An American In Paris is the new Tony Award®-winning musical about an American soldier, a mysterious French girl and an indomitable European city, each yearning for a new beginning in the aftermath of war.
Most people readily associate An American in Paris with the music titans and brothers, George and Ira Gershwin. In the production playing at Walton Arts Center, acclaimed director/choreographer, Christopher Wheeldon combines the romance of Paris in perfect harmony with unforgettable songs from the duo with a message of love, hope and s'wonderful to come. The stage performance will give you all the feels as you listen to the music and experience the timeless tale of An American in Paris.
But here are a few things that you might not know about the show.
- Before it was a movie or Broadway play, An American in Paris was a part of George Gershwin's 1928 jazz suite.
- The score was originally imagined as a ballet and after a few attempts to spark a performance, MGM purchased the rights to Gershwin's hit and built a film around.
- Partnering with director Vincente Minnelli, producer Arthur Freed and the film's star and choreographer, Gene Kelly, Ira Gershwin aided the movie's concept to honor his brother who had passed away 14 years earlier.
- A special moment within the film and Broadway performance is the moonlit scene of "Our Love is Here to Stay," where Jerry sings to Lise as they fall in love along the Seine River. This song was George Gershwin's final composition before his passing.
“★★★★★! I would beg, borrow or steal to see it all again. This is a complete rewrite of the classic film, with an altogether more satisfactory structure."
The Message Behind the Songs We Love
Act I
Concerto in F – Company
"I Got Rhythm" – Henri, Adam, Jerry, Company
Days can be sunny, with never a sigh
Don't need what money can buy
Birds in the trees sing their day full of song
Why shouldn't we sing along?
Second Prelude – Lise, Female Ensemble
"I've Got Beginner's Luck" – Jerry
“The city of light is ablaze with movement in the rhapsodic new stage adaptation."
The New York Times
I've got beginner's luck,
Lucky through and through,
For the first time that I'm in love,
I'm in love with you!
"The Man I Love" – Lise
"Liza" – Jerry
Liza, Liza, skies are gray
But if you smile on me all the clouds'll roll away
Liza, Liza, don't delay
Come, keep me company, and the clouds'll roll away
"'S Wonderful" – Adam, Henri, Jerry, Company
S wonderful! 'S marvelous!
That she should care for me!
'S awful nice! 'S paradise!
'S what I love to see!
"Shall We Dance?" – Milo
Shall we dance or keep on moping?
Shall we dance and walk on air?
Shall we give in to despair
Or shall we dance with never a care
Life is short, we're growing older
Let's not be an also-ran
You better dance with the lady
Dance, little man
Dance whenever you can
Second Rhapsody/Cuban Overture – Company
Act II
Entr'acte – Orchestra
"Fidgety Feet" – Jerry, Company
I've got fidgety feet, fidgety feet, fidgety feet
Oh, what fidgety feet fidgety feet, fidgety feet
Say, mate, come and be my sway-mate
How can anyone resist that rhythmical beat
You will never go wrong, never go wrong, never go wrong
If you toddle along, toddle along, toddle along
All I need's a partner to make my life complete
Two more fidgety, fidgety
"Who Cares?" – Milo, Adam, Henri
"For You, For Me, For Evermore" – Lise, Henri, Jerry, Milo
Paradise can not refuse us
Never such a happy pair
Everybody must excuse us
If we walk on air
All the shadows now will lose us
Lucky stars are everywhere
As a happy being
Here's what I'm foreseeing
For you, for me, forever more
It's bound to be forever more
"But Not for Me" – Adam, Milo
"I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise" – Henri, Adam, Company
I'll build a Stairway to Paradise,
With a new Step ev'ry day.
I'm going to get there at any price;
Stand aside, I'm on my way!
"An American in Paris" – Company
"They Can't Take That Away from Me" – Adam, Jerry, Henri
They may take you from me, I'll miss your fond caress.
But though they take you from me, I'll still possess.
The way you wear your hat
The way you sip your tea
The memory of all that
No, no, they can't take that away from me
The way your smile just beams
The way you sing off key
An American in Paris
February 6-11, 2018
An American In Paris is the new Tony Award®-winning musical about an American soldier, a mysterious French girl and an indomitable European city, each yearning for a new beginning in the aftermath of war. The magic and romance of Paris is in perfect harmony with unforgettable songs from George and Ira Gershwin in the show that earned more awards than any other musical in the 2015 season!
