Description

Comden, Betty and Adolph Green. Bells are Ringing. (Random House: New York, 1957)

12mo. vii, 177 pages. illustrated. Hardbound in a dark-grey tweed cloth. Photo of Judy Holliday (with tiny corner clipped) onlaid in panel on front cover with Random House logo and “A Random House Play”. Spine has gilt authors and publisher with title paneled in gilt surrounded black box.

Condition: No DJ. VG boards with shadow of something (likely a newspaper clipping) and signature of previous owner (Herbert A. Cooper) and gift stamp “A Gift In Memory of Herbert A. Cooper”, as well as previous pricing on front endpapers (see photo) and previous pricing on rear free endpaper. Otherwise, VG with minor toning to paper.

“The original Broadway production, directed by Jerome Robbins and choreographed by Robbins and Bob Fosse, opened on November 29, 1956 at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran for slightly more than two years before transferring to the Alvin Theatre, for a total run of 924 performances. It starred Judy Holliday as Ella and Sydney Chaplin as Jeff Moss.^[1] It also featured Jean Stapleton as Sue Summers, Eddie Lawrence as Sandor, George S. Irving, Jack Weston, Peter Gennaro, and Donna Sanders. Scenic and Costume design was by Raoul Pène Du Bois and the lighting design was by Peggy Clark. During her vacation, Holliday was replaced briefly by Betty Garrett. The original cast album was released by Columbia Records. In the film adaptation of the same name, released by MGM, Holliday reprised her role as Ella.”

This musical was nominated for four Tony awards and received two in 1957.