Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (musical)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a stage musical based on the 1968 film produced by Albert R. Broccoli. The music and lyrics were written by Richard and Robert Sherman with book by Jeremy Sams.
Productions
;Original London productionThe musical premiered in the West End at the London Palladium on April 16, 2002 with six new songs by the Sherman Brothers who wrote the original Academy Award-nominated title and song score as well. The West End production was directed by Adrian Noble with musical staging and choreography by Gillian Lynne and featured Michael Ball, Emma Williams, Anton Rodgers, George Gillies, Carrie Fletcher and Graham Hoadly. Closing in September 2005, it was the longest running show ever at the London Palladium, taking in over £70 million in its three and a half year run. The Palladium's famous revolving stage was entirely taken out to accommodate the technology and storage space for the flying Chitty car, which itself holds the Guinness World Record as the most expensive stage prop, costing £750,000.
;Original Broadway production
The Broadway production opened on April 28, 2005 at the Lyric Theatre, garnering good reviews only for the lavish sets. Ben Brantley in The New York Times noted that the show "naggingly recalls the cold, futurist milieus of movies like 'Modern Times' and 'Metropolis,' in which machines rule the universe" and featured songs that sounded "not unlike what you might hear in sing-along hour in a pre-K class". The production was again directed by Adrian Noble with choreography by Gillian Lynne and starred Raúl Esparza, Erin Dilly, Philip Bosco, Marc Kudisch, Jan Maxwell, Ellen Marlow, and Henry Hodges. The Broadway production closed on December 31, 2005 after 34 previews and 285 regular performances. According to producer Nicholas Paleologos, "A substantial portion of the $15 million will not be recouped on Broadway."
A US National tour began in November 2008 at the Broward Center in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, with a revised script by Ray Roderick, who is the tour director. These revisions have since become part of the licensed script. The original US touring prop car is now under exclusive ownership by Tony Garofalo of New York City, released by Big League Productions and currently being used for private display use as well as fundraising events. This prop vehicle is a full sized version and fully equipped with many hydraulically activated stage tricks, such as surround stage mounted lighting, retractable wings, and spinning 45 degree tilt tires.
;Subsequent UK touring productions
Since closing in London, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang toured around the UK, stopping in Sunderland, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Bristol and Southampton, Bradford, Sunderland, Cardiff. The UK Tour visited Asia for the first time when it opened on 2 November 2007 in Singapore's Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. Encouraging ticket sales resulted in an extension of the show to 9 December, adding 24 more shows to a run which was originally planned to end on 18 November 2007.
In 2009, the original production toured the UK until 2010 on a smaller scale, directed by original director Adrian Noble and choreographed by David Morgan. This tour used the script revisions used for the US tour by Ray Roderick.
A brand new production by Music and Lyrics Productions opened at the West Yorkshire Playhouse for the Christmas 2015 season, directed by artistic director, James Brining and choreographed by Stephen Mear. Following the run at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, the production toured the UK and Ireland starring Jason Manford and Lee Mead as Caractacus Potts opening at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton before stopping in Dublin, Belfast, Stoke, Southend, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Newcastle, Sheffield, Wimbledon, Cardiff, Canterbury, Birmingham, Northampton, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Woking, Salford and ended in February 2017 at the Bristol Hippodrome. On March 20, 2020, Charles Hanson of Hanson Auctioneers in Staffordshire announced the firm would sell approximately 120 items, including the flying car, from this production on April 20.
;Australian production
The Australian national production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang opened on November 17, 2012, at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney, featuring David Hobson and Rachael Beck.
;German production
The German premiere of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang took place on April 30, 2014, at the Prinzregententheater in Munich, translated by Frank Thannhaeuser, directed by Josef E. Koepplinger and choreographed by Ricarda Regina Ludigkeit. The same team staged another production at State Theatre on Gaertnerplatz in Spring 2020.
Songs
;Act 1- Overture — Orchestra
- Prologue — Company
- "You Two" — Caractacus, Jeremy & Jemima
- "Them Three" — Grandpa Potts
- "Toot Sweets" — Caractacus, Truly, Lord Scrumptious & Ensemble
- "Think Vulgar" "Act English" — Boris and Goran
- "Hushabye Mountain" — Caractacus
- "Come to the Funfair" — Company
- "Me Ol' Bamboo" — Caractacus & Ensemble
- "Posh!" — Grandpa Potts, Jeremy & Jemima
- "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" — Caractacus, Truly, Jeremy & Jemima, & Grandpa Potts
- "Truly Scrumptious" — Jeremy, Jemima & Truly
- "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" — Caractacus, Truly, Jeremy & Jemima
- "Chitty Takes Flight" — Company
- "Entr'acte" — Orchestra
- "Vulgarian National Anthem" — Company
- "The Roses of Success" — Grandpa Potts & Inventors
- "Kiddy-Widdy-Winkies" — Childcatcher
- "Teamwork" — Caractacus, Toymaker, Truly & Juvenile Ensemble
- "Chu-Chi Face" — Baron & Baroness Bomburst
- "The Bombie Samba" — Baroness, Baron & Ensemble
- "Doll On A Music Box"/"Truly Scrumptious" — Truly & Caractacus
- "Us Two"/"Chitty Prayer" — Jeremy & Jemima
- "Teamwork" — Toymaker & Company
- "Chitty Flies Home " — Company
In the 2012 Australian production,"Kiddie-Widdy-Winkies" was put back in the line-up of songs, but has since not been put back into the 2015 UK tour.
