Fiorello!

by Jerome Weidman, George Abbott, Sheldon Harnick (lyrics)

The script to the delightful 1959 musical Fiorello!

Genres: Plays, Drama

147 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Jerome Weidman was an American playwright and novelist. He collaborated with George Abbott on the book for the musical Fiorello! with music by Jerry Bock, and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. All received the 1960 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the work.

Reviews

[Pablo López · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly, really smart and deep script, considering this musical is from the early Golden Age of the musical comedy. It follows in the steps of Rodgers & Hammerstein of building a story and THEN writing the songs, because they really do complement eachother. It also has a really fun, old-timey, score!

[Anna Muthalaly · Rating 2 out of 5]

You think “this is fine I guess for such an old musical?” And then you realize west side story is even older

The songs are, to a modern listener, totally forgettable, except for one hilarious one about how sad falling in love with a cop is because you know he lacks an honest profession.

I learned, some? About Fiorello la guardia’s life pre election to Mayor, and I got a vague sense of his honesty and what he was up against in terms of New York corruption/tammany hall, but I think Columbia just picked this because it dealt with the slimy back rooms Columbia people find themselves in. I did not find this a memorable piece of theatre, tho I mean, it’s readable

This is the 36th play I read in my quest to conquer the Pulitzer Prize for drama