Irene (Revised 1973)

A TAMS-WITMARK TITLE

Book by Hugh Wheeler and Joseph Stein / From an Adaptation by Harry Rigby / Based on the Original Play by James Montgomery / Music by Harry Tierney / Lyrics by Joseph McCarthy / Additional Lyrics and Music by Charles Gaynor & Otis Clements / Original Production Supervised by Gower Champion / Produced for Broadway by Harry Rigby, Albert W. Selden & Jerome Minskoff

The longest-running Broadway show of its era, Irene is a charming romantic comedy about a young Irish girl who falls for a society gentleman during the Roaring Twenties.

Request licence

Cast Size

4f, 4m
Duration

120 minutes (2 hours)
Subgenre

Period, Romantic Comedy
Target Audience

Appropriate for all audiences

Accolades

NOMINEE: Four 1973 Tony Awards
WINNER! 1973 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor (George S. Irving)
WINNER! 1973 Theatre World Award

Licence details

Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

Details

Summary

Based on James Montgomery's play Irene O’Dare, Irene tells the story of a shop assistant and recent immigrant to New York’s Upper West Side who is introduced to Long Island's high society when she's hired by one of its leading grande dames to help redecorate her home. The score includes the hits "Alice Blue Gown," "You Made Me Love You" and "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows."

History

The original Broadway production of Irene opened at the Vanderbilt Theatre in 1919 and ran for 675 performances, setting a record as the longest-running musical in Broadway history, which it held for nearly twenty years. This revival of Irene opened on Broadway at the Minskoff Theatre, March 13, 1973 and played for 594 performances, starring Debbie Reynolds in the title role and George S. Irving as Madame Lucy.

Cast Attributes

Drag performance
Expandable casting
Strong Role for Leading Woman (Star Vehicle)

Keywords

Performing Groups

High School/Secondary
College Theatre / Student
Community Theatre
Senior Theatre
Church / Religious Groups
Youth/Camp Programs

Act I

Irene O'Dare is a humble but ambitious, hard-working Irish girl from the humble West side of Manhattan, who runs a little music store with her widowed mother. Irene is sent to tune a piano for young tycoon Donald Marshall III, a Long Island society gentleman. Once at Donald's estate, Irene falls in love with him, and each is captivated by how different the other is from their usual friends.

Donald's ne'er-do-well cousin Ozzie wants help to jump-start a fashion business to be run by his friend, "Madame Lucy," a flamboyant male artiste, who pretends to be a famous French couturier. Irene and her pretty best friends, Helen McFudd and Jane Burke, are recruited to model Madame Lucy's gowns, while Donald provides financing. Irene agrees to pose as a society girl to convince everyone to shop at Madame Lucy's, but she becomes angry with Donald when he asks her to continue the ruse. Meanwhile, Irene's mother and Donald's mother do not see eye-to-eye.

Act II

Madame Lucy, Helen, Jane and Ozzie are overjoyed at their success, as Madame Lucy's creations are now world-famous. Donald realizes that he loves Irene. He goes to the piano store but on the way he runs into some unsavory fellows who beat him badly. He and Irene reconcile but then argue again, and he runs out. Helen and Jane give Donald some advice about acting like a man and wooing Irene properly. Following their counsel, he sweeps her into his arms and kisses her passionately, which results in more bruises, this time from her.

At the grand ball at Donald's estate, Irene's mother finds Irene brokenhearted over another love of her life, Liam O'Dougherty. It turns out that Madame Lucy is Liam O'Dougherty, and he reunites happily with Irene. Donald announces that he loves Irene, and her true identity is revealed. He tells her, "You Made Me Love You," and all ends happily.

Principals

Irene O’Dare ("The Girl," a piano tuner)
Mrs. Geraldine O’Dare (Irene’s mother)
Mrs. Emmiline Marshall (Donald’s mother)
Arabella (a debutante)

Donald S. Marshall III (“The Boy”)
Clarkson (butler)
Ozzie Babson (Donald’s cousin)
Madame Lucy/Liam O’Dougherty (a dressmaker)

9th Avenue Friends of Irene – Helen Burke, Jane McFudd & Jimmy

Ensemble
Boys & Girls of Ninth Avenue, Painter, Sign Man, Phone Man, Delivery Boy, Vendors, Debutantes, Party Dancing Couples, Models, Pages

Time Period 1920s
Features Period Costumes
Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)

Music

Music Samples

Act I

1. Overture – Chorus
2. “What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For” – Chorus
3. Irene’s Entrance – Jimmy, Helen, Jane, & Chorus
4. “The World Must be Bigger Than An Avenue” – Irene
5. “The Family Tree” – Mrs. Marshall & Girls
6. “Alice Blue Gown” – Irene
7. “They Go Wild, Simply Wild, Over Me” – Madame Lucy
8. “An Irish Girl” – Irene & Chorus
9. Jig – Orchestra
10. Mrs. O’Dare’s Jig – Orchestra
11. Stepping On Butterflies – Orchestra
12. “Mother, Angel, Darling” – Irene & Mrs. O’Dare
13. Palais Royale Crossover – Orchestra
14. Madame Lucy’s Launch – Orchestra
15. The Riviera Rage – Orchestra
16. Irene’s Rag Lesson – Orchestra
17. Finale Act I – Orchestra

