Paint your wagon

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Shubert Theater - the world premiere theater

Paint Your Wagon is a Broadway - Musical with music by Frederick Loewe . The book and the lyrics were written by Alan J. Lerner . The musical produced by Cheryl Crawford had its Broadway premiere on November 12, 1951 at the Shubert Theater . Daniel Mann directed the show and Agnes de Mille choreographed it . After Loewes and Lerner's previous success, Brigadoon , the duration of Paint Your Wagon was modest with 289 performances. The first performance in London's West End took place on February 11, 1953 at Her Majesty's Theater .

action

Act 1 - Location: The California wilderness in May 1853.

When grumpy old gold prospector Ben Rumson tries to bury a friend, his 16-year-old daughter Jennifer finds gold dust in the hole in the ground. Rumson immediately claims the location as a claim , around which the gold rush town of Rumson with 400 inhabitants develops within two months (song: I'm On My Way ), but in which there is only one female person, Rumson's daughter Jennifer.

The gold prospector Jake Whippany saves all his money in order to be able to invite Cherry and her Fandango Girls (song: Rumson ), while Jennifer already notices the growing tensions in town (song: What's Goin 'On Here? ). When the nice young prospector Julio Valveras, who has to live out of town because he is Mexican, comes into town to have his dirty laundry done, he meets Jennifer, who agrees to do the job for him (song : I Talk to the Trees ). Steve Bulmarck and other settlers ponder their lonely nomadic life in the song They Call the Wind Maria .

After two months, the male residents want Ben Rumson to finally send his daughter Jennifer away while he thinks about his dead wife and wishes she could help him (song: I Still See Elisa ). When Ben sees that Jennifer is in love dancing with Julio's laundry (song: How Can I Wait? ), Ben decides to send her to the east. Then the Mormon Jacob Woodling arrives in the small town with his two wives Sarah and Elizabeth and thus makes the male residents totally excited. They demand that Woodling "sell" one of his wives. To his own surprise, Ben Rumson begins wooing Elizabeth (song: In Between ) and buys her for $ 500 (song: Whoop-Ti-Ay! ).

Jennifer is outraged by her father and runs away after promising Julio to come back within a year (song: Carino Mio ). Meanwhile, Cherry and her Fandango Girls finally arrive in town with a big hello (song: There's a Coach Comin 'In ). Julio now notices that his claim is starting to sell less, which means that he will move on for a living and will probably not meet Jennifer when she returns after a year.

Act 2 - A year later in October

After Cherry and her Fandango Girls are in Rumson, the “mood” prevails in the place (song: Hand Me Down That Can O'Beans ). Ben Rumson does not notice that the gold digger Edgar Crocker is making advances to Elizabeth and she is not at all averse. Rumson thinks jealously that prospector Raymond Janney is in love with her (it is him). Julio now learns that a lake with gold dust was found on the bottom and is considering setting off there (song: Another Autumn ).

In December, Jennifer returns from the East with "civilized experiences" (song: All for Him ) and learns from her father Ben that he has stayed in one place for far too long for his feelings (song: (I Was Born Under a ) Wand'rin 'Star ) and wants to move on. The next day Cherry and her Fandango Girls pack their things to move on to Goldsee, but tell Jennifer beforehand that Julio is already there. Raymond Janney offers Ben $ 3,000 for Elizabeth, but she runs off with Edgar Crocker. When gold is found 40 miles south of Rumson, the whole town slowly begins to pack their things - with the exception of Jennifer - she is waiting for Julio to return - and Ben Rumson, who suddenly realizes that this is actually the case his city is.

In April Julio finally shows up, completely unsuccessful and is surprised to find Ben and Jennifer. As Julio and Jennifer walk towards each other, the wagons of the gold miners leaving town pull past them.

Well-known music numbers

The latter song is the namesake for Maria Creek , a meltwater river in the Antarctic.

filming

The musical was filmed in 1969 under the direction of Joshua Logan with a different plot and score, the German distribution title is Westwärts geht der Wind . The leading roles are played by Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood .

Awards

  • 1952 - Theater World Award for Tony Bavaar for the role of Julio Valveras in the premiere season.

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