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Roger Bean

ROGER BEAN

  (1962 - )
Nationality:    USA
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Roger Bean is the creator of the long-running off-Broadway smash hit The Marvelous Wonderettes, which has played in hundreds of theaters around the world. Mr. Bean also created two popular sequels for the song leaders from Springfield High: The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns and the holiday celebration Winter Wonderettes. Additional jukebox hits from Mr. Bean include Summer of Love, The Andrews Brothers, Why Do Fools Fall in Love?, Route 66, and the doo-wop hit Life Could Be a Dream, recipient of the LA Drama Critics Circle Award, the LA Weekly Theatre Award, and the Backstage Garland Award for Outstanding Musical.

Research:    Member of the Dramatists Guild of America (as at 2015)

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below is a list of Roger Bean's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         Andrews Brothers, The         Honky Tonk Laundry         Life Could Be A Dream         Marvelous Wonderettes, The         Marvelous Wonderettes, The: Caps and Gowns         Route 66         Summer Of Love         Why Do Fools Fall In Love?         Winter Wonderettes         Wonderettes: Dream On
Andrews Brothers, The

Synopsis:
A USO performance from the Andrews Sisters is in jeopardy of cancellation when they fail to appear shortly before curtain. Thankfully three earnest stagehands are determined to go on with the show! The Andrews Brothers is filled to the brim with over 25 songs made famous by the Andrews Sisters, including showstoppers: "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", "Slow Boat to China", "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree", and "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive". Mistaken identities and madcap adventures - imagine Bing Crosby and Bob Hope in a road movie of Some Like It Hot - along with the music of an entire generation highlight this wonderful valentine to the heroes of world War II.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Milwaukee, WI     11 Nov 2005

Organisations:
Milwaukee Repertory Theater

1st Published:
Steele Spring Stage Rights, www.stagerights.com    

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Jukebox musical 110 min

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Honky Tonk Laundry

Synopsis:
the Wishy Washy Washateria is run by Lana Mae who secretly wants to be a country and western singer. Katie comes in distraught she has lost her job and her boyfriend has dumped her. Lana Mae commiserates with her and offers her a job at the laundrette. they have the place redecorated and renamed as the Honky Tonk Laundry - it is now not only a laundrette but a country and western venue

Notes:
Music, lyrics by various writers; book by Roger Bean

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Steele Spring Stage Rights, www.stagerights.com    

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Life Could Be A Dream

Synopsis:
SH-BOOM! Take another trip to Springfield and meet Denny and the Dreamers, a fledgling doo-wop singing group preparing to enter the Big Whopper Radio contest to realize their dreams of making it to the big time! Trouble comes in the form of Lois, who arrives to put some polish on the boys. Denny falls in love, Wally falls in line, Eugene falls apart, and along comes handsome heartthrob Skip to send the whole situation spinning. The '60s hits say it all: "Fools Fall in Love," "Tears on My Pillow," "Runaround Sue," "Earth Angel," "Stay," "Unchained Melody," "Lonely Teardrops," and "The Glory of Love." Winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Best Musical Award, Life Could Be a Dream will leave you laughing, singing, and cheering-let's hear it for the boys!

Notes:
Original period songs; book by Roger Bean

1st Produced:
Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Milwaukee, WI     07 Sep 2007

Organisations:
Milwaukee Repertory Theater

1st Published:
Steele Spring Stage Rights, www.stagerights.com    

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Jukebox Musical 120 min

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Marvelous Wonderettes, The

Synopsis:
This smash off-Broadway hit takes you to the 1958 Springfield High School prom where we meet Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy, and Suzy, four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts! As we learn about their lives and loves the girls serenade us with classic '50s hits including "Lollipop," "Dream Lover," "Stupid Cupid," and "Lipstick on Your Collar." In act two, the Wonderettes reunite to take the stage and perform at their ten-year reunion. We learn about the highs and lows the girls have experienced in the past decade and are charmed to find that no matter what life throws their way, they will conquer it together. Featuring over 30 classic '50s and '60s hits, The Marvelous Wonderettes will keep you smiling in this must-take musical trip down memory lane!

