Really Rosie facts for kids

Really Rosie is a fun musical with a story and songs by Maurice Sendak. The music was written by the famous singer Carole King. This musical is based on several of Sendak's popular children's books. These include Chicken Soup with Rice, Pierre, One was Johnny, and Alligators All Around. It also uses ideas from The Sign on Rosie's Door.

Maurice Sendak got the idea for Rosie from a real girl. He saw her singing and dancing on her doorstep in Brooklyn when he was a child. The show follows a normal summer day for a group of friends. They are called the Nutshell Kids. Rosie, who thinks she's the coolest kid on her block, decides to make a movie. It's all about her own exciting, funny, and sometimes made-up life!

The Animated TV Special

Rosie Comes to Life on TV

A special half-hour animated TV show of Really Rosie aired. It was shown on CBS TV on February 19, 1975. Maurice Sendak directed the show. The animation was done by Ronald Fritz and Dan Hunn.

Guess who voiced Rosie? It was Carole King herself! The creators chose her because it was hard to find a child actor. They needed someone whose voice would sound good with the songs already recorded. An album of the songs by King and Sendak is still available. In the TV special, only the first seven songs and a "Really Rosie (Reprise)" were used.

Stage Productions

From TV to the Theater Stage

Maurice Sendak made the show bigger for stage plays in London and Washington, D.C. This happened in 1978. An off-Broadway production opened on October 14, 1980. It was directed and choreographed by Patricia Birch. Maurice Sendak also helped with the designs.

The show played at the Westside Theatre for 274 performances. A young Tisha Campbell-Martin played Rosie first. She was 12 years old at the time. Later, another cast member, Angela Coin, took over the role. Angela was 10 and also sang Rosie's part on the cast recording.

A Favorite for Young Audiences

Really Rosie has become a very popular show for children's theater groups. Many schools and youth groups perform it. It also inspired comedian John Mulaney for his Netflix special. That special was called John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch.

Story of the Musical

A Hot Summer Day in Brooklyn

Rosie and her friends, the Nutshell Kids, live in Brooklyn, New York. They are on a street called Avenue P. It's a hot Saturday in July, and the kids are bored. They need something fun to do!

Rosie imagines she is a big star. She decides to create an imaginary musical. It's about her life and a funny story about her brother, Chicken Soup. She calls her movie Did You Hear What Happened to Chicken Soup?.

Making the Movie

Rosie asks her friends to try out for parts in her movie. But they start to argue about who gets which role. Suddenly, a thunderstorm begins! They all have to go inside for shelter.

To keep everyone interested, Rosie decides they need to show the "producer" the movie's big ending song. She tells them to close their eyes. They imagine a producer inviting them to make Rosie's movie for real. After their pretend movie, the children go home. Rosie stays behind, dreaming of being a big star.

Voice Actors in the TV Special

• Carole King as Rosie
• Dale Soules as Pierre and Chicken Soup
• Baillie Gerstein as Kathy
• Alice Playten as Alligator
• Mark Hampton as Johnny

Soundtrack Album

Really Rosie
Soundtrack album by Carole King
Released	February 1975 May 25, 1999 (CD reissue)
Recorded	1974
Genre	Children's music, soft rock
Length	33:24 (Original album) 35:50 (CD reissue)
Label	Ode / Epic
Producer	Lou Adler, Sheldon Riss
Carole King chronology
Wrap Around Joy (1974) Really Rosie (1975) Thoroughbred (1976)

Songs on the Album

The lyrics for all songs were written by Maurice Sendak. The music was written by Carole King.

• "Really Rosie"
• "One Was Johnny"
• "Alligators All Around"
• "Pierre"
• "Screaming and Yelling"
• "The Ballad of Chicken Soup"
• "Chicken Soup with Rice"
• "Avenue P"
• "My Simple Humble Neighborhood"
• "The Awful Truth"
• "Such Sufferin'"
• "Really Rosie" (Reprise)
• "Really Rosie" (Original piano demo) - This was a bonus track on the 1999 CD.

Who Played on the Album?

• Carole King - She sang and played piano.
• Charles Larkey - Played bass guitar.
• Andy Newmark - Played drums.
• Louise Goffin, Sherry Goffin - Sang backing vocals.
• Hank Cicalo, Milt Calice - Were the engineers (they helped record the music).
• Maurice Sendak - Wrote the lyrics and story, and did the artwork.
• Ronald Fritz - Was the animation producer and director.