Act II

18. Entr’acte – Orchestra
19. “The Last Part Of Ev’ry Party” – Chorus
20. “We’re Getting Away With It” – Madame Lucy, Ozzie, Helen, & Jane
21. “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows” – Irene
22. Before Fight Crossover – Orchestra
23. Fight Ending – Orchestra
24. “Irene” – Donald & Chorus
25. “Great Lover Tango” – Donald, Helen, & Jane
26. “You Made Me Love You” – Donald & Irene
27. Reprise: “You Made Me Love You” – Mrs. O’Dare & Madame Lucy
28. Style show – Orchestra
29. Finale Act II – Irene, Donald & Chorus
30. Bows – Orchestra
31. Exit Music – Orchestra

Full Orchestration

Violin 1&2
Cello
Bass (optional Tuba for “Stepping on Butterflies”)

Reed 1: Piccolo, Flute, Alto flute (or Clarinet), Soprano Saxophone (or Clarinet), Alto
Saxophone
Reed 2: Piccolo, Flute, Clarinet & Alto Saxophone
Reed 3: Flute (or Clarinet), Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone
Reed 4: Oboe (or Clarinet), Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone
Reed 5: Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone, Bass Saxophone (or Baritone Saxophone)

Trumpet 1 & 2
Trumpet 3 & 4
Trombone 1
Trombone 2
Trombone 2 (Bass Trombone)

Percussion 1 and 2: (Optional Additional Mallet Percussion Player)
I Mallet Percussion:
Bells
Slap Stick
Vibraphone
Xylophone
Timpani (2-pedal)
Tom Tom
Snare Drum
Bongo Drums
Temple Blocks (3)
Cymbals: Suspended, Piatti (hand)
Wood Block
Claves
Tambourine
Cow Bell
Castanets
Maracas
Triangle
Train Bell (or file on gong)
Ratchet
Pop Gun
Sleigh Bells
Police Whistle
Siren Whistle
II Trap Drum Set:
Snare Drum
Bass Drum
Tom Toms (3)
Wood Block
Cow Bell
Temple Blocks (3)
Cymbals: Hi-Hat, Suspended, Piatti (hand), Choke, Toy
Siren Whistle
Bird Calls

Harp
Guitar-Banjo (optional Ukulele for “Last Part of Ev’ry Party)
Piano & Organ

Musical StyleClassic Broadway
Dance RequirementsModerate
Vocal DemandsDifficult
Orchestra SizeLarge
Chorus SizeLarge

Materials

Music Rentals

Concord offers a full suite of resources to help you put on the show of a lifetime!

36 Libretto-Vocal Book
1 Piano-Conductor
1 Reed 1
1 Reed 2
1 Reed 3
1 Reed 4
1 Reed 5
2 Trumpet 1&2
2 Trumpet 3&4
1 Trombone 1
1 Trombone 2
1 Trombone 3
2 Percussion 1&2
1 Harp
1 Guitar & Banjo
1 Piano & Organ
3 Violin 1&2
2 Cello
1 Bass

36 Libretto-Vocal Book
1 Piano-Conductor

Scripts

Available Formats:

Get the Script

Authors

Hugh Wheeler

Hugh Wheeler (1912-1987) won three Tony Awards, for Candide, A Little Night Music and Sweeney Todd. He also wrote the libretto for the revival of Irene and is the author of the plays Big Fish, Little Fish; Look, We’ve Come Through; We Have Always Lived in the Castle; and addi ...

View full profile

Joseph Stein

JOSEPH STEIN won the Tony Award and Drama Critics Circle Award for Fiddler on the Roof. His other musicals include Zorba (Tony nom., Drama Critics Circle Award); Rags (Tony nom.); The Baker’s Wife (Laurence Olivier Award, London); June; Take Me Along; Irene (starring Debbie ...

View full profile

Harry Rigby

HARRY RIGBY was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1925. With Jule Styne and Alexander H. Cohen, he produced Make A Wish, his first Broadway musical, in 1951. Additional Broadway credits include John Murray Anderson’s Almanac, Hallelujah Baby! (winner of the 1968 Tony Award ...

View full profile

James Montgomery

Harry Tierney

HARRY TIERNEY was already an established composer before his first Broadway show, Irene. He wrote the scores for Keep Smiling and Not Likely later in London. When he returned to the States, he wrote songs for the Ziegfeld Follies, Royal Vagabond and Follow Me, among others. T ...

View full profile

Joseph McCarthy

JOSEPH MCCARTHY born in 1885, was a charter member of ASCAP. He wrote over 500 songs and eleven plays and reviews. He wrote the film scores for his Rio Rita and for several other motion pictures, including Song of the Big Trail, High Society and a second version of Irene. Mr ...

View full profile

Irene (Revised 1973)