Oh, Captain!

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For the Walt Whitman poem, see O Captain! My Captain!.
Oh, Captain!
Music Jay Livingston
Ray Evans
Lyrics Jay Livingston
Ray Evans
Book Al Morgan
José Ferrer
Based upon 1953 film The Captain's Paradise
Productions 1958 Broadway

Oh, Captain! is a musical comedy based on the film The Captain's Paradise. The film starred Alec Guinness as a philandering ship's captain, with a wife in one port and a mistress in another. The musical starred Tony Randall, and updated the film's Algiers setting to Paris. The score was by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, with direction by José Ferrer. The production was dismissed by the critics as a "tired businessman's show", but the cast and choreography were much praised. The highlight of the show was an extended dance sequence between Randall and prima ballerina Alexandra Danilova that has been referred to by musical theatre historians as perhaps the best number ever staged in a post-war musical.

The original cast included Abbe Lane, Susan Johnson, Jacquelyn McKeever, Edward Platt, Paul Valentine, and Stanley Carlson. Abbe Lane was under contract to a rival studio, which refused to allow her to record the original cast album. Her songs were recorded by Eileen Rodgers. Lane did record two of her numbers on one of her subsequent solo albums.

[edit] Songs

Act I
  • A Very Proper Town - Captain Henry St. James and the Company
  • Life Does a Man a Favor (When It Gives Him Simple Joys) - Mrs. Maud St. James and Captain Henry St. James
  • A Very Proper Week - The English Townspeople
  • Life Does a Man a Favor (When It Leads Him Down to the Sea) - Captain Henry St. James, Enrico Manzoni and the Crew
  • Captain Henry St. James - The Crew of the S.S. Paradise
  • The Dock Dance - The Dockworkers
  • Three Paradises - Captain Henry St. James
  • Surprise - Mrs. Maud St. James and the Neighbors
  • Life Does a Man a Favor (When It Puts Him in Paree) - Captain Henry St. James
  • Hey Madame - Captain Henry St. James and Lisa
  • Femininity - Bobo
  • It's Never Quite the Same - Enrico Manzoni and the Crew
  • It's Never Quite the Same (Reprise) - Mrs. Maud St. James, Enrico Manzoni and the Crew
  • We're Not Children - Mrs. Maud St. James and the Spaniard
  • Give It All You Got - Mae and the Tourists
  • Love Is Hell - Mae and the Ladies of the Ensemble
  • Keep It Simple - Bobo and Her Dancing Companions
Act II
  • The Morning Music of Montmartre - Mae and the People of Montmartre
  • You Don't Know Him - Bobo and Mrs. Maud St. James
  • I've Been There and I'm Back - Enrico Manzoni and Captain Henry St. James
  • Double Standard - Bobo and Mrs. Maud St. James
  • All the Time - Captain Henry St. James
  • You're So Right for Me - Enrico Manzoni and Bobo
  • All the Time (Reprise) - Mrs. Maud St. James
  • Finale - The Entire Company

[edit] Awards and nominations

[edit] External links