Wish You Were Here

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Music By Harold Rome
Lyrics By Harold Rome
Book/Libretto by: Arthur Kober and Joshua Logan
Based on: Arthur Kober's play "Having A Wonderful Time"
Type of Musical: Broadway
Opened: June 25, 1952
Theatre: Imperial Theatre (New York)
# of Performances: 598
Licensing Agent: Music Theatre International

Synopsis

Camp Karefree, a summer camp for adults, "where friendships are formed to last a whole lifetime through," is located in the heart of Vacationland. It could be in the Berkshires, the Adirondacks, the Poconos, the White Mountains -- or even the Catskills.

ACT I

The show opens with a P.A. announcement welcoming a busload of new guests to Camp Karefree. Everyone is as happy as can be. ("Camp Karefree") The newcomers (most of them appear to be women) learn the rules of the camp - most important of all - at night men and women go to their respective cabins.

Enter Teddy Stern, a young woman soon to be wed to the rather stuffy Herman Fabricant. Her doctor has suggested she get some rest before her soon-to-be wedding and Herman is dropping her off at Camp Karefree. Teddy is met by her friend, Fay Fromkin, a screwball blonde who is ready to have Teddy bunk in with her and "paint the camp red." Herman leaves Teddy for the week of R&R and drives back to New York. After he's gone, Teddy confesses she is having second thoughts about her marriage. Fay tells her that she's got to live - and with that, takes Teddy's engagement ring from her. She promises to give it back on the day she leaves Camp Karefree. Until that time - live! Fay introduces the "single" Teddy to everyone, and already things seem to be looking up! ("There's Nothing Nicer Than People")

Teddy then meets Itchy Flexner, the social director who does it all: imitations, singing, dancing, and telling stories. He just loves to entertain. ("Social Director") He engages the entire camp with his talent. An announcement over the loudspeaker tells everyone to change for dinner, and as everyone goes to their cabins, Teddy meets Pinky Harris - a rather dashing womanizing fellow who seems to be quite interested in her. After Teddy has changed for dinner, she notices Fay flirting with Harry "Muscles" Green - the new athletic director. It seems that Fay has her eye on every available man at Camp Karefree. She confesses that yes, she just loves to flirt. ("Shopping Around")

The scene shifts to the locker room for the waiters who are singing about days gone by (Bright College Days") Lou Kandel, the camp director, enters to remind the waiters that their jobs aren't finished until every girl is satisfied - nothing sexual - just social fun. You see, at Camp Karefree more women than men have paid to for the vacation. In fact, most of them have saved up for fifty weeks for a two-week vacation and by God they are going to get it! Kandel tells the waiters to get changed and go to the social hall and dance with the girls. The guys are tired of being " waiter by day, gigolo by night"; unfortunately, they don't have any other choice. It's either dance - or get fired. ("Mix and Mingle")

On the porch of the Social Hall, some of the girls excitedly rush inside when they learn that the waiters have arrived. The paying male guests are out playing poker and the women want to dance. Teddy isn't in the mood for dancing. Instead, she listens as some of the girls dream that maybe tonight is the night they meet the man of their dreams. ("Could Be") After this, the rest of the girls excitedly rush off to dance. Chick Miller, one of the employees, casually enters and stands unaware of Teddy. Schmutz, one of Itchy's assistants, enters and tells Chick that he better start dancing because word has gotten back to Kandel, that he wouldn't dance with one of the girls. Chick quickly convinces the reluctant Teddy to dance with him just as Kandel enters.

Inside the social hall, Itchy directs everyone in a get-acquainted dance. ("Tripping the Light Fantastic") Everyone gets to know each other. At the end, ready to escort her home, Chick is still with Teddy and thanks her for getting him out of a tight spot. It's here that Pinky makes it very evident that he has designs on Teddy. In fact, he wants Itchy to help him survey the situation and see just how he can lure Teddy to him.

Walking through the woods, Chick sings to Teddy a song he hears the band playing in the dance hall. ("Wish You Were Here") In many ways, it's obvious that Chick and Teddy are falling for each other even though they tell each other they can't get involved. Chick is going to law school and has to put all his time and every cent towards that. Teddy is of course really engaged - though she tells Chick she has health problems where her doctor has told her to watch her emotional entanglements. It sounds perfect! In order or Chick to keep his job, he needs to "romance" the female guests, and Teddy isn't looking for anything long-term. The two strike a deal and decide to spend the next two weeks together. They dance the last dance of the evening together ("Where Did the Night Go") and go off to bed - alone.

