Browse The Musicals
# - A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

Strike Up The Band

1927 Version

Book by George S. Kaufman
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Music by George Gershwin
Opened September 5, 1927 at the Shubert Theater, Philadelphia

1930 Version

Book by Morrie Ryskind
Based on an earlier script for the same show by George S. Kaufman
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Music by George Gershwin
Opened January 14, 1930 at the Times Square Theatre and ran for 191 performances

Synopsis

ACT I, SCENE 1
A group of factory workers at Horace J. Fletcher's American Cheese Company in Hurray, Connecticut sing Fletcher's American Cheese Choral Society," a satiric comment on the virtues of singing at the start of every work day. They explain that management encourages them to vocalize every morning on the theory "if we're happy, work is snappy." They are joined by their foreman, Timothy Harper, their manager, C. Edgar Sloane, and the company's owner, Horace J. Fletcher, who insist the workers are "contented as cows" to be working for such a grand institution that nourishes humanity.
After the workers leave, Mr. Fletcher tells Harper and Sloane how excited he is by the 50 percent tariff that the President of the United States has just imposed on every pound of imported cheese. They recount the wonderful events taking place around the country to commemorate National Cheese Week. They recall Mr. Fletcher began the company with only a pound of cheese.
Harper leaves to urge the workers on to increase production. Sloane demands Mr. Fletcher encourage his daughter Joan to become Sloane's wife; otherwise Sloane intends to reveal some information about Mr. Fletcher's evasion of income taxes.
Mrs. Draper, a society woman, and her daughter, Anne, appear as Mr. Fletcher orders Sloane out of his sight. Mrs. Draper wants to start the City Air Movement for Country Children, a fund to send poor country children to the city for two weeks every summer. She has an obvious romantic interest in Mr. Fletcher, and her attention makes him very nervous. He leads her off for a tour of the factory. Anne and the factory foreman, Timothy Harper, embrace frantically and kiss. They are madly in love, but her mother has forbidden her to see him. Anne suggests they get married before she becomes an old hag. They sing "Seventeen and Twenty-One," recalling their meeting, and lamenting how quickly they are aging.
After Timothy and Anne leave, Sloane appears to tell Mr. Fletcher Switzerland is protesting the new tariff on imported cheese. Sloane is dispatched to find the President's confidential adviser, Colonel Holmes, and enlist him in the fight to maintain the tariff. Joan Fletcher appears and demands her father call and reprimand a reporter from the local paper for writing a derogatory story about her. The reporter, Jim Townsend, enters to get information about the cheese tariff story. Anne runs out before he sees her. Mr. Fletcher suggests Jim wait for Colonel Holmes to arrive. He shares his life story, "A Typical Self-Made American," with Jim.
Joan confronts Jim, who admits writing the negative newspaper article to force her to pay attention to him. He says he couldn't help himself; it was spring outside and he had to react ("Meadow Serenade").
George Spelvin, a stranger dressed in a workman's uniform and carrying a box of tools, enters. He says he has come to repair the telephone. His actions are highly unusual; soon he and Mr. Fletcher, who has never seen him before, are laughing together and tearing up business letters. When Mr. Fletcher is called away, Spelvin begins to act furtive. Mrs. Draper and Anne enter. Mrs. Draper and Spelvin appear to recognize each other, as Sloane races on with a group of workers. They announce the appearance of Colonel Holmes and his Marine escort with the song "The Unofficial Spokesman," which explains Holmes's source of power is his refusal to say anything.
SCENE 2
Holmes and Fletcher are in Fletcher's private office, discussing the importance of maintaining the cheese tariff. Holmes agrees a war might do the trick and would also give him the material for a book. Mr. Fletcher agrees to pay for the war and give the government 25 percent of the profits. Holmes agrees to name the conflict the Horace J. Fletcher Memorial War.
SCENE 3
A few weeks later, outside the Fletcher home, the Chorus sings "Patriotic Rally," explaining they are now Fletcher's Get-Ready-For-War Choral Society. Mr. Fletcher introduces Timothy Harper as the Captain of the troops and Colonel Holmes urges the them on to victory over Switzerland. Everyone marches off to await Switzerland's response to a series of American demands.
