Overview
Synopsis
Let’Em Eat Cake is the sequel to the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Of Thee I Sing but it did not achieve the same success for George and Ira Gershwin, George S. Kaufman, and Morrie Ryskind. In part, this can be attributed to its darker tone and the political climate into which it was released. With thinly veiled references to Hitler's Brown Shirts (“Blue Shirts”), totalitarianism and anarchy, the musical follows the fortunes of President John P. Wintergreen at the end of his first term in office. When he is defeated for re-election, Wintergreen and his wife Mary decide to go into the shirt business, where they hit upon a groundbreaking idea. For every shirt sold, a revolution is promised on a money-back guarantee. Following a march on Washington, Wintergreen becomes the nation’s somewhat reluctant dictator. However, it is not safe at the top, and he cannot avoid the threat of execution when the rabble-rouser Kruger gets the Army on his side.
Despite its critical and popular failure, Let ‘Em Cake includes the Gershwin brothers’ hit ballad “Mine” and has been revived in concert 70 years after its premiere.
Show Information
- Book
- George S. Kaufman , Morrie Ryskind
- Music
- George Gershwin
- Lyrics
- Ira Gershwin
- Category
- Operetta
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1933
- Genres
- Satire
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- America, 1930s
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Medium
- Dancing
- Musical Staging
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone, Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone, Bass-Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Alto, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass |
Songs
Act One
- Wintergreen for President - Ensemble
- Tweedledee for President - Ensemble
- Union Square - Ensemble
- Down With Everyone Who's Up - Kruger and Agitators
- Shirts by Millions - Wives and Ensemble
- Comes the Revolution - Alexander Throttlebottom and Ensemble
- Mine - John P. Wintergreen, Mary Wintergreen and Ensemble
- Climb Up the Social Ladder - Mary Wintergreen, Wives and Ensemble
- Cloistered from the Noisy City (The Union League) - President of the Union League Club and Club Members
- Comes the Revolution (Reprise) - Union League Club
- On and On and On - John P. Wintergreen, John P. Wintergreen, Mary Wintergreen, Mary Wintergreen, Company and Company
- I've Brushed My Teeth - Gen. Adam Snookfield, U.S.A. and Dignitaries
- On and On and On (Reprise) - Blue Shirts
- The General's Gone to a Party - John P. Tweedledee, John P. Wintergreen, Lieutenant and Men
- All the Mothers of the Nation - Mary Wintergreen, Wives and Girls
- Yes, He's a Bachelor - John P. Wintergreen, Blue Shirts and Lieutenant
- There's Something We're Worried About - Lieutenant, Army, Women, John P. Tweedledee and Kruger
- What's the Proletariat? - Mary Wintergreen, Wives, Committee, Army and All
- Let 'Em Eat Cake - John P. Wintergreen and Company
Act Two
- Blue, Blue, Blue - Wives and Ensemble
- Who's the Greatest? - John P. Wintergreen and Ensemble
- No Comprenez, No Capish - League of Nations, John P. Wintergreen, Mary Wintergreen and Ensemble
- Who's the Greatest? (Reprise) - John P. Wintergreen and Ensemble
- Play Ball - Girls
- When the Judges Doff the Ermine - President of the Union League Club and Blue Shirts
- Up and at 'em - Ensemble
- Oyez, Oyez, Oyez - Soldiers and Spectators
- That's What He Did - Alexander Throttlebottom, Kruger and Ensemble
- I Know a Foul Ball - Alexander Throttlebottom
- Throttle Throttlebottom - Kruger and Ensemble
- A Hell of a Hole (A Hell of a Fix) - John P. Wintergreen, Kruger and Soldiers
- Down With Everyone Who's Up (Reprise) - Kruger and Ensemble
- It Isn't What You Did - John P. Wintergreen and Ensemble
- Mine (Reprise) - John P. Wintergreen, Mary Wintergreen and Ensemble
- Let 'Em Eat Caviar - Kruger and Ensemble (music missing)
- First Lady and First Gent - (replaces Caviar in modern performances)
- Hang Throttlebottom in the Morning - Lieutenant and Ensemble
- Fashion Show - Ensemble
- Finale (Reprise of either Let 'Em Eat Cake or Of Thee I Sing) - Ensemble
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
A ruler with total power over a country, typically one who has obtained control by force.
A form of far-right ultranationalism, characterized by dictatorial power and forcible suppression of opposition that rose to prominence in early 20th-century Europe.
The financial and industrial slump of 1929 and subsequent years.
A short and usually humorous opera, generally incorporating more spoken dialogue than traditional opera.
A form of comedy that presents ridiculous extremes in order to make a point about society or human nature.
A form of government that attempts to assert total control over the lives of its citizens.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher