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The Green Heart

Full-Length Musical, Comedy  /  3w, 2m

Book by Charles Busch
Music and Lyrics by Rusty Magee

This hilarious musical black comedy-thriller, with lyrics and music by Rusty Magee, is based on Jack Ritchie's short story “The Green Heart,” which was also the inspiration for the film A New Leaf.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 2m
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Mystery/Thriller, Romantic Comedy
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Senior

Details

Summary

This musical comedy, with lyrics and music by Rusty Magee, is based on Jack Ritchie's short story “The Green Heart,” which was also the inspiration for the film A New Leaf. William Graham, a selfish, egotistical millionaire, discovers to his dismay that he has run through his entire inheritance. He is flat broke. His glamorous Teutonic mistress, Uta, gets the brainstorm that he should marry a wealthy woman who will support them both. Bill latches onto Henrietta, a hopelessly eccentric Professor of Botany and heiress to a large fortune. Bill marries Henrietta and moves into her mansion. As Bill extricates her from the exploitative clutches of her corrupt lawyer, McPherson, and sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Tragger, he finds himself to his amazement falling in love with his wife! The plot thickens when Bill attempts to break up with Uta. Livid, his former mistress gets in cahoots with McPherson and Tragger to gain control of Henrietta’s fortune.

In this hilarious musical black comedy-thriller, the principal characters plot and double-cross each other in an ingenious plot that ends with a time bomb threatening to blow up the entire cast.

History
The Green Heart opened in New York on April 10, 1997 at the Variety Arts Theater. It was presented by the Manhattan Theater Club under Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Director Barry Grove. The director was Kenneth Elliott.
Cast Attributes

WILLIAM GRAHAM
UTA
HENRIETTA LOWELL
MCPHERSON
MRS. TRAGGER

ENSEMBLE

Five principals, plus ensemble.

  • Time Period Contemporary
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

“Funny! Inventive! Outrageously outrageous!” – New York Post

“Demented and delightful... The jauntiest musical since Little Shop.” – Newsday

“Plump with funny lines.” – The New York Times

“Plenty of laughs.” – New York Daily News

“Playful, funny and original!” – Gannett Newspapers

Music

  • Musical Style Classic Broadway
  • Vocal DemandsModerate
  • Orchestra Size Small/Combo
  • Chorus Size Small

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

Music Rentals

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6 Piano-Conductor
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1 Reed
1 Trumpet
1 Percussion
6 Piano-Conductor

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Authors

Author

Rusty Magee

Charles Busch

Charles Busch is the author and star of such plays as The Divine Sister, The Lady in Question, Red Scare on Sunset, The Confession of Lily Dare and Vampire Lesbians of Sodom; one of the longest-running plays in the history of off-Broadway. His play The Tale of the Allergist’s ...

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Author

Jack Ritchie

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