THE KEWPIE LADY
Book by Max Golightly & Neil K. Newell
Lyrics by Max Golightly, Neil Newell and C. Michael Perry
Music by Neil K. Newell and C. Michael Perry
(For production by Professional Groups, College/University Groups, Community Groups)
A FABULOUSLY TRUE STORY ABOUT ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC WOMEN OF AMERICA
A challenging musical that dramatizes the life of Rose O’Neill, one of America’s most glamorous and eccentric artists and the creator of, among other things, the Kewpie Doll. Her strong family support in the midst of almost overwhelming odds is a testament to the worth and viability of the family unit. Through divorce, death and financial disaster Rose and the O’Neill family weathered the storms of life — together. It wasn’t all bad. There was joy and harmony as well as the despair, among their tribulations. Though enormously wealthy during most of their lives, the O’Neills started with nothing but each other. And they ended with nothing but each other. This is a story for all ages and times.
As if her Kewpie fame was not enough, she was the inspiration for the song, “Rose of Washington Square” (with words by Ballard MacDonald and music by James F. Hanley) which was sung by Fanny Brice in Ziegfeld’s Midnight Frolic in 1920. She was the model for the baby-talking-cartoon character of Betty Boop, and her sweet way with that same baby-talking personality gave Booth Tarkington, a close friend, the idea to immortalize Rose as a character in his novel, “Seventeen.”
She was an artist, illustrator, author and outspoken advocate for women’s rights, being the first American woman (at age 18, even) to ever illustrate for a magazine or newspaper. As a philanthropist, she nurtured new artists and writers of every kind at all of her homes in America and abroad. She was the one-of-a-kind: ROSE!
PLAY DETAILS:
- 9M 5W plus ensemble (Doubling possible)
- Space setting
- 2 hrs
- Order #3007
Available for ALL producing groups. After several productions, this show has been retitled (from Kewpie to Rose) and is now available for your production.
(Leicester Bay Theatricals is acting as AGENT for this musical. It is not considered a PUBLISHED musical, but one that is “in-process”. You will actually be negotiating the rights with the authors themselves, as we at LBT will be referring you to them.)
PERUSAL MATERIALS
- The PERUSAL PAGES file is in PDF format and contains the first half of this musical: ROSE PERUSAL
SONG LIST
- Act One
- MUSICAL #1 — BY ANY OTHER NAME Company
- MUSICAL #2 — BREAD AND CABBAGE DAYS Callista
- MUSICAL #3: WHAT IS IT? Millie, Rose, Office Workers
- MUSICAL #3a WE’LL LIKE IT HERE! Millie, Rose, Office Workers (#3 & #3a)
- MUSICAL #4 TAKE CARE OF THE TINIEST! Rose, Tista, Factory Workers
- MUSICAL #5 –BELLS OF THE HEART Rose
- MUSICAL #6 –NO ROOM FOR FROWNS Rose, Tista, Nurse, Children
- MUSICAL #7 — The Waltz (Orchestra)
- MUSICAL #8 — GREY’S TANGO Rose, Grey, Tista
- MUSICAL #9 IS THAT ASKING TOO MUCH? Callista, Edith
- MUSICAL #10 HERE WE ARE Rose, Harry
- MUSICAL # 11 — Underscore (Orchestra)
- MUSICAL # 11B — The Jig (Orchestra)
- MUSICAL #12 — A LITTLE BIT OF THIS Papa, Rose, Family, Instructors
- MUSICAL # 13 — DIVORCING Rose, Grey
- MUSICAL # 14 — Grey’s Tango Underscore (Orchestra)
- MUSICAL # 15 — WHO’LL TELL ME? Rose
- Act Two
- MUSICAL # 16a — Prelude (Orchestra)
- MUSICAL # 16b — ANOTHER ROSE Callista (sung by Callista and others in this version)
- MUSICAL # 17 — BELLS OF THE HEART (rep) & WE HAVE NOT BEEN FAIR Rose
- MUSICAL # 18 — SWIFT MOMENTS Callista, Rose, Tista, Harry, Gray, Meemie, Poppa
- MUSICAL # 19 — SAD/HAPPINESS SONG Callista, Edith
- MUSICAL # 20 — NO ROOM FOR FROWNS (reprise) Rose, Child, Poppa, Meemie,
- MUSICAL # 21 — FINALE: BY ANY OTHER NAME Edith, Callista & Company
- MUSICAL # 22 — CURTAIN CALL
- MUSICAL # 23 — EXIT MUSIC
SONG SAMPLES (Some demos are from the original workshop production, some are rough author demos)
Here are some of the ORCHESTRAL DEMOS (with the vocal line being included without the lyrics being sung) from the Finale Music Notation Files (a virtual orchestra)
PURCHASE REHEARSAL MATERIALS:
- Performance License Application: No production rights can be granted until this application is filled out and sent to us. This is a filler form that after you click “SUBMIT” will send directly to our email address. Response averages 2-3 business days.
(Any PDF purchased will be emailed to your email address — if you need to provide that to us (not the one on your PayPal account?), email us. CDs will be mailed to a snail mail address. Do not purchase rehearsal materials or pay for royalties until you have performance clearance.)
- DEMO CD — 12 songs on CD – Order #3007f : $6.00 (includes postage to your destination)
- Script in PDF format — Order #3007a : $25.00 (from which you will be authorized to copy for your production)
- Vocal Book in PDF format — Order #3007b : $15.00 (from which you will be authorized to copy for your production)
- Piano-Vocal Score in PDF format — Order #3007c : $30.00 (from which you will be authorized to copy for your production)
- First Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3007d : Royalty terms quoted on application.
- Second Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3007e : Royalty terms quoted on application.
- Professional Royalties will be quoted upon application.
PRODUCTIONS
- Brigham Young University — 1986 (as “Kewpie!”)
- Premiered at The SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre — 1986 (as “Kewpie!”)
Max Chatterton Golightly, longtime friend, professor, mentor and collaborator passed away in 1996.
We miss you Max!
BILLING CREDITS
The following is how the credits should read in all programs, posters, fliers, handbills and other promotional advertising for the show:
ROSE
The Musical Story of Rose O’Neill
“The Kewpie Lady”
Book by
Neil K. Newell and Max C. Golightly
Lyrics by
Max C. Golightly, C. Michael Perry and Neil K. Newell
Music by
C. Michael Perry & Neil K. Newell
NOTE: The names of the Playwright(s), Composer, Lyricist, and Bookwriter shall be equal in size, type, coloring, boldness, and prominence. No billing shall appear in type larger or more prominent than the billing to the Authors except for the title of the play. (In a press release all type, will of course, be the same size.)
ALSO:
THIS NOTICE MUST APPEAR IN ALL PROGRAMS, ON ALL POSTERS AND PUBLICITY MATERIALS AND INTERNET ADVERTISING/WEBPAGES FOR THE PLAY:
“Rose is presented through special arrangement with Leicester Bay Theatricals. All authorized materials are also supplied by LBT, www.leicesterbaytheatricals.com”
From the catalog of
