Fiorello! by Jerome Weidman, George Abbott, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (1960)

Summary:  The play follows the life and career of a New York City lawyer-turned-politician named Fiorello La Guardia over the course of ten years (beginning just before World War I).  The first scenes of the play depict Fiorello as a young mayor and savior to the common man, specifically immigrants and women who are striking at a dress factory for living wages.  Building on this popular appeal, Fiorello decides to run for United States Senate...and wins!  After signing a controversial draft bill, he enlists to fight in the first World War and eventually returns home with a war record and a large ego.

After returning home, he runs for mayor in 1929 and loses, largely due to his ego and refusal to listen to his advisers.  Shortly after hearing that he has lost this election and corrupt backers of his opponent were attempting to kill him, he receives word that his wife has died.  Relatively undaunted, Fiorello decides to marry his longtime secretary and begins campaigning for the next mayoral election immediately.  In 1933, he becomes the mayor of New York City once again.

Thoughts:  My New York City history perhaps isn't what it should be, because I had no idea that Fiorello La Guardia was an actual person who served three terms as mayor of New York City.  The name of the airport makes much more sense now.  Though the musical apparently takes some liberties with the details of his personal life, it is a somewhat exciting tribute to a very important person to the people of New York in the 20s and 30s.

Fiorello La Guardia.  Photo from Wikicommons.

There are few songs from this musical that are easily recognizable, though "Politics and Poker" and "Little Tin Box" are occasionally still played on Sirius XM Radio, especially because of the recent death of composer Jerry Bock. 

The lyrics assigned to women in the musical are a bit cringe-worthy, specifically Marie's "The Very Next Man" at the end of Act 2.  Desperate to be married, Marie sings, "No more daydreams for me/Find the finest of bridal suites/Chill the champagne and warm up the sheets/I'm gonna marry the very next man/And if he likes me/Who cares how frequently he strikes me/I'll fetch his slippers with my arm in a sling/Just for the privilege of wearing his ring" (134).  Marie's wishes come true a few pages later when Fiorello decides he will need a wife during the next campaign and states, "I think you can learn to love me" (146).

Anna Christie by Eugene O'Neill (1922)

Summary:  Christopher Christopherson is an aging sailor who receives a letter (care of the local tavern) from his estranged daughter.  Anna is writing to say that she will soon be arriving for an extended stay.  He is delighted and makes room for her aboard his barge.  When she arrives, it becomes clear that she is there because she needs a break from her career as a whore.  Oblivious to this and happy to see her, he persuades her to stay aboard the ship.

A few nights later, a stranded crew finds their way on-board Christopherson's barge.  Quickly, one of the refugee passengers (Mat Owen) falls in love with Anna.  In a dramatic scene of self-disclosure, Anna reveals to her father and Mat (who now wants to marry her) that she was previously making her living as a prostitute.  All hell beaks loose, Mat and Chris go ashore, leaving Anna in despair on the boat.  Eventually, both of the men come back and Mat agrees to marry Anna "in spite of it all" (188). 

Thoughts:  Eugene O'Neill's other Pulitzer Prizes are for Strange Interlude, Long Day's Journey Into Night and Beyond the Horizon.  While I can certainly see elements of all of those works in this play (family, men returning from the sea, alcohol), I was surprised to read the following outburst:  "God's curse on you!  You slut, you, I'll be killing you now!"  (Act 3, 180)  One scene before calling her a slut, Mat also attacked Chris (physically) after Chris explicitly stated that he did not want his daughter marrying a man of the sea. 

Perhaps most troubling is the scene of reconciliation that ends the play.  In that scene, Mat returns to Anna and berates her for her transgressions as a whore.  She protests saying things like, "Don't you seem I'm licked?  Why d'you want to keep on kicking me?"  He responds with, "And don't you deserve the worst I'd say, God forgive you?"  (186).  When she finally convinces him that she did not love any of her clients and instead loves him, Matt asks her to promise this by swearing with her hand on a crucifix.  After she has sworn, he asks if she is Catholic and is horrified to discover that she is a Lutheran.  Regardless, he agrees to marry her.  It is then revealed that Chris and Mat will soon be shipmates on a voyage to South Africa.  Although Mat threw a chair at Chris just days before, everyone guffaws and the play ends happily ever after (cringe).

