Happy End
English Adaptation
(1972)

Comedy with music, in three acts.
Original German book by Dorothy Lane, pseudonym for Elisabeth Hauptmann and Bertolt Brecht.
Lyrics by Bertolt Brecht.
English adaptation of book and lyrics by Michael Feingold.

Synopsis
Song List
Performance Information
Principal Productions

Part of poster for a production at the Banff Centre, Alberta, Canada, 1989.

Synopsis

Set in Chicago in 1919, the plot pits organized crime against the Salvation Army. Lieutenant Lilian Holiday makes a brave attempt to reform a group of gangsters led by Bill Cracker and the Lady in Grey. As she is making progress, she is thrown out of the Salvation Army because they fear she is too close to the gangsters. But since she is the most popular evangelist, they are forced to let her back into the fold. Meanwhile, the gang robs a bank on Christmas Eve, but the money disappears. It was recovered by the Lady in Grey, who returns and threatens to kill Bill for botching the robbery. At this point the Salvation Army intervenes, and a series of coincidences leads to the happy ending: Bill and Lilian are engaged, the Lady in Grey finds her long lost husband, and the money stays out of the hands of the police.

Song list
 

• Prologue - Hosannah Rockefeller
• The Bilbao Song
• Lieutenants of the Lord
• March Ahead
• The Sailors' Tango
• Brother, Give Yourself a Shove
• Song of the Big Shot
• Don't Be Afraid
• In Our Childhood's Bright Endeavor
• The Liquor Dealer's Dream
• The Mandalay Song
• Surabaya Johnny
• Ballad of the Lily of Hell
• Finale

Speaking roles -- Jimmy Dexter, Bob Marker, Miriam, Major Stone, Sister Mary, Brother Ben Owens.
Orchestra: alto sax (picc, fl, cl); ten. sax (bass sax, cl); tpt; tbn; banjo (Hawaiian guitar or mandolin, bandoneon or accordion, bass guitar); perc (2nd tpt); piano (harmonium).
Duration: full evening, 40 minutes music
 

Principal productions

• April 6, 1972, New Haven, Yale Repertory Theatre, Michael Posnick, dir., Thomas Fay, cond.
• May 1977, New York, Martin Beck Theatre, Robert Kalfin and Patricia Birch, dir., Roland Gagnon, cond.
• May 4, 1984, Washington, D.C., Arena Stage, Garland Wright, dir., Robert Fisher, cond.
• October 5, 1989, Lahti, Finland, Nancy Rhodes, dir., Tapio Louhensalo, cond.
• February 17, 1995, Baltimore, Center Stage, Irene Lewis, dir., Mark Bennett, cond.