Celebrate the Holiday Season With a Look Back at Promises, Promises on Broadway | Playbill

Archival Photos Celebrate the Holiday Season With a Look Back at Promises, Promises on Broadway The romantic comedy takes place during the holiday season, from Christmas to New Year’s Eve.
Cast Friedman-Abeles/©NYPL for the Performing Arts

The musical Promises, Promises, based on the 1960 Academy Award-winning Billy Wilder film The Apartment, opened on Broadway in December, 1968. The musical, which takes place during the holiday season, features a score by Burt Bacharach, lyrics by Hal David, and a book by Neil Simon.

In Promises, Promises a junior executive at a big insurance firm allows higher-ups in the company to use his apartment for trysts. His plan works until he discovers his own office crush is one of the late-night visitors.

READ: Donna McKechnie On the Origins of 'Turkey Lurkey Time' From Promises, Promises

Star Jerry Orbach won the Best Actor in a Musical Tony Award for his work in the original staging, and Marian Mercer won the Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

The production was nominated for Best Musical, and also received Tony nominations for A. Larry Haine (Featured Actor in a Musical), Edward Winter (Featured Actor in a Musical), Jill O'Hara (Actress in a Musical), Michael Bennett (Choreographer), and Robert Moore (Director).

Celebrate the Holiday Season With a Look Back at Promises, Promises on Broadway

Promises, Promises ran 1,281 performances and was one of the first mainstream Broadway musicals to offer a commercial pop sound in its score.
 
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