# Shinbone Alley > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Shinbone_Alley > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Shinbone_Alley.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinbone_Alley > Source revision: 1323505643 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{For|the film|Shinbone Alley (film)}} {{For|the song by Spin Doctors|Pocket Full of Kryptonite}} {{Infobox musical |name= Shinbone Alley |subtitle= |image= ShinboneAlley1.jpg |image_size= 150px |caption= |music= [George Kleinsinger](/source/George_Kleinsinger) |lyrics= [Joe Darion](/source/Joe_Darion) |book= [Joe Darion](/source/Joe_Darion)
[Mel Brooks](/source/Mel_Brooks) |basis= [Don Marquis](/source/Don_Marquis)'s ''[New York Tribune](/source/New_York_Tribune)'' columns ''[Archy and Mehitabel](/source/Archy_and_Mehitabel)'' |productions= 1957 Broadway
1960 US television
2005 Melbourne, Australia |awards= }} '''''Shinbone Alley''''' (sometimes performed as '''''archy & mehitabel'''''{{cite web |url=http://www.entertainmentdepot.com.au/news/2005/page/17/ |title=Entertainment News: ''archy & mehitabel'' (November 28–30, 2005) |publisher=Entertainmentdepot.com.au |access-date=March 18, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721075644/http://www.entertainmentdepot.com.au/news/2005/page/17/ |archive-date=July 21, 2011 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.magnormos.com/mtrp_shows_archyandmehitabel.htm|title=''archy & mehitabel'' (November 28–30, 2005)|publisher=Magnormos.com|access-date=March 18, 2010|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303190726/http://www.magnormos.com/mtrp_shows_archyandmehitabel.htm|url-status=dead}}) is a [musical](/source/musical_theatre) with a book by [Joe Darion](/source/Joe_Darion) and [Mel Brooks](/source/Mel_Brooks), lyrics by Darion, and music by [George Kleinsinger](/source/George_Kleinsinger). Based on the album ''Archy and Mehitabel: A Back-Alley Opera'', which in turn was based on ''[archy and mehitabel](/source/Archy_and_Mehitabel)'', a series of ''[New York Tribune](/source/New_York_Tribune)'' columns by [Don Marquis](/source/Don_Marquis) (illustrated by [Krazy Kat](/source/Krazy_Kat) author [George Herriman](/source/George_Herriman)), it focuses on [poet](/source/poet)ic [cockroach](/source/cockroach) Archy (who wasn't strong enough to depress the typewriter's shift-key), [alley cat](/source/Feral_cat) Mehitabel, and her relationships with theatrical cat Tyrone T. Tattersall and tomcat Big Bill, under the watchful eye of the newspaperman, the voice-over narrator and only human being in the show.{{Cite web|last=John|title=Photos From 'archy and mehitabel' (1954) {{!}} Don Marquis|date=2 February 2013 |url=http://donmarquis.com/photos-from-archy-and-mehitabel-1954/|access-date=2021-12-02|language=en-US}} ==Productions and background== The project began in 1954 as a [Columbia Records](/source/Columbia_Records) [concept album](/source/concept_album) with Marquis' original title, featuring [Eddie Bracken](/source/Eddie_Bracken), [Carol Channing](/source/Carol_Channing), and [David Wayne](/source/David_Wayne). That same year a concert version was presented by the [Little Orchestra Society](/source/Little_Orchestra_Society) at [The Town Hall](/source/The_Town_Hall_(New_York_City)) in [New York City](/source/New_York_City). With an expanded book, the addition of several lengthy [ballet](/source/ballet) sequences, and a cast of animal characters, the rechristened ''Shinbone Alley'' preceded ''[Cats](/source/Cats_(musical))'' by a couple of decades and was a precursor of the far more successful [Andrew Lloyd Webber](/source/Andrew_Lloyd_Webber) hit. It was one of the first [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre) shows to feature a fully integrated cast. The original Shinbone Alley was in Manhattan.