Show Synopsis:
The chorus girl Jeanie is beginning to think that the electrician Bob may not be the right boyfriend for her, not knowing that Bob's coworker Larry loves her. They start the performance of the musical that they are working on, Me and Juliet. This show is about a character named Me who wants to marry Juliet and is scared of Carmen, who loves him. Me wants Carmen to marry Don Juan. A few days later, Larry encourages Jeanie to audition for a meatier role in the show, even though his boss Mac tells him that it's not a good idea to get involved with someone when the two of you are working on the same show. Over the next few months, Larry and Jeanie keep their romance a secret from Bob, and Mac has dumped his girlfriend Betty because she got an acting job in the show, but they are still in love. Bob finds out about Jeanie's affair and humiliates her onstage. Mac starts to lecture Jeannie and Larry on their romance when Bob comes in to fight Larry and ends up hitting Mac instead, then knocking himself out. The company manager Ruby tells Bob that Jeannie and Larry had gotten married earlier that day, and Bob asks to leave the show so that he can date Betty again. Larry is promoted to being stage manager of "Me and Juliet."
Character:
Jeanie, a beautiful lead chorus girl who wants to do more onstage; would like to be valued by the man she loves; not extremely confident in herself; always willing to forgive.
Song Context:
Bob stood up Jeanie after they agreed to meet before rehearsal, and Sidney asks her to think a little more about whether Bob is the one for her. Fed up with her moping, the voices in Jeannie's head manifest themselves into counseling her into being more assertive.
Fun Facts:
1. This musical was the result of a longstanding idea of Richard Rodgers to musicalize backstage drama of a musical within a musical.
"Jeannie, would you get sore if I offered some advice?
You can do better than him, Jeanie.
Why an electrician?
How?d you happen to tie up with a guy like that?
How does a thing like that start?
How does it start?
You?re a girl from Chicago
On the road with a show --
Not a soul in New Haven
You can say you know.
You wish you were a mile or so from Michigan Lake,
Home with your mother and a T-bone steak.
Then along comes a fellow
With a smile like a kid,
And he gets your attention
With a timely bid.
He says he knows a bistro where they give you a break
With French fried potatoes and a T-Bone steak!
You are shy and uncertain,
But he pleads and you yield,
And you don?t have an inkling
That you?re signed and sealed
By merely telling someone you?d be glad to partake
Of French friend potatoes and a T-Bone steak.
That?s the way it happens,
That?s the way it happens,
That?s the way it happened to me!"