City of Angels

by Larry Gelbart

The script to the Tony winning music featuring a book by Larry Gelbart, music by Cy Coleman, and lyrics by David Zippel. The book also includes an introduction by Larry Gelbart, illustrations by Al Hirschfeld, production photographs, and original costume designs. Hardcover.

Genres: Plays, Theatre, Musicals

210 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1990

About the author

Larry Simon Gelbart was an American comedy writer and dramatist.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Everybody's in a movie. Sometimes we just turn the camera on."
A phenomenal read. I went insane trying to find this script and at this point I'm STILL going insane trying to find the original cast video recording. This is my white whale.

The script is so quick and witty in everything it does, whether it be jokes or double entendres. The characters are nicely established and the parallels between the Hollywood scenes and the book scenes are incredibly well done. Additionally, City of Angels is a perfectly executed metafiction. It's a play about writing a play. It's a play about losing yourself. It's a play about the cutthroat dangers of the shadowy streets of 40s L.A and the sin behind silver screen dreams. Gritty and fun, mournful and bitter; City of Angels can do it all. The lyrics and captivating music elevate it to absolute stardom.
I wish that Stone's adventures WERE a real book series, because I would 100% read it to death.

5/5 stars. By far my favourite script. If you're going to listen to ANYTHING I say, if you like introspective private eyes, long-suffering secretaries, meddling producers, envious police officers. If you like sex, violence, mystery, and tennis. If you like parallel costuming and set design, smooth ballads, jazz duets and passionate dialogues: LISTEN TO OR READ CITY OF ANGELS!

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really fun musical. I just re-read it because I plan to direct it this fall. Larry Gelbart does a send-up of 1940s Hollywood in the Film Noir days of Raymond Chandler. We see the writer and producer of the film as we see the film itself. Central is the classic writer's struggle to maintain his personal vision of the novel he is now asked to turn into a movie. His producer director changes the story on a whim, often not bothering to inform his collaborator -- after all it's his movie. The book is well written (better than most musical books) and the music resonant of the jazz of the times. I look forward to my work to bring it to life on the stage.

[Justin Torzala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though not my favorite musically, there are some really great moments in the score with a fairly consistent musical voice throughout. The show is even stronger lyrically. Of course, I think the highest achievement of this musical was its book - extremely clever, complex yet clear, and with themes I connected with. The main character struggles with maintaining his own voice as he converts his book to a screenplay, working against the current of a self-absorbed director. I found that the ending did not read well on the page, thus not making it not very satisfactory for me; perhaps I would appreciate it more on stage.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

the music is the best part but oh my god the wordplay and the 40s theme are both so good. if you're reading this be aware that a lot of characters are really sexist but the women are still badass, it's a great script. also this wasn't the edition i read (mine only had the libretto, it was the red leather cover) but i bet the costumes look great.

[Eva B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the score for City of Angels and also love the concept, so I was very glad to see that the actual script was just as compelling! The split-narrative style is genius, everybody sucks (positive), and Stine's storyline gave me so much Franklin Shepherd energy vis a vie the whole selling out to make money VS sticking to your guns even when it's inconvenient thing.

[Matt Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great music; plot is pretty good, especially how the noir storyline juxtapose with the writer's own life going off the rails. Some problematic stuff with kinda romanticizing having affairs and whatnot, but at least those who did had affairs were punished for it in the plot. Speaking of going off the rails, the plot real gone off right at the very end with some kind deu ex machina + it was all a dream craziness. Not a fan of the ending, but the rest of it was good.

[Marshaferz · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite muscials! It was such a treat to read the script - when you see it ojn stage, the word play gos by so fast that it's hard to appreciate it. This book was worth it for Gelbart's introductory material alone.

[Pablo López · Rating 4 out of 5]

So-so score, but fantastic book of a musical.

[Brian McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glad to revisit this musical after seeing the Original Broadway Cast and listening to its music for three decades!!

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love this show so much, still gutted covid cancelled the london revival :(

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

This doesn't read terribly well on the page, as there are two concurrent stories, one of a mystery writer struggling with the Hollywood system and the other following his detective on a noir adventure. Most of the actors in the show play somewhat equivalent parts in each part of the production. Scenes are quick. That adds up to a script that's a bit hard to follow on the page. Besides, plot isn't so much the point here as style, this is an homage to a genre, complete with a stylish, jazzy score that is catchy and full of clever lyrics.

So I would love to watch, or even better participate in a production of City of Angels, but I don't recommend it as a script to read unless you're exploring it for theatrical purposes. That said, this is one of the shows that most deserve a good revival or at least some quality regional productions.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

All-around smart. Smart story, smart lyrics, smart. One of my favorite musicals.