War Paint (starring Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole), which enjoyed a run on Broadway following a record-breaking engagement at the ...
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John Weidman

John Weidman

John Weidman wrote the book for Pacific Overtures (Tony nominations, Best Book and Musical), score by Stephen Sondheim, produced and directed by Harold Prince. He co-authored the Tony Award-winning 1987 revival of Cole Porter's Anything Goes and wrote the book for Assassins, ...

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