(2)
Secrets Of The Trade
Jonathan Tolins
Sweet Smell of Success
by Marvin Hamlisch, Craig Carnelia, John Guare
Awards & Recognition
Drama Desk Award Tony Award
Nominee: Seven 2002 Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score Nominee: Ten 2002 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical, Book of a Musical, Music and Lyrics
Synopsis
It’s New York, 1952. Welcome to Broadway, the glamour and power capital of the universe.
J.J.
Hunsecker rules it all with his daily gossip column in the New York Globe, syndicated to sixty million readers across America.
J.J. has the goods on everyone, from the president to the latest starlet.
And everyone feeds J.J. scandal, from J. Edgar Hoover and Senator Joe McCarthy down to a battalion of hungry press agents who attach their news to a client that J.J. might plug.
When a young press agent, Sidney, tries to hitch his wagon to J.J. while keeping secrets about his client’s new relationship with J.J.’s sister, he learns that you can become no one if J.J. turns on you.
Press Reviews
"The story is gripping, the Marvin Hamlisch score dramatically powerful, and the dancing as good as you will find in any West End show... John Guare’s witty book conveys the awesome power, and rightwing prejudice, of a column like that written by JJ. Hamlisch’s score also catches the frenzy of Manhattan life and is full of pleasing ironies."
— Michael Billington, The Guardian
"The music, by Marvin Hamlisch, oozes period swank and jazzy themes."
— Talkin’ Broadway
"John Guare has bravely gone beyond slavish adaptation while retaining many of the Hunseckerisms that fans of the film love to quote."
— Curtain Up
Characters
| Character |
|---|
| Sidney A struggling press agent |
| Susan JJ's sister, a classy beauty who falls in love with Dallas |
| Dallas A hot young jazz piano player, who falls in love with Susan |
| Rita Sidney's waitress girlfriend |
| Madge |
| Congressman |
| Blue Angel Press Agent |
| Empire Room Press Agent |
| Abigail Barclay |
| Tony The owner of a sleazy jazz joint, Club Voodoo |
| Billy Van Cleve |
| Pregnant Woman |
| Pepper White'S Escort |
| Otis Elwell JJ's rival gossip column monger |
| Lester |
| Dead Acctress |
| Kello Powerful and sinister police detective |
| Club Zanzibar Singer |
| Cathedral Soloist |
| Senator |
| Senator'S Girlfriend |
| Tony'S Caprice Bartender |
| Telethon Announcer |
| Bobo |
| Jj'S Vaudeville Partner |
+ 2 more characters
Videos
Broadway.com: Concert Reading of Sweet Smell of Success
Publication
Sweet Smell of Success is a play written by Marvin Hamlisch and published by Concord Theatricals .
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Performance Rights
Available for Licensing
Amateur Only
Fee: Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.
Restrictions: Major Markets Only (US) / Standard Restriction (UK)
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