Chee-Chee (musical)

1928 American musical play

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[1]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

## See also

[edit]

* Rodgers and Hart

## References

[edit]

1. ^ 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.
2. ^ Mark Miller (November 18, 2002). "Chee-Chee". TheaterMania. Archived from the original on February 1, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
3. ^ "VIII. Chee-Chee (09/25/28 – 10/20/28)". THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT!. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
4. ^ "Chee-Chee". Library of Congress. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
5. ^ "Betty Comden – Songs From Treasure Girl & Chee Chee". Discogs. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
6. ^ "Chee-Chee". StageAgent. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
7. ^ "Chee Chee". Guide to Musical Theatre. Archived from the original on July 25, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2019.

## External links

[edit]

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

## Further reading

[edit]

* Geoffrey Block, The Richard Rodgers Reader (Oxford University Press, 2006), pp 45–47
* Gerald Bordman, American Musical Theater: A Chronicle (Oxford University Press, 2001), pp 492–493

* 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"

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