Joan Fletcher and Jim Townsend enter. Jim confesses he is against the war because he hates cheese. Joan says the man she loves would be proud to go to war. When Jim asks if there is such a man, she replies by singing "The Man I Love." He joins her in the song and they confess their love for one another. He agrees to go to war for her. Joan leaves and Sloane appears. He informs Jim he intends to marry Joan. They leave as Timothy and Anne enter, arguing. She wants to get married before he leaves for the war. Spelvin appears and leads the chorus in "Yankee Doodle Rhythm."
After the crowd disperses, Mrs. Draper and Mr. Holmes meet. They get drunk together. He begins spilling confidential information to her. Mr. Fletcher enters. Holmes leaves and Mrs. Draper confesses her feelings for Mr. Fletcher ("Seventeen and Twenty-One Reprise").
Jim tastes some of Fletcher's cheese, and tells Joan he can't go to war to defend it because it is made with Grade B milk. The crowd enters and Mr. Fletcher announces the final insult to the Uinted States. Switzerland has spelled America with a small a. In "Finaletto: Act I," Jim tries to alert the crowd to the Fletcher's cheese is an inferior product. A heated argument ensues. When a red light flashes to indicate war has been declared, the crowd turns on Jim. They discover he is wearing a Swiss watch and order him arrested as a spy.
After the crowd marches off, the Very Patriotic League, which consists of Mr. Fletcher, Sloane, Colonel Holmes, and Mrs. Draper, meets. They wear small hoods resembinge those worn by the K.K.K. They decree anyone who doesn't go to war has to be twice as patriotic as anyone who does. They decide everyone at home should save cheese wrappers. They agree to get rid of all "dangerous" references to Switzerland such as "Swiss Family Robinson." A telegram arrives announcing Iceland is declaring war on both sides. The Swiss want to hold the war in Switzerland. The League considers the advantages of having the war on American soil like the Civil War. They agree holding it in Switzerland will be great for tourism and plan to get D.W. Griffith, an important film director, to stage the battle. They decide to procure some great battle music from a popular composer. The League tries Jim and decides to force him to fight. Anne runs in to announce the arrival of the troops with Timothy at their head. The men march off singing "Strike Up The Band"; Mr. Fletcher announces Joan's engagement to Sloane.
ACT II
Scene 1 takes place someplace in Switzerland. Against a background of bloody battle music and gunfire, we see a group of soldiers sitting on rocking chairs on a hotel lawn. They are knitting. Joined by a chorus of Swiss girls, they sing "Oh, This Is Such A Lovely War," a satirical description of their military life, which includes tea with their officers and sleeping in feather beds.
Timothy Harper, who leads the soldiers, warns them that Mr. Fletcher is about to appear with the Board of Directors of the war and a group of tourists. The group includes Colonel Holmes, Sloane, Mrs. Draper, Anne, Joan and The Fletcher's-Come-Look-At-The-War Choral Society. Fletcher asks Tim to supply a bit of war action to make the tourists happy. Jim appears in uniform (he wears a Kicthen Police armband). Sloane humiliates Jim in front of Joan, much to her distress.
Mr. Fletcher complains to Timothy the war is a disaster and has left him broke. He demands to know why there is no war for the tourists to see. Timothy says they can't find the enemy. Holmes and Fletcher insist Timothy start selling American supplies to the Swiss army to make a profit because the Americans aren't buying enough. They also plead for "even a little" battle. Fletcher tells Holmes he is running out of money and asks if the United States could loan him some. Holmes admits the President doesn't even know the war in Switzerland is going on.
Fletcher recruits the mysterious Spelvin to be a General, and orders him to win the war. General Spelvin goes off to look for his army. Joan and Jim share their sadness over the path their lives have taken because of Jim's need to stand up for his ideals ("Hoping That Someday You'd Care").
General Spelvin meets some soldiers who complain about the quality of the desserts - and the fact the buttons are being cut off their coats. They march off as Mrs. Draper enters. Spelvin says she reminds him of an exotic dancer he once knew and encourages her to dance for the troops instead of reciting inspirational poetry to them. She is awkwardly trying to dance when Anne appears. Mrs. Draper, who doesn't think she can catch a man if she is a grandmother, makes Anne promise not to get married before she does. Anne then tries to play matchmaker for her mother with Colonel Holmes by suggesting Mrs. Draper is wealthy. Timothy appears and complains about life in the Army ("Military Dancing Drill").

