Created by Dennis Deal, Albert Evans and James A. Rocco

Cast Size

5

Musicians
  • Piano/Keyboards
  • Bass
  • Drums
  • Bongos and Percussion
Acts

Two Acts

Sound information

Two Acts

Setting

The action takes place during the Eisenhower Era: 1956-1961, in New York, Las Vegas and Hollywood.


The setting for NITE CLUB CONFIDENTIAL, is a stylized single unit set, depicting the overall feeling of swank 1950's nightclubs like The Copacabana, The Blue Angel, The Stork Club, and The Coconut Grove. The lines should be Mid-century Modern – sleek, curvy, and asymmetrical. (Keep in mind that pink and turquoise were the popular colors of that period.)


A handful of other small set pieces can be added throughout the show.

Two Acts

Duration

The Camp Masterpiece Of The Cabaret Genre.

Ken Mandlebaum, Theatre Week

A Show That Does Everything Right.

Sylvia Drake, The Los Angeles Times

And If On The 8th Day It Was Decreed ‘Let There Be Music, Dancing, Joy & Laughter On Earth’ Certainly What God Had In Mind Was Nite Club Confidential!

Robert W. Peterson, The Hollywood Reporter
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Step into the glamorous world of Nite Club Confidential, a world of music, neon lights, and mysterious shadows. You'll meet Kay Goodman, the stylish star who's seen better days, Buck Holden, the seductive saloon singer who manages her career, and the Hi-Hopes, a mesmerizing vocal trio with stars in their eyes.


The atmosphere is as cool and crisp as a dry martini, and the music is as smooth as silk. But be warned; this dazzling world comes to a sudden halt when a shot rings out from a smoking gun.

Join a dynamic and diverse cast of five in a show where film noir meets a jazz and gin-soaked nightclub of yesteryear.


This show is perfect for a theatre organization looking for a small cast show in an intimate setting with a score of classic hits from the 1950s-- songs your audiences will remember fondly or younger audiences will discover and really dig.

Cast Breakdown

KAY GOODMAN: The most modern of women, the toast of mid-century New York nightclubs. A chic, attractive, flamboyant chanteuse. She is still dynamic and irresistible although we feel her fortieth birthday is a cloudy event. A veteran performer, who has long since conquered stage fright and is now pre-occupied with "age fright", the after-hours demon. Think Lena Horne, Kay Thompson, Rosemary Clooney

BUCK HOLDEN: A good-looking nightclub singer/hustler type, the kind you’d expect to meet in a Raymond Chandler novel or a dark alley. In his early thirties, his talents are overshadowed by his personal magnetism and sex appeal. He is street smart, but not intellectual; friendly, but not kind. Throughout the show his opportunistic tendencies come to the fore, and his broad shoulders develop a chip.

DOROTHY FLYNN: A cute young cabaret performer, equally skilled as a comedienne and singer. She begins the show as the girl no one notices but once she takes her glasses off, she emerges as an energetic bombshell. She enjoys her newfound sex-appeal and exploits it to her gain. (Think Della Reese, Nina Simone)

JONNY: Buck’s streetwise singing partner. A tough, steamy, talented guy in his late twenties. His versatile voice makes him equally comfortable with 50s Rock and Roll and Jazz. Jonny grew up with Mitch and at times their relationship has been “very” close. (Think Bobby Darin, Jackie Wilson)

MITCH DUPREÉ: Jonny’s friend and Buck’s other singing partner. A lover of Bebop who lives for music. In his late twenties, with off-beat, appealing looks. Mitch is an outsider who is more comfortable in the Village than Park Avenue. (Think Mark Murphy, Jon Hendricks)

Cast and Musician Note

Due to the nature of the score, it is imperative the cast and musicians have some background in pop and jazz vocals (solo and harmony), nightclub and cabaret performing.

The Musical Director/Pianist must have knowledge of the period and be savvy with chord/lead sheet playing and improvisational skills.

Additional Information
Songs & Scenes

ACT I


PROLOGUE

  • Dead End Street (Deal/Evans) - Dorothy, Mitch, Jonny


OPENING NUMBER

  • Confidential (Deal/Evans) - The Hi-Hopes


Scene 1: Limbo & Café High Society, New York City, 1956

  • Hello! Hello! Hello! (Deal/Evans) - The Hi-Hopes
  • Hello New York City (Deal/Evans) - Kay Goodman
  • I Refuse to Rock and Roll (Brodszky/Cahn) - Kay Goodman & The Hi-Hopes
  • Love Isn't Born, It's Made (Schwartz/Loesser) - Kay & Buck


Scene 2: Limbo & Café High Society, New York City, 1957

  • Hello! Hello! Hello! Reprise (Deal/Evans - The Hi-Hopes

Scene 3: The Silver Rocket Lounge/Radio Broadcast Studio, New York City, 1957-1958

  • Goody, Goody (Malneck/Mercer) - The Hi-Hopes
  • Nothing Can Replace A Man (Shapiro/Fain)- Dorothy


