The Candy Shop

A Summer Entertainment (Musical Comedy) in 2 Acts. Book by George V. Hobart. Music and lyrics by John L. Golden. (Additional lyrics by Henry Blossom.)

Knickerbocker Theatre, New York - 27th April - 12th June, 1909 (49 perf)s.

Synopsis

The story tells of the adventures of Jack Sweet after his own father accuses him of theft.

Jack and his friends go to Coney Island, where Jack obtains a job as a waiter. He falls in love with Hilda Noble who turns out to be an heiress. Jack clears his good name in time for a happy ending.

Cast:

• Friends of Mrs. Gregory, Shop Girls, Matinee Girls, Dancing Girls, Chicago Girls, Yachtsmen, etc.

Musical Numbers (programme)

ACT 1

1. Opening Chorus (Working, clerking, selling candies, etc.)
2. "Now That I've Got It, I Don't Want It " (Solo and Chorus) - John, Girls
3. "Just We Two" (Duet) - Jack, Hilda
4. "Honey Bunch" (Solo and Ensemble) - Jack, Sue, Settle
5. "I've Been Married Once" (Solo) - Saul
6. "In Vaudeville" (Duet and Ensemble) - Gilbert, Hilda
7. "You're My Girl" (Duet) - Gilbert, Hilda
8. Finale (Who Among You Stole That Jewel?) - Entire Company

ACT 2

9. Opening Chorus (There Is an Island) - Entire Company
10. "By Wireless" (Double Octette) - Boys, Girls
11. "Help! And the Villain Goes to Jail" (Solo and Chorus) - Sally Ann
12. "Chinese Love Song" (Duet) - Gilbert, Hilda
13. "Mr. Othello" (Solo) - Mrs Gregory
14. "Meet Me Down on the Corner" - Gilbert, Sally Ann

Scenes and Settings

• Act 1: The Candy Shop.
• Act 2: Coney Island

Musical Numbers (vocal score)

ACT I - The Candy Shop.

1. Opening Chorus - "Working, clerking, selling candies to the ladies and the dandies, packing bon-bons sweet, for the girls and the boys a treat..."
2. Song - John Sweet - "When I was but a simple youth I found I had a very sweet tooth; oh, I was fond of candy! ... No one could blame you for that, sir..."
3. Duet - Jack Sweet and Hilda - "I know you're just a little candy shop girl, selling bon-bons all the day, working till I'd almost think you'd drop, girl..."
4. Duet (composed by W. E. MacQuinn and John L. Golden, quartet arranged by Ribé Danmark).- Jack and Girls, with Male Quartet - "The dearest girl I ever knew I tried to win with pet names rare. I called her Sweetie, I called her Ootsey-oo ..."
5. Song - Saul - "Have you ever had a sneaky feeling stealing down your spine? Your head was hot, your feet were full of chills; your appetite was missing..."
6. Duet - Gilbert and Hilda - "I tell you, kid, these actor folks are getting all the stuff - thousands ev'ry week in Vaudeville. We could get it too..."
7. Duet - Gilbert, Hilda & Chorus - "Songs that are sung of a fellow's own girl can't go wrong; easy to catch and to keep you a-whirl. (The girl?) No, the song."
8. Finale Act I - "Who among you stole that jewel; answer me and go! Did you?" etc... "You? Someone saw it, someone had it, someone must confess..."

ACT II - Coney Island.

9. Chorus - "There is an Island where pleasure's a-whirl, down by the shores of the ocean; ev'ryone there is a boy or a girl, beaming with love and devotion..."
10. Chorus - "Mister Wireless Operator, can't you find my beau? He's somewhere across the sea. By wireless ... I can try if you'll dictate..."
11. Song - Sally and Chorus - "I never had no teacher and I never went to school, but I learned myself to read, and that's the truth. To study, as a starter..."
12. Chinese Love Duet - Gilbert and Hilda - "China Boy he lik-a serenade a lily girl, so he sing a lilly chinee tune. China Boy he kind-a velly poor jus' now..."
13. Song - Mrs. Gregory and Chorus - "Miss 'Liza and her Ephriham went to a Shakespeare show; she'd never seen a tragedy before..."
14. Ensemble - "Down on our block, ev'ry night about eight o'clock ... wasn't it great! After the meal from the house the boys and girls would steal......"