La Strada

• Original Broadway Production (1969)
  New York, NY

Click on the title for info on the song.

Original score

• The Road
• Seagull, Starfish, Pebble
• The Great Zampano
  • aka Zampano the Great! [title on demo]
• What's Going on Inside?
• Belonging
• Wedding Dance
• I Don't Like You
• Encounters
• There's a Circus in Town
• You're Musical
• Only More!
• With a Man
• Everything Needs Something
• Sooner of Later
• The End of the Road
• Nothing
• Something Special
• La-La-La-La

Cut prior to opening

• He Who Laughs Last
• To Be a Performer!
• Sometimes
• Hullo and Goodbye
• My Turn to Fall
• If Her Mother Only Knew!
• Living in Dreamland
• Introduction
• All My Worldly Belongings
  • aka With All These Worldly Possessions [no note]
• The Seashell Game
• Tan-Tan-Ta-Ra! Farewell!!
  • aka Zampano's Farewell [no note]
• What's Left?
• I Can't Wait
• The Trouble with Marriage
• Where Will We Be Tomorrow

• Studio Demo #1 [audio]
• Studio Demo #2 [audio]

Based on the 1954 film of the same name by Federico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano

The play follows the story of the film of the same name. Gelsomina, a young girl, is sold by her impoverished mother to a brutish circus strongman, Zampanò, to be his assistant. She shows her abilities as a clown and soon becomes the star of the show. She falls in love with Zampanò, despite his abuse of her. But tragedy strikes when she befriends a circus clown (Mario), who gives her advice and friendship, and Zampanò kills him in a jealous fit. Zampanò eventually leaves Gelsomina, who still loves him, to die on the road.

According to Ken Mandelbaum in Not Since Carrie, all but three of Lionel Bart's songs were replaced prior to the opening. although he retained credit for the entire score.

The only indication in the Playbill that the entire score was not by Bart was an insert reading: "At this performance, additional music and lyrics by Martin Charnin and Elliot Lawrence."