The Most Happy Fella - Synopsis

Synopsis

Act 1

In the Golden Gate Restaurant in San Francisco in 1927, the young tired and harassed waitresses Cleo and Rosabella commiserate with each other. Cleo's feet hurt ("Ooh My Feet") and Rosabella has fended off the cashier's advances ("I Know How It Is"). As they clean up ("Seven Million Crumbs"), Rosabella finds a tie pin and a note addressed to her, written in odd broken English. The writer is not sure of his English ("I Don't Know (The Letter)"), but Rosabella decides to answer, thinking of the possibilities ("Somebody, Somewhere").

In Napa, the mailman has another letter for Tony Esposito, who has been enjoying a "mail order love affair" for the past four months. Tony, an Italian grape farmer who is a large and hearty older man, happily shows the crowd his "girlfriend"'s picture ("The Most Happy Fella").

Since Tony realizes he cannot send a picture of himself in return, he asks the younger and handsome Joe, the farm foreman, for one of himself. When Rosabella arrives at the town a few weeks later, Joe confesses he is not Tony, and she, upset at the subterfuge, tries to leave. However, Tony has been injured in a truck accident, and pleads with Rosabella to stay and marry him immediately, in case he does not live. She relents and they marry. Joe is upset but tries to comfort her ("Don't Cry"), and Rosabella realizes that she has feelings for him as well — they embrace.

Act 2

Tony's jealous sister Marie tries to convince Tony that the age difference between him and Rosabella is too great. Cleo now lives in Napa because Tony has hired her, mainly to keep Rosabella company. She urges Rosabella to tell Tony of her feelings, as Tony is treating her like a child rather than a wife ("I Love Him/I Know How it Is"). Tony, overjoyed by her expression of love, discards his cane ("My Heart Is So Full of You"). Later Rosabella collapses at a party ("Hoedown"), and the doctor tells her she is pregnant. She is uncomfortable with this news, and Cleo rushes her away before she can tell Tony.

Act 3

In Tony's barn a short time later, the preparations for the wedding party are taking place ("Abbondanza"). Rosabella finally tells Tony she is pregnant and is returning to San Francisco. Tony understands he is not the baby's father. She and Cleo leave, but when Tony discovers Joe is leaving as well, he becomes very angry because he believes they are leaving together. He rushes to the bus station with a gun to confront them, but Joe has already left, and Rosabella is waiting for the bus. Marie begs her brother to let her go ("Nobody's Ever Gonna Love You"), but Cleo has a physical fight with Marie. Tony convinces Rosabella to return to their home, where they will tell their friends and the townspeople Tony is the father.