Joan tells her father she can't marry Sloane; she loves Jim. Mr. Fletcher says unless they proceed as planned, the war will fail. Jim tries to tell Mr. Fletcher how to end the war, but is ignored. Mrs. Draper appears and tries to seduce Mr. Fletcher. He is avoiding her as Colonel Holmes enters and makes reference to her millions. Suddenly, both Mr. Fletcher and Colonel Holmes are interested in Mrs. Draper. They all sing "How About A Man?"
General Spelvin manages to snip two buttons off of Sloane's coat. Jim tells Spelvin to yodel and deceive the Swiss army into thinking they are being called home to lunch; then the enemy can be engaged. Sloane and Jim have a confrontation. Jim calls everyone onto the stage. He displays the buttons Sloan has been cutting off the American uniforms ("Finaletto: Act II"). Everyone demands Jim be taken to the guardhouse for making false accusations as they hear yodels and gunshots. Spelvin appears and announces a yodel won the war. Mrs. Draper reveals that she is not rich and is instantly dropped by Mr. Fletcher and Colonel Holmes. Jim marches off - a hero. Ann and Joan, both thwarted in love, offer to shoot each other (Reprise: "The Man I Love").
Scene 2 begins with the soldiers, who are returning to the United States on a ship, singing "Homeward Bound." Mr. Fletcher and Mrs. Draper, both seasick, meet at the ship railing. They fall in love and collapse into each other's arms.
Scene 3 takes place in Mr. Fletcher's ballroom. Everyone is home again. The girls are waiting for the soldiers to return ("The War That Ended War"). Jim and Timothy lead the soldiers into the ballroom. Mr. Fletcher announces his intention to produce cheese in red, white, and blue. He declares Jim a hero. Jim introduces a little old Swiss lady, who identifies Sloane as the head of the Swiss Secret Service. Jim reveals that Spelvin is a member of the American Secret Service. Sloane was cutting the buttons of the soldiers' coats so they would catch pneumonia; he was also guilty of using Grade B milk in Fletcher's cheese. Jim demands Mr. Fletcher agree to a League of Cheeses to prevent further wars and announces his intention to marry Joan.
Holmes appears to announce Russia wants the tariff on caviar cut down. Instantly, the ensemble is declaring its intention to fight ("Finale Ultimo")."

Song List

1927 Song List

ACT ONE

Fletcher's American Cheese Choral Society
Seventeen and Twenty-One
A Typical Self-Made American
Meadow Serenade
The Unofficial Spokesman
Patriotic Rally:
Three Cheers for the Union
This Could Go On For Years
The Man I Love
Yankee Doodle Rhythm
Finaletto Act One:
Stop! What Is This Mischief You're Doing?
He Knows Milk!
Jim, How Could You Do Such A Thing?
This Could Go On For Years (reprise)
Strike Up the Band

ACT TWO

Sitting, Sitting
Oh, This is Such a Lovely War
Hoping That Someday You'd Care
Military Dancing Drill
How About a Man Like Me?
Jim, Consider What You Are Doing!
Homeward Bound
The Girl I Love
The War That Ended War
Finale (Strike Up the Band)

1930 Song List

Act One

Fletcher's American Chocolate Choral Society
I Mean to Say
A Typical Self-Made American
Soon
A Man of High Degree
The Unofficial Spokesman
Patriotic Rally:
Three Cheers for the Union
This Could Go On for Years
If I Became the President
Hangin' Around with You
Finale Act One:
Stop! What Is This Mischief You Are Doing!
He Knows Milk
Jim, Consider What You Are Doing
Strike Up the Band

Act Two

In the Rattle of the Battle
Military Dancing Drill
Mademoiselle in New Rochelle
I've Got a Crush on You
How About a Boy Like Me?
Soldiers' March (Unofficial March of General Holmes)
Official Resume
Ring a Ding a Dong Dell
Finale (Strike Up the Band)

Info

Strike Up The Band had two lives on Broadway. In 1927, the times were not right for this satirical look at World War I and business; a revised script by Morrie Ryskind in 1930 became a smash hit.

Related

George Gershwin Sheet Music

Licensing Agent

Music Theatre International
421 W 54th St New York, NY 10019
212.541.4684
Fax 212.397.4684

Browse The Musicals
# - A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

Home | Licensing Agents | Reviews | Theatre Tickets

Return To Top