| Overview |

The 1983 Raggedy Ann and Andy at ESIPA, aka the "Circus Draft"

The 1983 ESIPA program
Source

1983's Raggedy Ann and Any was ESIPA's first attempt at a Raggedy Ann musical. Very little is known about the plot, only that the dolls accompany Marcella to a circus. After William Gibson had declined to work on the project, Tim Mason was hired to write this verson of the script, with Joe Raposo composing. It opened for previews Dec 10th and ran from Dec 16th to 21st[1], advertised as a family show for the holiday season.

Crew:

  • Book: Timothy Mason
  • Music & Lyrics: Joe Raposo
  • Director: Patricia Birch & Bill Gile
  • Chorography: Don Correia
  • Sets: Marsha Louis Eck
  • Costumes: Marsha Louis Eck
  • Lighting: Richard Winkler

Characters/Cast:

  • Raggedy Ann: Ivy Austin (with Carolee Carmello understudying)[2]
  • Raggedy Andy: Mark Baker (with Scott Schafer understudying)[2]
  • Marcella: Mirinda Staats
  • Frank
  • Frankie (a clown)
  • Tina
  • Nicky
  • Gangster/Dancer: Don Correia

Mark Baker and Ivy Austin as Raggedy Andy & Raggedy Ann
Source

| Sources |

  1. ^ Author unknown (1983-12-06). "ESIPA in World Premiere Of 'Raggedy Ann and Andy'". Schenectady Gazette. Retrieved 2023-08-13
  2. ^a b Scott Schafer (2022-04-27). Scott Schafer surprises us with info on the early "circus version" of Raggedy Ann (4-27-2022). Raggedy Ann Revival Effort. Retrieved 2023-08-13

| Music |

Raggedy Ann and Andy included several more songs from the movie than Gibson's Raggedy Ann would. Archived notes from Raposo's work on the show (dated 12/12/83) reveal the entire song list:

1. OVERTURE -- No Girl's Toy a
2. MOVIN' ALONG b
3. I LOOK a
4. I'M NO GIRL'S TOY a, b
5. MEG OF GALLOWAY b
6. CARNIVAL INTRO
7. THE WORST LITTLE CARNIVAL ON EARTH
8. CHASE -- NO GIRL'S TOY
9. MIRACLE a
10. BLUE a, b
11. MY TURN NOW b
12. RAG DOLLY a, b
13. ENT-ACTE -- RAG DOLLY
14. NEWSREEL
15. MAN WITH A DREAM
16. CANDY HEARTS a
17. Frankie's Crossover/Fatima's Entrance
18. NO SURPRISES
19. BIJOU UNDERSCORE
20. SOMEWHERE b
21. WHERE DO I GO NOW? b?
22. BIJOU UNDERSCORE
23. MY TURN NOW WIND-DOWN
24. ACT II FINALE -- Movin' Along Reprise/Rag Dolly
25. BOWS -- No Girl's Toy
26. EXIT MUSIC -- Rag Dolly

Songs with an a are from the 1977 movie soundtrack, while songs with a b would be considered by Gibson for his re-write. Only four would make it in; Blue, My Turn Now (with new lyrics, now called The Light), Rag Dolly, and Somewhere. Though it's theorized that Where do I go now? may have inspired What Did I Lose?, on name alone.

| Reception |

Reviewers gave the show light praise, considering it a fine show to take the family to but nothing extraordinary. It's creatives however, disliked the result, and sought to re-start the script entirely. This is what led to Gibson finally being convinced to join the project. He had similar opinions on the script he was to be replacing.