The script of "Yankee Doodle Boy," published and licensed by Drama Source (www.dramasource.com)
YANKEE DOODLE BOY (or Young George M. Cohan) is a 65-minute elebration of the Cohan legacy. This exuberant one-act show can be performed with as few as six singing actors (as in the original New York production). Or it can be performed by as many as a dozen or more actors. (The photo at left shows Seth Sikes in the original New York prodution.)
Inspired by a true story...
SETH SIKES (LEFT, AS PERCY HELTON) AND RYAN SWEARINGEN (AS GEORGE M. COHAN)
In YANKEE DOODLE BOY--inspired by a true story--a 13-year-old actor gets cast in a new musical written and directed by George M. Cohan. The boy's father has just died, and he's unsure that he has what it takes to do the show. Cohan gives him hope by sharing memories of his own youth as a trouper.
This tightly written, fast-moving show--suitable for all ages--intermixes Cohan classics like "Over There," "Nellie Kelly," and "You're a Grand Old Flag," with delightful rarities like "The Dancing Master," "If I Were Only Mr. Morgan," and "You Won't Do Any Business if You Haven't Got a Band." Abundant opportunities for dancing and comedy, too.
The one-act format and flexible casting make this script especially well suited for school, youth-theater, and community-theater productions. To license the script and score, contact the publisher, DRAMA SOURCE, 1588 E. 361 N., St. Anthony, Idaho 83445, tel. (208) 624-4726, www.DramaSource.com or contactCHIP DEFFAA PRODUCTIONS LLC, tel. (973) 684-3340, OriginalCast1@aol.com.
RYAN SWEARINGEN (AS COHAN) LEADS THE ENSEMBLE IN "OVER THERE."
VETERAN CHARACTER ACTOR MICHAEL T. WRIGHT (LEFT) "DOUBLED" ASSORTED ROLES IN THE NEW YORK PRODUCTION.
Reviewers have noted....
"America is about to become once again fascinated with the great George M. Cohan. The melodies are super-catchy. This is musical comedy at its best.... You are invited to rediscover true American theater. I loved it!"
--Joe Franklin, Bloomberg Business Radio
"YANKEE DOODLE BOY" is great fun, with the wonderful high spirits of a classic screwball comedy, set to the strutting beat of Cohan's music. Each role is important. I wish we could have done a show like this when I was in high school, where even a small, supporting role--the kind I always got in high school--has a chance to get big laughs."--Rob Adams, StageSpace.com
THE CAST OF THE NEW YORK PRODUCTION: SETH SIKES, JOAN JAFFE, MICHAEL T. WRIGHT, RYAN SWEARINNGEN, HAL BLANKENSHIP, AND DAWNE SWEARINGEN (WHO ALSO SERVED AS CHOREOGRAPHER)
(All production photos by Maryann Lopinto.)
Nineteen musical numbers, an inspiring story line, and lots of laughs--all in just 65 fast-moving minutes!
YANKEE DOODLE BOY may be licensed from the publisher of this script, DRAMA SOURCE, 1588 E. 361 N. St. Anthony, Idaho 83445, tel. (208) 624-4726; for licensing information, click here:
The photos on this page depict the original New York production. "Yankee Doodle Boy" is especially well-suited for school groups, youth productions, and community theater productions If you would like to see photos from a recent youth-theater production (at the Harvey School in Katonah, New York), go to the page titled "A Young Actors Production."
