Act 1
Jones and Barry are writing and producing a new
Broadway show called Pretty Lady, and Julian Marsh, "the greatest director on Broadway," is going to stage it.
The curtain rises revealing Andy Lee, the dance
director, auditioning dancers for the chorus. Mac, the stage manager, and Billy Lawlor, the romantic lead, watch as Oscar
pounds out "42nd Street" on the piano and we see the dancers Audition.
Bert Barry and Maggie Jones like what they see
but warn the dancers that at $4.40 per seat the audience will demand a great show. As Mac takes the names and addresses a
pretty young girl named Peggy Sawyer rushes onto the stage. She's spent the last hour outside getting up enough courage to
come through the stage door. Billy tells her she's missed the whole audition, tries to make a date, then gets her to sing
for Andy Lee. Peggy tries her good luck scarf around her neck and she and Billy sing Young And Healthy.
Peggy's good. Very good. But Mac tells Andy that
Mr. Marsh has just arrived and Andy throws Peggy out. As she exits, Peggy bumps into Julian. Julian tells the company, "you're
going to rehearse for 4 weeks then try-out in Atlantic City, you're going to dance 'til your feet fall off and you aren't
able to stand up but 5 weeks from now Pretty Lady's going to be the best damn show this town's ever seen! You're on
your way to glory and 32 bucks a week!" Meanwhile Maggie finds Peggy's purse on the piano. She looks inside and finds forty
cents and a card. "Miss Peggy Sawyer, 125 Elm Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania." She's sure the kid from Allentown will be
back.
Bert and Maggie try to soft-soap Julian about
the prospects for Pretty Lady. Julian admits that Wall Street got him and he needs a hit show to put him back on top.
His greatest concern about the production is Dorothy Brock, the leading lady. Julian thinks she's over the hill. Maggie and
Bert explain, "we have to use her, Julian. She's got Abner Dillon in her back pocket and he's agreed to put up the whole $100,000
if she's the star."
Dorothy and Abner arrive. Dorothy tells Julian
how she has dreamed of working with "the King of Broadway." She's very humble until Julian suggests shy try out one of the
songs. Abner reminds him that Dorothy's already got the job and doesn't have to audition. If Julian insists, Dorothy will
leave the production and take Abner and his money with her. Maggie and Bert calm her, explaining that, "it's not an audition,
Julian just wants to see if the song's in the right key." Dorothy sings Shadow Waltz, and Julian works his magic.
Maggie meets Peggy, who's come back looking for
her purse. Maggie invites her to lunch with three chorus girls, Annie, Phyllis and Lorraine. At The Gypsy Tea Kettle the girls
can't believe how naive Peggy is. They tell her the Broadway facts of life. Maggie assures Peggy that she'll get into a show
one day. As they dance back to the theatre they meet Andy Lee and advise Peggy to Go Into Your Dance. It turns into an audition when Julian Marsh passes by and he hires Peggy on the spot.
Julian rehearses a love scene with Dorothy and
Billy. When Billy kisses Dorothy, Abner protests, "I ain't putting up good money to see the lady I love kissed by no actor."
Julian tells them, "Cut the kiss and improvise something." Billy and Dorothy shake hands instead, and Dorothy sings You're
Getting To Be A Habit With Me. At the end of the number Peggy, still starving since she didn't eat any lunch, faints and
is carried into Miss Brock's dressing room. Pat Denning, Dorothy's former vaudeville partner and lover, is there and tries
to make Peggy comfortable. Dorothy enters unexpectedly and blows up at Pat, thinking he's making a play for Peggy. Overhearing
the argument, and wanting to protect the show, Julian orders Dorothy to get rid of Pat. When she tells him, "I shall see whom
I please when I please and no show is going to stand in my way." Julian responds by calling a "hood" to send a couple of the
"boys" over to persuade Pat Denning to make himself scarce for the next few weeks. Pat gets the "message" and leaves word
for Dorothy that he's gone to Philadelphia.
The Atlantic City tryout is canceled and Philadelphia
substituted. As we move from the 42nd Street Theatre in New York to The Arch Street Theatre in Philadelphia, the full company
sing Getting Out Of Town.
Even though the scenery and costumes are late
arriving, the dress rehearsal for Pretty Lady begins as Billy leads the full company in Dames. Julian is pleased
with the number but Dorothy is furious, "I am the star of this show Julian, and I don't appreciate making my entrance ten
seconds before the blackout." "Are you suggesting I bring you on after the blackout," asks Julian and Dorothy tells him, "I'm
suggesting you re-do the number to suit my talent." Julian says, "That might make it rather a short number, Miss Brock," and
Dorothy storms off.
Jones and Barry are so happy with the way things
are going they throw a party for the company at The Regency Club. Peggy asks Julian if he's coming. Charmed by her, he decides
it's a good idea. Dorothy arrives at the party a bit drunk, sick of Abner and missing Pat. Suddenly she tells Abner to, "get
on your Kiddie Kar and peddle back to Tulsa, you beached whale" and leaves. Abner's ready to close the show but Julian and
the kids talk him out of it.
When Dorothy locates Pat, Julian calls that "hood"
again. Peggy overhears the conversation and goes to warn Pat. Dorothy, who doesn't understand, throws both Peggy and Pat out
of her hotel suite. When they are gone Dorothy realizes she's in love with Pat and sings I Only Have Eyes For You.
At the Philadelphia opening of Pretty Lady
Billy and the dancers perform We're In The Money. It's a showstopper! Dorothy rushes on for the Act I Finale and as the dancers enter a boy bumps into Peggy who stumbles
against Dorothy who falls on the floor. Dorothy is in agony. An enraged Julian lowers the curtain as Dorothy cries out, "It
was her, Sawyer! She pushed me. I want her fired." Julian fires Peggy, informs the audience that the rest of the show has
been cancelled and the curtain falls on the end of Act One.
