Urban Cowboy Awards

Two Tony Award Nominations

Best Original Score
Best Choreography (Melinda Roy)

Two Outer Critics Circle Award Nominations

Best Broadway Musical
Best Actress in a Broadway Musical (Jenn Colella)

One Drama Desk Award Nomination

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Sally Mayes)

Urban Cowboy is based on the hit Paramount film of the same name, which starred John Travolta and Debra Winger. It's the story of Bud, a new breed of cowboy who's turnin' heads and lookin' for love in the biggest honkeytonk in the world. But can he raise the roof, get the girl and ride the bull, all before last call? Urban Cowboy features classic songs from the original film, hits from such current country stars as Shania Twain, Clint Black and the Dixie Chicks, and original songs from musical director and conductor Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Last Five Years), as well as Jeff Blumenkrantz and Bob Stillman. Lonny Price directs with choreography by Melinda Roy. Set and projection design is by James Noone with lighting design by Natasha Katz and costume design by Ellis Tillman. Sound design is by Peter J. Fitzgerald.

Co-written by Aaron Latham and Phillip Oesterman, the show began its life as a December 2001 reading with Ra�l Esparza, Caroline McMahon and Sandy Duncan. Public performances started with the world premiere at Florida's Coconut Grove Playhouse, where it played from November 5, 2002 to December 1, 2002 receiving generally positive reviews. Shortly before the premiere, its director and the driving force for the production, Phillip Oesterman, died suddenly of heart failure at the age of 46. It opened on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre on March 27, 2003 to mostly negative reviews (New York critical reception can be much different than in other places) and also suffering from the loss of money during the unfortunate musicians strike in February of 2003. The show nearly closed two days after its opening, but in a turn of events that only could happen on Broadway, the closing notice was rescinded by the producers the day of the supposed closing date and it ran until May 18, 2003, making its Broadway run a total of 26 previews and 60 regular performances. A tour has been announced to begin in the Fall of 2004.

MUSICAL NUMBERS
(songs with asterisks are by Jason Robert Brown)
ACT ONE

"Leavin' Home".....................................Bud
"Long Hard Day"........................Jesse, Ensemble
"All Because of You".......................Aunt Corene
"Another Guy"....................................Sissy
"Boot Scootin' Boogie".......Hardhats, Bud, Sissy, All
"It Don't Get Better Than This"....................Bud*
"Dancin' The Slow Ones With You"...................Pam
"Cowboy Take Me Away"............................Sissy
"Could I Have This Dance?"...............Bud, Ensemble
"My Back's Up Against the Wall"...........Wes, Cowboys
"If You Mess With the Bull"............Jesse, Ensemble
"That's How She Rides".............................Wes*
"I Wish I Didn't Love You".........................Bud

ACT TWO

"That's How Texas Was Born".......................Band*
"Take You for a Ride".........................Pam, Wes
"My Hopalong Heartbreak".........................Sissy*
"T-R-O-U-B-L-E"...............................Marshall
"Dances Turn Into Dreams"........................Jesse
"The Hard Way"..............................Sissy, Bud
"Git It"...............................Jesse, Ensemble
"Something That We Do".....Aunt Corene, Uncle Bob, All
"The Devil Went Down to Georgia"....Marshall, Ensemble
"It Don't Get Better..." (Reprise).....Bud, Sissy, All
"Lookin' for Love".....................Bud, Sissy, All