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Jamaica

Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy  /  3w, 3m plus ensemble

Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg
Book by E.Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy

Set on a small fictional island off the Jamaican coast, Jamaica weaves romance, comedy and social commentary as an unspoiled island community fights the encroaching forces of commercialism.

Jamaica

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 3m plus ensemble
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for All Audiences
Accolades
Accolades
  • Nominee: Seven 1958 Tony Awards, including Best Musical
Jamaica

Details

Summary
Set on a small fictional island off the Jamaican coast, Jamaica weaves romance, comedy and social commentary as an unspoiled island community fights the encroaching forces of commercialism. The Calypso-inflected score from Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg features the songs “Savannah,” “Push the Button,” and “Ain’t It The Truth?”
History
Jamaica opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre on 31 October 1957 and played for 555 performances. Directed by Robert Lewis, the production starred Lena Horne, Adelaide Hall, Ricardo Montalbán and Ossie Davis.
Keywords
Performing Groups
  • Time Period 1950s
  • Setting Pigeon Island, a mythical island off Jamaica, 1958.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)

Media

“[A] pleasant, light-headed calypso musical... Jamaica is a fun night.” – WHYY, Philadelphia
“Truly intriguing... Typical Harburgisms include ‘Push the Button,’ satirizing modern machines, and ‘Leave the Atom Alone.’ Power and government turn up in ‘Napoleon’ (‘Napoleon is a pastry/Caesar is a salad’), while the eternal battle between men and women is skillfully overthrown in ‘Incompatibility.’ The mix is tremendously enjoyable.” – DC Theater Arts

“[A] pleasant, light-headed calypso musical... [with] simple short songs that, a day later, I’m still humming. Jamaica is a fun night.” – WHYY, Philadelphia

Music

Music Samples

  • Musical Style Classic Broadway
  • Dance Requirements Moderate
  • Vocal DemandsDifficult
  • Orchestra Size Small/Combo
  • Chorus Size Large

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

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Authors

Harold Arlen

Harold Arlen

Harold Arlen (1905-1986) wrote some of the greatest hits from the 30's and 40's, including the entire score to the classic movie The Wizard of Oz. Songs such as “Over the Rainbow,” “Get Happy,” “Stormy Weather,” “It's Only a Paper Moon,” “I've Got the World on a String” and “ ...

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E. Y. Harburg

E. Y. Harburg

One of America’s greatest lyricists for stage and screen, Yip Harburg (1896-1981) was the son of poor Russian-Jewish immigrants and attended CCNY. Also a book writer (usually with Fred Saidy), director, and poet, Harburg wrote lyrics for more than 550 songs, including “It’s O ...

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Author

Fred Saidy

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