Henry, Sweet Henry

Henry, Sweet Henry.

Henry, Sweet Henry is a stage musical based on the novel The World of Henry Orient by Nora Johnson.

Cast

• Alice Playten - Kafritz
• Valerie Boyd - Robin Wilson
• Neva Small - Marian "Gil" Gilbert
• Don Ameche - Henry Orient
• Louise Staller - Stella
• Carol Bruce - Mrs. Boyd

Plot

Valerie Boyd is a love-starved daughter of a successful industrialist father and a social star mother. Val can have everything that money can buy, but that's all. Schoolmate Gil understands, and the two girls meet regularly at Central Park for various teen-age pranks. One day they spot avant-garde composer and aging philanderer Henry Orient. He is once again trying to seduce Stella, a husband-fearing romantic from Scarsdale. Val and Gil pester the couple until Stella runs off, leaving behind a frustrated Henry. They attend one of Henry's concerts where the age of man is musicalised by playing on human bodies instead of instruments. Later the girls decide that Henry is as hapless as they are. He shall be their hero. Val is excited by such creativity. She has found an idol to whom she can at least offer devotion. Val gets Gil to agree to a secret study of Henry's private and public life.

During this time, Henry has managed to persuade Stella to a super-security rendezvous at his apartment. Meanwhile, Kafritz, an arrange-anything-for-a-price schoolmate, has sold Val and Gil as dates to two Knickerbocker Greys, students at a nearby boys' military school. But the girls have discovered Henry's address and are off to pursue their study. To protect their investment, the boys and Kafritz are in hot pursuit. Kafritz gets there first and tries to blackmail the girls. In jest they tell Kafritz that Val is a junkie in need of a fix. Annoyed by the girl's hostility, Kafritz tips the police that Henry runs a drug ring near the school.

Inside, Henry is making headway for the first time in months. Outside, a good portion of New York City is descending on his unsuspecting doorstep. At that given signal the whistles and sirens go off; the crowds go wild, the police charge the believed drug ring hideout with guns drawn as Val and Gil are cheering their idol. Stella goes into shock. The cops shoot off all five locks and still manage to catch Henry in flagrante. The drug matter is straightened out, but Val has run away. Her mother decides to investigate this Henry Orient. When she does, the skillful Henry recognises a new prey. Gil and Val arrive at Henry's apartment just as Val's mother is seen kissing Henry goodbye. Val is shattered and returns home to her father, who comforts her. Val discovers that she isn't the only love-starved person around the house. But there is new hope. The Knickerbocker Grey boys arrive for the forgotten Happening date. Gil persuades Val to come along for something real instead of a dream.

Musical numbers

Act I

• "Academic Fugue" - Company
• "In Some Little World" - Val
• "Pillar to Post" - Orient and Stella
• "Here I Am"'- Val
• "Whereas" - Val and Gil
• "I Wonder How It Is to Dance with a Boy" - Gil and Girls
• "Nobody Steps on Kafritz" - Kafritz
• "Henry, Sweet Henry" - Val and Gil
• "Woman in Love" - Val and Gil
• "People Watchers" - Company

Act II

• "Weary Near to Dyin'" - Val and Hippies
• "Poor Little Person" - Kafritz, Girls and Knickerbocker Greys
• "I'm Blue Too" - Val and Gil
• "To Be Artistic" - Orient and Mrs. Boyd
• "Do You Ever Go to Boston" - Val
• "Here I Am" (Reprise) - Val