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Milwaukee, WI     Mar 1999

Organisations:
Milwaukee Repertory Theater

1st Published:
Steele Spring Stage Rights, www.stagerights.com    

Music:
Original cast recording: PS Classics 2008

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Jukebox Musical 105 min

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Marvelous Wonderettes, The: Caps and Gowns

Synopsis:
We're back in 1958, and it's time for the Wonderettes to graduate in this delightful sequel to the smash off-Broadway hit! Join Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy, and Suzy as they sing about their final year in high school, celebrate with their fellow classmates and teachers, and prepare for their next step toward a bright future. Act two zooms ahead to 1968, where the girls perform as bride and bridesmaids to celebrate Missy's marriage to Mr. Lee! Featuring "Rock Around the Clock," "At the Hop," "Dancing in the Street," "River Deep, Mountain High," and 25 more hits, The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps & Gowns will have your audience cheering for more!

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Laguna Playhouse, Laguna Beach, CA     07 Jul 2012

Organisations:
The Laguna Playhouse

1st Published:
Steele Spring Stage Rights, www.stagerights.com   

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Jukebox Musical 110 min

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Route 66

Synopsis:
Take a dollop of Grease, mix in some Pump Boys and Dinettes, and add a generous dose of Forever Plaid and you've got the high-octane fun of Route 66! Beginning with the sounds of 1950s Chicago and traveling along the "Main Street of America" to the California coast with the surf music of the 1960s, this exciting musical revue features 34 of the greatest "Rock 'n' Road" hits of the 20th century! Songs include "Dead Man's Curve," "King of the Road," "Little Old Lady from Pasadena," "Beep Beep," "Six Days on the Road," "Little GTO," "Fun, Fun, Fun," and many more. Get your kicks with this smash coast-to-coast hit musical revue!

Notes:
Final 2-Act version premiered June 7, 2002 at Oregon Cabaret Theatre, Ashland, OR.

1st Produced:
Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Milwaukee, WI     15 May 2015

Organisations:
Milwaukee Repertory Theater

1st Published:
Steele Spring Stage Rights, www.stagerights.com    

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Jukebox Musical 105 min

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Summer Of Love

Synopsis:
This hippie, trippy musical from Wonderettes creator, Roger Bean, features the powerful music of the late 1960s. When a conservative runaway bride discovers the counterculture revolution of the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, the hippies and dropouts of Golden Gate Park teach her to "Make Your Own Kind of Music!" With such hits as "Crystal Blue Persuasion", "War", "One Tin Soldier", "Piece of My Heart", "Spinning Wheel", and, of course, "San Francsico", you'll love this flower power, feel-good musical experience.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Musical Theatre West, Long Beach, CA     01 Apr 2011

Organisations:
Musical Theatre West

1st Published:
Steele Spring Stage Rights, www.stagerights.com    

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Jukebox Musical 120 min

Parts:
Male:  6            Female:  6            Other:  Ensemble

Further Reference:
-

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Why Do Fools Fall In Love?

Synopsis:
Millie's getting married! At her impromptu bachelorette party, Millie and her best friends dive into age-old questions about love, marriage, and the overwhelming dating game. As the celebration picks up steam and the drinks flow, the girls reveal scintillating secrets about their love lives as they poke fun and challenge each other to take control of their lives. Featuring smash pop-hits from the 1960s such as "My Boy Lollipop", "I Will Follow Him", "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me", and "Hey There Lonely Boy", this uplifting show reaffirms that during life's struggles, true friendship will unveil it's everlasting strength - and often with a real rockin' beat!

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Milwaukee, WI     11 Nov 2006

Organisations:
Musical Theatre West

1st Published:
Steele Spring Stage Rights, www.stagerights.com    

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Juke Box Musical 105 min

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Winter Wonderettes

Synopsis:
The Wonderettes are back! This seasonal celebration finds the girls entertaining at the annual Harper's Hardware Holiday Party. When Santa turns up missing, the girls use their talent and creative ingenuity to save the holiday party! Featuring great '60s versions of holiday classics such as "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town", "Jingle Bell Rock", "Run, Rudolph, Run" and "Winter Wonderland", the result is, of course, marvelous! This energetic and glittering holiday package is guaranteed to delight audiences of all ages.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Milwaukee, WI     07 Nov 2003

Organisations:
Musical Theatre West

1st Published:
Steele Spring Stage Rights, www.stagerights.com    

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Juke Box Musical 105 min

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Wonderettes: Dream On

Synopsis:
It is 1969 and everyone is gathered in the gym of Springfield High School to watch an entertainment put on by The Wonderettes for a favourite retiring teacher. Later in the 1970s and one Wonderette must decide whether to stay loyal to her friends or go solo

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Stages Repertory Theatre, Houston. Texas     28 Jul 2016

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Jukebox musical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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