Welcome to a new Wildcard Wednesday! This week I’m offering a sort of bonus Musical Theatre Monday, by recognizing Max Shulman — creator of the series we’re currently discussing on Sitcom Tuesdays — with one of the musicals for which he wrote the book: How Now, Dow Jones (1967), which claimed a score by Elmer Bernstein and Carolyn Leigh and a wacky plot about a stock announcer who purposely calls an increased Dow Jones Industrial Average to force her longterm fiancé to finally wed her (now that she’s secretly gotten pregnant with another man’s child). Good musical comedy fun, right? Well… it’s odd, but not terrible. In fact, here’s an an excerpt from an audio of the original Broadway production, likely during previews — Tony Roberts and company with the score’s biggest hit, “Step To The Rear.”
I’m offering access to that audio (mostly “songs only”) to subscribers who comment below to alert me of their interest, along with a copy of Shulman’s libretto. Just let me know!
Stay tuned for more Dobie Gillis and a new Wildcard Wednesday! And in two weeks, another Musical Theatre rarity!