The Golden Apple 1954

Based on The Odyssey by Homer

This musical is based on the Iliad and the Odyssey. The story has been transplanted to the town of Angel's Roost, Washington, at the foot of Mt. Olympus just after the Spanish-American war. Adventure-loving Ulysses and his men return triumphant to their various women, including Ulysses's wife Penelope and Helen, a young woman married to the old Sheriff Menelaus. In honor of the returning soldiers, the townsfolk organize a fair, in which there will be a baking competition. Old Mother Hare, who supplies the women with herbs and prophecies, is left out of the festivities, but she shows up anyway. She has an apple made of gold wire that she will award to the best baker. Three important townswomen, Miss Minerva, Mrs. Juniper, and Lovey Mars, elect Paris, a balloon-riding traveling salesman to judge the contest, then promptly try to influence his vote. Lovey Mars wins because she promises him Helen. Soon Paris and Helen are wafting away to Rhododendron, the big city, as Mother Hare gleefully waves goodbye. Although Ulysses had promised Penelope that he'd stay home for a change, he immediately gathers his men and goes off to retrieve Helen.

Helen is the toast of Rhododendron for a while, until the Angel's Roost men show up and take over. Ulysses bundles her back off to Menelaus, but he and his men want to see the big city before they return. Rhododendron is mayor, Hector, sees this as his chance for revenge against the conquerors. Their late-night bender lasts 10 years, and his men vanish one by one into the maw of the city and its sinful inhabitants: Calypso (a nymph/social climber), Scylla and Charybdis (greedy stockbrokers), the Sirens (prostitutes), a crazy lady scientist who shoots men into space but can't get them back, and Circe (a magician's lady sidekick). Ulysses's last hero, Achilles, intercepts a knife aimed at him by Paris, leaving the commander the sole survivor. He does some soul-searching and returns to Penelope, who is none too pleased with him after his 10-year absence. However, he convinces her that he is staying for good this time.