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Home , A (musical note), Follow the Fleet, Irving Berlin, I Love a Piano, Tin Pan Alley, Top Hat (musical)

study guide

contents The Play Meet : A Hub of American Artists of the Past An American Timeline

music and lyrics by Irving Berlin conceived and written by Ray Roderick and Michael Berkeley directed and choreographed by Ray Roderick January 29 through February 15, 2009 the play at the Lincoln Theatre As a with one sour note passes from owner to owner, it takes the audience on a musical journey through American history. Beginning in a music store at the turn of the , surviving two World Wars, and ending in the rehearsal hall of a summer stock theater , the piano travels through 70 years of life, love, fear, identity and patriotism.

The piano’s – and America’s – story is told through the music of Irving Berlin. With such songs as “I love to hear somebody play “,” “There’s No Upon a piano Business Like Show Business” and “White Christmas,” I Love a Piano A grand piano celebrates the music of a man It simply carries me away.” who defined American music. – “I Love a Piano,” Irving Berlin meet Irving Quick

Berlin Irving Berlin’s real name was FactIsrael Beilin. His first song was mistakenly credited to “I. Berlin.” He did not like his real name for a , so he kept the new name.

Irving Berlin is one of the most legendary in American history. Born on , 1888, in current-day Belarus, Berlin immigrated with his Jewish family to the in 1893. After his father died in 1896, Berlin began working odd jobs on the streets of New Tin Pan Alley: York City. Eventually he became a singing waiter in a café in Chinatown. There, A Hub of American Music Berlin collaborated with a pianist and wrote the lyrics Smithsonian Institution Collections, National Museum of American History, Behring Center Tin Pan Alley was a group of to his very first song. Irving Berlin’s piano (pictured) five row houses in New York The Fate of is on display in the Smithsonian City where music publishers Berlin had to teach himself and songwriters set up shop at the National Museum of Tin Pan Alley to play the piano and never from the 1890s through the American History. This upright learned how to read music 1950s. It was considered The historic buildings transposing piano was made in beyond a very basic level. the heart of the American 1940 by Weser Brothers, New that composed Tin However, Berlin composed songwriting industry. over 800 published and York, for Irving Berlin (1888- Pan Alley were 400 unpublished songs. He 1989). Like many Tin Pan Alley While the origins of the put up for sale wrote 17 film scores and 21 pianists, Berlin was self-taught, name “Tin Pan Alley” are in October 2008. scores, including preferring to play on the unclear, one popular theory White Christmas and black keys. “The key of ,” he holds that it was a negative Preservationists fear Get Your Gun. once said, “is for people who reference to the sound the buildings could study music.” The transposing of many playing His song “Alexander’s mechanism shifted the different tunes in a very be demolished to Band,” written in keyboard to allow him to stay small area, making a noise make way for condos. 1911, launched his career on the black keys but produce similar to many tin pans as a star of Tin Pan Alley music in other keys. being beat on at the same (see article). Some of Berlin’s time. Activity – most famous songs include I Love a Piano is “God Bless America,” “White Tin Pan Alley started as a a celebration and Christmas,” “Anything You home for executives, music preservation of Can Do” and “There’s publishers and songwriters musical and American No Business Like Show Activity: Irving (including Irving Berlin) but history. Think about your Business.” Berlin’s music evolved into a place for city. What parts of your city characterized performers as well. Song and culture should be Berlin died on September America in his hawkers ­— pianists and preserved for future 22, 1989, at the age of 101. time. What music, in style singers who made their generations? Write a letter and content, depicts life in living by demonstrating to your future grandchild score – the music for modern America? Compile a songs to promote the sale of describing why they should a movie or theatrical list of songs and artists that — also took up consider these things production paint a picture of American shop in Tin Pan Alley. national treasures. life today. artists of An American Timeline the past Through song and dance, I Love a Piano presents In the same way I Love a Piano is a timeline of American history, significant moments in American history. It also it is also a scrapbook of famous American entertainers. depicts the changes in dance, fashion, language