{{cite web|url=https://forgotten-ny.com/index.php/2007/04/05/love-jones/|title=LOVEJONES|date=April 5, 2007|website=Forgotten New York|access-date=November 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119184435/https://forgotten-ny.com/index.php/2007/04/05/love-jones/|archive-date=November 19, 2020|url-status=live}} With neither an out-of-town tryout nor a preview period, the Broadway production opened on April 13, 1957, at [The Broadway Theatre](/source/The_Broadway_Theatre), and closed on May 25, 1957, after 49 performances. Following "creative differences" with the writers and producers, original director [Norman Lloyd](/source/Norman_Lloyd) requested that his name be removed from the credits. The production was supervised by Sawyer Falk and [choreographed](/source/choreographed) by Joe and Rod Alexander, with production design by Eldon Elder, costumes by [Motley](/source/Motley), and lighting by [Tharon Musser](/source/Tharon_Musser). The cast featured Bracken, reprising his role as archy, [Eartha Kitt](/source/Eartha_Kitt) as mehitabel, [Erik Rhodes](/source/Erik_Rhodes_(actor%2C_born_1906)) as tyrone, and [George S. Irving](/source/George_S._Irving) as big bill. Supporting players included [Cathryn Damon](/source/Cathryn_Damon), [Jacques d'Amboise](/source/Jacques_d'Amboise_(dancer)), [Ross Martin](/source/Ross_Martin), [Lillian Hayman](/source/Lillian_Hayman), and [Allegra Kent](/source/Allegra_Kent). Relative newcomer [Chita Rivera](/source/Chita_Rivera) was Kitt's standby. The show's sole [Tony Award](/source/Tony_Award) nomination was for Best Costume Design. In lieu of a [cast album](/source/cast_album) recorded in a studio, a tape of a live performance was transferred to [acetate](/source/Acetate_disc) and released on the [Legend](/source/Legend_Recordings) label. In 2005 the musical had its Australian premiere in Melbourne, under the name ''archy & mehitabel''. Produced by [Magnormos](/source/Magnormos), it was directed by Aaron Joyner and starred [Jane Badler](/source/Jane_Badler) in the role of mehitabel, and Michael Lindner as archy. The "Musicals Tonight!" series presented a staged concert version in November 2006 in New York City.{{cite web|url=http://www.musicalstonight.org/ARCHshinbonealley.html |title=''Shinbone Alley'' |publisher=musicalstonight.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404212139/http://www.musicalstonight.org/ARCHshinbonealley.html |archive-date=4 April 2016}} ===Current licensing=== Licensing and performance rights are being held by Music Theatre International, under the ''archy & mehitabel'' title.{{cite web|url=https://www.mtishows.com/show_detail.asp?showid=000008|title=Archy & Mehitabel|date=September 16, 2015|website=MTIShows.com|access-date=August 20, 2017}} ==Film and TV adaptations== On May 16, 1960, an abridged version of the musical was broadcast under the original title ''archy & mehitabel''{{cite web|url=http://imdb.com/title/tt0675368/ |title=''archy and mehitabel'' |year=1960 |publisher=Imdb.com |access-date=March 18, 2010}} as part of the [syndicated](/source/Broadcast_syndication) TV [anthology series](/source/anthology_series) ''[Play of the Week](/source/The_Play_of_the_Week)'' presented by [David Susskind](/source/David_Susskind). The cast included Bracken, [Tammy Grimes](/source/Tammy_Grimes), and [Jules Munshin](/source/Jules_Munshin).[http://www.donmarquis.com/archy/ "archy and mehitabel"] donmarquis.com, retrieved March 18, 2010 Bracken and Channing reunited to provide the voices for the [Allied Artists](/source/Allied_Artists_Pictures_Corporation) animated feature film in 1971, ''[Shinbone Alley](/source/Shinbone_Alley_(film))'', directed by [John David Wilson](/source/John_David_Wilson) for [Fine Arts Films](/source/Fine_Arts_Films).