On the Twentieth Century

On the Twentieth Century, was a Broadway musical with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and music by Cy Coleman, directed by Hal Prince. It opened in 1978 and starred Imogene Coca, John Cullum, Madeline Kahn, and Kevin Kline.

It was an adapation of a story first presented in Charles Bruce Millholland's play Napoleon of Broadway, based on his experiences working for the theater producer David Belasco. This was adapted by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur as the play Twentieth Century, which was produced and directed on Broadway in 1932 by George Abbott.

The plot, a screwball comedy, features an egomaniacal Broadway producer who makes a shopgirl into a star, then tries to win her back after she abandons him. Most of the action takes place aboard the New York City-Chicago train known as The Twentieth Century Limited.

The play was adapted by Hecht and MacArthur (credited) and by Gene Fowler and Preston Sturges (uncredited) for Howard Hawks's 1934 film, Twentieth Century, which starred John Barrymore and Carole Lombard.

Opening Night Cast

• Imogene Coca as Letitia Primrose
• John Cullum as Oscar Jaffee
• Madeline Kahn as Mildred Plotka aka Lily Garland
• George Lee Andrews as Max Jacobs
• Tom Batten as Conductor Flanagan
• Willi Burke as Imelda
• Mel Johnson, Jr. as a Redcap
• Judy Kaye as Agnes
• Kevin Kline as Bruce Granit
• Craig Lucas as Male Singer

For portions of the run, Betty Comden replaced Imogene Coca as Letitia Primrose, and Judy Kaye replaced Madeleine Kahn as Lily Garland.

The production won the Tony Awards for book and score.

Musical Numbers:

1. "Overture"

Act I

1. "Stranded Again"
2. "Saddle Up the Horse"
3. "On the Twentieth Century"
4. "I Rise Again"
5. "Veronique"
6. "I Have Written a Play"
7. "Together"
8. "Never"
9. "Our Private World"
10. "Repent"
11. "Mine"
12. "I've Got it All"
13. "On the Twentieth Century" (reprise)

ACT II

1. "Entr'acte: Life is Like a Train"
2. "Five Zeros"
3. "Sextet"
4. "She's a Nut"
5. "Babbette"
6. "The Legacy"
7. "Lily, Oscar"
8. "On the Twentieth Century" (reprise)