Guys and Dolls. (A Musical Fable of Broadway). Based on a Story and Characters by Damon Runyon.

LOESSER, Frank; Jo Swerling; Abe Burrows.

Published by New York: Music Theatre, Inc., [c.1950]

About this Item

An undated rehearsal script issued by Music Theatre, Inc. Now known as Music Theatre International, the licensing agency was founded in 1952 by Frank Loesser and the orchestrator Don Walker. The script presented here has a few textual differences from the version currently distributed. For example, Sarah Brown's first line, as printed here, immediately introduces the locale of Damon Runyon's New York: "Brothers and sisters, I am standing here, in the Devil's own city, on the Devil's own street, prepared to do battle with the forces of evil. Hear me, you gamblers!" The revised version centres first on Sarah's religious convictions: "Brothers and sisters, resist the Devil and he will flee from you. That is what the Bible tells us. And that is why I am standing here, in the Devil's own city." The show opened on Broadway on 24 November 1950. It ran for 1,200 performances and won five Tony Awards, including the award for Best Musical. The film version starring Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, and Jean Simmons was released in 1955. Quarto. Original light purple wrappers, front wrapper lettered in black, mimeographed leaves comprising title page, cast list, musical numbers, synopsis of scenes, 104 leaves of book and lyrics printed on rectos only, together with 14 additional leaves, comprising "Working Prop Plot" and "Costume Plot", three punched holes secured by split pins. Playbill (2 copies) for original Broadway Production at 46th Street Theatre loosely inserted. Housed in a custom red cloth folding box. Slight toning to extremities of wrappers: a near-fine copy.

Seller Inventory # 190449

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Guys and Dolls. (A Musical Fable of Broadway). Based on a Story and Characters by Damon Runyon.
• Publisher: New York: Music Theatre, Inc., [c.1950]