THE FIRST

A Musical

Book By Joel Siegel

With Martin Charnin

Music By Bob Brush

Lyrics By Martin Charnin

 

Rights: Samuel French, Inc. /  French’s Musical Library

254 West 54th Street

New York, NY 10036

 

Cast:

Males:  38

Females: 1 lead, 7 ensemble

 

      THE FIRST is an account of Jackie Robinson in 1947, the year he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers as the first African American admitted to major league baseball. Robinson endured prejudice at the hands of baseball fans, the baseball establishment and the majority of his opponents and teammates. Ironically, in a story that only exists because of the existence of racism, Jackie Robinson was eventually accepted because ability is colorless. His story is a valuable example of courage and determination, but it is equally as valuable due to the relationship between himself and his wife, Rachel Isum. Rachel traveled with Jackie throughout his first season in the majors and withstood the onslaught against her husband and herself. Not discounting the efforts of Branch Rickey and the sacrifice of Leo Durocher, Rachel was the principal reason that Jackie persisted. THE FIRST is an entertaining musical about a true pioneer in the world of sports and equal rights, but I recommend it as well as a story that exemplifies the best qualities of love through adversity. Given today's grim statistics, misinformation and pessimism about marital relationships, THE FIRST offers students a template for success. It is also a marvelous example of the transcendent nature of character, both good and bad, proving that character is not determined by race, creed or color.


      THE FIRST employs forty-six actors, most of whom sing and dance, and, notwithstanding some denigrating dialogue, it affords boisterous fun in the manner of DAMN YANKEES. The baseball players must be athletes and dancers, since the throwing, catching, and running the bases are performed both realistically and stylistically. There are two “baseball ballets,” one performed by the Brooklyn Dodgers and one performed by the Negro League’s Kansas City Monarchs called  “Dancin’ Off Third.”

 

ACT ONE: SCENE THREE

 

Comisky Park, Chicago. The Kansas City Monarchs are playing the Chicago American Giants. It is the ninth inning, with the Kansas City monarchs at bat. The following action is entirely choreographic:

 

MUSIC: Dancin’ Off Third

 

A bat crack is heard, and Jackie Robinson comes streaking around the bases, stopping at third base. The third baseman and Jackie eye each other, warily. Junkyard Jones, the pitcher, returns to the mound. Jackie dances off third, trying to rattle the pitcher. Junkyard shakes off several signs from his catcher, all the while watching Jackie. Jackie takes a long lead off, Junkyard checks him, forcing Jackie back to third. Junkyard takes a long wind-up and pitches, but no ball leaves his hand. Jackie races for home, slides, and is tagged out by the catcher, who miraculously has produced a ball.

 

Umpire:  OUT!

 

Jackie: Out!? Are you blind? He never threw the ball. The pitcher has got to throw to throw the god-damned ball. And he never threw it. HE never threw the ball.

 

Umpire: (Never breaking stride.) I said, “Out.” Robinson. This game is over.

 

 

             

       The “fans” are a powerful, nefarious force. Before they succumb to Jackie's winning ways, they supply the venom that makes Jackie's efforts appear futile, although nothing is more disheartening to Jackie than the ignorant contemptuousness of his own teammates.

 

      Although historical by topic, I do not think of THE FIRST solely as an historical piece, because it is an abiding rendition of human nature. However, in its reference to Jackie's relationships and experience in the “Negro League,” the play is certainly historical. It alludes to the confinement of black players to a league defined by color, and the disadvantages they suffered in every category of opportunity. Such disadvantages are poignantly evident when a few of Jackie's former teammates accompany him onto his wondrous major league field.

 

      THE FIRST is inspiring, but the payoff doesn't come easily, which makes the show more engaging than the average musical. After students witness the initial “breakthrough,” they will endure an exercise in patience before they are rewarded. THE FIRST is nothing if not accessible, so the journey will be stimulating, and the outcome is less a matter of history than it is a testament to love, equality and victory through good work and good character.  

 

 

     

 

 









“The Great White Hope”

 

by Howard Sackler

 

 

Rights: Samuel French, Inc

254 West 54th Street

New York, NY 10036

 

Cast: 63

 

 

Like THE FIRST, THE GREAT WHITE HOPE is about a man’s need to work at what he loves. Unlike THE FIRST, the black protagonist does not choose to contain his temper, and he flaunts his Caucasian wife in front of a disapproving world. Nevertheless, he also becomes “the first,” the first black heavyweight champion of the world, and, in every sense of the word, this is a heavyweight drama. Jack Jefferson (based on the real Jack Johnson) ends his life in exile, penniless, with his wife having committed suicide. The malign populace has gone  after Jack and his wife with everything they’ve got. The play is profoundly depressing, because “might beats right,” but THE GREAT WHITE HOPE is well worth seeing. The power and poetry of the play, mixed with stunning theatricality, makes it a theater event beyond compare. 

 

The play won a Pulitzer Prize for Howard Sackler and Tony awards for Sackler, James Earl Jones, and Jane Alexander. The original script calls for 200 actors, but the New York production used sixty-three. The cost of the production is nearly prohibitive, except perhaps at a high school where actors aren’t paid.

 

The set adds enormously to the theatricality of this piece, allowing the audience to have ringside seats. Only two sets need to be specific. For example, the enormous thrust stage at LaGuardia would be perfect for building a boxing ring and a downstage bedroom set to accommodate the “scandalous” love scene between Jack and his wife. Obviously, set design will depend on the configuration and size of each theater. Costumes can be expensive for this show, but many clothes could be gathered and contributed by parents. There is no expense for orchestrations.

 

I still remember myself in the audience at the final curtain in 1969, frozen, unable to speak, with tears pouring down my face. Like the play EQUUS, THE GREAT WHITE HOPE stands out in my mind as quintessential theater. In cannot be duplicated on film.

It thrives in the theatre. If there were any way to mount this powerful piece, students and audience, alike, would be given a once in a lifetime experience.

 

 

 

Jack: (to Young Negro) Hey, man. What my winnin' gonna do for you?

Young Negro: Huh? Oh . . . er . . .

Deacon: Give him self-respeck, that's what!

All Negroes: Amen!

Negro One: Tell it, brother!

Young Negro: Yeah--I be proud to be a cullud man tomorrow! Negroes (general response): Amen.

Jack: Uh huh. Well, country boy, if you ain't there already all the boxin and nigger-prayin in the world ain't gonna get you there...