How well do you know the musical The Jolly Bachelors? Test your knowledge of this lively and entertaining show that has sparked countless discussions among theater lovers. From its fascinating origins to memorable songs and characters, The Jolly Bachelors offers much to explore. Discover intriguing trivia and challenge yourself to see how much you remember!
International Productions
- The 2009 London revival of 'Annie Get Your Gun' at the Young Vic was highly acclaimed and received a 5-star review from London's Guardian newspaper.
Musical Composition
- Irving Berlin wrote the music and lyrics for Annie Get Your Gun after Jerome Kern, the initial composer, tragically passed away from a cerebral hemorrhage.
- John Owen Edwards and JAY Records produced the first-ever complete recording of the show's score in the 1990s with Judy Kaye and Barry Bostwick.
- The original Broadway cast recording of 'Annie Get Your Gun' from 1946 was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.
- 'Take It in Your Stride', a solo number for Annie written for the original 1946 production, was replaced by a reprise of 'There's No Business Like Show Business' after Ethel Merman found the original song too difficult.
- The song 'Let's Go West Again' was written for the 1950 film version of 'Annie Get Your Gun', but it was not included in the film. However, recordings of the song by Betty Hutton and Judy Garland exist.
- The song 'An Old-Fashioned Wedding' was specifically written for the 1966 revival of 'Annie Get Your Gun' and was included again in the 1999 Broadway revival.
- Songs like 'Doin' What Comes Natur'lly' and 'Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better)' became hits and are widely recognized from the musical.
- The song 'There's No Business Like Show Business' became one of the most famous show tunes and was almost excluded from the musical because Irving Berlin thought Richard Rodgers didn't like it.
Notable Tours
- Annie Get Your Gun enjoyed significant success with 1,147 performances in its initial New York run and also had successful runs in London.
- The U.S. national tour of the 1999 Broadway production of 'Annie Get Your Gun' started in Dallas, Texas, on July 25, 2000.
- Mary Martin, often mistakenly believed to have been originally offered the role of Annie Oakley, actually replaced Ethel Merman for the national tour, which transformed her voice range due to the demanding roles.
Production Facts
- The 1999 revival of 'Annie Get Your Gun' was structured as a 'show-within-a-show', set in a Big Top travelling circus, and included new songs and major dance numbers.
- Modern revivals of the show often omit the song 'I'm an Indian Too' due to its offensive portrayal of Native Americans.
- Native Americans criticized the portrayal of Redface in 'Annie Get Your Gun' and protested outside theaters showing the musical.
- Historical inaccuracies in 'Annie Get Your Gun' were noted by historians, particularly the exaggerated portrayal of Annie Oakley's character versus her real-life persona.
- Annie Get Your Gun was originally conceived for Ethel Merman, who played the lead role in the 1946 Broadway production.
- The 1950 film version of 'Annie Get Your Gun' featured Betty Hutton as Annie after Judy Garland was replaced due to health-related difficulties.
- A concert staging at the 2010 Ravinia Festival celebrated the 150th anniversary of Annie Oakley's birth, with Patti LuPone starring as Annie.
- The musical is a fictionalized account of the life of sharpshooter Annie Oakley and her romance with Frank E. Butler, set within Buffalo Bill's Wild West show.
- The 2006 Prince Music Theater revival in Philadelphia featured Andrea McArdle, who was previously the original Annie in the 1977 Broadway musical 'Annie'.
- Susan Lucci, Cheryl Ladd, and Reba McEntire all made their Broadway debuts as 'Annie' in the 1999 Broadway revival of 'Annie Get Your Gun'.
- Bernadette Peters won the 1999 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her role in the 1999 Broadway revival of 'Annie Get Your Gun'.
- The 1999 Broadway revival of 'Annie Get Your Gun' had its pre-Broadway engagement at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and featured a revised book and new orchestrations.
- The 1999 Broadway revival was noted for restoring the characters and songs of Tommy Keeler and Winnie Tate, which had been omitted from earlier versions.
- The 1999 Broadway revival of 'Annie Get Your Gun' featured the character of Frank Butler deliberately missing his shots in the final match, resulting in a tie, a plot element not present in the original book.
- Peter Stone revised the libretto for the 1999 revival to remove insensitive references to American Indians and altered the structure, making it a 'show within a show'.
- Ethel Merman, who starred as Annie in the original Broadway production of 'Annie Get Your Gun', reprised her role in the 1966 Broadway revival.
- The musical 'Annie Get Your Gun' premiered on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre on May 16, 1946, and ran for 1,147 performances.
- The secondary romance in the musical, mirroring the structure of the successful Oklahoma!, was added during the development stages to provide additional depth to the story.
- The character Tommy Keeler and his romantic involvement with Winnie Tate, as well as their songs, were omitted from the 1966 revision of 'Annie Get Your Gun' but were restored in the 1999 Broadway revival.
- The musical's plot involves a blend of romance, competition, and the bustling life of traveling show performers, capturing the essence of the period's entertainment industry.
