Listen my children, we’re putting in motion,
The fifty-nine year tale of the Players of Goshen.
For “Trial By Jury” in ’Forty nine
The curtain went up for the first in the line.
“H.M.S. Pinafore” set sail fine and dandy,
Then ev’ryone hailed “The Chimes of Normandy.”
“Knickerbocker Holiday” in old Stuyvesant’s town,
Came before “The Gondoliers”, where no one did drown.
In ‘fifty –four, how ambitious a plan-
“Trial by Jury” AND “Ballad of Americans.”
“The Bartered Bride” led to “Robin Hood”,
Then “Come to the Ball”, you really should.
"The Red Mill" turned in fifty-eight,
Next “Countess Maritza” appeared on the slate.
“Rosemarie” showed up on the scene,
Before “Of Thee I Sing” candidate Wintergreen.
“The Desert Song” featured riffs in the sand,
But “Anything Goes” sailed away from dry land.
“White Horse Inn” gave a welcome to all with much ease
For a “Knickerbocker Holiday” in a reprise.
“Guys and Dolls” featured fellas and frails
While “A Time for Singing” took all off to Wales.
“Kismet” was fated before “Oliver”, please note,
And “Once Upon a Mattress” had a watery moat.
“The King and I” had kids by the dozen,
Not to mention the wives, aunts and uncles and cousins.
“Little Mary Sunshine” played croquet and went swinging,
“My Fair Lady” Eliza and friends next came singing.
“Call Me Madam” came on hearing music so fine,
While “The Most Happy Fella” went off to make wine.
For all of these shows, we had no back door
In the cellar, and underfoot was a dirt floor.
In order to egress other than through the stage,
One climbed out the window, regardless of age.
So in ‘seventy-six came a momentous event:
We dug and we dug, then we poured some cement.
A door was carved out of the east-facing wall,
So out of the window we no longer crawl!
“A Connecticut Yankee” made his way home,
Then “Forum” took everyone back to old Rome.
“Threepenny Opera” had Macheath and riff-raff,
The stage for “Candide” split the the hall right in half.
The “Fiddler” appeared “On The Roof”, with no drum,
The “Mikado” walked on with Nanki-Poo with Yum-Yum.
“Fiorello” brought back the York that is New,
Then off to “South Pacific” for a Nellie shampoo.
“Oklahoma!” was next, and applause it did earn,
“The Pajama Game” players then took their turn.
“Pirates of Penzance” climbed on to the stage.
But “Cabaret” patrons they did not enrage.
“Of Thee I Sing” brings Throttlebottom
Again to sing “Hello Dolly” with a chorus of men.
“No No Nanette” tapped and sang “Tea for Two”,
When cast went “Girl Crazy”, some hullabaloo!
Out of the mist there appeared “Brigadoon”
Then “Music Man” lead the whole band in a tune.
“Anything Goes” hit the boards once again.
While wet we did get “Singin’ in the Rain.”
“Man of La Mancha” Sancho and Quixote
Brought on “Guys and Dolls” with many a devotee.
Back come Eliza, Higgins, Doolittle and Pickering
To Celebrate fifty years, with the candle unflickering.
Now back to old Rome: "Quo vadis?" No: "...Forum",
While "Mame" took the stage with style and decorum,
Here's "Mattress" piled up, with Agravain crying,
Then "How to Succeed...Without Really Trying."
"Godspell" was next, with lights, fog and sound,
And "Me and My Girl" had the set spin around.
In two-oh-oh-four the town took a vote
And sold the Old Town Hall for a one-dollar note.
We're sprucing her up - restore faded glory
To add to the pages of Old Town Hall's story.
Now on stage steps "Kate," that sweet, demure miss,
As all's well that ends well, she does get her "kiss."
Up goes the scaffold, now please do not faint,
Here comes the facelift, so on with the paint.
Could that be a ghost, and should we all fear it?
October winds blow in a comic "Blithe Spirit."
"Urinetown: The Musical" folks came here to see,
We'd like to, but do not, have them paying to pee.
We're digging again, excavating the cellar
So there will be head room for every tall feller.
Away with the damp and the seasonal float,
No more to contend with our insider moat.
Did you hear who did what, with whom, when and where?
It seems that it's "Rumors" causing people to stare.
We dug a new well, a veritable geyser,
So flush all you want, no more H2O miser.
Are we old fashioned? Oh please, don’t be silly.
Here comes our most “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”
The cellar floor has been sealed, and coated with paint,
And the fire escapes no longer look quite so quaint.
"Enchanted April" translates us all,
Al Italia, Paradiso, although it is fall.