Musical Adaptations of Anna Cora Mowatt's "Fashion"

A Brief Summary of Production Details

"Fashion: A New Style Musical Comedy"

Theatre: McAlpin Rooftop Theatre

Opening Date: February 18, 1974

Book: Anthony: Stimak

Time and Place: The action occurs during “Nippy Fall 1973” in a high fashion living room on Long Island, the home of Evelyn and Allen Rich. It is also the headquarters of the Long Island Masque and Wig Society, an organization devoted to the preservation of early American Drama.

Synopsis: Elegantly dressed, the Long Island matrons perform “Fashion,” a musical written especially for them.  The women play all of the roles (male and female) except the starring role of a phony Count, who is trying to win the love of Seraphina, daughter of the nouveau riche Pearl Tiffany.  The Count is performed by the “composer/director” of the play-within-the-play.

Marvelous farcical madness evolves from this set-up and lead to inevitable hilarity as the engaging melodies mix merrily with amiable lyrics telling the story of shay financial deals, proposals, seductions, and Pearl’s overspending combined with her desire to marry off her daughter and be fashionable at the same time. Of course, greed is punished at the end, and virtue triumphs, while the songs speak delightfully for themselves, making following the plot superfluous. (Synopsis from the insert of the 1994 cast album)

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