About one week later out on the athletic field, it appears that everyone (especially the girls) is exhausting themselves with all the athletic events Muscles has been organizing. All of Itchy's social events are going unattended because people are too tired from all their sports activity. Kandel tells Itchy that the social events don't pick up he might just have him do something else. Pinky spots Teddy who has just returned from a sack race and pulls her aside to tell her that he has sent to New York for a new dress from his design firm. It's the newsiest dress sensation and she would look beautiful in it. In fact, it's going to be the prize for the Miss Camp Karefree Contest Bathing Beauty Contest. He's one of the judges and wants her to win. Teddy ignores this obvious pass and instead goes off with Chick who comes riding by on a bicycle. Fay, on the other hand, is flirting with every guy around and has Itchy getting more and more jealous by the minute. Teddy and Chick ride back (with Teddy on the handlebars) and are confronted by just about the entire camp who see "love in bloom" - even though Teddy and Chick see it as just friendship. ("Certain Individuals") Everyone finally goes except a spurned Itchy who watches Fay ride off on Muscles' shoulders. Itchy decides that he has got to get some new social ideas that will excite the girls. He decides to have a "candlelight evening" in the social hall. "Come to the social hall! In your pajamas! In your nightgowns! With a lighted candle in your hand, and a glow in your heart!" That'll be so romantic that all the girls will forget stupid Muscles and his sports events. Unfortunately, his plan backfires when the Social Hall catches fire. Kandel is so mad at Itchy that he gets demotes him to Boat House Boy and puts Muscles in charge of all social events.

The next day out on Eagle Rock (a remote romantic spot only reachable by boat) Chick is talking with Teddy. He's jealous of Pinky and his fancy New York ways. In reality, Chick is in love with Teddy and he tells her. He goes so far as to propose marriage. He imagines how much they can learn from each other. ("They Won't Know Me") Teddy tells Chick that she really is engaged and is going to be married in a week. Even though she, too, loves Chick she can't call off the wedding. Rather than talk anymore about it. They go back to the camp.

Back at the boathouse, Boat Boy Itchy is organizing things. Teddy and Chick return from Eagle Rock and Chick confronts Fay about Teddy's engagement. She knew all along didn't she? She confesses that she did and even gives Teddy her ring back. The girls enter in their bathing suits - ready for the Miss Camp Karefree Contest. Gussie, one of the "available" girls rushes forward and shows Chick that she has no ring on her finger. He asks her out and plans on cheering for her in the contest. Teddy, acting on an impulse, rushes off to change into her bathing suit telling Pinky that he can present her in the contest. This perfect for now Pinky can go and make his move on Teddy. Things are looking up! ("Summer Afternoon")

At the lakefront, the beauty contest happens, and Pinky naturally picks Teddy to be the winner. He shows her the gorgeous new prize dress. In return, she gives him a kiss, and in a jealous fit, Chick paints a red line from Pinky's face down his body. Kandel has Chick restrained and threatens to fire him. Pinky delights in watching this happen to Chick and laughs. Teddy, not knowing what to do, just starts to cry.

ACT II

The act opens the evening after the beauty contest with the camp sitting around a campfire singing "Where Did the Night Go?" Fay returns to tell Pinky that Teddy won't meet him. She's too ashamed of the way things have gone. She's been talking to her mother in New York, and Fay suspects that she might be leaving the camp quite soon. Pinky says that if someone led the group in a nice loud song, he's certain that Teddy would probably come and join them. The logical choice for that is Itchy who leads the group in a rousing number that he also hopes will bring Fay back to him. ("Don Jose") Unfortunately, Fay ends up kissing Muscles at the end of the song. Itchy has a jealous fight with Muscles over Fay with her stuck in the middle. She breaks up the fight. Chick returns to apologize to Pinky though there still is a great deal of tension between the two of them. Fay passes drinks to around to the fighting men and tells them just to get along. ("Everybody Love Everybody") Everyone sings, dances and hugs with each other. Fay ultimately swooning from Itchy's kisses. When Teddy's name is called over the P.A. to come and get her long distance call, Chick is prompted by Pinky to stand up and sing "Wish You Were Here" when they see Teddy making her way to the camp office to accept the phone call. Teddy enters the scene and sees Chick though the two don't speak. Gussie quickly laps up Chick when he finishes singing and Pinky tries to get Teddy drunk and take her back to his cabin. Before anything more happens, it starts raining and everyone runs for cover.

