Chee-Chee (musical)

*Chee-Chee (musical)*
Chee-Chee (musical)
	Original theater poster of 1928
Music	Richard Rodgers
Lyrics	Lorenz Hart
Book	The Son of the Grand Eunuch, by Charles Pettit
Setting	China
Premiere	September 25, 1928: Mansfield Theatre
Productions	1928 Broadway; 2003 14th Street Y, Manhattan

Chee-Chee is a musical by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart based on the 1927 book, The Son of the Grand Eunuch, by Charles Pettit. Chee-Chee opened on Broadway September 25, 1928, and the show closed after 31 performances.^[2]^[3]

In 1963 vocalist Betty Comden released an album that included some of the songs from the musical.^[4]^[5]

Synopsis

In 1928 Herbert Fields wrote a libretto based on Pettit's book in which the son of the Grand Eunuch, Li-Pi, and his wife, Chee-Chee, are forced into exile when the Grand Eunuch announces his plan for Li-Pi to become a eunuch and take his father's place as the Grand Eunuch. Chee-Chee is captured and rescued, and Li-Pi is captured and rescued, and finally the musical ends happily.^[6]

Musical Numbers

Two acts, seven scenes.^[7]

Act I

Scene I: A Corridor in the Palace of the Holy Emperor, Son of Heaven, in the Violet Town of Peking

We're Men of Brains - Eunuchs
I Am a Prince - Prince Tao-Tee
In a Great Big Way - Li-Li-Wee
The Most Majestic of Domestic Officials (Entrance of the Grand Eunuch) - Ensemble
Holy of Holies - Li-Pi-Siao, Li-Li-Wee
Her Hair Is Black as Licorice (Food Solo) - Li-Pi-Siao
Dear, Oh Dear - Chee-Chee, Li-Pi-Tchou
Await Your Love (Concubines' Song) - Li-Pi-Siao, Miss Smile of a Rose, Ensemble
Joy Is Mine - Li-Pi-Tchou
I Wake at Morning - Li-Pi-Tchou
Grovel to Earth (Chee-Chee's First Entrance) - Chee-Chee
Just a Little Thing - Li-Pi-Tchou, Chee-Chee
You Are Both Agreed (Finaletto Scene 1) - Li-Pi-Siao, Li-Pi-Tchou, Chee-Chee

Scene II: The Road to the Future

I Must Love You - Chee-Chee, Li-Pi-Tchou
Owl Song - A Very Narrow Minded Owl

Scene III: A Wayside Tavern

I Bow a Glad Good Day (Tavern Opening) - Innkeeper, Li-Pi-Siao, Ensemble
Better Be Good to Me - Li-Li-Wee, Prince Tao-Tee
The Tartar Song - Tartar Chief, Ensemble
Chee-Chee's Second Entrance - Chee-Chee
Finale (Act I)

Act II

Scene I: A Forest

Khonghouse Song - Li-Pi-Tchou, Ensemble
Sleep, Weary Head - Chee-Chee
Singing a Love Song - Tartar Chief, Ensemble

Scene II: Visiting Day at the Monastery of Celestial Clouds

Monastery Opening
Chinese Dance
Living Buddha (Impassive Buddha) - The Grand Prior
Moon of My Delight - Li-Li-Wee, Prince Tao-Tee

Scene III: The Gallery of Torments

Scene IV: The Palace

Finale Ultimo

References

^ Kenneth Jones (January 31, 2019). "Eunuchs, Concubines and Love Songs Revived in Rodgers & Hart's Chee-Chee, Nov. 12-24". Playbill. Archived from the original on February 1, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
^ Mark Miller (November 18, 2002). "Chee-Chee". TheaterMania. Archived from the original on February 1, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
^ "VIII. Chee-Chee (09/25/28 – 10/20/28)". THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT!. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
^ "Chee-Chee". Library of Congress. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
^ "Betty Comden – Songs From Treasure Girl & Chee Chee". Discogs. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
^ "Chee-Chee". StageAgent. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
^ "Chee Chee". Guide to Musical Theatre. Archived from the original on July 25, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2019.

External links

Dominic Symonds, We’ll Have Manhattan: The Early Work of Rodgers & Hart, chapter 8
Chee-Chee Theatre Program, New York Public Library Digital Collections

v t e Rodgers and Hart
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
Musicals	Fly with Me Poor Little Ritz Girl The Garrick Gaieties Dearest Enemy The Girl Friend Peggy-Ann A Connecticut Yankee Present Arms Chee-Chee Ever Green Simple Simon America's Sweetheart Jumbo On Your Toes Babes in Arms I'd Rather Be Right The Boys from Syracuse I Married an Angel Too Many Girls Higher and Higher Pal Joey By Jupiter
Songs	"Manhattan" "Mountain Greenery" "Here in My Arms" "Blue Room" "My Heart Stood Still" "Thou Swell" "To Keep My Love Alive" "You Took Advantage of Me" "With a Song in My Heart" "A Ship Without a Sail" "Dancing on the Ceiling" "Ten Cents a Dance" "He Was Too Good to Me" "I've Got Five Dollars" "Isn't It Romantic?" "Lover" "Mimi" "You Are Too Beautiful" "Blue Moon" "It's Easy to Remember (And So Hard to Forget)" "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" "My Romance" "Little Girl Blue" "There's a Small Hotel" "Glad to Be Unhappy" "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" "Where or When" "I Wish I Were in Love Again" "My Funny Valentine" "Johnny One Note" "The Lady Is a Tramp" "Have You Met Miss Jones?" "I'll Tell the Man in the Street" "Spring Is Here" "Falling in Love with Love" "This Can't Be Love" "Sing for Your Supper" "I Like to Recognize the Tune" "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" "Give It Back to the Indians" "You're Nearer" "It Never Entered My Mind" "I Could Write a Book" "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" "Ev'rything I've Got" "Wait till You See Her"

Chee-Chee (musical)

Synopsis

Musical Numbers

See also

References

External links

Further reading