Casts
| Character | Original London Cast 2002 | Notable London replacements 2002–2005 | Original Broadway Cast 2005 | First UK tour and Singapore 2005–2008 | First US Tour 2008–2009 | Second UK Tour 2009–2010 | Original Australian Cast 2012 | Third UK Tour 2015–2017 |
| Caractacus Potts | Michael Ball | Gary Wilmot Jason Donovan Brian Conley | Raúl Esparza | Tim Flavin Brian Conley Gary Wilmot Joe McFadden Craig McLachlan Kevin Kennedy Matt Baker Aled Jones | Steve Wilson | Darren Bennett | David Hobson | Jon Robyns Jason Manford Lee Mead |
| Truly Scrumptious | Emma Williams | Caroline Sheen Scarlett Strallen Jo Gibb | Erin Dilly | Marissa Dunlop | Kelly McCormick | Rachel Stanley Katie Ray | Rachael Beck | Amy Griffiths Carrie Hope Fletcher Charlotte Wakefield |
| Grandpa Potts | Anton Rodgers | Russ Abbott Tony Adams | Philip Bosco | Paul Greenwood Gregor Fisher Tony Adams | Dick Decareau | John Griffiths | Peter Carroll | Andy Hockley |
| Jeremy Potts | Luke Newberry George Gillies Harry Smith | Henry Hodges | Tom Hunter Connor Doyle Daniel Jukes Daniel Shaw Harrison Edwards Samuel Wright Adam Hargreaves | Jeremy Lipton Zachary Carter Sayle | Michael Kilbane Anthony Garcia Max Walburn | Hayden Goldberg Henry Kent Elliot Morris | ||
| Jemima Potts | Carrie Hope Fletcher Lauren Morgan Kimberley Fletcher | Ellen Marlow | Leyci Wightman Maddy Allison Shona Eaton Chloe Jones Harriet Back Shannon Wake Katie Reynolds | Aly Brier Camille Mancuso | Jasmin Younger Rose Shannon-Duhigg Ashleigh Ross | Lucy Sherman Darcy Snares Caitlin Surtees | ||
| Childcatcher | Richard O'Brien | Paul O'Grady Peter Polycarpou Derek Griffiths Lionel Blair Stephen Gately Wayne Sleep Alvin Stardust | Kevin Cahoon | Robin Askwith Kevin Kennedy Alvin Stardust Nigel Garton Richard O'Brien Russ Spencer Ian 'H' Watkins | Oliver Wadsworth | Dean Maynard | Tyler Coppin | Stephen Matthews Martin Kemp Matt Gillet Jos Vantyler |
| Baron Bomburst | Brian Blessed | Victor Spinetti Christopher Biggins | Marc Kudisch | Sean Blowers Ken Morley | George Dvorsky | Edward Peel | Alan Brough Shane Bourne | Don Gallagher Phill Jupitus Shaun Williamson |
| Baroness Bomburst | Nichola McAuliffe | Sandra Dickinson Louise Gold | Jan Maxwell | Jane Gurnett Barbara Rafferty | Elizabeth Ward | Kim Ismay | Jennifer Vuletic | Tamsin Carroll Michelle Collins Claire Sweeney |
| Toymaker | Edward Petherbridge | Freddie Lees | Frank Raiter | Richard Owens | Richard G. Rodgers | Tony Jackson | Phillip Gould Tony Farrell | Ewan Cummins |
| Boris | David Ross | Richard Long | Robert Sella | Robert Traynor | Dirk Lumbard | Richard Ashton | Todd Goddard | Sam Harrison |
| Goran | Emil Wolk | Christopher Ryan | Chip Zien | Nigel Garton | Scott Cote | Nigel Garton | George Kapiniaris | Scott Paige |
| Lord Scrumptious | David Henry | none | Kenneth Kantor | Duncan Smith | George Dvorsky | Edward Peel | Alan Brough Shane Bourne | Don Gallagher Phill Jupitus Shaun Williamson |
| Sewer Child | Kim Morris | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- Actor also plays 'Junkman' after changes to the 2008 US tour.
- Actor also plays 'Lord Scrumptious' after changes to the 2008 US tour.
- Actress also plays 'Miss Phillips' after changes to the 2008 US tour.
- Actor also plays 'Coggins' after changes to the 2005 UK tour.
- Actor also plays 'Baron Bomburst' after changes to the 2008 US tour.
Awards and nominations