Hot Spot is a musical with the book by
Jack Weinstock and
Willie Gilbert, lyrics by
Martin Charnin, music by
Mary Rodgers, and additional lyrics and music by
Stephen Sondheim. It had a brief run on
Broadway in 1963. The musical is a political satire.
Background
A
Peace Corps volunteer in newly-independent
Nigeria, Marjorie Michelmore, caused a furor because she had written a postcard on October 13, 1961, describing the primitive living conditions there. Nigerians were indignant, and some accused the volunteers of being
American spies. This led to a public relations crisis for the fledgling Peace Corps.
Production
Hot Spot began out-of-town try-outs on February 11, 1963 at the
National Theater,
Washington, D.C., and on February 28 at the Shubert Theatre,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Suskin, Steven.
The Sound of Broadway Music: A Book of Orchestrators and Orchestrations (2009). Oxford University Press US, ISBN 0-19-530947-2, p. 432
The musical premiered on Broadway at the
Majestic Theater on April 19, 1963 and closed on May 25, 1963 after 43 performances and 5 previews. (Although reporting 5 "official" previews, according to
The New York Times, "the musical expects to run up 36 at the Majestic by the time it opens".Taubman, Howard. "In and Out Of...
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