{{cite book |last1=Lenburg |first1=Jeff |title=The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons |date=1999 |publisher=Checkmark Books |isbn=0-8160-3831-7 |access-date=6 June 2020 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780816038312/page/204/mode/2up |page=204}} == Casts == {| class="wikitable" |+ ! !Broadway (1957) !Television Special (1960) !Film Version (1971) !Australia (2005) !Musicals Tonight! (2006) |- !'''archy''' | style="text-align:center;" colspan="3" | [Eddie Bracken](/source/Eddie_Bracken) |style="text-align:center;" | Michael Lindner | style="text-align:center;" | Lee Zarrett |- !'''mehitabel''' | style="text-align:center;" | [Eartha Kitt](/source/Eartha_Kitt) | style="text-align:center;" | [Tammy Grimes](/source/Tammy_Grimes) | style="text-align:center;" | [Carol Channing](/source/Carol_Channing) |style="text-align:center;" | [Jane Badler](/source/Jane_Badler) | style="text-align:center;" | Allyson Tucker |- !'''Big Bill''' | style="text-align:center;" | [George S. Irving](/source/George_S._Irving) | style="text-align:center;" | Michael Kermoyan | style="text-align:center;" | [Alan Reed](/source/Alan_Reed) |style="text-align:center;" | [Matt Hetherington](/source/Matt_Hetherington) | style="text-align:center;" | Trent Armand Kendall |- !'''Tyrone T. Tattersall''' | style="text-align:center;" | [Erik Rhodes](/source/Erik_Rhodes_(actor%2C_born_1906)) | style="text-align:center;" | [Jules Munshin](/source/Jules_Munshin) | style="text-align:center;" | [John Carradine](/source/John_Carradine) |style="text-align:center;" | David Gauci | style="text-align:center;" | Justin Sayre |- !'''The Newspaperman''' | style="text-align:center;" | [Julian Barry](/source/Julian_Barry) | style="text-align:center;" | [Quentin Reynolds](/source/Quentin_Reynolds) | style="text-align:center;" | [Byron Kane](/source/Byron_Kane) |style="text-align:center;" | [Robert Grubb](/source/Robert_Grubb) | |- !'''Rusty''' | style="text-align:center;" | [Cathryn Damon](/source/Cathryn_Damon) | style="text-align:center;" | [Sondra Lee](/source/Sondra_Lee) | colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="grey" | |- !'''Broadway''' |[ style="text-align:center;" | [Ross Martin](/source/Ross_Martin) | colspan="4" align="center" bgcolor="grey" | |} ==Songs== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} ;Act I * Dance of the Cockroach - archy * What Do We Care? - mehitabel and Ensemble * Toujours Gai - mehitabel * Queer Little Insect - mehitabel and archy * Big Bill - Big Bill and Girls * True Romance - mehitabel and Big Bill * The Lightning Bug Song - archy * I Gotta Be - Broadway and archy * Dog And Cat Ballet - Ensemble * Flotsam and Jetsam - archy and mehitabel * Come to Mee-ow - Tyrone T. Tattersall * Suicide Song - archy * Shinbone Alley - Big Bill and Company{{col-break}} ;Act II * The Moth Song - archy * Vacant Lot Ballet - Ensemble * A Woman Wouldn't Be A Woman - mehitabel and Ensemble * The Lullaby - mehitabel and Girls * Mehitabel's A House Cat - archy, Big Bill, Tyrone T. Tattersall * Pretty Kitty - mehitabel and Girls * Be a Pussycat - mehitabel * The Lady Bug Song - Lady Bugs * Flotsam and Jetsam (Reprise) - archy and mehitabel * Shinbone Alley Finale - Company {{col-end}} ==Notes== {{reflist}} ==References== * Mandelbaum, Ken. ''Not Since Carrie: Forty Years of Broadway Musical Flops''. St. Martin's Press (1991), {{ISBN|0-312-06428-4}}, pp. 301–303 ==External links== {{Commons category|Shinbone Alley (Manhattan)}} * {{ibdb title|id=2622|title=Shinbone Alley}} * {{IMDb title|qid=Q7497281|id=tt0067749|title=Shinbone Alley}} * {{tcmdb title|id=89934|title=Shinbone Alley}} {{Mel Brooks}} {{Cockroach}} Category:1957 musicals Category:Broadway musicals Category:Musicals by Mel Brooks Category:Adaptations of works by Don Marquis --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Shinbone Alley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinbone_Alley) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinbone_Alley?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.