Eve Arden, an Academy and values over time. Find a more complete Award-nominated and timeline at “Sub/Text: Your Virtual Dramaturg” Emmy-winning actress, appeared , on the Arena Stage website. in films, and on television in a career that spanned almost 60 years. She is remembered for her dry The Roaring ’20s and sardonic wit, The Roaring ’20s describes the financial glamorous sophistication prosperity, cultural and technological and comic timing. advancements, and carefree spirit in the United States from 1920 to 1929. Mass June Allison often production launched massive appeared in musical consumerism, including the purchase of comedy roles and is over 15 million of Henry Ford’s Model T remembered for her cars. Writers like . Scott Fitzgerald and fresh-faced optimism, Ernest Hemingway and musicians like pageboy haircut and Duke Ellington and girl-next-door image, created some of their greatest work. and bold yet honest Radios, dance music and movies were wildly popular, and young people comments. enjoyed more social freedom than ever before. , the legendary actress and singer, starred in over 25 & Speakeasies films, such as The Wizard Between 1920 and 1933, the sale, of Oz and Judgment at manufacture and transportation of alcohol Nuremberg. were nationally banned by the 18th Amendment to the Constitution. This was called Prohibition. Though Americans had and Ginger varied opinions on Prohibition, the 18th Rogers are the greatest Amendment passed largely because of the dance duo in the history of prominence and popularity of moral and American movies. Their political temperance groups. Temperance dance partnership groups, which had a strong female membership, argued that people should lasted for six years and abstain from things that were harmful. Because of the correlation between films between alcohol consumption and domestic violence, and the financial strain that 1933 and 1939, and they alcohol could put on working class households, moral temperance groups reunited ten years later to saw alcohol as an evil that should be abolished in society. do a tenth and final film

together. Their dances, Many found their way around this restriction at local speakeasies. A choreographed principally speakeasy was a place that sold alcohol in secret during Prohibition. The by Astaire, combined term originates from how bartenders told their patrons to behave when dance movements from ordering alcohol; to avoid arousing suspicion, customers were told to “speak ballroom dancing, easy.” Speakeasies often covered their alcohol business with elaborate acts/ , soft shoe, tap novelties, including food and live music. Prohibition ended when the 21st dancing and ballet. Irving Amendment, which repealed the 18th Amendment, was ratified on Berlin wrote the music for December 3, 1933. three of their films: (1935), (1936) and Carefree ( 1 9 3 8 ) . continued on back... American Timeline continued... Helpful Hints for Theater Audiences The The 1930s were a period of great As an audience member at the uncertainty in the United States. Most of theater, YOU are part of the show! the turmoil stemmed from the stock Just as you see and hear the actors market crash and ensuing economic crisis onstage, they can see and hear you in the audience. To help the performers America faced, which we now call the do their best, please remember the Great Depression. Between 1929 and following: 1932, the average family’s annual income dropped 40 percent: from $2,300 to Arrive at least 30 minutes early. $1,500. Many people were unemployed Visit the restroom before the show and went without basic necessities. starts. Before the show begins, turn off your World War II cell phone, watch alarms, pagers, World War II was a time of great patriotism and other electronic devices. If in America. Young men enlisted in the anything rings by accident, shut it off armed services, fighting in the Pacific and immediately. Europe. Those on the home front (at home) Save food and drinks for the lobby. supported the war effort by raising money There is no eating or drinking inside and conserving important materials – like the theater. metal, gasoline and sugar – through Walk to and from your seat - no rationing. Some women went to work in running in the theater! factories, keeping the country running. Others entertained the troops and kept Do not talk, whisper, sing, or hum. spirits up by performing in USO shows. Keep your feet on the floor, not on the seat in front of you. ration – to restrict the amount people can Avoid getting up during a show have of an item that is in short supply because it distracts your neighbors USO show - free, live entertainment, often and the performers. If you must leave, by celebrities, for America’s Armed Forces; wait for a scene change, then exit sponsored by United Service Organizations quietly and quickly. Performers appreciate enthusiastic applause rather than whistling or “God Bless America” shouting. With the world on the brink of war in 1938, Irving Berlin revised and released his Cameras and videotape are patriotic song “God Bless America.” Berlin did not accept any royalties (payment) prohibited because they are for this song, which became known as the unofficial national anthem. distracting to the performers. “A patriotic song is an emotion and you must not embarrass an Enjoy the show! audience with it or they will hate your guts.” – Irving Berlin

Additional Resources

Books Irving Berlin: A Daughter’s Memoir by Mary Ellen Barrett & Irving Berlin Music Irving Berlin 100th Anniversary Collection 1101 Sixth Street, SW Multimedia Washington, DC 20024 Biography – Irving Berlin: An American Song – A& DVD Archives Phone: (202) 554-9066 Annie Get Your Gun – Warner Home Video Fax: (202) 488-4056 White Christmas – Paramount Top Hat – Turner Home Entertainment Community Engagement Museums Phone: (202) 234-5782 Irving Berlin artifacts can be found at: Fax: (202) 797-1043 The National Museum of American History The Written by Jaysen Wright Sub/Text Edited by Rebecca Campana Illustration by Olaf Hajek For links and research related to Arena Stage productions, compiled by Arena Stage dramaturgs, please visit Sub/Text: Your Virtual Dramaturg at Visit www.arenastage.org for more www.arenastage.org/season/08-09/sub-text/. information on Arena Stage produc- dramaturg– a theater specialist who does research for tions and educational opportunities. productions and represents the intentions of the playwright