Armidale Drama & Musical Society

'Sunny'

​

Armidale Town Hall - November/December 1966

Stage Direction by Muriel Jensen
Musical Direction by Beryl Sattler and Leonard Bell

By Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein. Music by Jerome Kern. By arrangement with Chappell and Co Ltd.

​

SYNOPSIS

People are listening to Bally Hoo outside a circus tent. A crowd of young men (tourists) including Tom arrive form their ship and realise they know "Sunny" the circus bare-back rider with whom they were acquainted in America, so decide to see the performance. Wendell tells Peters (Sunny's father) that he has asked Sunny to marry him.

Sue arrives on the scene from the ship and wants to buy Sunny's dog. She is America's foremost Modiste and has been to Paris buying frocks for her New York clients.

Tom (a wealthy tourist) who is engaged to Marcia introduces all his mates to Peters and they watch the Circus Grand Parade. Sunny is in love with Tom and is delighted to see him. They talk of old times. Peters tries to force Sunny into marriage with Wendell but she refuses and runs away going to the ship to see all the boys sail.

Jim has taken Weenie for a walk. They are in love and Weenie gives Jim a photo of herself. They plan to marry but Jim must go back to America first. Peters and Flo board the ship with Sunny's dog intending to sell it to Sue.

Sunny is about to leave the ship when she remembers her zither which she has left on board and runs back for it chased by Peters. The gang plank is pulled off and the ship sails with both Sunny and Peters on board. Night time on deck and couples are foxtrotting. Sunny is discovered as a stowaway. Passengers raise enough money to pay her passage and in return she promises to entertain them. Peter is also discovered as a stowaway and made to clean the decks.

Sunny will not be allowed to land in America because she has no passport. She talks Jim into marrying her and then divorcing her when they land. Tom promises to set Jim up in a Gymnasium in America if he marries Sunny. Tom points out that he (Jim) will then be able to save enough money to pay Weenie's fare to America, divorce Sunny and marry Weenie.

Jim and Sunny are married by the Ship's Captain. Wendell and Weenie get word of the marriage of Jim and Sunny and are commiserating back home in England.

Six months later in America. Sunny and Jim are getting a divorce. Marcia and Tom are still planning to marry and are to announce their engagement at the Hunt Ball.

Quite unexpectedly Wendell appears on the scene with Weenie who is still upset because Jim married Sunny even though Jim has sent money to England to pay her passage to America and still wants to marry her when he is divorced from Sunny.

Sunny is at the Poppy Field and is not happy because Tom is marrying Marcia. Weenie spurns Jim. Sunny and Jim realise they love each other then Wendell and Weenie confess to Jim and Sunny that they too care for each other.

So the story ends with three loving couples. Sunny and Jim, Wendell and Weenie and Tom and Marcia.

​

SCENES

​

Act I

Scene I: A circus tent, Southampton, England 
Scene II: Tent annexe
Scene III: Street
Scene IV: Gang plank
Scene V: The ship
Interlude: Park seat
Interlude: Jim's Cabin
Scene VI: Grand saloon

​

Act II

Scene I: Conservatory adjoining Jim's Gymnasium at a fashionable resort
Scene II: A Poppy Field
Scene III: Ballroom of the hotel

​

MUSICAL NUMBERS

​

Act I

'Here we are together again' - Chorus
'Sunny' - Tom and male chorus
'Circus is Over' - Chorus
'Who' - Sunny and Tom
'So's your old man' - Wendell and the "Sunshine Girls"
'Let's say goodnight' - Weenie and Jim
'D'ye love me' - Sunny and chorus
'It won't mean a thing' - Sunny, Tom and Jim 
'Please pardon us for butting in' - Sunny, Tom, Jim and boys
'The Wedding Knell' - Sunny and boys
'Two little Bluebirds' - Weenie and Wendell
'Every Guest is in the Room' (finale)

​

Act II

'We're gymnastic, we're gymnastic' - Sue and the "Sunshine Girls"
'Divorce' - Sunny and Jim
'Sunshine' - Marcia and ensemble
'All these people I have wronged' - Sunny
'D'ye love me' - Jim, Weenie and chorus
'The Sunshine Girls' - Chorus
'The Chase' - Chorus
'I might grow fond of you' - Weenie and Wendell
'The Fox has left his Lair' - Male quartet
'The Hunt Ball' - Chorus
'D'ye love me' and 'Who' (finale)

​​