Almost Crazy

Sketches: Robert A. Bernstein, Hal Hackady, Lester Judson, Kay Medford, and James Shelton Lyrics: Lenny Adelson, Helen Bragdon, Joyce Geary, Hal Hackady, Stan Hagler, Jim Kay, Portia Nelson, Sam Rosen, James Shelton, and Raymond (Ray) Taylor Music: Gene DePaul, Lew Kesler, Carley Mills, Portia Nelson, Don Raye, Bill Russell, Ed Scott, James Sheldon, and Raymond (Ray) Taylor Direction: Lew Kesler (sketches directed by Christopher Hewett); Producer: John S. Cobb; Choreography: William Skipper; Scenery and Lighting: John Robert Lloyd; Costumes: Stanley Simmons; Musical Direction: Al Rickey Cast: Kay Medford, Babe Hines, Karen Anders, James Shelton, Betty Colby, Kevin Scott, Alvin Beam, Vincent Beck, Ron Cecill, Nick Dana, Lorna Del Maestro, Phyllis Dorne, Mildred Hughes, Joan Morton, William Skipper, Gloria Smith, Rita Tanno, Richard Towers, Ann York The revue was presented in two acts. Sketches and Musical Numbers Act One: “Everything’s Gonna Be Much Worse Next Year” (lyric by James Shelton, music by Lew Kesler) (Ladies of the Ensemble: Rita Tanno, Betty Colby, Karen Anders, Mildred Hughes, Joan Morton, Lorna Del Maestro, Ann York, Kay Medford; Quartette: William Skipper, Alvin Beam, Kevin Scott, Nick Dana); “Mother’s Day” (lyric by Joyce Geary, music by Portia Nelson) (Mildred Hughes, Karen Anders, Ann York); “Why Not Me?” (lyric by Sam Rosen, music by Ed Scott) (sung and danced by Phyllis Dorne and Ron Cecill); “Fort Knox, New York” (sketch by Lester Judson) (performer[s] not identified in program); “But It’s Love” (lyric by Hal Hackady, music by Ray Taylor) (sung and danced by Gloria Smith, Ann York, Lorna Del Maestro, Rita Tanno, Joan Morton, William Skipper, Alvin Beam, Nick Dana, Ron Cecill); “Don’t Bait for Fish You Can’t Fry” (lyric and music by Portia Nelson) (Babe Hines); “This Is a Living” (sketch by Hal Hackady) (Ralph Deadwood: Kevin Scott; Mary Smiles Winter: Kay Medford; A Model: Mildred Hughes; The Husband: James Shelton; Maxine Madison: Karen Anders); “Where Is the Girl?” (lyric and music by James Shelton) (Betty Colby, Kevin Scott); “Mother’s Day” (reprise) (lyric by Joyce Geary, music by Portia Nelson) (Mildred Hughes, Karen Anders, Ann York); “Goin’ to the Moon” (lyric by Lenny Adelson, music by Ed Scott) (Rita Tanno, James Shelton, Vincent Beck, Kay Medford, Richard Towers); “Down to Eartha” (lyric and music by Ray Taylor) (Betty Colby); “Chat Noire” (lyric by Jim Kaye, music by Ray Taylor) (Chat Noire: Joan Morton; Bartender: Fred Nay; Cop: Nick Dana; Sailor: Ron Cecill; Street Cleaner: Fred Nay; The Mouse: Alvin Beam); “I Can Live without It” (lyric and music by Ray Taylor) (Karen Anders); “If I Knew You Were Coming” (sketch by Robert A. Bernstein) (Announcer: Karen Anders; Wife: Kay Medford; Husband: James Shelton); “Come and Get Cozy with Me” (lyric by Carley Mills, music by Lew Kesler) (Lifeguard: Kevin Scott; His Girl: Karen Anders; Kitty’s Roommate: Kay Medford; Kitty’s Beau: James Shelton; Lovers: Betty Colby, Vincent Beck; Company) Act Two: Entr’acte; “As We Told You” (lyric by James Shelton, music by Lew Kesler) (Ladies of the Ensemble: Rita Tanno, Betty Colby, Karen Anders, Mildred Hughes, Joan Morton, Ann York, Lorna del Maestro, Gloria Smith; Quartette: William Skipper, Alvin Beam, Nick Dana, Ron Cecill); “Burlesque” (lyric by Stan Hagler, music by Bill Russell) (Queenie: Gloria Smith; Big Queenie: Kay Medford; Barker: Fred Nay; The Baritone: Kevin Scott); “Vertigo” (lyric by Helen Bragdon, music by Ray Taylor) (Mistress of the Villa: Betty Colby; Tender of the Grapes: Vincent Beck); “I Thought So Too” (sketch by James Shelton) (Doctor: Richard Towers; First Woman: Lorna del Maestro; First Man: Kevin Scott; Second Man: James Shelton; Second Woman: Rita Tanno; Third Woman: Kay Medford); “Easy” (lyric and music by James Shelton) (Babe Hines); “Always Tell the Truth” (dialogue by Hal Hackady, lyric and music by Portia Nelson) (Truth: Joan Morton; Veracity: Kay Medford); “Mother’s Day” (reprise) (lyric by Joyce Geary, music by Portia Nelson) (Mildred Hughes, Ann York, Karen Anders); “Here Come the Blues” (lyric by Don Raye, music by Gene DePaul) (William Skipper; danced by William Skipper, Joan Morton, Lorna Del Maestro, Mildred Hughes, and “The Legs” Phyllis Dorne); “More Fish” (reprise version of “Don’t Bait for Fish You Can’t Fry”; lyric and music by Portia Nelson) (Karen Anders); “Love in the Barnyard” (lyric and music by Ray Taylor) (Babe Hines; danced by Gloria Smith, Lorna Del Maestro, Rita Tanno, Phyllis Dorne, Ron Cecill, Alvin Beam, Nick Dana, William Skipper); “Love Me or Leave Me” (sketch by Kay Medford and James Shelton) (The Grump: James Shelton; Ruth: Kay Medford); Finale (Company) The revue Almost Crazy got a head start on the new Broadway season by opening in June, but by September it was long gone. The critics weren’t kind, and perhaps Robert Coleman in the Daily Mirror best reflected the critical consensus when he wrote you’d “be almost crazy to pay almost six

Music

Gene DePaul, Lew Kesler, Carley Mills, Portia Nelson, Don Raye, Bill Russell, Ed Scott, James Sheldon, and Raymond (Ray) Taylor

Lyrics

Lenny Adelson, Helen Bragdon, Joyce Geary, Hal Hackady, Stan Hagler, Jim Kay, Portia Nelson, Sam Rosen, James Shelton, and Raymond (Ray) Taylor