Now the world is too pathetic and I don't get it at all.
Romance in Hard Times
William Finn's Romance in Hard Times played in 1989 and 1990 at the Public Theater as part of the New York Shakespeare Festival. It was directed by David Warren with musical direction by Ted Sperling. Choreography was by Marcia Milgram Dodge, scenery was by James Youmans, and costumes were by Bruce Coughlin.
The plot according to the liner notes: "Set in a depression soup kitchen in New York City, Romance in Hard Times tells the story of Hennie, who has recently learned she is pregnant; Harvey, her husband who refuses to speak because he cannot provide for his wife; and Boris, a determined loser who loves Hennie. Through a series of disappointments and tragedies (though told with lots of humor included), Hennie decides that the world is not an acceptable place to bring her baby into, and therefore, holds her baby back, for many months past the normal term. With other characters such as Zoe, Polly, the Handcuffed Sisters, Gus, The Kid, and even Eleanor Roosevelt helping out, Hennie tries to find something that will make everything right again, so she can bring her baby into the world."
William Finn's America Kicks Up It's Heels (1983) shares some songs and characters with Romance In Hard Times.
| Character | Played By |
| Hennie | Lillias White |
| Harvey | Lawrence Clayton |
| Boris | Cleavant Derricks |
| Zoe | Alix Korey |
| Polly | Ray Gill |
| Gus | Michael Mandell |
| Eleanor Roosevelt | Peggy Hewett |
| The Kid | Victor Trent Cook |
| Older Handcuffed Sister | Amanda Naughton |
| Younger Handcuffed Sister | Stacey Lynn Brass |
| Harmonizing Fools, Supreme Court Justices, Prisoners, Celebrities, etc. |
Rufus Bonds, Jr |
Act 1
| Song | Sung By |
| Harvey | Hennie |
| Standing In Line | Polly, Handcuffed Sisters, Gus, Zoe, and Harmonizing Fools |
| I'll Get Out Of Here | Boris |
| Turning Off the Radio | Zoe, Ensemble |
| Harvey Promised To Change The World | Harvey, Hennie, Boris, and Harmonizing Fools |
| Find a Job | Hennie, Ensemble |
| The Supreme Court Saved From Fire | Announcer, Hennie, Justices |
| Goodbye | Polly, Handcuffed Sisters |
| Charity Quartet | Handcuffed Sisters, Zoe, Gus |
| Lovesong | Hennie, Boris, Harvey |
| Charity Quartet (Reprise) | Handcuffed Sisters, Zoe, Gus |
| Eleanor Roosevelt: A Discussion of Soup | Eleanor, Zoe, Everyone |
| Eleanor's Bad News | Eleanor, Everyone |
| I Never Said I Didn't Love You | Harvey |
| You Got Me Crazy | Boris, Hennie, Everyone |
| That's Enough For Me | Hennie |
| Places I Fainted From Hunger/ Time Passes | Polly, Everyone |
| All Fall Down | Zoe |
| The Good Times Are Here | Hennie, Boris, Eleanor, Everyone |
Act 2
| Song | Sung By |
| Feeling Rich | Zoe, Gus, Polly, Handcuffed Sisters, Harmonizing Fools |
| Hold Back My Baby | Hennie |
| Hennie Soup | Eleanor, Hennie, Gus, Everyone |
| Thinking About You | Boris and Hennie |
| Time Passes (Reprise) | Everyone |
| I Don't Want To Feel What I Feel | Hennie |
| The Prosperity Song | Eleanor, Gus, Handcuffed Sisters, Polly, Zoe |
| A Gaggle Of Celebrities | Hennie and Celebrities |
| I'll Get You Out Of My Life | Boris and Hennie |
| How Could You Do This To Someone Who Robbed For You? | Handcuffed Sisters, Gus, Zoe, Polly, Eleanor, Prisoners, Hennie, Boris |
| Blame It On These Times | Boris |
| A Gaggle Of Celebrities (Reprise) | Celebrities, Everyone |
| Standing In Line (Reprise) | Everyone |
| You Cannot Let Romance Die | The Kid |
| That's Enough For Me Duet | Hennie and Boris |
| Finale | Everyone |
Thanks to Jesse M. Ragan for providing information about this show.
