Producers' Showcase Season 2

Our Town is a 1955 episode of the American series Producers' Showcase directed by Delbert Mann and starring Frank Sinatra, Paul Newman and Eva Marie Saint. The episode is an adaption of Thornton Wilder's 1938 play Our Town.

Musical version of Thornton Wilder's 1938 stage play (the most performed American stage play),depicts life in a rural New Hampshire village, with its humor and pathos. Songs written especially for this television production included both ""The Impatient Years"" and ""Love and Marriage;"" this is believed to be the only entertainment program in which Paul Newman sings (in this case, a duet with Eva Marie Saint).

The story of a professional soldier with an extraordinarily long nose and his unrequited love for the fair Roxanne who woos her for her suitor, who dies on the battlefield, after which the stricken Roxanne enters a convent, visited over the years by the ever-faithful Cyrano until she realizes, too late, that it was his soul that she loved all along.

A salute to foreign correspondents; presented in cooperation with Overseas Press Club of America, Inc., Milton Berle performs a monologue; Peggy Lee sings ""You're My Thrill"" and ""Swing Low, Sweet Chariot;"" Irving Berlin sings a few bars from ""You Gotta Get Up;"" John Raitt sings ""Free,"" written by Berlin especially for this program; Janet Blair sings ""The Funnies"" and reads the funnies as a ballet from ""Li'l Abner"" is performed; ""Dateline Korea"" is original playlet by Donald Bevan, honoring Pulitzer Prize Winning correspondent Marguerite Higgins, with Janet Blair and Greer Garson sing ""How About You;"" John Wayne reminisces about role of Marine Correspondents; Spanish dance by Antonio, assisted by Carmen Rojas; John Steinbeck ""Memorium to Robert Capa"" read by William Holden; Robert Frost reads his poem ""The land was ours before we were the land's;"" Greer Garson pays tribute to underground newspaper in Cracow Ghetto; entire cast sings ""Free"" in Finale.

Beautifully orchestrated ballet of the fairy tale ""Sleeping Beauty"". A true treasure for all ages.

Musical director George Bassman, orchestra conducted by Max Rudolph of the Metropolitan Opera; stage concert with 13 of world's top opera singers and musicians, each performing a single number; the performers included baritone Leonard Warren (""Prologue"" from Leoncavallo's ""Pagliacci""), tenor Jan Peerce (""Vesti La Giubba"" from Leoncavallo's ""Pagliacci""), violinist Isaac Stern (lst movement of Mendelssohn's ""Violin Concerto in E Minor""), soprano Zhinka Milanov (""Vissi d'Arte"" from Puccini's ""Tosca""), coloratura soprano Roberta Peters (""The Doll Song"" from Offenbach's ""Tales of Hoffman""), cellist Gregor Piatigorsky (""Adagio and Rondo for Cello and Orchestra"" by Carl Maria Von Weber), contralto Marian Anderson (""Beautiful City,"" ""Poor Me,"" ""He's Got the Whole World in His Hands""), mezzo-sopranos Blanche Thebom and Mildred Miller (""Barcarolle"" duet from Offenbach's ""Tales of Hoffman""), mezzo-soprano Rise Stevens (""Card Song"" from Bizet's ""Carmen""), tenor Jussi Bjoerling (""Che Gelida Manina""

The story concentrates on the encounter of the girl queen with the great Roman Emperor Julius Caesar. Now a battle-hardened veteran and experienced ruler in his 50's, Caesar finds the young Cleopatra ignorant of how to behave and how to rule wisely. He becomes her instructor. In the midst of court intrigue she has Caesar's help in strengthening her hand.

The story of the relationship of famed Victorian poet Elizabeth Moulton-Barrett, first, with her possessive father, and then to the vital and vigorous Victorian poet Robert Browning, beginning with their first meeting at the Barrett home on 50 Wimpole Street on May 20, 1845; at the time, Elizabeth was a 40-year old bedridden invalid, dominated by her widowed father; when her doctor recommends a trip to Italy for her health, Browning declares his love for her, foiling her father's plan to spoil the trip by arranging one of his own by secretly marrying her and taking her to Italy after all.

The story of Midwest industrialist who lets wife obsessed with youth bully him into retirement and a grand European tour, eventually seeing through her, her promiscuity, and the pretensions of European society and leaving for a civilized widow.

The story is set shortly before Civil War and centers around Evalina, sixth daughter of a hoop skirt manufacturer who sides with her Aunt Dolly Bloomer, an avid suffragette, and falls in love with a handsome slave owner, Jefferson Calhoun.

The story of modest and inhibited Newark librarian who secretly loves handsome young bank clerk, schemes to meet him in a bar and gets drunk herself but successfully pursues a campaign to woo him, aided by the bar patrons.

This show was based on the book by Gottfried Reinhardt and John Mechan Jr. ""Die Fledermaus"". Music by Johann Strauss. A Edwin Lester Los Angeles - San Francisco Light Opera Production.