Fun & Fancy Theatre Group
LEISURE WORLD OF MARYLAND

 

Bells Are Ringing

Bells Are Ringing is a musical with a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Jule Styne. The story revolves around Ella, who works at an answering service and the characters that she meets there. The main character was based on Mary Printz, who worked for Green's answering service. Three of the show's tunes - "Long Before I Knew You," "Just in Time," and "The Party's Over" - became popular standards.

Plot synopsis

Ella Peterson works in the basement office of her boss, Sue, of "Susanswerphone", a telephone answering service. She listens in on others' lives and adds some interest to her own humdrum existence by adopting different identities – and voices – for her clients. They include Blake Barton, an out-of-work Method actor, Dr. Kitchell, a dentist with musical yearnings but lacking talent, and playwright Jeff Moss, who is suffering from writer's block and desperately needs a muse. As suggested by the song title, Ella considers the relationships with these clients "perfect" because she can't see them and they can't see her, yet she derives great pleasure from meddling in their lives.

When Jeff Moss pleads with Ella for help in writing, she responds, and a romance ensues ("Long Before I Knew You"). Complications arise when Ella thinks that she does not fit in with Jeff's wealthy friends ("The Party's Over").

Adding complications to the plot are the police, who are certain the business is a front for an "escort service," and Sandor, the owner's shady boyfriend, who unbeknownst to Sue is using the agency as a bookmaking operation ("It's A Simple Little System").

Song list

Act I

  • Bells Are Ringing--Telephone Girls
  • It's a Perfect Relationship--Ella Peterson
  • Independent (original title: On My Own) -- Jeff Moss and Ensemble
  • You've Got To Do It -- Jeff Moss
  • It's A Simple Little System -- Sandor and Ensemble
  • Is It a Crime? -- Ella Peterson
  • Better than a Dream -- Ella Peterson and Jeff Moss (later addition to original production)
  • Hello, Hello There -- Ella Peterson, Jeff Moss and Ensemble
  • I Met a Girl -- Jeff Moss and Ensemble
  • Long Before I Knew You -- Jeff Moss and Ella Peterson

Act II

  • Mu-Cha-Cha -- Carl and Ella Peterson
  • Just In Time -- Jeff Moss, Ella Peterson and Ensemble
  • Drop That Name -- Ella Peterson and Ensemble
  • The Party's Over -- Ella Peterson
  • Salzburg -- Sue and Sandor
  • The Midas Touch -- Dr. Kitchell, Boys and Girls
  • Long Before I Knew You (Reprise) -- Ella Peterson
  • I'm Going Back – Ella

Note: "Better Than A Dream" was written for the film.

External links

Text is taken from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; and the GNU Free Documentation License. For complete article refer to Bells Are Ringing (musical) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.