Scene 4: Limbo

  • Jackpot (Deal/Evans) - The Hi-Hopes

Scene 5: A Hollywood Sound Stage, 1958

  • Put The Blame On Mamie! (Deal/Evans) - Kay & The Hi-Hopes


Scene 6: Limbo & A Dive in the Village, New York City, 1959

  • The Canarsie Diner (Deal/Evans) - Dorothy & The Hi-Hopes


Scene 7: Kay’s Apartment in Hollywood / Buck’s Pad in New York City, 1959


Scene 8: Limbo & Dorothy’s Apartment, 1959


Scene 9: Limbo & The Golden Lariat, Las Vegas, 1959

  • That Old Black Magic (Arlen/Mercer) - Kay & The High Hopes

ACT II


ENTR’ACTE


Scene 1: Limbo & Buck’s Office in Vegas, 1960

Scene 2: The Hip-O-Sphere, The Strip in Vegas, 1960

  • Crazy New Words (Deal/Evans) - Mitch


Scene 3: The Steel Pier in Atlantic City, 1960

  • Black Slacks (Bennett/Denton) - Jonny


Scene 4: Limbo & A Dive Bar in a Vegas Back Alley, 1960

  • Something Cool (Barnes) - Kay


Scene 5: Limbo & Club Tip of The Strip, Vegas, 1960

  • If I Had A Hammer (Hays/Seeger) - Dorothy


Scene 6 : An Alley Behind the Club, Vegas, 1960

  • Ballad of the Sad Young Men (Landesman/Wolf) - Mitch


Scene 7: Limbo & Club Au Revoir, Vegas, 1961

  • Club Au Revoir (Deal/Evans) - Buck
  • Everybody’s Boppin’/Cloudburst (Hendricks/Hall/Kirkland) - The New Hi-Hopes
  • That Old Black Magic (Reprise) - Kay


Scene 8: Limbo & Club Au Revoir, Vegas, 1961

  • I Refuse to Rock and Roll (Reprise) - Dorothy
  • The Long Goodbye (Deal/Evans) - Kay
  • The Other One (Deal/Evans) - Kay


Scene 9: Backstage & On Stage at Club Au Revoir, Vegas, 1961

  • Dressed To Kill (Deal/Evans) - Kay
  • The Long Goodbye (Tag) (Deal/Evans) - Kay
  • Dead End Street (Tag) (Deal/Evans) - Kay


BOWS

Title
0:00
0:00
Prologue
1:38
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/4bf5uqjric8lz502mmh2r/01.-Prologue-Dead-End-Street-May-12-2022-4.28-PM.m4a?rlkey=9zz0knfef8u9gsnbj6a26cbuq&dl=1
Prologue
Kay's Entrance/Old Black Magic
2:13
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/xdgp1be9pd7wwuw1zpkrn/02.-Kay_s-Entrance-_-Old-Black-Magic-5_14_22-8.14-PM.m4a?rlkey=8jtmuucq0a2vzg0cxw7vhula6&dl=1
Kay's Entrance/Old Black Magic
Love isn't Born, it's Made
2:54
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/gt8xg54ud09fbv4paj0ip/04-Love-Isn_t-Born.mp3?rlkey=pmxzgyk9r0u1o5t5qqe85en32&dl=1
Love isn't Born, it's Made
Goody Goody
1:42
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/zucchenu49oycugfig2qa/05-Goody-Goody.mp3?rlkey=xb8mlrrqaedzw7lv453eav8xl&dl=1
Goody Goody
Put The Blame on Maine
3:07
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/7kvnd0o36yeo5uo5indse/07.-Put-The-Blame-On-Mamie-2022.m4a?rlkey=u07svklg16g9brzygyhq6ft8u&dl=1
Put The Blame on Maine
The Canarsie Diner
4:33
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/62burf8fm70a37m2oy6py/08-The-Canarsie-Diner.mp3?rlkey=8hoso2y6yy3xrle9fo043z2p2&dl=1
The Canarsie Diner
Crazy New Worlds
3:20
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/9h6mtkjyd1k292023cfse/10-Crazy-New-Words.mp3?rlkey=ongqwwob3v92p4g8xsaxppleu&dl=1
Crazy New Worlds
The Long Goodbye
3:27
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/nh78v1g3vt4tqgowvxgs2/11-The-Long-Goodbye.mp3?rlkey=j44hsnf2ne4if4jb7dzwo06gi&dl=1
The Long Goodbye
Boppin' Cloudburst
4:56
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/s19yh8xlcug299u02b8y6/12-Boppin_-Cloudburst.mp3?rlkey=51mfxeqdxjkythtjtpltxg7oh&dl=1
Boppin' Cloudburst
Dressed to Kill
3:02
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/g0dcsqipbfvr11qw5aemt/14.-Dressed-to-Kill-Jennifer-Vocal-ref-mix-1.mp3?rlkey=ezmipc3gxu368dn51l6kg3mzv&dl=1
Dressed to Kill
Creators