High Society

1998 Broadway Production

Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
(new lyrics for * songs by Susan Birkenhead)
Book by Arthur Kopit
Based on the play The Philadelphia Story
by Philip Barry, and the Turner
Entertainment Co. motion picture
High Society

Tryouts began on September 4, 1997
at the American Conservatory Theatre,
San Francisco CA
Ran for 5 preview and
30 regular performances
Previews began on March 31, 1998
at the St. James Theatre, NYC
Ran for 20 preview performances

Opened on April 27, 1998 at the St. James Theatre, NYC
Closed on August 30, 1998; ran for 144 performances
A Lauren Mitchell and Robert Gailus, Hal Luftig and Richard Samson, Dodger Endemol Theatricals Presentation, In Association With Bill Haber
Directed by Christopher Renshaw, replaced by Des McAnuff
Choreography by Lar Lubovitch
Set Design by Loy Arcenas
Costumes by Jane Greenwood
Lighting by Howell Binkley
Sound Design by Tony Meola
Musical Direction by Paul Gemignani
Orchestrations by William David Brohn
Dance Music and Overture Arranged by Glen Kelly

Cast

Melissa Errico (Tracy Samantha Lord), Daniel McDonald (C. K. Dexter Haven III), Stephen Bogardus (Mike Connor), Randy Graff (Liz Imbree), John McMartin (Uncle Willie), Mark Kudish (George Kittredge), Anna Kendrick (Dinah Lord), Lisa Banes (Margaret Lord), and Daniel Gerroll (Seth Lord), Anna Kendrick (Dinah Lord), Jennifer Smith (Polly, downstairs maid), Glenn Turner (Arthur, butler), Barry Finkel (Chester, house man), Kisha Howard (Sunny, scullery maid), Jeff Skowron (Stanley, house boy), Betsy Joslyn (Patsy, cook), Dorothy Stanley (Peg, upstairs maid), and William Ryall (Edmund, major domo)

Musical Numbers

Act One

"High Society" - Household Staff *
"Ridin' High" [from Red, Hot and Blue] - Tracy, Household Staff
"Throwing a Ball Tonight" [from Panama Hattie] - Margaret Lord, Tracy, Uncle Willie, Dinah *
"Little One" - Dexter, Dinah
"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" - Liz, Mike
"I Love Paris" [from Can-Can] - Dinah, Tracy
"She's Got That Thing" [from Fifty Million Frenchmen] - Uncle Willie, Dexter, The Company
"Once Upon a Time" [from Ever Yours] - Tracy *
"True Love" - Dexter, Tracy

Act Two

"High Society" - Household Staff *
"Let's Misbehave" [from Paris] - Tracy, Uncle Willie, The Company *
"I'm Getting Myself Ready for You" [from The New Yorkers, additional lyrics by Susan Birkenhead] - Uncle Willie, Liz
"Once Upon a Time" (reprise) - Dexter *
"Just One of Those Things" [from Jubilee] - Dexter
"Well, Did You Evah?" - Household Staff, Tracy, Uncle Willie, Liz *
"You're Sensational" - Mike
"Say It With Gin" [from The New Yorkers] - Uncle Willie
"Ridin' High" (reprise) - Magaret Lord
"It's All Right With Me" [from Can-Can] - Tracy
"He's a Right Guy" [from Something for the Boys] - Liz
"I Love You, Samantha" - Dexter
"True Love" (reprise) - Tracy, Dexter

Original Cast Recording

Album Produced by Hugh Fordin
Associate Producers: Paul Gemignani and William David Brohn
Recorded and Mixed by Cynthia Daniels
Recorded at Edison Studios, NY in August, 1998
Liner Notes by Dan O'Leary

Compact Disc, 1999 [DRG 19011] (60:43)

Note: Because the booklet enclosed with the recording has an incorrect track listing, below find an accurate selection listing

Overture / "High Society" / "Ridin' High" (5:58)
"Throwing a Ball Tonight" (2:24)
"High Society" (intro) / "Little One" (2:57)
"High Society" (intro) / "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" (2:24)
"I Love Paris" (1:44)
"She's Got That Thing" (2:25)
"She's Got That Thing" (reprise) (:49)
"Once Upon a Time" (1:31)
"I Worship You" (2:08)
"Once Upon a Time" (reprise) / "True Love" (5:33)
"High Society" (intro) / "Let's Misbehave" (5:43)
"I'm Getting Myself Ready For You" (2:58)
"Just One of Those Things" (2:05)
"Well, Did You Evah?" / "You're Sensational" (4:50)
"Let's Misbehave" (reprise) / "Well, Did You Evah?" (reprise) / "Say It With Gin" / "Ridin' High" (reprise) (6:32)
"It's All Right With Me" (3:18)
"Let's Misbehave" (intro) / "He's a Right Guy" (3:16)
"Who Wants to Be a Millionare?" (intro) / "I Love You, Samantha" / True Love" (reprise) (4:06)

Note: This was the song lineup of the A.C.T. San Francisco tryouts. [Information courtesy of John Cordaro]