Hell Bent Fer Heaven by Hatcher Hughes (1924)

Summary:  Sid Hunt has just returned from World War I and declares his intent to marry Jude Lowry; even though his brother Rufe also wants her.  Meanwhile, Andy Lowry (the postman and Jude's brother) shows up and a decades-old feud between the two families is discussed.  After some prohibited drinking, Andy states that he intends to settle the score and sets out to kill Sid.

Ultimately, in a quest to have Jude for himself, Rufe attempts to murder his own brother by blowing up a dam that Sid will be be crossing (to get away from Andy).  A devoutly religious man, Rufe states that God commanded the killing.  While all of this action is taking place, unprecedented rainfall threatens flooding and necessitates evacuation--and Rufe is left without a space in the boat (which the family just happens to have on hand).  Rufe is unsympathetically told that, if God actually mandated the killing, He will protect Rufe during this trial.

Thoughts:  This is another play written in "dialect" that took me hours to read.  The Hunts and Lowries are mountain people from North Carolina and this is reflected in every line of their dialogue.  This play is a rather bleak examination of human nature--greedy and grudge-filled.  While family allegiance is a major subject of the play, Hughes' work also reflects the idea that individuals fight with their own families in ways that they would not even consider in the "outside" world.

They Knew What They Wanted by Sidney Howard (1925)

Summary:  Tony is a sixty-year-old Italian immigrant with a vineyard and more money than he knows what to do with.  After a trip to San Fransisco, he writes a letter to a young waitress he saw there asking her to marry him and come live on the vineyard.  Upon arrival, she is surprised to discover that Tony sent her a picture of Joe (whose stage directions specify that he is "dark, sloppy, beautiful and young") instead of himself.  Regardless, she agrees to marry him but ends up having a one-time sexual encounter with Joe on the night she is married to Tony.  A few months later, the doctor reveals that she is pregnant.  Subsequently, she tells Tony that she has no choice but to leave for an uncertain life of poverty and strife with Joe.  Tony convinces her to stay, stating that he will raise the baby as his own.  Joe seems relieved.

Thoughts:  Another play with an overly detailed plot summary.  All of the action of this play takes place at the vineyard, often with Tony holding court (due to an accident that broke both of his legs).  Outsiders are involved in Tony and Amy's business because Tony, good natured Italian that he is, talks to anyone about everything. 

Some of the most interesting things about this play have nothing to do with the plot or individual relationships between characters.  Instead, commentary about prohibition, Catholics, unions, science versus religion, abortion, immigration and race relations are hidden behind a fairly general play about family and marriage.  This play is set in prohibition-era California and Tony's vineyard is hugely profitable because it has continued to illegally make wine.  Meanwhile, Father McKee (the somehow always present Catholic priest) issues statements about his discomfort surrounding Tony marrying someone who is not Catholic and wine being used for purposes other than sacramental (this does not mean that he doesn't drink it when it is offered).  McKee's sparring partner in the play is The Doctor, who not only reveals to Joe that Amy is pregnant (before telling Amy), but refers to wine as poison and is frequently bemused by the "Wop antics" that surround him.

When dark, sloppy beautiful Joe (a member of the Wobblies--Industrial Workers of the World) indirectly suggests abortion to Amy, she replies, "Them kind of doctors is no good.  They're no good.  I'm too far gone anyway...I know...and anyway..doing that...It's worse than the other" (Act 3).  This statement reveals that Amy knows something about abortion--and perhaps has even had one before.

The often controversial social statements are always quick and usually argued from two perspectives--perhaps in a move of self-protection by playwright Sidney Howard.