High Society | |
---|---|
Music | Cole Porter |
Lyrics | Cole Porter Susan Birkenhead |
Book | Arthur Kopit |
Basis | The Philadelphia Story High Society |
Premiere | September 4, 1997: American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco |
Productions | 1998 Broadway 2005 West End 2013 UK Tour 2015 West End revival |
High Society is a musical comedy with a book by Arthur Kopit and music and lyrics by Cole Porter. Some updated or new lyrics were provided by Susan Birkenhead. The musical is based on Philip Barry's 1939 stage comedy The Philadelphia Story and the subsequent 1956 musical film adaptation, High Society, which features Porter's songs. The musical includes most of the music featured in the movie, along with several songs selected from other Porter musicals. It premiered on Broadway in 1998 and has since been revived.[1] Another musical adaptation of the story had opened in London in 1987 with a different book by Richard Eyre.
The plot centers on a pretentious Oyster Bay socialite who is planning to wed an equally pretentious executive, when her ex-husband arrives to disrupt the proceedings.