How Now, Dow Jones

How Now, Dow Jones.

How Now, Dow Jones is a musical comedy.

Cast

• Anthony Roberts - Charley Matson
• Marlyn Mason - Kate Montgomery
• Brenda Vaccaro - Cynthia Pike
• Hiram Sherman - William Foster Wingate
• Sammy Smith - Dr. Gilman
• Barnard Hughes - Senator McFetridge
• Stanley Simmonds - Dow
• Martin Ambrose - Jones
• Charlotte Jones - Mrs. Millhauser
• Fran Stevens - Mrs. Klein

Plot

New York Stock Exchange tour guide Cynthia Pike has just explained the complicated world of high finance and joins friend Kate Montgomery (the voice of Dow Jones). Kate complains that her fiancé, Herbert, won't marry her until the Dow Jones Industrial Average tops 1,000. When Cynthia leaves, Kate is joined by champion loser Charlie Mason who states he intends to commit suicide after he has drunk his lunch. They exchange their tales of woe and decide to have night out together. This, what turns out to be, a night-long affair restores some hope but Kate rejects Charlie for a future of security instead of dreams.

Meanwhile, the owner of a brokerage firm, William Foster Wingate, plans to sell more stock and hires Charlie to give his firm the "little-man" image. Charlie hits it off with the rich widow set and hits the big-time at last. When the girls meet again, Cynthia confides that she has agreed to be Wingate's mistress. She is a little upset, however, because it would seem he has forgotten about her. Kate explains her new problem - she has fallen in love with Charlie, is engaged to Herbert and yet finds she is expecting a baby - and the father is Charlie. When Kate learns that Charlie has proposed to his childhood sweetheart, her current state of impending motherhood causes a panic. As "The Voice of Dow Jones" she announces that the Dow average has topped 1,000. Wingate realises that Kate's report is untrue but wonders why. Herbert and Cynthia provide the answer but the hoax is publicly discovered and the bottom then falls out of the market.

The truth is seized on happily by Charlie as he thought Kate loved Herbert. He finds Kate, and together with Cynthia, they persuade "A.K.", Wall Street's shrewdest and most closely watched player, to buy. The market fall is reversed and the future once again becomes bright - especially for Charlie and Kate.

Musical numbers

Act I

• "A-B-C" - Cynthia, Tourists and Wall Streeters
• "They Don't Make 'em Like That Anymore" - Kate and Cynthia
• "Live a Little " - Charley, Kate and New Yorkers
• "The Pleasure's About To Be Mine" - Charley and Kate
• "Walk Away" - Kate
• "A Little Investigation" - Wingate, Senator McFetridge, Dow, Jones and Tycoons
• "Goodbye, Failure, Goodbye" - Charley, Customers' Men and Brokers
• "Step to the Rear" - Charley, Mrs. Millhauser, Widows and Ensemble
• "Shakespeare Lied" - Kate, Cynthia and Dr. Gilman
• "Big Trouble" - Kate

Act II

• "Credo" - Dr. Gilman, Mrs. Klein, Widows and New Yorkers
• "One of Those Moments" - Kate
• "Big Trouble" (Reprise) - Wingate and Tycoons
• "He's Here" - Cynthia
• "Touch and Go" - Charley
• "Panic" - Company
• "Touch and Go" - Kate
• "That's Good Enough For Me" - Company