Say, Darling

A riotous story about Indiana author, Jack Jordan,  who packs up his family and moves 900 miles (by car in a heat wave with four children) to take up residence in Connecticut where he will commute to New York City to work with the team who will transform his book into a musical comedy.  Say Darling is based on Richard Bissell’s own collaborative experience of turning one of his novels, 7 ½ Cents, into the smash Broadway musical, The Pajama Game. Say Darling was also turned into a musical and became a Broadway success.

The road to fame isn’t easy – but, when Richard Bissell is in charge, usually hilarious.  For Jack Jordan the adjustment to big city life is frazzling. “Elapsed time from home to place of business: 98 minutes. Condition of feet and nervous system on arrival at work: Poor. Permanent addition to one's valuable store of information from reading newspapers two hours per day: Doubtful. Friendly companionship on train: Zero. Views of sordid home life through track-side windows between 125th Street and 101st Street: Excellent. Status of Anxiety Neurosis: Thriving.”

And when it’s all said and done, after months of work (and scores of lunches and no sleep), the setbacks keep coming.  The first reviews are scathing.  “The dusty script tells of life and love in a small town in Indiana, a state henceforth to be avoided like the Black Death. “  Oooo! Cringe!  How does one rise from that?  But come back they do.

The people of the theater world –actors, producers, song writers, stagehands, directors, press agents – are all keenly drawn and intelligently and humorously portrayed. Richard Bissell’s remarkable ability to recall conversations and to recreate a time and place through dialogue will fascinate and delight all lovers of the theater world.  

For anyone interested in musical comedy in New York City in the 50’s, Richard Bissell’s novel, Say Darling, is a book not to be missed.