LUCKY IN THE RAIN Conceived and written by Sherman Yellen: Music by Jimmy McHugh; Lyrics by Harold Adamson, Dorothy Fields. Additional Music/lyrics by Hoagy Carmichael, Walter Donaldson, Al Dubin, Ted Koehler, Jan Savitt and Johnny Watson Goodspeed Opera House, East Haddam, Connecticut - 9 July, 1997 (Season) SYNOPSIS An elderly man steps out in front of a street scene in Paris. He announces that it is 1927, and that this picturesque city is the city in which he spent his youth. This man introduces us to a younger version of himself, Henderson Booth. Booth is just arriving in Paris, "Where everybody is young, broke, half-drunk, an artist, a genius, a phoney, all of the above and always in love." Booth bumps into an attractive young woman, Jane Wiley. She is American and sees Booth as a person much like herself when she first arrived in Paris. She decides to help out the young reporter, and takes him to the newspaper for which she works, The Defender. Jane introduces Booth to Mike Malone, the cynical Managing Editor of The Defender . Mike is ready to dismiss Booth, but Booth impresses Mike with his tenacity. Booth is hired, though Jane is a bit miffed when Mike gives him part of her beat. Jane introduces Booth to the colourful staff: Zach Monroe, photographer and Jane's ex-lover; Robert Leary, sports columnist and compulsive gambler; Regine (Reggie) Duvalier, fashion reporter and Robert's lover-though she's married to a man named Maurice. As Robert tries flirtatiously to weasel some money out of Regine and Booth tried flirtatiously to compliment Jane, both men sing about the women in their lives. Elder Booth tells us that after a month, his younger self is junior editor and in charge of the book review section. Booth's contentment is interrupted when Mike storms out of his office bemoaning there's no one to cover the Lindbergh landing. Jane excitedly offers, but Mike gives the story to Booth, with Zach as photographer. Zach's jealousy of Booth's friendship with Jane makes him give Booth wrong directions so he won't get the story. Jane finds out about this deceit and gives Booth a story she wrote on Lindbergh. Relieved, he files the story. Suddenly two boisterous women burst into the office--Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. Gertrude demands he write a review for her new book, but Booth says he doesn't understand it. She sees his confusion and senses he's having girl trouble as well. She and Alice offer him some cheery advice. Mike explodes into the room exclaiming that the owner of the paper, General Maclean, and his mother, Momma Maclean, are on their way. They enter and the General goes around to various staff members commenting on their stories. The General asks who wrote the thrilling Lindbergh story and if there will be a follow-up feature. Mike introduces him to Henderson Booth. With the staff 's assistance, Mike follows up' by telling the General all about Lindbergh's spiritual and heroic journey. Momma Maclean, a kleptomaniac, wants to go shopping to pick up (steal) some souvenirs. Jane and Booth are volunteered by Mike to take her, and she is excited and delighted. Later, the General becomes fascinated with a beautiful jazz singer, Josephine Baker. He joins in during her number, eventually stripping down to his underpants in the process! As the night wears on, Momma falls asleep in a pram she stole and Jane and Booth finally have some quiet moments together by the Seine. Elder Booth once again brings us up-to-date. Booth and Jane have become more than friends. Regine announces her husband, Maurice, has asked for a divorce because another woman is carrying his baby. Robert thinks this is an outrage and demands that she stay married. Jane sees Regine crying and finds
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