Back in Pinky's cabin, Teddy has stopped for an umbrella though Pinky has ideas of his own. He spikes Teddy's drink and attempts to take advantage of her. ("Relax") Itchy comes over to talk with Pinky and a panicked Teddy hides in the bathroom while Itchy attempts to get rid of Itchy. By the time Itchy leaves, Teddy has emerged from the bathroom with an empty glass and also wearing the sexy dress she won in the beauty contest. Chick enters the bunk with Teddy's engagement ring, which he tries to force on her finger. If she's an engaged woman, she better start acting like one! She tells him to leave and mind his own business. He does. Pinky prepares to take her to bed; unfortunately, while he's in the bathroom getting changed, she passes out on the bed and falls asleep. Pinky, not knowing what else to do, takes the engagement ring from the night table and slips it on the sleeping Teddy's hand.

The next morning outside the social hall, Herman Fabricant has returned to bring his young bride-to-be home. No one seems to know where Teddy is, and Herman is not too happy about this. Itchy and Marvin are bemoaning the fact that their girlfriends are nowhere to be found. They then realize that, in actuality, they've been out all night dancing to Be-Bop records in the music library. Fay and some of the other kids enter dancing like "cool cats." ("Where Did the Night Go?" Be-bop Version)

Muscles takes the kids off to play basketball, and Teddy Enters to find Herman looking for her. It appears that even though nothing happened between Teddy and Pinky, Pinky is out accepting congratulations for his conquest. Even though this "loose behavior" is something he shouldn't accept, Herman is ready to forgive and forget and take Teddy back to New York where the two can get married marry her and he'll treat her like a queen. Herman goes to get the car.

Itchy returns to tell everyone that he's not even Boat Boy anymore. It appears that he forgot to tie up the boats last night during the storm and they all floated away. Teddy spots Chick escorting a new girl to her cabin and informs him that she's leaving. He's rather aloof, but polite. Itchy, overhearing the conversation, chastises Teddy for not putting up a fight. Chick doesn't even know the truth about what happened between her and Pinky. Itchy wants her to go over to the big camp basketball game and make Pinky, the referee, tell the truth. Teddy is flattered that Itchy cares so much. His kind words really give her a lift. ("Flattery") Finally, Teddy gives in and decides to go over to the basketball game and at least put up a fight.

The basketball game has the camp (Muscles' team) playing against the waiters (Chick's team). Itchy arrives and disrupts the game so badly that Muscles declares the game officially over. Teddy confronts Pinky and asks him why he's telling everyone she succumbed to him last night. He claims that he did no such thing; however, the rest of the camp is having a great time insinuating that Teddy is now a loose woman. Pinky resists since he is known as "thousand percent Harris" as far as women go. So all right nothing happened between him and Teddy. But don't let anyone know! Herman hears all this and is relieved that Teddy is not "loose." Teddy gives a kiss to Chick and gets in the car and leaves. It's obvious that she doesn't want to go. She drives off with Herman; however, Chick does nothing to stop her.

A frustrated Muscles quits his job and leaves on the spot. Kandel panics! Who's going to run the camp? Itchy, of course! Itchy immediately organizes everyone to dance. Suddenly, Herman enters with two suitcases which he lays down. Teddy runs to Chick and falls into his arms. Before Herman goes, however, he gives Chick the engagement ring, which Chick slips on Teddy's finger. (Reprise: "Wish You Were Here")

Song List

• Overture
• Camp Kare-Free Song
• Goodbye Love
• Ballad of a Social Director
• Shopping Around
• Mix and Mingle
• Could Be
• Tripping the Light Fantastic
• Where Did The Night Go
• Certain Individuals
• They Won't Know Me
• Summer Afternoon
• Don Jose of Far Rockaway
• Everybody Love Everybody
• Wish You Were Here
• Relax Flattery
• Finale

Cast List

Jack Cassidy, Sammy Smith, Harry Clark, Patricia Marand, Paul Valentine, Sidney Armus, Sheila Bond, John Perkins

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Added: Mon Apr 11 2005
Last Modified: Wed Nov 15 2006

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