A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE

Langston Hughes's Little Ham

Full-Length Musical, Comedy  /  6w, 8m

Book by Dan Owens
Music by Judd Woldin
Lyrics by Richard Engquist and Judd Woldin
Based on the play Little Ham by Langston Hughes, from a concept by Eric Krebs

Celebrating love and loyalty in the heyday of the 1930s Harlem Renaissance, this hit off-Broadway musical based on a Langston Hughes story features a bubbling jazz score.

Langston Hughes's Little Ham

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    6w, 8m
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Period
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary

The downtown mob is threatening to take over the uptown numbers game. Only Hamlet Hitchcock Jones, known as Little Ham, stands in their way. A smooth operator with big dreams and fast feet, Little Ham rallies his neighbors and wins his lady love.

At the height of the Harlem Renaissance, downtown mobters threaten to take over a numbers game played in the streets. With the promise of big money, the gangsters coerce smooth and witty Little Ham into helping the shakedown. But when he's assigned to shake down Tiny Lee's Beauty Shop, he's faced with an agonizing choice between double-crossing the mob or hurting the woman he loves.

History
Langston Hughes's Little Ham premiered off-Broadway at the John Houseman Theatre on September 26, 2002. Produced by Amas Musical Theatre, the production was directed by Eric Riley, featuring Andre Garner in the title role.
Cast Attributes

CLARENCE – A janitor
MADAME LUCILLE BELL – Proprietress of the Paradise Shine Parlor
OPAL – Tiny Lee's manicurist
LARCHMONT – A chauffeur
LEROY – Lucille's main man
MRS. DOBSON – A feisty grandmother
AMANDA – A pretentious matron
HAMLET HITCHCOCK JONES – A shoe-shiner with ambition
TINY LEE – A hairdresser and business woman
LOUIE “THE NAIL” MAHONEY – A gangster
RUSHMORE – Louie's “accountant”
JIMMY – Sugar Lou's dresser and manager
SUGAR LOU BIRD – A showgirl
POLICEMAN – A white man
BRADFORD – Louie's Wall Street contact

The White Policeman and Bradford should be played by the same actor.

The White Policeman and Bradford should be played by the same actor. 

  • Time Period 1930s
  • Setting Harlem. Early fall, 1936.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes, Period Costumes
  • Cautions
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

“A jazzy musical bauble with sass and charm.” – The New York Times

“An uptown Guys and Dolls... A jazzy musical bauble with sass and charm… a high-spirited, melodic score with terrific lyrics. The level of sophistication is through the roof.” – The New York Times

“Snappy score, energy to spare, rousing numbers.” – New York Daily News

“The effortlessly tuneful score is the best of its kind in years!” – Time

“A gem! A musical extravaganza ... [with] marvelous lyrics and foot-tapping music. Delicious!” – New York Amsterdam News

“A wonderful off-Broadway musical... Fun!” – Fox TV

“Jubilant!” – Newsday

“With an earful of jazzy songs… Little Ham has a lot to offer customers who prefer their musicals tuneful, lively and cheerful.” – Newark Star-Ledger

“Delightfully charming. Very funny! A Hit!” – The New Yorker

“A sweet savory musical.” – Broadway.com

Music

Song Samples

I'm Gonna Hit Today
It's All in the Point of View
Stick With Me, Kid
No
Get Yourself Some Lovin'
That Ain't Right
Cuttin' Out
Room for Improvement
Get Back
Harlem, You're My Girl
Angels
Big Ideas
Helluva Good Time
Wastin's Time
Say Hello to Your Feet

Act I

Prologue: A Harlem Street

Scene 1: Lucille’s Shoeshine Parlor
“I’m Gonna Hit Today” – Lucille, Leroy, Clarence, Opal, Larchmont, Mrs. Dobson, Amanda
“It’s All in the Point of View” – Ham, Tiny, Lucille, Opal, Clarence, Larchmont, Mrs. Dobson

Scene 2: The Street
“Stick with Me, Kid” – Louie the Nail, Rushmore, Ham

Scene 3: Tiny Lee’s Beauty Salon
“No” – Tiny, Sugar Lou, Jimmy
“Get Yourself Some Lovin’” – Ham and Tiny

Scene 4: Lucille’s Shoeshine Parlor
“That Ain’t Right” – Cop, Rushmore, Lucille, Mrs. Dobson, Ham, Clarence, Larchmont, Jimmy, Sugar Lou, Amanda, Opal, Leroy

Scene 5: Louie’s Office/Sugar Lou’s Dressing Room
“Cuttin’ Out!” – Sugar Lou, Jimmy
“Cuttin’ Out! (Reprise)” – Jimmy

Scene 6: The Street
“Room for Improvement” – Lucille and Leroy

Scene 7: Around Harlem
“Get Back” – Company

Act II

Entr’acte: The Street

“Harlem, You’re My Girl” – Ham

Scene 1: Lucille’s Shoeshine Parlor
“Angels” – Ham, Lucille, Leroy. Sugar Lou, Jimmy. Opal, Clarence, Larchmont, Mrs. Dobson

Scene 2. Tiny Lee’s Beauty Salon
“Big Ideas” – Tiny

Scene 3: Louie’s Office and Around Harlem
“It’s a Helluva Big Job” – Ham, Lucille, Leroy, Sugar Lou, Jimmy, Opal, Clarence, Larchmont, Mrs. Dobson, Louie, Rushmore, Amanda, Bradford

Scene 4: Tiny Lee’s Beauty Salon
“Wasting Time” – Ham and Tiny

Scene 5: Hello Club Ball
“Say Hello to Your Feet” – Ham, Tiny, Lucille, Leroy, Sugar Lou, Jimmy, Opal, Clarence, Larchmont, Mrs. Dobson, Amanda

15 Piano-Conductor

1 Trumpet
1 Reed (Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet)
1 Drums
1 Bass
  • Musical Style Jazz
  • Vocal DemandsModerate
  • Orchestra Size Medium
  • Chorus Size No Chorus

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

Music Rentals

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

1 Trumpet
1 Reed
1 Drums
1 Bass
15 Piano-Conductor

Add-Ons

Take a look below at how you can enhance your show!

Authors

Author

Dan Owens

Author

Judd Woldin

Author

Richard Engquist

Langston Hughes

(James Mercer) Langston Hughes (1902-67) was born in Joplin, Missouri, and educated at Lincoln University (Pennsylvania). He worked as a seaman, busboy and teacher in several American cities and abroad. He studied in the Soviet Union and, during the Spanish civil war, was Mad ...

View full profile
Author

Eric Krebs

Community

Now Playing

Community Experiences