Pins and Needles

This article is about the musical revue. For other uses, see Pins and Needles (disambiguation).

Pins and Needles
Music	Harold Rome
Lyrics	Harold Rome
Book	Arthur Arent Marc Blitzstein Emmanuel Eisenberg Charles Friedman David Gregory Joseph Schrank Arnold B. Horwitt John Latouche Harold Rome
Productions	1937 Broadway

Pins and Needles is a musical revue with a book by Arthur Arent, Marc Blitzstein, Emmanuel Eisenberg, Charles Friedman, David Gregory, Joseph Schrank, Arnold B. Horwitt, John Latouche, and Harold Rome and music and lyrics by Rome. The title Pins and Needles was created by Max Danish, long-time editor of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU)'s newspaper Justice.

Background

The International Ladies Garment Workers Union used the Princess Theatre in New York City as a meeting hall. The union sponsored an inexpensive revue with ILGWU workers as the cast and two pianos. Because of their factory jobs, participants could rehearse only at night and on weekends, and initial performances were presented only on Friday and Saturday nights. The original cast was made up of cutters, basters, and sewing machine operators.

Pins and Needles looked at current events from a pro-union standpoint. It was "lighthearted look at young workers in a changing society in the middle of America's most politically engaged city." Skits spoofed everything from Fascist European dictators to bigots in the DAR. Word-of-mouth was so enthusiastically positive that the cast abandoned their day jobs and the production expanded to a full performance schedule of eight shows per week. New songs and skits were introduced every few months to keep the show topical.

According to John Kenrick, Pins and Needles "is the only hit ever produced by a labor union, and the only time when a group of unknown non-professionals brought a successful musical to Broadway."

Productions

Originally written for a small theatrical production, the first production of Pins and Needles was directed by Samuel Roland. After a two week professional run, it was adapted for performances by members of the then-striking International Garment Workers' Union as an entertainment for its members. Because Roland was associated with left-wing causes, he was asked by ILGWU president David Dubinsky to withdraw. The better-known ILGWU production was directed by Charles Friedman and choreographed by Benjamin Zemach. It opened on November 27, 1937 at the Labor Stage Theatre and then transferred to the Windsor Theatre on January 1, 1939, finally closing on June 22, 1940 after 1108 performances. The cast included Harry Clark.

The Roundabout Theatre Company produced a revival Off-Broadway at the Roundabout Stage 1 Theatre in 1978, which ran for 225 performances.

The Jewish Repertory Theatre presented a concert in 2003, to include songs and sketches from all versions of the show.

Pins and Needles was presented in the UK for the first time at the Cock Tavern Theater in Kilburn, London in November and December 2010. The production was directed by Rachel Grunwald and received positive reviews from the theatre press.

Songs

Act I

• First Impression - Entire Company
• Why sing of Skies Above? - Boys and Girls
• Public Enemy No. 1 - Sung by Jean Nicita
• The General is Unveiled - General, Speaker, Secretary and Invited Guests
• Sunday in the Park - Papa, Mama, Boy, Girl, Cop, Balloon Man, Vendor, Couple, Man with Carriage, Lonesome Guy, Park Attendant, Radical, Man on Bench and Passersby
• Dear Beatrice Fairfax - Sung by Millie Weitz
• Britannia Waives the Rules (Sketch and Lyrics by: John La Touche and Arnold B. Horwitt, Music By Bernece Kazounoff - The Prime Minister, The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, The Secretary of State for War, The First Lord of the Admiralty, The German Envoy, The Japanese Envoy and Miss Beamish
• Men Awake - Singers and Dance Group

Act II

• Lorelei On the Rocks (Lyrics By John La Touche, Music By Bernece Kazounoff) - Die Lorelei and A Storm Trooper
• Lesson In Etiquette - The Expert
• What Good is Love? - Sung by Grace Quatropani
• One Big Union for Two - Girls and Boys
• Vassar Girl Finds a Job - Sung by Millie Weitz
• Four Little Angels of Peace - Chamberlain, Mussolini, Japanese and Hitler
• Slumming Party - Mrs. Dalyrymple III, Mrs. Dalyrymple's Protege, Mrs. Dalyrymple's Nephew, Mrs. Dalyrymple's Aunt, Mrs. Dalyrymple's Uncle and Mrs. Dalyrymple's Chauffeur
• We've Just Begun (Lyrics By Charles Friedman and Harold J. Rome) - Entire Company

25th Anniversary recording

In commemoration of the show's 25th Anniversary in 1962, Columbia Records released a studio recording of the score featuring then-newcomer Barbra Streisand. Columbia president Goddard Lieberson did not approve Barbra's involvement with this record until pressured by Harold Rome. She remained unsigned to Columbia until October 1, 1962. The recording was digitally restored and remastered for CD release.

Tracklisting

1. Sing Me A Song With Social Significance [2:52]
2. Doing The Reactionary [2:01]
3. One Big Union For Two [2:57]
4. It's Better With A Union Man [3:03]
5. Nobody Makes A Pass At Me [4:17]
6. I've Got The Nerve To Be In Love [4:46]
7. Not Cricket To Picket [2:29]
8. Back To Work [2:13]
9. Status Quo [4:27]
10. When I Grow Up (The G-Man Song) [2:49]
11. Chain Store Daisy [3:50]
12. Four Little Angels Of Peace [4:36]
13. Sunday In The Park [3:31]
14. What Good Is Love [3:38]
15. Mene, Mene, Tekel [3:51]

Barbra Streisand vocals feature on tracks 2 (Solo), 5 (Solo), 7 (Solo), 9 (Solo), 12 & 14.

External links

• Pins and Needles at the Internet Broadway Database
• Guide to ILGWU records, 1884-2006, bulk 1923-1995. Includes oral history interviews with cast members and related archival materials.