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Synopsis

The action takes place in the early 1930s, mainly on the Twentieth Century Limited from Chicago to New York. Act I The curtain rises on the conclusion of a play about Joan of Arc. It’s Chicago in the 1930s, the closing night of Oscar Jaffee’s latest theatrical disaster. Producer-director Oscar, “high priest of the theater,” has failed to pay his cast for the last two weeks (“Stranded Again”). Oscar escapes the angry company, leaving a message for his press agent, Owen O’Malley, and business manager, Oliver Webb, to meet him tomorrow on the Twentieth Century, a luxury liner bound for New York (“On The Twentieth Century”). On the train, Oscar tells his two henchmen that, in spite of four consecutive failures, he is not ready to be counted out (“I Rise Again”). Oscar then explains to Owen and Oliver the reason for the trip and for his insistence on obtaining Drawing Room A: none other than Lily Garland will be boarding the train at Englewood and taking up occupancy in Drawing Room B. Lily, once lowly accompanist Mildred Plotka from the Bronx, had been discovered by Oscar four years ago. Oscar had transformed her into a star of the theater, and they had become lovers. But the temperaments of Lily and Oscar made their relationship volatile and ultimately impossible. Lily left Oscar and the theater behind and became a movie star who wins Oscars – without the surname of Jaffee. Oscar is hoping to lure Lily back to him and sign her to a contract. In a flashback, we see how Oscar made nobody Mildred Plotka into star Lily Garland (“Veronique”). Oscar is accosted by the conductor, who is also a playwright (“I Have Written A Play”), then Lily boards the train (“Together”). She bids an excessively dramatic farewell to dashing, obtuse Bruce Granit, her current co-star and amour who has seized on Lily as his meal ticket. Lily is dismayed when Bruce reappears, having decided not to leave her alone on the trip after all. Oliver and Owen present themselves to Lily and tell her that Oscar needs her desperately. Lily’s response: she’d rather die than go back to Oscar (“Never”). In another flashback, we see Lily and Oscar in happier times, when they were everything to each other (“Our Private World”). In the observation car, we meet another passenger, Mrs. Letitia Primrose. Mrs. Primrose, the founder and president of Primrose Restoria Pills, claims to be a pious doer of good works. In reality she is an insane religious fanatic, recently escaped from an asylum and also a passer of phony checks. In addition, she is the one responsible for putting up stickers all over the train that read, “Repent for the time is at hand.” Alone, Mrs. Primrose sings out her credo (“Repent”). Inspired by the stickers, Oscar decides to tempt Lily back with the promise to star her in The Passion Of Mary Magdalen. In their separate suites, Oscar and Bruce, former and current flame of Lily, admit to themselves their need for Lily. Each resolves to keep Lily to himself (“Mine”). Oscar finally confronts Lily in the flesh. She describes the wonders of her new life as a Hollywood goddess, while Oscar accuses her of selling out to the world of celluloid (“I’ve Got It All”). Meanwhile, Oliver encounters Mrs. Primrose who, as part of her religious mission, offers to provide the financing for Oscar’s Magdalen play. If Lily has given Oscar the brush off, his fortunes seem to be rising as the curtain falls (Finale Act I). Act II The four porters appear in front of the curtain to offer their philosophy of life (“Life Is Like A Train”). Mrs. Primrose presents Oscar with a check for $200,000 (“Five Zeros”). Oscar shows the check to Lily and tells her his plan; Lily is transported by the idea of playing the woman who “has kept the whole world weeping for centuries.” As Lily ponders signing Oscar’s contract, she and the other five principal characters voice their sentiments (Sextet). Lily weakens when Mrs. Primrose offers to finance a Magdalen movie in addition to the stage play. But Oliver, Owen, Oscar and Lily soon are horrified to learn the truth about Mrs. Primrose (“She’s A Nut”). Oscar sees his dreams slipping down the drain, while Lily is furious that Oscar has made a fool of her. Max Jacobs, a successful Broadway producer who was once Oscar’s office boy, arrives. Max also has a play for Lily, a vehicle written by Somerset Maugham, but Lily is ineluctably drawn to the role of Mary Magdalen. Alone, Lily ponders her options, finally deciding to accept Max’s offer (“Babbette”). Oscar has decided to end it all and distributes his worldly possessions to the loyal Owen and Oliver (“The Legacy”). Mrs. Primrose attempts to take a gun from Oscar’s hand, and it goes off. Oscar emerges unscathed but decides to take advantage of the situation. Pretending to be near death, Oscar asks to see Lily once more and, as his “last request,” asks her to sign his contract (“Lily, Oscar”). Lily signs, but when Oscar reveals that he is very much alive, Lily reveals that she signed the contract as one “Peter Rabbit.” Clearly made for each other, Lily and Oscar embrace (Finale Act II).

– Ken Mandelbaum

Credits

Letitia Primrose: Imogene Coca Redcap: Mel Johnson, Jr. Anita: Carol Lugenbeal Oscar Jaffee: John Cullum Max Jacobs: George Lee Andrews Imelda: Willi Burke Maxwell Finch: David Horwitz Mildred Plotka/Lily Garland: Madeline Kahn Otto Von Bismark: Sal Mistretta Bruce Granit: Kevin Kline Agnes: Judy Kaye Hospital Attendants: Sal Mistretta, Carol Lurie Dr. Johnson: Willi Burke Fanny: Peggy Cooper Singers: Susan Cella, Maris Clement, Peggy Cooper, Karen Gibson, Carol Lugenbeal, Carol Lurie, Melanie Vaughan, Linda Poser (Swing), Ray Gill, Ken Hilliard, David Horwitz, Craig Lucas, Sal Mistretta, Hal Norman, Charles Rule, David Vogel, Gerald Teijelo (Swing)