On the Twentieth Century

by Cy Coleman

Portrays the antics of stage director Oscar Jaffee and a host of other show business people aboard a train bound from Chicago to New York in the 1930s

Genres: Musicals

138 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1981

About the author

Cy Coleman (born Seymour Kaufman; June 14, 1929 – November 18, 2004) was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist.

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Growing up, Singin’ in the Rain was one of my favorite movies. I even wrote a school paper on Ms. Comden. While I think Comden and Green are underappreciated as a creative duo, their projects were inconsistent: brilliant as Singin’ in the Rain is, The Band Wagon is not.

On the Twentieth Century falls between those two extremes. It’s a fantastic sendup to Hollywood's Golden Age, replete with references from multiple films. I wish the edition I read had indicated the sources of inspiration. I recognized several but I know there are plenty I missed. Given this play was partially written to celebrate the Golden Age’s screenwriters, it’s odd to not give them any credit and accolades for crafting the source material.

The majority of the musical / play takes place on a train headed to New York. Passengers include a failed Broadway producer and his former love / muse who is now a bonafide Hollywood star. I enjoyed it because I enjoy Golden Age Hollywood. I have no idea how it would play with a more general audience. Recommended.